Dr. Cockrell has been in private practice in Stillwater since 1981. He is a member of the Oklahoma Association of Optometric Physicians, Oklahoma Optometric Foundation, American Optometric Association, The American Optometric Association Contact Lens section (Charter Member), the Heart of American contact Lens and Primary Care congress (served on the board of directors), the Southwest Council of Optometry (served on the board of directors), the Oklahoma State Board of Examiners in Optometry (past President), and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry.

Currently Dr. Cockrell serves as Vice-President of the Oklahoma State Board of Examiners in Optometry and is serving on the American Optometric Association Board of Trustees. He is currently a member of the Stillwater Airport Authority and is a vision consultant to the Oklahoma State Athletic Department.

He served as the President of the Oklahoma Association of Optometric Physicians in 1993-1994. He was named the outstanding Optometrist in Oklahoma in 1996, and named to the Oklahoma Optometric Team of the Century in 2000. He has lectured on primary health care topics, and presented professional testimony to the Oklahoma State Senate and House of Representatives.

He has been active in the community, having served on the board of directors for the Stillwater Rotary Club, as charter member and president of the Stillwater Group Homes and as a director of the Stillwater Chamber of commerce, Stillwater Public Education Foundation and many volunteer positions in youth sports activities in the community.

He is married to Dr. Cherry B. Cockrell and they have 2 children.