Where public purpose meets private investment.
Kaleo Consulting Group helps Texas cities and private-sector owners build partnerships that work for everyone at the table. We are former city officials with private-sector experience, and we know how deals look from both sides.
We've sat in the city's chair. We've sat in the developer's chair.
Economic development deals succeed when each partner understands what the other needs. A city is looking for jobs, tax base, and places its residents are proud of. An owner or developer is looking for a project that pencils, a clear path through approvals, and a partner it can trust. Kaleo translates between those goals and helps shape agreements that deliver measurable results for the community and the investor.
The Kaleo difference
Public-sector insight
Our team has led economic development and planning departments and served in city management. We know how staff evaluate a proposal, how Council weighs it, and how to present it.
Private-sector fluency
Commercial leasing, sales, marketing, and design backgrounds mean we understand pro formas, timelines, and the pressure to deliver.
Partnership outcomes, not paperwork
We negotiate agreements tied to performance, with clear obligations and public value everyone can see.
Texas through and through
Local, county, and state programs work differently. We know how they fit together.
What we do
Market Analysis
Clear, defensible data on demographics, demand, retail and employment trends, and site potential, so every decision starts from the facts.
Economic Development Strategy
Practical strategies that identify target opportunities, align incentive policy with community goals, and turn vision into a pipeline of real projects.
Planning
Land-use, redevelopment, and placemaking guidance that connects the design of a place to its long-term economic performance.
Kaleo (kah-LEH-oh)
In Greek, to call. In Hawaiian, the voice. Our name reflects why we do this work: a calling to serve communities, and a commitment to making sure every voice in a partnership is heard.
Have a project, a site, or a vision for your city?
Let's talk about what a strong partnership could look like.
Start a ConversationA calling. A voice.
A better way to partner.
The meaning behind our name
Kaleo (kah-LEH-oh). Our name comes from two languages, and both meanings shape how we work.
"to call"
In Greek, kaleō means to call, to invite, or to summon someone by name. For us, it speaks to purpose. Economic development isn't just a career for our team. It is a calling to help communities grow in ways that last.
"the voice"
In Hawaiian, kaleo joins ka ("the") and leo ("voice"). It means the voice, or the sound you hear. Great partnerships start with listening: to residents, to elected officials, to business owners, and to investors. Our job is to make sure each voice is heard and reflected in the final agreement.
Called to serve communities. Committed to hearing every voice.
Who we are
Kaleo Consulting Group is a Texas firm founded by former city officials with private-sector experience. We have negotiated incentive agreements, led redevelopment efforts, guided projects through zoning and planning, and presented deals to City Councils and boards. We also have experience on the other side of the table, in commercial real estate leasing, sales, and marketing.
That two-sided experience is our advantage. We help cities attract the right investment with confidence, and we help private-sector owners understand what cities need to say yes.
Our mission
To bridge the public and private sectors through partnerships that create jobs, grow the tax base, and build places Texans are proud to call home.
Our values
Purpose
We take on work that strengthens communities.
Listening
Every stakeholder has a voice worth hearing.
Integrity
Transparent, performance-based agreements that protect public trust.
Texas pride
We know this state, its communities, and its way of doing business.
Strategy, analysis, and partnerships that move projects forward.
From early market research to a signed agreement, Kaleo guides cities and private-sector owners through each stage of the economic development process.
Market Analysis
Every good decision starts with good information. We study the market so our clients can act with confidence.
- Demographic, household, and workforce profiles
- Retail, office, industrial, and residential demand analysis
- Trade-area and retail leakage studies
- Site and corridor evaluations
- Fiscal and economic impact estimates
- Competitive positioning against peer communities
Economic Development Strategy
A strategy should be more than a report on a shelf. We build plans that city staff, elected officials, and partners can carry out.
- Economic development strategic plans
- Target industry and retail recruitment strategies
- Incentive policy development and review
- Redevelopment and revitalization strategies for downtowns, corridors, and aging centers
- Business retention and expansion programs
- Board, Council, and stakeholder workshops
Planning
Places that are well planned perform better over time. We connect land use and design decisions to economic results.
