Abilene: Heart of the Big Country

ABILENE, TEXAS 

Heart of the Big Country 

Photography by Steve Butman 

Text by Loretta Fulton 

A publication of the Abilene Chamber of Commerce, the Abilene Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Develop Abilene

Thank you for your interest in this HPNbooks publication. For more information about other HPNbooks publications, or 

information about producing your own book with us, please visit www.hpnbooks.com.

ABILENE, TEXAS 

Heart of the Big Country 

Photography by Steve Butman 

Text by Loretta Fulton 

A publication of 

the Abilene Chamber of Commerce 

the Abilene Convention and Visitors Bureau, 

and Develop Abilene 

HPNbooks 

A division of Lammert Incorporated 

San Antonio, Texas

First Edition 

Copyright © 2019 HPNbooks 

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, 

without permission in writing from the publisher. All inquiries should be addressed to HPNbooks, 11535 Galm Road, Suite 101, San Antonio, Texas, 78254. 

Phone (800) 749-9790, www.hpnbooks.com. 

ISBN: 978-1-944891-63-3 

Library of Congress Card Catalog Number: 2019935010 

Abilene, Texas: Heart of the Big Country 

photographer: Steve Butman 

writer: Loretta Fulton 

contributing writer for “Sharing the Heritage”: Loretta Fulton 

HPNbooks 

chairman and chief executive officer: Jean-Claude Tenday 

publisher and chief creative officer: Bernard O’Connor 

president and chief revenue officer: Ron Lammert 

project manager: Curtis Courtney 

administration: Janelle Lockett, Donna M. Mata, Melissa G. Quinn, 

Kristin G. Williamson 

book sales: Joe Neely 

production: Colin Hart, Evelyn Hart, Tim Lippard, Craig Mitchell, 

Tony Quinn, Chris Sturdevant 

ABILENE, TEXAS: HEART OF THE BIG COUNTRY 

2

CONTENTS 

Legacy Sponsors.......................4 

Introduction ................................5 

Chapter One - Heritage ..............6 

Chapter Two - The Economy.....28 

Chapter Three - Places ..............42 

Chapter 4 - Style.......................80 

Chapter 5 - The People ...........104 

Big Country Partners ...............126 

Sponsors .................................206 

About the Photographer.........207 

About the Writer.....................208 

CONTENTS 

3

Legacy Sponsors 

Through their generous support, these companies 

helped to make this project possible. 

Abilene Independent School District 

241 Pine Street 

Abilene, Texas 79604 

325-677-1444 

www.abileneisd.org 

Hardin-Simmons University 

2200 Hickory Street 


325-670-1000 

www.hsutx.edu 

AbiMar Foods 

5425 North First Street 


325-691-5425 

www.abimarfoods.com 

Rentech Boilers 

5025 East Business 20 


325-794-5654 

www.rentechboilers.com 

EnProtec/Hibbs & Todd 

402 Cedar Street 

Abilene, Texas State Zip 

325-698-5560 

www.e-ht.com 

Senter Realtors 

3401 Curry Lane 


325-695-8000 

www.senterrealtors.com 


4

INTRODUCTION 

ABILENE, TEXAS: Heart of the Big Country. 

The title of this book commissioned by the Abilene Chamber of Commerce says it all in a nutshell. Each word evokes an image, an emotion. 

ABILENE 

TEXAS 

HEART 

BIG COUNTRY 

What city wouldn’t covet that honor—being the heart of a historic and vibrant part of the state whose very name, Big Country, evokes images of sweeping vistas, vast blue sky, and grandeur? 

From its beginnings in 1881 as a tent city along a westward moving stretch of the Texas & Pacific Railroad to today’s thriving city of 120,000 people, Abilene has been the heart of 

this part of Texas that’s as big as all outdoors. 

The chapters of this book will tell the story of Abilene and the Big Country in photos and text. Along the way, you’ll discover a rich history, a thriving present, and a bright future. 

The book’s five chapters will explore the city and region in five categories—Heritage, Economy, Places, Style, and People. 

Abilene, the heart of the Big Country, is past, present, and future all in one. Experiencing Frontier Texas!, Abilene’s downtown interactive museum telling the history of this area, or 

watching any of Abilene historian Jay Moore’s “History in Plain Sight” DVD series provides a sense of where the city came from. 

Driving the loop around the perimeter of the city, glancing in all directions, gives an overview of what Abilene has become since those first tents were hastily erected. Gaze inward 

and see trees and landscaped greenspaces that bring color to this spot of a once colorless prairie. 

Look a little closer and see public and private elementary, secondary, and higher education campuses, medical centers, magnificent historic and new homes, booming businesses, and sports 

and recreation venues for all interests and all ages. 

Look outward and see highways leading in all directions to new housing and commercial additions, B-1 Bombers and C-130 cargo planes flying in and out of Dyess Air Force Base, 

private and commercial planes taking off and landing at Abilene Regional Airport, wind turbines methodically producing electricity for large population centers, and, in the far distance, 

a range of mesas that tug at the emotions and scream, “This is TEXAS.” 

A drive—better yet, a leisurely stroll—through downtown gives a sense of both the past and present, with restored buildings, museums, chic bars and restaurants, art galleries, 

thriving businesses, financial institutions, and office buildings. While on that walk, stop by the Chamber of Commerce office and get a glimpse of the future. 

“IMAGINE!” the large red letters command, drawing visitors’ attention to an architect’s rendition of the future. The drawing, resting on an easel, depicts a gleaming convention hotel 

at the heart of a bustling festival district designed to give visitors and locals an opportunity to “enjoy the sights, sounds and activities of a hip & historic urban district.” 

Now imagine a timeline stretching along Cypress Street from North First Street to the future. The timeline begins on March 15, 1881, at the railroad, in front of the restored T&P 

Depot that now houses the Abilene Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Abilene Cultural Affairs Council. 

Lying at the center of that timeline is the site of the future convention hotel and festival district, both destined to make Abilene and the Big Country an even more desirous destination. 

When railroad investors determined that a community would be built along the new stretch of the T&P, they gave it a name: “The Future Great City of Texas.” 

“IMAGINE!” that. 

INTRODUCTION 

5

CHAPTER ONE 

HERITAGE 


6

“We have a can-do attitude. If it’s worth doing, we can 

do it.” 

That was how former Mayor Norm Archibald described 

Abilene in an Abilene Reporter-News article prior to the 

city’s 135th birthday celebration on March 15, 2016. 

Those words could well describe Abilene’s heritage. If it 

hadn’t been for a can-do spirit, developers wouldn’t have 

chosen this particular spot on the prairie for the “Future 

Great City of West Texas.” 

On the day the town lots were sold a reporter for the 

Galveston Daily News, who was sent out west to record the 

proceedings, painted a picture of what he saw. Each day, he 

reported, new arrivals stepped out of Texas & Pacific 

Railroad passenger cars to begin life in a new city. 

“Upon sunrise,” he wrote, “they would see nothing but 

vast prairies and a sea of white canvas.” 

If only that reporter could see Abilene now. The vast prairies 

remain but the sea of white canvas tents has been replaced by a 

sparkling city of beautiful homes, schools, medical facilities, 

cultural sites, an Air Force base, and businesses of every type to 

serve 120,000 people. 

Fort Phantom Hill. 

CHAPTER ONE 

7

Fort Chadbourne and its owner, Garland Richards. 


8

CHAPTER ONE 

9

Historic buildings at the Taylor County History Center. 


10

CHAPTER ONE 

11

It was that can-do spirit that moved pioneers to build 

the city’s first reservoir, Lytle Lake, in 1897 and to bring 

electricity and telephone service to citizens before the new 

town’s fifteenth birthday. It was that can-do spirit that 

brought a federal building, three colleges, and a hospital to 

town within its first four decades. 

It was that can-do spirit that drove civic leaders to 

raise $125,000 to purchase land for a World War II Army 

camp that eventually would house 60,000 soldiers, 

dwarfing Abilene’s population of 26,000. 

That same spirit pushed civic leaders to lobby for 

Dyess Air Force base when the Army closed Camp 

Barkeley in 1945. The decade of the ‘60s saw an 

incredible burst of can-do spirit, beginning with the 

opening that fall of Cooper High School and followed by 

an unprecedented bond election in 1967 that paved the 

way for construction of facilities still in use today— 

Taylor County Courthouse, Abilene Convention Center, 

and the Taylor County Coliseum. 

The can-do spirit is alive and well in Abilene in the 

21st century, just as it was in the 19th and 20th 

centuries. Under the leadership of Archibald, plans were 

started, and are moving along, for a downtown Festival 

District, anchored by a convention hotel at the corner of 

Cypress and North Sixth streets. 

Colonel William E. Dyess, for whom Dyess Air Force Base is named. 


12

The 12th Armored Division Memorial Museum. 

CHAPTER ONE 

13

The can-do spirit also led Abilenians to preserve their 

past--their heritage--while building for the future. The 

1980s were a boom time for preservation. In 1985, local 

cowboys—synonymous with the name “Abilene”— 

formed teams to compete in authentic ranch activities. 

The event drew a crowd and raised money for charity. 

Today, that event is known as the Western Heritage 

Classic and is attended by visitors each May from all over 

the globe who want to experience the spirit of the Old West. 

Or perhaps they just want to come to the city with the 

pretty name, “Abilene,” the name they may have heard in 

song. Local author and collector of Western music, Joe 

Specht, published a book titled, Abilene in Song: The 

Women There Don’t Treat You Mean, in which he tells of 

more than 100 songs in which Abilene, Texas, plays a 

role or is mentioned. 

How many cities have that kind of heritage—a name so 

beautiful that songwriters love it! 

Bronco-busting at the Western Heritage Classic. 


14

CHAPTER ONE 

15


16

CHAPTER ONE 

17


18

Jean Prescott and Jeff Gore. 

CHAPTER ONE 

19


20

CHAPTER ONE 

21


22

Frontier Texas! 

CHAPTER ONE 

23

The Western Heritage Classic is committed to 

preserving the heritage of Abilene and the Big Country. But 

the ways of the pioneers weren’t the only thing that drew 

the attention of preservationists in the 1980s. In 1987, a 

fully restored Paramount Theatre reopened to amazed 

guests who glimpsed the same grace and beauty that 

amazed the first guests who attended the opening in 1930. 

