The Compass Team

• Doug Whitehead, Principal/CEO
• Cotton Walker, Principal/COO
• Anne Walker, Senior Principal

Doug Whitehead – For the past seventeen years Mr. Whitehead has managed projects for:

• The National Biodiesel Board (Jefferson City, 3 years – current client), a National trade association. As an independent management consultant, Doug managed the regulatory program statewide and nationally. Doug tracked the regulatory impact of new rule(s) and/or law changes and set strategy to promote or oppose.
• State Regulatory Program Manager responsible for:  budget creation and execution, manage a team of consultants that track legislation nationally, work with various state agencies, provide analysis and direction, work strategically with other program managers and create/manage a wide range of reports.
• Project Manager for All Things Biodiesel.com – an online marketplace.  Responsible for:  design, creation and total management and marketing of a four part ecommerce website.  The four parts:  A store, a Classifieds program, a Directory program and a banner advertising program.
• Project Manager for the NYSERDA retail station promotional program grant.  Responsible for:  design, creation and total management and marketing of a national biodiesel branding campaign.
• Accenture (MO, KS, IA, NE, CA, TX - 11 years) As a Business Development Director, a lobbyist, and a sub-contractor Doug managed all aspects of marketing, budgeting, application delivery, and team management.  Project examples:  Asset disposition project assessment and creation for and with Ebay and the American Association of School Administrators, Court Automation, Y2k assessment and fix and Interstate Tolling strategies.
• Information Now Technologies (Jefferson City, 6 years), a web design, web development and web hosting company. As the managing principal, Doug handled all aspects of the business. Client examples: Wilson Sporting Goods, The University of Missouri Athletic Department, and Capital Region Medical Center. After managing the development of over 150 websites, Mr. Whitehead managed the sale of the company.
• The Point Group (Jefferson City and St. Louis, MO. & Plymouth, MA., 3 years), a technology, government, and business consulting firm based in Boston, MA. Mr. Whitehead managed projects and issue based statewide elections in: Missouri, Massachusetts, Florida, and Iowa.
• Diversified Development (St. Louis, MO., 5 years), a government relations consulting firm focusing on issue management and business development. Mr. Whitehead assisted private companies market their products and services to government entities at the city, county, and state level. Mr. Whitehead represented these industries: financial services (bonding), telecommunications, construction companies, private jail developers, and others.

Mr. Whitehead is a graduate of the professional school of architecture, Kansas State University. Mr. Whitehead has completed these certifications: product sales and management with IBM and Apple computers (through Accenture), completed real estate agent and broker training in Missouri and has completed certified school board training through the Missouri School Board Association.

Mr. Whitehead is currently in his third term on the Jefferson City Public Schools Board of Education:  2 years as Board President and 1 as Vice President. Doug is a "Founding 50" member and Ex Officio Director of the Jefferson City Public Schools Foundation. Doug also serves on the Board of the Jefferson City YMCA and is active in a number of other civic organizations.

Mr. Whitehead recently served on MoDOT’s Missouri Advanced Planning (MAP) Commission – a two year term.  As the central Missouri representative, Doug participated in monthly meetings regarding future and strategic planning for Missouri’s road system.  Primary discussion:  budget, alternative transportation methods and multi-modal development.

Cotton Walker
Mr. Walker has practiced law in Missouri since 1991. His practice in Jefferson City has grown since returning to his hometown in 1992. His practice areas include administrative law (state agencies), corporate and collection litigation, family law, estate and business planning as well as other civil litigation. He has been a municipal judge since 1995 and previously served as Jefferson City’s prosecuting attorney. Cotton has been involved in training other judges, attorneys and law enforcement officers with the Missouri Municipal and Associate Circuit Judges’ Association, the Missouri Deputy Sheriffs’ Association and the Missouri Police Chiefs’ Association as well as serving as Board Member for those organizations.

He is active in the community including leadership roles with First United Methodist Church, Capital Area Community Service Agency, Jefferson City Community Concert Association, Capital Region Medical Center, and Jefferson City Area Safe Kids’ Coalition among others.

He has worked with elected officials statewide including state Senators, Representatives as well as Missouri’s Governor and Attorney General. He has also staffed and advised local and statewide issue and candidate campaigns. He currently serves as a board member and legislative chair for a statewide law related association.

Anne Walker
Anne Walker became deputy director of the Missouri Department of Economic Development in July 2002 where she served as the lead policy advisor to the director as well as being a key decision-maker in the Department's budget and planning process and assisting in the administration and oversight of the Department.

Walker was instrumental in formulating policy, working toward tax credit reform and restructuring the organization of the Department including the Department’s new focus on Regional Teams. She is a strategic facilitator, spearheading efforts on behalf of the Department to help Missouri make a successful transition into the new knowledge-based economy. This past April she directed the Department’s efforts in coordinating the Missouri Jobs Summit where the Missouri @ Work initiative was announced which culminated in the passage of several significant pieces of legislation targeting economic growth.

Walker worked closely with the Governor’s office and coordinated the Department’s role in the Midwestern Governor's Association Conference. She also facilitated activities to keep legislators and other public and private partners informed of the Department's programs and services as well as economic development issues including recent efforts to assist communities impacted by tornadoes and other natural disasters.

Previously, Walker served as Director of Policy Development for the Department. In this position she was responsible for coordinating policy and legislation as well as directing and coordinating special project work across state departments or with public constituencies. She has served as the Department's liaison with public and private organizations, which have an interest in economic policy.

Walker brings expertise in inter-governmental relations from her work with national organizations, which included serving as national chair of the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Most recently Walker served as Project Manager for the Missouri Secretary of State involving coordination of the federal Help America Vote Act (HAVA) with state and local election authorities.  Her focus was on implementation and evaluation of the federal program with all Missouri’s 114 counties and the City of St. Louis.

Prior to her work with the Department, Walker served as administrator and chief clerk of the Missouri House of Representatives and was the assistant director of research for the House. She has also worked in the area of children and youth services, holding positions funded by the U.S. Office of Juvenile Justice with the National Legislative Leaders Foundation.

Stormy Couchman, Administrative Assistant

Compass Consulting is committed to our Clients and our Community. We believe that a healthy business can only strive in a healthy community. The bios of our principals demonstrate this commitment in the business community; we also encourage our partners, friends and clients to support these and other groups like them in their community:

• Afgans for Angels of Missouri
• The Samaritan Center
• The Food Pantry
• The Jefferson City Public School Foundation
• The Capital Area Community Service Agency
• The Jefferson City Community Concert Association
• The Performing Arts
• The Jefferson City Area Safe Kid's Coalition
• The Special Learning Center
• The Helias Foundation
• The United Way of Central Missouri
• The American Diabetes Association

Please contact us to discuss how you can get involved!

Thank you!