- Land-use, zoning, and entitlement guidance
- Mixed-use and redevelopment concept planning
- Placemaking strategies for plazas, main streets, and gathering spaces
- Development review and approval navigation
- Public engagement and community input processes
Public-Private Partnerships and Incentive Negotiation
This is where our experience on both sides of the table matters most. We structure and negotiate agreements that align interests and reward performance.
- Partnership structuring and term sheet development
- Local, county, and state incentive identification
- Negotiation support for cities or private-sector clients
- Performance metrics, clawbacks, and compliance terms
- Council and board presentations that clearly explain the public benefit
- Coordination with legal counsel, finance staff, and development teams
Additional support
- Site selection assistance
- Project feasibility analysis
- Stakeholder engagement
- Interim economic development staffing support
Two sides of the table. One shared goal.
For cities and public partners
Whether you are a growing suburb, a small town, or an established city reinventing itself, Kaleo provides experienced guidance from people who have done the job.
- Cities and town managers
- Economic development corporations (Type A and Type B)
- Counties and regional partners
- Downtown and redevelopment organizations
How we help: Strategic plans, market studies, incentive policy, deal evaluation and negotiation, redevelopment strategy, and support for Council presentations. We can also serve as an extension of your staff when capacity is tight.
For private-sector owners and developers
Working with a city should not feel like a mystery. We help you understand what a city values, how decisions get made, and how to present your project as a partnership worth supporting.
- Property owners and landlords
- Commercial and mixed-use developers
- Retailers, restaurants, and employers considering expansion or relocation
- Investors evaluating redevelopment opportunities
How we help: Site and market analysis, incentive identification, entitlement guidance, partnership proposals, negotiation support, and public presentations.
Our experience inside City Hall helps private clients ask for the right things, the right way. Our private-sector experience helps cities structure deals that actually get built.
Allison Branson Cook
Founder and Owner, Kaleo Consulting Group
Education and credentials
- Bachelor of Arts, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas
- Economic Development Institute, University of Oklahoma
- Licensed Texas Real Estate Salesperson, 2008–2023
Allison Branson Cook has spent more than two decades working across the public and private sectors, and she has built her career around one idea: the best communities are built through strong partnerships.
Before founding Kaleo Consulting Group in 2026, Allison served as Assistant City Manager for the City of Princeton, Texas, one of the fastest-growing cities in the state. Before that, she spent more than twelve years with the City of Farmers Branch, where she rose from Economic Development Manager to Director of Economic Development and Tourism, and later Director of Economic Development and Planning. In those roles she recruited businesses, negotiated incentive agreements, guided redevelopment and planning efforts, and presented projects to City Council.
Allison's private-sector experience includes market analysis projects with Catalyst Commercial and sales and marketing leadership with Imperium Holdings. That background gives her a clear understanding of what owners, developers, and tenants need for a project to succeed.
Industry leadership
Allison served as ICSC (International Council of Shopping Centers) Public Sector Alliance Co-Chair from 2012 to 2016. She was nominated for the ICSC State of Texas Public Sector Chair for the P3 Program, leading public-private partnership programming from 2017 to 2019. In this role, Allison, alongside the Public Sector Chair, brought city officials and private developers together to share ideas, build relationships, and make deals at ICSC's Texas conferences, including the Red River States Conference and Deal Making.
Dallas 500, D CEO Magazine
Allison was nominated for the 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 editions of D CEO's annual Dallas 500, which features profiles of the most influential North Texas executives in more than 50 industry categories. She was featured in the Economic Development/Government & Municipal Services category.
The Dallas 500 · Allison in D CEO Magazine
A sixth-generation Texan
Allison is a sixth-generation Texan, and her pride in this state runs deep. Her family's roots in Texas shape how she sees her work: every project is a chance to strengthen the places Texans have called home for generations, and to build the communities the next generations will inherit.
I've been on both sides of the table. I know what a city needs to say yes, and what a developer needs to make the project work. My job is to bring those two together.
Allison Branson Cook
Let's start a conversation.
Whether you're a city planning for growth or an owner with a site and a vision, we'd like to hear from you. Tell us about your project, and we'll follow up to schedule a time to talk.
Kaleo Consulting Group, LLC
Dallas–Fort Worth, Texas
allison@kaleoconsultinggroup.com
Serving communities across Texas