The seed for restoring the Paramount came In 1975 

when the Abilene Preservation League formed. The league 

immediately sought an overall plan for preserving Abilene’s 

historic downtown. Things didn’t go smoothly, and in 

1981, the league learned that the Paramount Theatre was 

set for demolition. 

The league purchased the theatre but was unable to 

restore it and in 1985 sold the building to Paramount 

Properties, Inc., a nonprofit organization underwritten by 

the Dodge Jones Foundation. The magnificent theater 

reopened two years later and today hosts local and 

traveling cultural events and a classic film series. 

Reenactors at Frontier Texas! 


24

The restoration of the Paramount proved to be the 

catalyst for restoring downtown. Before long, the Drake 

Hotel was magically transformed into The Grace Museum. 

In the past 30 years, other restoration has followed 

until today downtown Abilene is alive with repurposed 

historic sites. 

One of the showcases is the National Center for 

Children’s Illustrated Literature, located in the restored 

Rhodes Building at North First and Cedar Streets. The 

center, the brainchild of another former Abilene mayor 

with a can-do spirit, Gary McCaleb, was incorporated in 

1997 and officially opened in March 2000. 

Its success was highlighted in 2015 when the Texas 

Legislature officially dubbed Abilene, the “Storybook 

Capital of Texas,” and then “Storybook Capital of 

America” in 2018. Those designations are celebrated 

each June with a Children’s Arts & Literature Festival or 

CALF—another iconic image of the Big Country. 

New restoration projects are constantly cropping up 

downtown, but so are plans for future construction. The 

Community Foundation of Abilene has completed a new 

office at North First and Mesquite streets. And, without 

a doubt, the convention hotel and Festival District that 

today’s Abilene movers and shakers envision will become 

a reality. 

Abilene is a city with an eye toward the future. But it 

hasn’t forgotten its heritage, especially the characteristic 

of a can-do spirit inherited from its founders. 

As former Mayor Archibald says, “It it’s worth doing, 

we can do it.” 

The Paramount Theatre. 

CHAPTER ONE 

25

A buck at Lake Brownood. 


26

CHAPTER ONE 

27

CHAPTER TWO 

THE ECONOMY 


28

Close your eyes and imagine gigantic wind turbine 

blades methodically churning in a West Texas breeze, the 

arm of a pumpjack moving up and down with a 

mesmerizing constancy, a majestic B-1 bomber soaring in 

a blue sky, headed home to Dyess Air Force Base. 

Add to that backdrop images of Abilene’s medical, 

agricultural, educational, cultural, and industrial 

centers. Now, stir in two more images—a thriving, urban 

downtown with a sparkling new convention hotel and, 

to the east of downtown, a modern state-of-the art 

vocational-technical training facility. 

Stir all those images together and, instead of a blur, 

you have a clear picture of Abilene’s economy today and 

tomorrow. The traditional economic drivers aren’t going 

away. City economic leaders are actively pursuing 

landing the next-generation bomber at Dyess to replace 

the B-1 once it becomes outdated. 

Energy, agriculture, the military, education, 

healthcare—all the things that make Abilene a regional 

hub—are the stalwarts of the community’s economy. 

Ensuring a workforce to sustain them is one of the 

challenges of the future. 

A B-1 bomber over Abilene. 

CHAPTER TWO 

29

Scenes from an open house at Dyess Air Force Base. 


30

Economic leaders are on top of ideas to train and retain professionals and vocational workers to make sure Abilene and the 

Big Country remain vital. 

“We want to embrace where we’ve come from and build on it,” said Doug Peters, president and chief executive officer of the 

Abilene Chamber of Commerce. “We are very fortunate to be in a community that has a diverse economy.” 

In March 2016, TIP Strategies of Austin presented an Economic Development Strategic Plan that had been commissioned by 

the Development Corporation of Abilene and the city. The plan was designed to provide a comprehensive approach to Abilene’s 

economic development for the next five to ten years. 

A key finding was that Abilene’s economic future isn’t tied to attracting new industry to the city and the jobs that come with 

it. Instead, the plan calls for “developing, retaining, and attracting the talent that can fill existing and future need.” 

Peters, and other stakeholders in Abilene’s economy, believe a “hip, urban environment” and the new Texas State Technical 

College vocational-technical training building just west of Abilene Regional Airport are two keys to making that part of the plan 

a reality. 

Texas State Technical College offers a program in aviation mechanics at 

Abilene Regional Airport. 

CHAPTER TWO 

31


32

Opposite: The TSTC training facilities at Abilene Regional Airport. 

Above: Hendrick Medical Center. 

CHAPTER TWO 

33

A downtown convention hotel, long a dream of city 

leaders, is no longer just a dream. Once built, the hotel 

is expected to spark even more downtown attractions, 

especially ones geared to young professionals. 

The Chamber of Commerce is laser focused on retaining 

a large portion of the hundreds of college graduates 

that Abilene’s three universities and two community colleges 

produce each year. An enhanced quality of life, like 

a thriving downtown that is appealing to the young professional 

crowd, is one approach. 

Another is the Abilene Young Professionals, a 550- 

member branch of the Chamber of Commerce that targets 

the 22-40-year-old crowd. AYP hosts monthly networking 

events, community engagement projects, and a program 

called Campus Connect that pairs a young professional 

with a college student who is close to graduating. 

Campus Connect is so popular, Peters said, that more 

than 100 college juniors and seniors applied for 30 

available spots. Besides college students, economic 

leaders want to retain more men and women who are 

separating from the military. 

A new online portal developed by economic leaders 

allows veterans, soon-to-be veterans, and spouses to sign 

up for job alerts in Abilene, based on keywords they list 

when they sign up. 

Opposite: Abilene Regional Medical Center. 

Left: Abilene Young Professionals is part of the Abilene Chamber 

of Commerce outreach targeting younger members of Abilene’s 

business community. 

CHAPTER TWO 

35

Above: Agriculture is a stalwart of the Abilene economy. 

Opposite: New home construction in south Abilene. 


36

CHAPTER TWO 

37

A forest of wind turbines. Green energy generation is an important part of 

Abilene’s economy. 


38

CHAPTER TWO 

39


40

Training and retaining a workforce is essential to the 

economic future of Abilene and the surrounding area. The 

retention part relies on a number of factors, including 

quality of life. A booklet prepared by the Chamber of 

Commerce board of directors called Advantage Abilene 

includes a key phrase under the heading of “Opportunities.” 

That phrase is “Sense of Place.” 

No one is more keenly aware of the significance of that 

phrase than Peters. He likes to tell people who boast 

about the amenities of big city life that Abilene has a 

distinct advantage. 

“You don’t have to spend your life looking through the 

windshield of your car,” he reminds them. 

Abilene has much to offer in addition to the “10-minute 

rush hour.” It already boasts a vibrant downtown with bars 

and restaurants, shops, museums, art galleries and business 

and banking centers. 

And, it has its name—Abilene. No other city in the 

state has a name that evokes images of the grandeur of 

Texas like Abilene. It’s a name that draws people to it. 

They want to experience “Abilene.” 

The people who are working hard to secure Abilene’s 

economic future know that and have no intention of 

trying to make Abilene into something it isn’t. Why would 

they when we’ve already got a good thing going? 

“We just want to be the best Abilene we can be,” 

Peters said. 

Shoppers enjoying Cypress Street. 

CHAPTER TWO 

41

CHAPTER THREE 

PLACES 


42

An old optical company turned into a chic bar and 

venue, a former auto mechanic shop transformed, with 

the help of a magic wand and a little fairy dust, into a 

center for children’s storybooks, a dilapidated hotel 

graced with a new appearance and identity. 

From the mid-1980s, downtown Abilene has been the 

setting for one transformation after another, starting with 

the exquisite Paramount Theatre, which reopened in 

1986 after undergoing a complete restoration. The 

Paramount was built in 1930 by H.O. Wooten and 

adjoins his Hotel Wooten, also fully restored and 

transformed into high-end apartments. 

The Paramount was noted in the 1930s as the finest 

theater between El Paso and Fort Worth and today touts 

itself as “an icon for the revitalization of the city’s 

downtown district as well as a nostalgic glimpse into our 

nation’s cinematic and theatrical past.” 

Those downtown landmarks are just a few of the 

fascinating and diverse places that Abilene and the Big 

Country have to offer visitors and locals alike. Tour 

buses routinely pull alongside the Grace Museum, which 

houses art, history, and children’s sections, and school 

buses frequently unload squealing children in front of 

the Paramount or Frontier Texas, an interactive museum 

on the edge of downtown. 

If it’s history you’re after, or a taste of the Old West, 

traditional and contemporary art, fine dining or a 

sandwich, a live performance, a classic movie or just a 

hip bar or coffee house to sit back and relax in, 

downtown Abilene has it. 

CHAPTER THREE 

43


44

A modern convention center, with an adjacent convention hotel in the works, anchors one end of the original downtown 

and the T&P Railroad track, lined with its remodeled and repurposed historic buildings, marks the southern end. In between, 

lie years of history, thriving business and banking centers, bustling bars and restaurants, the Center for Contemporary Arts, The 

Grace Museum, the 12th Armored Division Memorial Museum and the Abilene Public Library. 

The National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature on the south end of downtown and the Adamson-Spalding Storybook 

Garden next to the Abilene Convention Center on the north, pay homage to Abilene’s title of “Storybook Capital of America.” 

Visitors could experience Abilene’s past, present, and future even if they never wandered outside of the downtown area. But 

if they do venture out, they will discover even more fascinating and diverse places. On the east side of town, the Taylor County 

Expo Center buzzes with activity year-round, hosting the West Texas Fair & Rodeo in September, the Western Heritage Classic 

in May, and equestrian events, concerts, and special events every month of the year. 

Opposite: The Wooten Hotel. 

Above: A mural on the side of the D&W Warehouse on South First Street. 

CHAPTER THREE 

45

Right: The old Weather Bureau Building is now home to Cape & Son. 

Opposite: Abilene Convention Center. 


46

CHAPTER THREE 

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The Abilene Zoo. 

Just across Highway 36 from the Expo Center is Abilene’s 

top tourist attraction, the Abilene Zoo with its collection of 

exotic animals and local species, a tiny railroad, carousel, 

concession stand, walkways and waterways. 

The west side of Abilene is home to Dyess Air Force Base, 

originally the site of an Army airfield during World War II. 

