Ranching Heritage Center Announces New National Advisory Board Members

Written by Marsha Pfluger

Layton Black, George Sell and Bob Stafford join the 32-member board this summer. Funds raised by the national advisory board benefit the National Ranching Heritage Center museum and historical park at 3121 Fourth St. on the Texas Tech campus.  Black is a life-long rancher and Texas State Representative from 1989–1996. He and his wife, Thresa, reside in Goldthwaite. Sell’s work in banking includes chairing PlainsCapital and Wells Fargo’s Amarillo Region. He and his wife, Judy, live in Lubbock. Stafford is a rancher and retired orthopedic surgeon. He recently completed service on the Texas Tech System Board of Regents. He and his wife, Diana, reside in Amarillo. Members of the national advisory board work to raise awareness of the National Ranching Heritage Center as well as money and donations of art, artifacts and books for the center’s library. The National Ranching Heritage Center is comprised of the museum building and the 16-acre historical park onto which 48 ranch structures have been moved and restored. Ranches represented in the park include the Spade, JA, Four Sixes, Matador, U Lazy S, Pitchfork, Waggoner, XIT and King ranches, among others from Kansas, New Mexico and Texas. The Heritage Campaign is a $20 million fund-raising effort to address the master plan for the National Ranching Heritage Center. The first phase was completed with construction of the 16,800-square-foot Christine DeVitt Wing and John Lott Terraced Patio on July 28, 2006. The current phase of the fund-raising effort includes construction of a north addition to the museum building to house two galleries, banquet space, a reception hall and a prominent main entrance plaza. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2010.  Additional information about the National Ranching Heritage Center is available at www.nrhc.com or by calling (806) 742-0498. Find Texas Tech news, experts and story ideas at www.media.ttu.edu. CONTACT: Marsha Pfluger, associate director, National Ranching Heritage Center, Texas Tech University, (806) 742-0498, or marsha.pfluger@ttu.edu.