Roger Cox
Roger Cox is very popular! If you live in Albuquerque, you might think you know him. His name is displayed on numerous signs planted on many corners and featured in front of many real estate development sights around town. But many do not know the real Roger Cox, outstanding Lobo athlete, business leader and entrepreneur.
Roger started his athletic career at Farmington High under the tutelage of Coach Lou Cullen, 2004 UNM Athletic Hall of Honor inductee, now deceased. He was a standout four year letterman in football at UNM, playing both offense and defense – which was a rarity in those days. As an offensive running back and defensive end, Roger’s strength, competitiveness, and intelligence distinguished him early on as a team leader on the 1952 National Defensive Championship Lobo football team. He earned All-Conference Skyline, First Team honors as a defensive end. Cox was multitalented; he also earned three letters in track under Coach Roy Johnson, where he excelled in the 100 and 220 yard dash, threw the shot put and ran in the relays.
For those who know Roger and have followed his successful business career upon graduating from UNM and fulfilling his military obligations, it was obvious that the same qualities he exhibited in athletics of competitiveness, confidence, intelligence and leadership have sustained him throughout his professional life. In 1965 he formed Roger Cox and Associates, a full service real estate firm so successful that he has won many honors including “New Mexico Realtor of the Year” for both Albuquerque and the entire state of New Mexico. He has sat on many prestigious national and state boards and commissions, served on non-for profit committees and become one of the states leading real estate and property management developers.
Roger became one of the state’s leading real estate developers, managing such projects as The Sunwest Bank building, the First Interstate Bank building and the Las Colinas Subdivision in Las Cruces. He developed property in Farmington, and the La Jara Land development in the Manzano Mountains. He is most recently praised for his crown jewel, one of America’s premier golf courses, Paa-ko.
Roger has been generous of both his time and support to UNM. He has served as President of the Student Lettermen’ Club, the Alumni Lettermen’s Association, Vice President of the Lobo Club, and is a continuing member of the Tom Popejoy Society and a longstanding supporter of the Lobo Club. He has organized and sponsored many athletic events to further UNM athletics like “Fill the Stadium,” and the sponsoring of numerous golf tournaments.
The late Sam Suplizio – 1998 Athletic Hall of Honor inductee – wrote of his fellow teammate, “Roger’s contributions to athletics at UNM, economic development throughout New Mexico, along with the good will that he brought for the entire state are truly historical, professional achievements, for this New Mexico native, turned UNM athlete, turned civic leader, turned real estate entrepreneur. Under Roger’s watchful eye, he has certainly made everything better wherever he has been.”
This is vintage Roger Cox, homegrown talent that stayed here.