If it’s military history you’re into, drive north out of Abilene 

and visit the ruins of Fort Phantom Hill, a cavalry outpost in 

the late 1800s. The downtown tourist attraction, Frontier 

Texas, was designed to evoke images of the fort. 

If those attractions aren’t enough, take a scenic drive 

southwest toward the mesas to Abilene State Park, a yearround 

playground with natural beauty and modern 

amenities. On the way home, visit the Taylor County 

History Center, formerly known as the Buffalo Gap 

Historic Village, located in Buffalo Gap, the county’s original 

county seat. 


48

CHAPTER THREE 

49

Right: Abilene Public Library 

Opposite: The Biblical Studies Building on the campus of Abilene 

Christian University. 


50

CHAPTER THREE 

51


52

Opposite: The Halbert-Walling Research Center on the campus of Abilene 

Christian University. 

Above: The Expo Center of Taylor County. 

CHAPTER THREE 

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54

After resting a spell, try a road trip to 

surrounding counties that make up the Big 

Country. Visit quaint and friendly small towns 

in Callahan, Jones, Fisher, and Nolan counties, 

all filled with antique shops, restored buildings, 

cozy cafes, and museums. Take a little bit longer 

drive and visit the restored Fort Chadbourne in 

Coke County, the lakes of Runnels and Coleman 

counties, or the magnificent Old Jail Art Center 

in Albany, county seat of Shackelford County. 

Once you’ve come full circle, welcome back 

to “ABILENE, TEXAS: Heart of the Big Country.” 

The Old Jail Art Center. 

CHAPTER THREE 

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56

Opposite: Abilene Regional Airport. 

Left: Cypress Street. 

CHAPTER THREE 

57

This page: Lake Kirby. 

Opposite: Lytle Lake. 


58

CHAPTER THREE 

59

The Abilene Eagle’s Nest stonework on the gymnasium of the former Lincoln 

Middle School, soon to be Abilene Heritage Square. 


60

The facade of the B&J Furniture building on Chestnut Street. 

CHAPTER THREE 

61

Above: The Caldwell Fine Arts Building at Hardin-Simmons University. 

Opposite: The Logsdon Chapel stained glass window at Hardin-Simmons University. 


62

CHAPTER THREE 

63

The Grace Museum. 


64

The National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature. 

CHAPTER THREE 

65

The largest velvet painting in the world on display at the Center for Contemporary Arts. 


66


68

Opposite: Fourth of July concert by the Abilene Community Band at 

the Episcopal Church of the Heavenly Rest. 

Left: Radford Memorial Auditorium at McMurry University. 

CHAPTER THREE 

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70

Opposite: The Mill Wine Bar & Event Center. 

Left: Rose Park Adventure Cove Aquatic Center. 

CHAPTER THREE 

71

Right: The former Harold’s Pit Bar-B-Q. During its heyday, owner Harold 

Christian was voted as one of the “Top 10 Best Chefs” in the nation. 

Below: Hickory Street Cafe. 

Opposite: Everman Park. 


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74

Opposite: Veterans Cemetery. 

Above: First Financial Bank. 

CHAPTER THREE 

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76

Opposite: City hall in Rising Star, Texas. 

Above: Courthouse Square, Anson, Texas. 

Left: Snyder, Texas. 

CHAPTER THREE 

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78

Opposite: Sinclair Station in Albany 

Above: The Aztec Theatre in Albany. 

CHAPTER THREE 

79

CHAPTER FOUR 

STYLE 


80

Style? Oh, yeah. We’ve got that. 

What kind of style are you looking for? A rough and 

tumble “Friday Night Lights” experience? A classy evening 

at the symphony? A wine summit? A beer summit? A 

rattlesnake roundup? A Rhinestone Roundup? A Cattle 

Baron’s Ball? A Cowboys’ Christmas Ball? 

Is it culture, historic preservation, the arts, sports, 

leisure, festivals, or a storybook experience you’re after? 

Abilene and the Big Country offer every kind of style 

imaginable. The names “Abilene” and “Big Country” may 

evoke images of the Old West—and there is plenty of that 

style, for sure—but visitors find that the area has much 

more to offer. 

For a taste of the Old West, events and venues are available 

year-round. Visit the Taylor County Expo Center on just 

about any day of the year and you’ll find horses and riders, 

whether youngsters participating in the Texas State 4-H Horse 

Show or the Texas High School Rodeo Association state finals 

rodeo or grown up cowboys on their cutting horses, quarter 

horses or everyday ranch horses. Or stop by in May and take 

a deep dive into the Old West culture at the Western Heritage 

Classic, which features everything from “wild cow milking” to 

the intricacies of dutch oven cooking. 

Big Country Balloon Fest. 

CHAPTER FOUR 

81

Right: A cow skull adorns a barn door at Lambshead Ranch. 

Opposite: Flying A Car Museum in Albany. 


82

CHAPTER FOUR 

83

CarWalk on Cypress Street. 


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CHAPTER FOUR 

85

The Abilene Philharmonic Orchestra. 

Explore more of the true Old West experience at Frontier Texas in Abilene, the Taylor County History Center in Buffalo Gap, 

or any of a number of museums in the Big Country. For an authentic Texas experience, give the Sweetwater Jaycees’ “World’s 

Largest Rattlesnake Roundup,” a try, just like thousands of visitors from around the globe do in March every year. 

Or visit with oldtimers, listen to their stories and their fiddle music, or take in the rodeo at the annual Texas Cowboy Reunion, 

held in Stamford around the Fourth of July. 

And then there’s the Fandangle, a home-grown outdoor musical held in Albany each June depicting the history of the region 

in song and dance. 

Or maybe you prefer the romantic side of the cowboy life. Then, be sure to visit Anson in December each year for the historic 

Cowboys’ Christmas Ball, which was the basis for Larry Chittenden’s 1890 poem of the same name. 

Residents and visitors alike can find a cultural offerings practically every day of every year. The Abilene Convention Center, 

Paramount Theater, university stages, Abilene Community Theater and special venues like The Mill offer enough theatrical and 

musical experiences to fill anyone’s calendar. 

If it’s music you love, all of it is available in Abilene. Enjoy exquisite classical and pops concerts by the Abilene Philharmonic 

or the scoot-a-boot at the Outlaws & Legends Music Fest or swing to the rhythm at the Key City Rhythm & Blues Festival. 


86

CHAPTER FOUR 

87

Right: Outlaws & Legends Music Festival at the Back Porch of Texas. 

Opposite: Key City Rhythm & Blues Festival. 


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CHAPTER FOUR 

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90

If your lifestyle is defined by sports and leisure 

activities, those abound in Abilene and the Big Country, 

too. Four high schools in Abilene, plus smaller ones in 

area communities, and three universities offer spectator 

sports of all kinds, from football, basketball, and baseball 

to swimming, tennis, and track. 

The area is dotted with luscious green golf courses, 

tennis courts, aquatic centers, bowling alleys, playing 

fields, bicycle trails, and fishing holes and hunting 

grounds or those whose lifestyle is a little above the 

“spectator” level. 

No matter how you define ”style,” Abilene and the Big 

Country have got you covered. 

Opposite: Abilene Country Club. 

Left: Diamondback Golf Course. 

CHAPTER FOUR 

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92

A Wylie High School football game. 

CHAPTER FOUR 

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CHAPTER FOUR 

95

Right: The Taylor County Veterans Memorial by Terry Gilbreth stands 

outside the Taylor County Courthouse. The piece features a bronze statue of 

a soldier and a silver statue of an eagle. 

Opposite: The Swenson House decorated for the holidays. 


96

CHAPTER FOUR 

97

This page: West Texas Fair & Rodeo. 

Opposite: Storybook Sculptures sponsored by the Abilene Cultural 

Affairs Councill. 


98

CHAPTER FOUR 

99

The Abilene Cultural Affairs Council 

sponsors a series of sculptures based on 

characters from the works of Dr. Seuss. 


100

CHAPTER FOUR 

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102

Opposite: September Tripod by David Deming. 

Right: The Herd, an outdoor sculpture by artist Wayne Amerine. 

CHAPTER FOUR 

103

CHAPTER FIVE 

THE PEOPLE 


104

Heritage, economy, style, places—all are important 

pieces of what make Abilene the Heart of the Big Country. 

But what really makes Abilene and the Big Country 

buzz are the people who call this part of Texas home. 

Educators, students, medical professionals, financial 

experts, media whizzes, active duty and retired military 

personnel, business leaders, laborers, nonprofit employees 

and volunteers and, of course, cowboys, all are pieces of 

the mosaic that blend together to create Abilene and the 

Big Country. 

Each year, the Abilene Reporter-News publishes a “20 

Under 40” magazine, citing current and future Abilene 

leaders, who will follow the notable footprints left by 

former and current leaders. Many of those are associated 

with the Abilene Young Professionals, a Chamber of 

Commerce organization with a mission to “attract, retain 

and engage young professionals in Abilene.” Many of the 

professionals in Abilene, both today and in the past, 

come from the ranks of the military. Camp Barkeley, a 

World War II Army camp southwest of Abilene, was 

home to 50,000 soldiers and officers, making the camp 

twice the size of Abilene in the early 1940s. Many of 

them returned to Abilene after the war, marrying local 

women and starting a business or working for one. 

Dancing the night away at Eller Hall. 

CHAPTER FIVE 

105


106

The Buffalo Gap Wine & Food Summit. 

CHAPTER FIVE 

107


108

Opposite: Abilene artist Chuck Roach. 

Left: Abilene residents satisfying their cravings at food trucks. 

CHAPTER FIVE 

109

That trend continued with the establishment of Dyess 

Air Force Base in the 1950s. Today, Abilene is populated 

with Dyess personnel who saw that Abilene was a great 

place to live, work, and raise a family. They retired here 

or returned following retirement elsewhere, becoming 

significant pieces of the mosaic. In fact, the relationship 

between Dyess and the people of Abilene is so special that 

it was noticed by the Air Mobility Command, which 

awards a trophy to the city that is most supportive of the 

Air Force base it is home to. Abilene won it so many times 

that the city no longer is eligible for the honor. But that’s 

OK because the name on the trophy is “Abilene Trophy.” 

Abilene, by its size and central location, is the “Heart 

of the Big Country.” But it is the collective heartbeat of all 

the citizens of the area that give it life and vitality, 

making it a destination for people seeking new 

opportunities in a new home or simply looking for a 

weekend adventure. Abilene and the Big Country are 

filled with all kinds of folks--but there’s always room for 

one more. 

Left: The Barksdale Trophy. 

Right: The Abilene Trophy. 

Opposite: The Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup. 


110

CHAPTER FIVE 

111


112

Opposite: Polo on the Prairie, a M. D. Anderson Hospital annual event. 

Left: The Children’s Art & Literacy Festival was founded by the Abilene 

Cultural Affairs Council in 2012. 

CHAPTER FIVE 

113

The sights of the Children’s Art & Literacy Festival parade. 


114

CHAPTER FIVE 

115


116


118

CHAPTER FIVE 

119


120

Michael Seaton at work. 


122

The Abilene ISD Revolution Strings. 

CHAPTER FIVE 

123

Outlaws and Legends Music Festival. 


124

CHAPTER FIVE 

125

ABILENE: HEART OF THE BIG COUNTRY 

126

BIG COUNTRY 

PARTNERS 

Profiles of businesses, organizations, and 

families that have contributed to the development 

and economic base of Abilene 

Quality of Life ......................................................128 

SPECIAL THANKS TO 

Tolar Systems, Inc. 

1049 North Third #406 


www.tolarsystems.com 

The Marketplace ..................................................152 

Building a Greater Abilene ..................................238 

BIG COUNTRY PARTNERS 

127


128

QUALITY OF LIFE 

Healthcare providers, school districts, universities 

and other institutions that contribute to the 

quality of life in Abilene 

Love and Care Ministries.........................................................................................130 

Abilene Independent School District ..........................................................................134 

Hendrick Home for Children.....................................................................................136 

Dr. Norman Dozier.................................................................................................138 

Hardin-Simmons University .....................................................................................140 

Abilene Zoo ...........................................................................................................142 

Ballinger Memorial Hospital District .........................................................................144 

Hendrick Health System ..........................................................................................146 

City of Abilene ......................................................................................................148 

McMurry University ...............................................................................................150 

Abilene Christian University ....................................................................................151 

Twin Oaks southwest of Merkel, Texas. 


129

LOVE AND CARE 

MINISTRIES 

Above: The most important aspects of Love and Care Ministries is the hope 

shared in Jesus Christ. 

Below: Larry Hulse is a graduate of the John 3:16 Discipleship program and 

serves his friends everyday in the food ministry. 

“Why can’t you do this at home?” That was the question 

Mark Hewitt heard God asking him while he was on a street 

in Moscow in June 1994, alongside fellow Christians from 

Abilene on a mission trip. 

This was the beginning of Love and Care Ministries. As 

Mark heard those words over and over, he wept and felt 

the presence of the Holy Spirit. Soon, he was hearing directions 

from God to start a homeless ministry and to love 

the unchurched. 

Everything began to happen in January 1995 when Mark 

and a friend started a street ministry simply by getting into 

Mark’s pickup and looking for people on the street to share 

twenty cups of hot soup with. Within two years, Mark 

walked away from his job and believed this was his calling 

for the rest of his life. 

From those humble beginnings, Love and Care has grown 

to an expansive campus in Abilene including two blocks and 

four buildings, with several employees, and single-building 

facilities in Clyde and Merkel. The growth has not just been 

in size and numbers of buildings. 

Originally, a feeding ministry starting on the streets, Love 

and Care now feeds people on-site with a commercial 

kitchen and dining room seating 108 people, six shower 

facilities, mountains of clothing, and household goods 

for the needy and homeless. Something else that has 

expanded at Love and Care is the number of working poor 

who are assisted. Originally, the homeless were the target of 

the ministry’s outreach, and they still are served in large 

numbers. But over the years, the number of working poor— 

people holding down three or four minimum wage jobs 

trying to make ends meet—has outpaced the number of 

homeless served. 

Love and Care is considered the city’s go-to place for serving 

underserved people in Abilene and the area. And, of 

course, “love and care” is biblically based, with the message 

of Jesus’ love intertwined throughout all the services offered. 

Mark, employees and volunteers see God literally changing 

people’s lives daily. “We just do what God tells us to do,” 

Mark said. And that is an impressive, lengthy to-do list. 

The Abilene campus houses the main office, “His Food 

Pantry,” “His Clothing,” “His Kitchen and Dining,” and “His 

Quiet Place.” The to-do list from God also included securing 

and funding facilities and finding partners in Clyde and 

Merkel to serve those communities. Mark’s son, Zack, is 

associate director of Love and Care, in charge of the Clyde 

and Merkel facilities. 


130

Much of the ministering done by Love and Care takes 

place outside the buildings. Day and Night Strikes allow staff 

and volunteers to go into the streets, homeless camps, anywhere 

that people in need can be found, to provide food, 

water, blankets, socks, whatever a person living on the 

streets might need, most of all love. Church on the Streets 

takes place in parks, neighborhoods, parking lots, wherever 

a stage and sound system can be set up. Each fall, Love and 

Care holds a weeklong revival known as “tent revival,” now 

meeting in Abilene Convention Center. Each night provides 

worship, preaching, a hot meal, clothing give away, foot care, 

haircuts, and more. 

On the Friday before Thanksgiving each year, Mission: 

Thanksgiving takes place in the parking lot of Arrow Ford. 

2018 marks the twentieth year of Mission: Thanksgiving that 

the community of Abilene looks forward to as much as Love 

and Care. People drive through, donating non-perishable 

food, clothing, money, water and sodas, sleeping bags, blankets 

and more for the homeless and underserved. Each year, 

Mission: Thanksgiving brings awareness of the expansive 

ministries provided by Love and Care. With the help of 

1,100 volunteers, the drive raises close to $150,000, and 

receives more than a dozen trailer loads of goods. All that 

goes to providing for “the least of these,” the commandment 

from Jesus in Matthew 25 that lies at the heart of Love and 

Care. It is not unusual for the ministry, on a weekly basis, to 

serve 4,000 meals and distribute 230-plus boxes of food to 

people who are hungry. 

In addition to food, Love and Care has a 13,000-squarefoot 

clothing ministry complete with showers, clothing, 

hygiene items, and all sorts of small household items serving 

as many as 150 daily. 

Those at Love and Care are treated with respect and dignity, 

which is evident from the clean, neat appearance of the 

dining room, clothes closet, showers, and offices. Before diners 

line up for a hot meal, they gather for prayer in the spotless 

dining room, usually led by a chaplain. 

Once the chaplain says, “Amen,” the serving window may 

or may not open. That depends on whether Janet McGee, the 

Above: His Kitchen and His Dining serve hot meals at breakfast and lunch 

for any who come. 

Below: The His Clothing Ministry has free clothing, hygiene and household 

items, and showers available daily. 


131

Associate Director Zack Hewitt and Founder and Executive Director 

Mark Hewitt. 

food ministry coordinator who started as a volunteer 

before joining the staff, is satisfied with the appearance of 

the kitchen. She refuses to open the window until the 

kitchen is spotless, so guests may feel good about the service 

they are receiving. 

Like the rest of the staff and volunteers at Love and Care, 

Janet does not see her service as a job but a joy and her 

involvement does not end once the meal is over. 

Each Wednesday afternoon, Janet and others load into the 

back of a large cargo truck for a street feed. The side of the 

truck says “Feeding and Reaching God’s Children on the 

Street.” A Bible verse, Matthew 25:35, reads, “For I was hungry 

and you gave me something to eat.” 

From the beginning, the street ministry has been at the 

heart of Love and Care. Nowhere is that more evident than 

during the Wednesday and Friday street feeds. Mark said 

one particular day while on the streets in south Abilene, 

feeding and ministering, he looked over and saw a lady 

standing on her front porch. He had seen her before but had 

never stopped. As he past her home once again, he immediately 

felt the Lord speak to him, saying something like, 

“Mark, are you not going to stop to help her? Are you going 

to continue to pass her by?” He quickly turned around and 

went back and asked, “Ma’am, how are you doing today?” 

She said, “Pretty good, thank you.” 

After visiting and offering her a meal, Mark’s heart was 

moved deeply, realizing she had no friends, no family 

or anyone. A relationship was quickly built and over the 

next few years, he watched God change this lady’s heart, 

home and lifestyle. Mark said, from this one experience God 

taught him that as a believer in Christ Jesus he needed to 

open his eyes and heart wide and see all of God’s children on 

the streets. 

From the beginning, Love and Care has existed to feed 

people with both physical and spiritual food. The ministry 

focuses on getting the homeless off the streets through a 

ministry called John 3:16. They disciple and house those they 

help, then send them into the world to serve others. 

“It’s been a wonderful success watching God literally 

change people’s lives. We can’t change anyone, but God can 

change everyone,” Mark said. 

The process is holistic, said Terry Davis, director of ministries. 

“You’re basically doing life with people.” People literally 

come off the street to seek help from Love and Care. 

Sometimes they stay. One is Bonez, so named for a time 

when he was “skin and bones” following a long recuperation 

from a fall from a six-story building when he was nineteen. 

Bonez remembers the day he met Mark and the impression 

he made. Someone on the street suggested Bonez go to 

Love and Care for a shower. Enroute, he stole a bottle of 


132

cheap wine from a convenience store. He went to the nearest 

alley he could find and sat down behind a building to have 

a drink, only to realize shortly he was sitting at the backdoor 

of Mark’s office. Mark happened to step out the backdoor 

and saw Bonez drinking on the back steps. Bonez remembers 

the first words that came out of Mark’s mouth. “Sir,” he 

gently said, “you don’t have to live that way anymore.” Bonez 

was stunned. He had just been caught sitting at the man’s 

back door drinking from a bottle of stolen wine. He expected 

to hear something like, “Get out of here you bum or I’m 

going to call the cops.” Instead, he heard a message from 

Mark that was straight out of the Gospels. “I felt love from 

him the first day,” Bonez said. 

Once Bonez realized he really did not have to live that 

way anymore, he moved into the John 3:16 discipleship program 

where he cleaned up and started volunteering at Love 

and Care. Eventually he was hired. He arrives early each 

morning to make coffee and greet people. He also works in 

the clothing ministry where he gets to minister to his friends 

every day. 

“Those kinds of situations present themselves often at 

Love and Care,” Terry said. “A person shows up, receives 

love and care, and a relationship begins to develop. It’s 

through those experiences that Love and Care has grown.” 

It has been that way from the beginning. From the day 

that Mark heard God ask him why he could not do at home 

what he was doing in a foreign country, Mark has gone about 

building relationships, with the love of Jesus as the foundation. 

“He quit his job to serve the poor and needy,” Terry 

said, a testament to the strong calling that Mark felt. 

Mark left a steady job with West Texas Utilities to follow 

that calling, not knowing what lay ahead. He could not have 

envisioned what Love and Care Ministries has become. But 

he did know that no matter what the ministry grew into, the 

vision would not change: “Missionaries to the community, 

sharing the love of Jesus Christ with the homeless, poor, and 

to all people.” 

Above: Thad Gregory, aka. Bonez, visiting with one of the many friends we 

serve daily. 

Below: Food Ministry Coordinator, Janet McGee visiting with one of her close 

friends on the street, Bob Day. 


133

ABILENE INDEPENDENT 

SCHOOL DISTRICT 

Above: Third grade students participate in “I love America” all-school parade. 

Below: Abilene High and Cooper High ROTC display colors at crosstown 

football game. 

Everything in West Texas is bigger, from the wide 

open spaces to the expansive sky to the tall tales. 

So why would the goals of education leaders be any 

different? They are not, at least not in Abilene. Dr. David 

Young, superintendent of the Abilene Independent 

School District, does not hold back when describing the 

future he envisions for the district he has led since 2015. 

“Our goal,” he said, “is to be the premiere educational 

opportunity in West Texas.” 

If the district is not already there, it is well on its way. 

Just look at a few numbers: 

• 3,600 students enrolled in the Advanced Placement 

courses in grades 6-12; 

• 300-plus students enrolled in dual credit courses offered 

by six local colleges and universities; 

• 83.6 percent of K-12 students enrolled in the arts; 

• 60-plus percent of students participating in at least one 

athletic program; 

• 42 varsity teams competing in 13 sports; 

• 62 percent of students participating in Career & 

Technical Education courses in 17 career areas; 

• 14 elementary schools; 

• 4 middle schools; 

• 4 high schools (including health science and STEM magnet 

schools); and 

• 1 math and science magnet school for fifth-graders, located 

on the campus of McMurry University. 

All that would make an early-day leader, Superintendent 

F.W. Chatfield, smile. Abilene was founded in 1881, and a 

school held in a tent was one of the first amenities. In 1896, 

Chatfield described his goal for the district in an article in 

the Abilene Daily Reporter. His goal will sound familiar to 

current residents of the district. 

“The aim of the Abilene schools is to aid pupils to a proper 

appreciation of the true purposes of life,” Chatfield said, 

“and to fit them by culture of mind and heart to act their part 

with credit to themselves and with the greatest usefulness to 

the community in which they live.” 

Today, the Abilene Independent School District is fulfilling 

Chatfield’s goal in a number of ways. 

“We really are giving kids a lot of experiences,” Young said. 

From that original tent to today’s landscape with campuses 

spread across the city, the Abilene Independent School 

District is providing students not only with a “book education,” 

but with the tools to “fit them by culture of mind and 

heart to act their part with credit to themselves and with the 

greatest usefulness to the community in which they live.” 

The way the district is doing that is by making sure 

enough extra-curricular activities are provided, along with 

first-rate academics, to ensure that every child finds a niche. 

That is everything from the arts to career and technology 

offerings to athletics to specialized courses. 

“Every kid needs some place to be a part of a smaller 

group or family,” Young said. The number of students participating 

in the arts, athletics, and advanced educational offerings 

proves that every kid who wants a niche is finding one 

in the Abilene schools. One aspect of today’s school life that 


134

Superintendent Chatfield might not have envisioned in 1896 

is the explosion of fine arts. 

Fine Arts in the Abilene Independent School District covers 

a vast array of offerings, from marching bands to specialized 

choral and instrumental ensembles to orchestras to theater, to 

dance, painting, and every other conceivable form of art. 

A staggering 83.6 percent of the district’s total enrollment 

is involved in some kind of fine arts program. Students who 

love the arts can also get a head start on learning to teach the 

arts, if education is their career choice. 

The Texas Association of Future Educators, or TAFE, has 

a local chapter that assists students looking for a career in 

education. If a student wants to be a band or choral director 

or perform in or work in theater, teacher preparation courses 

are available, in addition to being in band, choir or theater. 

Not all students aspire to go to college after high school, and 

plenty of help is available for them, too. A huge variety of 

career and technical courses are offered for students, and sixtytwo 

percent of them are taking courses provided in seventeen 

career areas. To stay on top of what skills are needed in the 

workforce, formal and informal conversations are held 

with business and industry leaders in the community. 

“We have to continue to measure and assess what’s 

needed and desired,” Young said. Advisory boards provide 

input on areas such as the automotive industry, 

digital media, healthcare, any career field that needs a 

trained workforce. 

In addition to the formal advisory boards, Young said 

Abilene school leaders also are attentive to what is being 

said informally. A comment like, “Hey, have you ever 

thought about this kind of opportunity?” might just lead 

to a new course offering. 

Early-day school leaders in Abilene, like 

Superintendent Chatfield, set the tone for the kind of 

education they wanted for the children of their new city. 

Administrators and teachers ever since then have made sure 

that dream is a reality. 

They would be astounded at what has been achieved. 

They would more than approve of the current superintendent’s 

goal to go beyond excellence to being “the premiere 

educational opportunity in West Texas.” 

Above: Students in science lab at Holland Medical High School. 

Below: Cooper Cougarettes perform at a football game with marching band. 


135

Thomas Hendrick. 

HENDRICK HOME 

FOR CHILDREN 

“It’s always about the children” is a modern slogan at 

Hendrick Home for Children, but the same sentiment was in 

the hearts of Thomas and Ida Nations Hendrick when they 

saw their dream realized in 1939. 

That was not a particularly good year for many 

Americans, with the Great Depression still in force and rumblings 

of war in the background. But for the first group of 

children who found a new life at Hendrick Home for 

Children, it was a banner year. This much has not changed 

for the thousands of children who have called Hendrick 

Home their home ever since. At Hendrick, it always has been 

and always will be about the children. 

From the beginning, Hendrick Home for Children has 

provided the best facilities and the best care for children who 

for whatever reason could not live with their family of origin. 

In 1939, that meant hiring esteemed Abilene architect David 

Castle to design the iconic building at South Twenty-Seventh 

Street and Treadaway Boulevard. Years later, that commitment 

to quality would mean hiring an architectural firm to 

design a new, modern facility with the same look and quality 

as the original. 

“When we build this back, we’re going to build it exactly 

the way Mr. Castle built it,” said David Miller, who has 

served as president of Hendrick Home for Children since 

January 1, 1994. 

“Steady” might be a good word to describe life at 

Hendrick, both for the children and for the operation. Since 

1939, only three superintendents have served the home: 

• Thomas E. Roberts oversaw the home from 1939 

through 1977. 

• President and Chief Executive Officer, Claude E. Hicks, 

1977 to December 1993. 

• Vice President of Development and Community Relations, 

David Miller, 1989 to January 1, 1994, when he became 

President Miller of Hendrick Home for Children. 

Under the leadership of these three men, the commitment 

to caring for children has remained the same, but always 

with an eye toward the future. In 1996, this meant adding a 

Family Care Program to the Basic Care Program. Going forward, 

it means enlarging the swimming pool, retrofitting the 

gymnasium for today’s lifestyles, and adding a rural residence, 

with cottages for boys. Expansion at the home 

will provide space for 144 children, up from the current 

eighty. The new building will provide housing for up to 

sixteen families. 

The way children arrive at Hendrick will remain the 

same. The home operates independently of government 

funds, thanks to proceeds from the estate of the Hendricks, 

which means the home can be more selective in its admissions. 

A typical situation, Miller said, is that the parents 

abdicate care to grandparents, who then realize they are 

unable to care for young children. 

“Then they give us a call,” Miller said. 

Referrals also come from churches and schools. Once the 

children make Hendrick their home, the staff tries to provide 


136

a stable environment, so that the children get a good start on 

life. This good start extends beyond the time they graduate 

from high school. Thanks to an endowment, Hendrick is 

able to provide residents with a college education, all the 

way through a doctorate. For generations to come, children 

who grow up at Hendrick will flourish once they leave, 

much like Dr. Karin Brown, who heads the Criminal Justice 

Department at Hardin-Simmons University. Before joining 

the faculty at Hardin-Simmons, she worked in the criminal 

justice field. After leaving Hendrick Home for Children, 

Karin earned two bachelor’s degrees, a master’s degree, and a 

doctorate. She gives much of the credit to the people who 

made a home for her at Hendrick Home. Most of Karin’s 

early life was spent bouncing from one place to another, 

until she found a permanent home at Hendrick. 

“From the moment I arrived, I had the sense of being 

home,” Karin said. “I felt truly safe for the first time.” 

At Hendrick, Karin’s caregivers recognized her gift for 

learning and encouraged her academic growth. But Karin 

did not leave Hendrick Home for Children with a desire to 

continue learning just for the sake of getting college degrees. 

She also took with her a sense of purpose and direction that 

helped her grow into an adult who likes investing in the lives 

of others. That desire has manifested itself in many ways, 

from being an educator to serving as a youth pastor to facilitating 

groups for youths with substance abuse issues. 

“I believe my professional achievements are a result of the 

investments Hendrick Home for Children made in me,” 

Karin said. 

Somewhere, Thomas and Ida Nations Hendrick are smiling. 

What they started in 1939 has changed in many ways, 

with expansions and modernization. But now, as then, “It’s 

always about the children.” 

Above: Entrance to Hendrick Home for Children. 

Left: Ida Hendrick. 


137

DR. NORMAN DOZIER 

PHOTOS COURTESY OF STEVE BUTMAN PHOTOGRAPHY. 

For many Abilenians, one of two images pops up when they 

hear the name Dr. Norman Dozier—a man in surgical scrubs 

who is preparing to relieve their chronic pain or a man dressed 

for a bird hunt, with a shotgun slung over his shoulder. 

Abilenians have long associated Dr. Dozier with both 

those images. Since 1985, Dr. Dozier has been providing 

relief to patients who thought their chronic pain could not be 

relieved. Since 1990, Dr. Dozier has been associated with the 

Big Country Celebrity Quail Hunt, which he founded as a 

fundraiser for Disability Resources Incorporated (DRI), a residential 

facility for people with developmental disabilities. 

Both of those associations come from a place of compassion, 

either for people who are suffering long-term pain or 

for individuals and their families afflicted with a disability. 

Today, Dr. Dozier’s medical practice is housed in two buildings 

he built, his office and the adjacent Abilene White Rock 

Surgery Center. 

The office was the first to open, in 2004, and the ambulatory 

surgery center was added in 2016. The surgery center 

is staffed by Dr. Dozier and four other surgeons: Dr. 

Talmadge Trammell, Dr. Steven Brown, Dr. Chris Eddleman, 

and Dr. Leslie Hutchins. The surgeons routinely do thirty or 

more procedures daily. 

Procedures performed at the surgery center include 

epidural steroid injections, spinal cord stimulator implants, 

carpal tunnel surgery, ulnar nerve release, anterior cervical 

discectomy and fusion, and minimally invasive lumbar 

decompression surgery. Dr. Dozier sees new patients and 

performs minor procedures in his office. 

When Dr. Dozier came to Abilene in 1985, he brought 

with him a state-of-the-art education in pain management. 

He also returned to familiar ground. Born and raised in 

Anson, just north of Abilene, Dr. Dozier was the Class of 

1974 valedictorian at Anson High School. In 1977, he graduated 

Summa Cum Laude with a bachelor’s degree in biology 

and a minor in chemistry from Texas Tech University. Next 

came a medical degree in 1982 from the University of Texas 

Medical Branch in Galveston. In medical school, he was an 

Alpha Omega Alpha Highest Honors Graduate. 

Dr. Dozier completed an internship/residency at the 

University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City, Kansas, 

in 1985. He left as chief resident in anesthesiology/pain 


138

management, having learned from the best, Dr. Kasumi 

Arakawa. In 1976, Arakawa was named chairman of the 

Department of Anesthesiology at the medical center. 

Arakawa formed the first pain management program in 

Kansas City and was widely acclaimed. 

Dr. Dozier brought the knowledge and skills he had 

learned under Arakawa to Abilene in 1985. He practiced 

with the Abilene Anesthesia Group until 2001 and then 

opened a solo practice in pain management/anesthesiology. 

For the past eighteen years, Dr. Dozier has been assisted by 

Sue Elmore, office manager, and Jenny Frazier, PA-C. 

Dr. Dozier has seen a number of changes during his career, 

among them, Medicare codes and regulations, procedures, 

equipment, and changes brought with the advent of the 

Internet. Dr. Dozier has to be recertified every ten years and 

for many years that was done in person. Now, the accrediting 

agency administers the recertification testing online. 

Dr. Dozier has been cited numerous times in his career by 

the medical community, starting in college when he was 

named to Alpha Epsilon Delta, the national premedical 

honor society. He also has numerous board certifications, 

including anesthesia and pain management from the 

American Board of Anesthesiologists. His membership list in 

professional organizations is lengthy, including the Texas 

Medical Association, American Society of Anesthesiologists 

and Texas Society of Anesthesiologists, Texas Pain Society 

and most recently, the National Advisory Board of the Laura 

W. Bush Institute for Women’s Health. 

Dr. Dozier’s interest in medicine started in junior high 

school when he thought he would be an orthopedic surgeon. 

But when he was older, his mother was diagnosed with 

breast cancer, undergoing multiple surgeries, radiology and 

chemotherapy. She underwent treatment while Dozier was a 

student at the UT Medical Branch in Galveston. He visited 

often and watched his mother die a painful death. 

“There’s got to be a better way,” was a recurring thought, 

prompting him to concentrate on pain management instead 

of orthopedic surgery. 

That same compassion led to Dr. Dozier’s involvement 

with Abilene’s DRI. Early in his practice, Dr. Dozier had an 

office manager named Jud Shields, whose son was autistic. 

Shields and his wife, plus three other sets of parents of children 

with disabilities, started DRI. 

Through conversations with Shields, Dozier learned that 

the residents needed opportunities for productive work. Dr. 

Dozier owned a bird farm and offered to assist DRI by turning 

over the production of pickled quail eggs and smoked 

quail and pheasant to sell in gift boxes. 

From there, he assisted with starting the Big Country 

Celebrity Quail Hunt to benefit DRI. In 2002, the West Texas 

Dove Classic was added. 

Dr. Dozier has been cited numerous times for his involvement 

with DRI, including DRI’s Distinguished Service Award 

and the WTU Premier Vision Award. But perhaps the greatest 

honor came in 2014 when DRI gave its campus a name— 

the “Dr. Norman J. Dozier Campus.” 



139

HARDIN-SIMMONS 

UNIVERSITY 

Above: An aerial view of Hardin-Simmons University. 

Below: Hardin-Simmons’ clock tower. 

To sense the history of Hardin-Simmons University, walk 

toward the center of campus and touch the gravestones of 

the founder and his family. 

To sense the present, turn in all directions and gaze at the 

beauty of the landscaping and facilities, and smile in appreciation 

as students, faculty and staff walk by. 

To sense the future, glance across campus at the new 

Physician Assistant Program or take a short drive down Pine 

Street to a modern glass and steel building that the university 

acquired for expansion of the Physical Therapy Department. 

To sense what ties the past, present, and future of Hardin- 

Simmons University together, take a closer look at the gravesites 

of James B. Simmons, his wife, Mary, and their son, Robert. 

Read the inscription on the east side of Simmons’ tombstone: 

“Even Their Ashes Witness for Christian Education.” 

More than a century later, those ashes witness Christian 

education at its finest every day. Hardin-Simmons is routinely 

cited as among the best by prestigious publications like 

Princeton Review and U.S. News & World Report. More than 

2,200 students are enrolled in the university’s 60 undergraduate 

major and minor academic programs or its 25 specialized 

graduate, professional, and seminary degree programs. 

They enjoy college life as members of more than fifty student 

clubs and organizations or compete in one of eighteen 

NCAA men’s and women’s varsity sports. 

Walking through the scenic campus today, bursting with 

energy and activity, it is hard to imagine that what began as 

Abilene Baptist College almost did not make it. In fact, it 

most likely would have failed if not for the intervention of 

James. B. Simmons, a New York pastor. 

Simmons was connected with some of the biggest names 

of his time, like John D. Rockefeller and Booker T. 

Washington. However, that is not what defined him. He was 

a breaker of barriers, a committed Christian, a believer in the 

power of Christian education. 

Hardin-Simmons was founded in 1891, just ten years 

after the city of Abilene sprang to life on the prairie. The 

fledgling school encountered financial troubles before the 


140

first building, Old Main, was completed. Simmons came to 

the rescue with generous financial backing, and in gratitude, 

the school was renamed Simmons College. 

“We are building upon what he gave us,” said Assistant to 

the President for University Marketing and Global 

Engagement Grey Hoff. 

Simmons actually wanted the school to be named 

Christlieb College, meaning the College of Christ’s Love. 

Though it goes by a different name today, Hardin-Simmons 

University is, in fact, the College of Christ’s Love. 

Simmons gave HSU a proud heritage. The university aims 

to challenge and equip students to answer two questions 

that Simmons asked himself more than 125 years ago: “What 

is the greatest thought that has ever occupied your mind? 

What is your duty toward fulfilling it?” 

The university exists today to help students discover the 

answers to those essential questions. 

Simmons would be proud. An abolitionist, Simmons 

broke barriers in the 1800s when he preached against slavery. 

In 1858, he was threatened with a coat of tar and feathers 

for denouncing slavery from the pulpit of First Baptist 

Church in Indianapolis. After the Civil War, when Simmons 

served as Corresponding Secretary of the American Baptist 

Home Mission Society, he founded seven universities in the 

heart of the South to serve freed slaves. 

However, Simmons considered “Simmons College” his 

crowning achievement. He set a standard for the university that 

continues today, a standard of academic excellence, commitment 

to Christian principles, and a place where great thoughts, 

big ideas, and dreams can be cultivated. Simmons left a legacy 

as a breaker of barriers, and today Hardin-Simmons instills 

that same spirit and commitment in its students. 

Dr. Travis L. Frampton, professor of biblical studies and 

Associate Provost of Hardin-Simmons, is one of Simmons’ 

biggest admirers. Frampton was so taken with Simmons’ life 

story that he spent part of his sabbatical leave in the summer 

of 2014 traveling to Simmons’ birthplace in New York and 

other places that were significant in Simmons’ life. 

In a commencement address based on Simmons’ life and 

in an article for the university’s alumni magazine, Range 

Rider, Frampton marveled at the contributions Simmons 

made to society and to Christian education. “James B. 

Simmons’ story is our story,” Frampton wrote in his Range 

Rider article. “It is the Hardin-Simmons University story par 

excellence. It is a gospel about doing—a gospel of not just 

knowing Christ, but being Christ to the world.” 

Above: Hardin-Simmons University-Gilbert and pond. 

Below: Hardin-Simmons University’s football games at Shelton Stadium. 


141

ABILENE ZOO 

Above The Abilene Zoo is home to over 1,000 individuals from 270 species 

from around the globe. 

Below: Guests meet a rhino during a VIP tour. 

The Abilene Zoo, the city’s number one tourist attraction, 

celebrated its fiftieth anniversary at its current location in 

2016 in an appropriate manner, setting an all-time attendance 

record with more than 249,600 guests touring the 

thirty-two-acre complex. 

The zoo traces its roots to 1919 on land in the old Fair 

Park, now Rose Park, that the city fathers had purchased in 

1914. Interest in city parks grew over the decades and in 

1959 and 1960, the first bond elections for parks improvements 

including the zoo were held. The city parks board 

named a committee to study the zoo and in 1962 the committee 

recommended moving the zoo to a new location. The 

next major step in the zoo’s development was the formation 

in 1963 of the Abilene Zoological Society, a nonprofit corporation 

that supports the zoo. A sixty-member board of directors 

was named for the society, with attorney David Hooper 

serving as its first president. Original board member, Donald 

McDonald, remains on the board today, as do Joe and Gail 

Russey, who joined the board near the beginning. The recommended 

relocation came in 1966 to Grover Nelson Park. 

Today’s modern zoo, which is accredited by the 

Association of Zoos & Aquariums, features more than 1,000 

individuals of 270 species from around the globe including 

lions, monkeys, flamingos, zebras, and snakes. The animals 

reside in modern habitats, including the new Giraffe Safari, 

a recently constructed Caribbean Cove, and upgraded 

Wetlands of the Americas. All that is housed in the awardwinning 

Grover Nelson Park on Abilene’s east side. The zoo 

grounds also feature a kid-sized train, carousel, picnic areas, 

restrooms, gift shop, and plenty of shade trees and landscaped 

areas for guests to enjoy. 

Most visitors to the zoo go for the sheer enjoyment of 

watching Mother Nature at play, but the zoo also features several 

educational components. “The ultimate goal of the 

Abilene Zoo’s Education Department is to be the environmental 

resource of the Big Country,” according to the zoo’s website. 

To reach that goal, the zoo offers numerous educational 

opportunities, both on-site and as outreach programs. School 

groups regularly tour, and classes and camps for a range of 

ages are held year-round, with fun names like Awesome 

Armadillos, Fantastic Frogs, and Feathery Flamingos. 

Playing an active role in worldwide conservation through 

a variety of efforts, the zoo contributes funds for numerous 

conservation programs that actively contribute to the 


142

Top, left: African Lions are one of several species on exhibit at the 

Abilene Zoo. 

preservation of a variety of wildlife and their habitats including 

rhinoceros, jaguars and the Attwater’s prairie chicken. 

Many of these programs include participation from the local 

communities who directly benefit from the preservation of 

their natural resources. 

The zoo hosts numerous events throughout the year to 

celebrate its relationship with the community including 

annual events around Halloween and Christmas. In addition, 

visitors can book behind the scenes tours, where they 

can feed the rhino or tour the giraffe barn. From individual 

facilities to the entire park, the zoo offers Abilene’s most 

unique venue for a family reunion or corporate picnic. 

Due to volunteer and staff leadership and strong community 

and donor support, today’s Abilene Zoo has grown dramatically 

over the past fifty years. The zoo is positioned to 

grow, having twenty-four-acres of undeveloped land for 

future projects, and to continue meeting its mission: “To be 

a place of learning and adventure, where families make 

memories, share the joy of discovery and become inspired to 

preserve wildlife.” 

For more information about the Abilene Zoo please visit 

www.abilenezoo.org. 

Middle: Visitors can have a unique opportunity to feed a giraffe on Twiga 

Terrace. 

Bottom, left: The zoo prides itself on its lush landscaped grounds. 

Top, right: The largest resident of the zoo's reptile house is a Burmese Python. 


143

BALLINGER MEMORIAL 

HOSPITAL DISTRICT 

In an age when many rural hospitals are closing their doors 

or downsizing services, Ballinger Memorial Hospital is thriving. 

Even a damaging rainstorm in November 2016 did not 

deter hospital officials and supporters with carrying on the 

hospital’s mission and goals. The hospital was in the process 

of getting a new roof when the storm hit, causing damage to 

the interior. As a result, the entire hospital was gutted and 

rebuilt from within. All patient rooms were updated and all 

new equipment was purchased. 

“This allowed the facility the opportunity to expand its 

services, provide state-of-the-art technology, and continue 

Ballinger Memorial Hospital District also is one of the 

larger employers in the area, with more than 100 full and 

part-time employees. Additionally, the district provides educational 

activities that encourage wellness in the community. 

The hospital was organized in 1962 and opened on 

January 1, 1963. Founding directors were Bob McCarvey, 

F.M. Pearce, Ralph Erwin, Earl Barr, Gene Heidenheimer, 

John King, J.G. Tuckey, H. Teplicek, Gene Keel, and Condra 

Wiley. Much has changed at the hospital since those men 

first sat on the board. 


144 

providing exceptional patient care,” said Whitney Shorb, 

director of human resources. 

Today, the twenty-five-bed critical access hospital 

offers traditional acute inpatient and swing bed/skilled 

nursing, an emergency room, Level IV Trauma Center, and 

EMS services for 8,500 people living in a 635 square-mile 

service area. Among the outpatient services are physical, 

speech, and respiratory therapies; sleep studies; CT, ultrasound. 

bone density, MRI, and Digital X-Ray testing; 

expanded labratory services, primary medical care/clinic 

services; wellness counter, and retail pharmacy with durable 

medical equipment.

In 1990, voters created the Ballinger Memorial Hospital 

District to support the hospital financially. Ballinger 

Memorial Hospital became a critical access hospital with 

twenty-five beds in August 2000. The hospital is certified as 

a Level IV trauma emergency room. 

Also in 2000, Ballinger EMS became the 911 ambulance 

provider for approximately two-thirds of Runnels County. In 

the years since the formation of Ballinger EMS, it has begun 

providing full-time backup ambulance coverage for the 

remaining one-third of Runnels County in collaboration 

with neighboring providers. 

In 2005, in an effort to expand its comprehensive 

healthcare, the hospital district purchased Shannon 

Clinic of Ballinger, creating the Ballinger Hospital Clinic. 

Among the services provided at the clinic are primary care, 

treatment of minor illnesses, chronic disease management, 

physical examinations, well child visits, local nursing home 

patient visits, immunizations, allergy injections, and minor 

office procedures. 

The hospital district expanded even more in March 2012, 

with the purchase of Keel Drug Pharmacy, which has served 

the community for more than 100 years. The pharmacy is 

located next to the Ballinger Hospital Clinic. In addition to 

dispensing medications, the pharmacy also is well stocked 

with durable medical equipment, making it convenient for 

area residents to get what they need without having to travel 

to a larger city. Among the items the pharmacy offers 

are diabetic and respiratory supplies, canes, crutches, standard 

walkers, four-wheel walkers, urinals and bedpans, and 

TED (Thrombo-Embolic-Deterrent) compression hose and 

anti-embolism hose. 

In 2011, the Ballinger Memorial Hospital Health 

Foundation was founded as a nonprofit corporation to provide 

assistance to the hospital district by establishing an 

avenue for tax deductible donations. Donations have 

enabled the hospital to purchase equipment such as a 

hydraulic ambulance stretcher, cardiac heart monitors, and 

items for patient rooms. 

Ballinger Memorial Hospital District has an impressive 

history and is on solid footing in the present. It is so highly 

respected that in 2017, BMHD was named the Business of 

the Year by the Ballinger Chamber of Commerce. But the 

future is even more exciting. As the hospital district continues 

to grow, services and locations also are expanding. A new 

Physical Therapy and Wellness Center is on the horizon. A 

long-term plan is to build a new facility within the next ten 

years to best accommodate the rural population. Whatever 

the future brings, the hospital will serve the same purpose as 

it has from the beginning: 

“The purpose of Ballinger Memorial Hospital is to serve as 

a hospital for the care of persons suffering from any illness or 

disabilities, which require patient care. The hospital supports 

educational activities related to rendering care to the sick and 

injured. Ballinger Memorial Hospital participates in and promotes 

activities to encourage wellness in the community.” 

The Ballinger Memorial website at ballingerhospital.org 

offers options to order your medication refills, pay your bill, 

appointment information or even directions to one of their 

several locations. 


145

HENDRICK HEALTH SYSTEM 

Top: The first unit of West Texas Baptist Sanitarium was erected in 

September 1924 at a cost of $150,000. 

Middle: In 1936, a gift to Hendrick saved the hospital and it was renamed 

Hendrick Memorial Hospital. 

Below: In 1966, the Meek Wing was built to house a thirty-bed 

pediatric hospital. 

“Always looking toward the future” is the heading for a 

timeline in the lobby of the Hendrick Medical Plaza on 

Buffalo Gap Road. 

But in 1915, when Millard A. Jenkins arrived in Abilene 

as pastor of First Baptist Church, the future—even the 

beginning—of the hospital was in doubt. Jenkins was the 

man who saw the need for a first-class hospital in Abilene, 

the “Future Great City of West Texas,” that was born alongside 

the Texas & Pacific Railroad tracks in 1881. 

Jenkins no doubt breathed a sigh of relief, coupled with 

gratitude, when he made his remarks at the opening ceremonies 

of West Texas Baptist Sanitarium in September 1924. 

“For three years we dreamed, prayed, talked hospital, but 

the signs of promising interest did not develop rapidly,” 

Jenkins said. 

Jenkins had the vision for Abilene’s first hospital, but it has 

taken others with his same spirit to sustain it. The hospital 

would not have survived the Great Depression of the 1930s, 

when the hospital was in its infancy, if it had not been for T.G. 

Hendrick, a local oilman. Hendrick donated money to pay off 

the hospital’s debt and to build a new wing. In return, the 

hospital got a new name, Hendrick Memorial Hospital. 

The hospital Jenkins envisioned may have struggled in 

the beginning and through the Depression of the 1930s, but 

fortunes soon changed. A glance at the beautifully displayed 

timeline in the new Hendrick Medical Plaza gives a quick 

overview of the health system’s history. The Great 

Depression of the 1930s was followed by World War II and 

the establishment of Camp Barkeley southwest of Abilene. 

Many of the 50,000 soldiers stationed there returned to 

Abilene after the war, contributing to new growth at 

Hendrick. The opening of Dyess Air Force Base in the 1950s 

brought even more people and more growth. Two important 

wings—the Anderson Wing with eighty-four rooms and the 

Meek Wing to house a children’s hospital, nursing school 

and blood bank, were added in the 1960s. 

Another man who was instrumental in the hospital’s history 

was E.M. Collier, who served as superintendent and 

president from 1929 to 1970, a remarkable span of years. 

Collier was so highly thought of that in 1965 he was named 

the first recipient of an award from the Texas Hospital 


146

Association that bears his name, the Earl M. Collier Award 

for Distinguished Health Care Administration. 

Since Collier left in 1970, only three other men have 

served as president of what is now Hendrick Health 

System on a full-time basis—Boone Powell, 1970-1980; 

Michael C. Waters, 1980-2004; and Tim Lancaster, current 

president and chief executive officer who has held the position 

since 2004. All four CEOs have been honored with the 

Collier Award. 

Jenkins would shake his head in disbelief at the marvels 

of “his” hospital today. The technology is progressive at 

Hendrick where excellent healthcare is provided to patients 

in a nineteen-county area. 

He would be happy to know that the original five-story 

building he opened in September 1924 is still part of 

Hendrick Health System, although he might not recognize 

it. The building has been added onto many times, culminating 

with Project 2010, the largest expansion in the hospital’s 

history that brought the facility to 250,000 square feet, ten 

times larger than the original campus. 

The health system complex also has spread beyond the 

original acreage. Hendrick partnered with Texas Tech 

University Health Sciences Center to build three new schools 

on a Pine Street campus. The 40,800 square-foot Hendrick 

Hospice Care Center, also on Pine Street, serves the area with 

sixteen inpatient rooms and outpatient services. 

Rural partnerships are also important to Hendrick, providing 

outreach services to smaller cities and towns nearby. 

The Hendrick Surgery Center in Brownwood opened in 

2017, followed by the groundbreaking of Hendrick Medical 

Plaza in 2018. 

Today, Hendrick Health System boasts of more than 500 

beds and approximately 3,400 employees, and expansions 

totaling hundreds of millions of dollars. No matter how big 

the numbers get or how much new state-of-the-art equipment 

is added, some things have not changed since Jenkins 

spoke to the crowd on September 15, 1924. Hendrick 

Health System is one of seven healthcare institutions affiliated 

with the Baptist General Convention of Texas. 

Something that would be familiar to Jenkins is the hospital’s 

mission statement: “To deliver high quality healthcare 

emphasizing excellence and compassion consistent with the 

healing ministry of Jesus Christ.” 

Above: Three of Hendrick Health System’s four chief executive officers 

reunited to share experiences with Hendrick Leadership. Pictured from left to 

right are Boone Powell, Jr., Tim Lancaster, and Michael Waters. 

Below: Hendrick Health System. 


147

CITY OF ABILENE 

Above: Abilene South First. 

Below: Everman Park Fountain. 

“Moving Forward Together” was the slogan chosen to promote 

a 2015 bond election for city improvements, but it 

could be Abilene’s motto, beginning March 31, 1881, and 

going into the future. 

From day one, Abilenians have moved forward together, 

whether it be to attract a state facility just fifteen years after 

the city was founded, an Army base in the 1940s, an Air 

Force base in the 1950s, new water sources, businesses and 

industries, or health facilities. Visitors choose Abilene for a 

number of reasons—western heritage, tourist attractions, 

cultural events, festivals, and more. Residents love these 

things, but there is more to a city than amenities. Passage of 

the 2015 bond election, totaling $80.69 million, proved that 

Abilenians care about more basic City infrastructure as 

well. Although the bond package included amenities, the 

two big winners were streets, $45.9 million, and public safety, 

$12.9 million. 

In 2017, two years after the bond passed, Abilene elected 

its first African-American mayor, Anthony Williams, a product 

of the Abilene Independent School District and McMurry 

University. An editorial in the Abilene Reporter-News described 

the atmosphere in the City Council chambers when Williams 

was sworn in. “This was a celebration. The people crowded 

into the room may never have been more diverse. Men and 

women. Young and old. White, black, and brown. Some 

dressed casually, some in suits and dresses. People of different 

political views, for sure. And probably people of different sexual 

orientations. What they shared was the moment—an 

African-American had won election as mayor.” 

They also shared a commitment to “Moving Forward 

Together.” In February 2018, Williams gave his first State of 

the City address. He noted the diversity in the standingroom-only 

audience and pledged to be available, accessible, 

and accountable to present and future generations. He 

reminded the audience that collaboration among all segments 

of Abilene, and even beyond, is key to the city’s success. 

Abilene has a proud and colorful past, but civic leaders 

know that the future is where people are looking. Abilenians 

catch glimpses of that future every day. Since the mid-1980s, 

forward-looking people have been re-envisioning downtown 

Abilene, transforming it from the mundane to the extraordinary. 

Restored buildings like Paramount Theatre and Grace 

Museum evoke images of what the city looked like in its early 


148

days. Everman Park on the south end of the downtown area 

and the Adamson-Spalding Storybook Garden on the north 

end invite visitors and residents alike to take a leisurely stroll 

or sit and enjoy a picnic. A new downtown convention hotel 

will bring even more visitors to the historic downtown. 

Restoration of historic buildings originally focused primarily 

on the downtown area north of the Texas & Pacific 

Railroad tracks. But the south section is getting a facelift too, 

with the creation of the South of Downtown Abilene or 

SODA District. Drive by 301 Locust Street and be prepared 

to be amazed. Art students created a 3-D mural on the side 

of Lone Star Electric, the latest mural to brighten up old 

buildings on both sides of the railroad tracks that run 

through town. Then drive through the 800 block of South 

Second Street and continue to expect the spectacular. 

A building that originally housed a John Deere dealership 

is being transformed into a chic living space for the owners 

and events center for everybody. Brightly colored murals 

decorate the walls that are visible to passersby. 

The 3-D mural and the renovation of the tractor dealership 

join another chic spot in SODA, The Mill, at 239 Locust 

Street. The old Texas Mill & Elevator Company has been artfully 

transformed into one of the city’s hottest venues. 

The “Moving Forward Together” mentality was evident 

when Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center selected 

Abilene as the location for a complex of schools. The Tech 

mini-campus, located across the street from Hendrick 

Medical Center, has three connected buildings, housing 

schools of pharmacy, nursing, and public health. More 

expansion is planned for the future. 

The location of the three schools in Abilene was the result 

of a collaboration among Abilene city officials, community 

leaders, and Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center— 

more evidence of “Moving Forward Together.” 

This spirit is a legacy established by the founders of “The 

Future Great City of West Texas.” The city exists because a 

group of ranchers and businessmen banded together to convince 

the Texas & Pacific Railroad to move their planned 

track north from the county seat of Buffalo Gap to a new area 

that crossed their land. The result was the establishing of the 

city of Abilene, which later became the new county seat of 

Taylor County. 

“Moving Forward Together”—that is what Abilenians 

have been doing even before they became Abilenians. It’s 

what makes us the “Key City.” 

Left: Paramount Marquee, Abilene. 

Below: Mayor Anthony Williams. 



149

MCMURRY UNIVERSITY 

McMurry University was founded in 1923 as a United 

Methodist institution and is a vibrant and comprehensive 

center of higher education. McMurry has a national reputation 

for excellence and value through the achievements of its 

faculty, students and graduates. The University enrolls more 

than 1,000 students and has an average class size of sixteen. 

Offering a diverse academic curriculum, students can 

choose from forty-five majors in the arts, business, education 

and the sciences as well as our pre-professional programs in 

nursing, medicine, dentistry, engineering, law, pharmacy, 

physical therapy and others. 

McMurry has forty clubs and organizations and twenty 

intercollegiate sports. Students are engaged with the community 

and average 24,000 hours of annual service. 

McMurry is guided by our core values: 

• Christian Faith as the foundation of life; 

• Personal Relationships as the catalyst for life; 

• Learning as the journey of life; 

• Excellence as the goal of life; and 

• Service as the measure of life. 

The establishment of McMurry University began in the 

heart and vision of a single person, McMurry founder and 

first president, Dr. James Winford Hunt. He had a vision of 

establishing a Methodist college in West Texas. He wanted it 

to represent academic excellence. He wanted the college to 

be able to prepare young men and women for lifetime work 

and to be whole human beings who could function effectively 

in society. 

Led now by Dr. Sandra S. Harper, McMurry’s mission still 

reflects Dr. Hunt’s philosophy of higher education. Shaped 

by Christian principles, McMurry University challenges its 

students to examine our complex world from multiple perspectives 

in preparation for lives of leadership, service, and 

professional success. 

McMurry University is located at 1440 Sayles Boulevard 

in Abilene, Texas, and on the Internet at mcm.edu. 


150

All that gleaming new glass and steel on the campus 

of Abilene Christian University reflects the vision and 

commitment of those who made it possible. 

It reflects President Dr. Phil Schubert’s promise that 

ACU will “deliver a world-class academic education in 

a Christ-centered environment where students grow in 

their faith and are equipped to make a real difference in 

the world.” 

The transformed buildings and new construction are 

the result of the university’s Vision in Action, launched in 

2014. After receiving $55 million from three donors— 

including its largest gift ever—ACU embarked on transforming 

the campus in a way not seen for fifty years. 

Those gifts, plus others from across the ACU community, 

made possible five new or renovated facilities: 

• Robert R. and Kay Onstead Science Center, a transformation 

of the 85,000 square-foot Foster Science Building to 

include classrooms, labs and offices for the engineering 

and physics, mathematics, and agricultural and environmental 

sciences departments. 

• Halbert-Walling Research Center, a 54,000 square-foot 

building for science labs, classrooms, and offices. 

• Engineering and Physics Laboratories at Bennett 

Gymnasium, providing classroom, laboratory, and 

office space. 

• Wildcat Stadium, an 8,500-seat football venue, with 

room for up to 12,000 total fans, the first on-campus 

since 1942. Its playing surface is called Anthony Field, 

named for April and Mark Anthony, whose $37 million 

donation to Vision in Action was the largest gift in ACU 

history. Wildcat Stadium’s first game was Saturday, 

September 16, 2017. 

• Elmer Gray Stadium, a combined facility for the university’s 

successful women’s soccer program and legendary 

track and field program that seats 1,000 fans. 

The two other major donors, in addition to the 

Anthonys were: 

• Kay Onstead, $10 million to fund the Robert R. and Kay 

Onstead Science Center in honor of her late husband. 

• Kathy and David D. Halbert, $15 million for the Halbert- 

Walling Research Center that honors David’s grandparents, 

the late Dean and Thelma Walling. 

An impetus for the Vision in Action initiative was the university’s 

robust science programs, including its fast-growing 

engineering and physics department. ACU routinely sends 

undergraduate physics students to conduct research in the 

national laboratories like Brookhaven and Los Alamos, a rare 

opportunity for undergraduate students who get to work 

alongside renowned scientists and scholars. 

All the gleaming glass and steel are impressive, but their 

true value lies in what they make possible, the fulfillment of 

Schubert’s promise of a world-class academic education in a 

Christ-centered environment. 

“Thanks to God’s provision through these donors,” 

Schubert said, “we are delivering on our promise.” 

ABILENE CHRISTIAN 

UNIVERSITY 


151


152

THE MARKETPLACE 

Abilene’s retail and commercial establishments and service industries 

offer an impressive variety of choices 

Arrow Ford, Inc. ....................................................................................................154 

Denton Valley Farms...............................................................................................160 

Jackson Bros. Feed & Seed .......................................................................................162 

Sharon Riley’s Restaurants .......................................................................................164 

First Financial Bank, N.A........................................................................................167 

AbiMar Foods, Inc. .................................................................................................168 

Abilene Convention Center.......................................................................................170 

Lawrence Hall Abilene ............................................................................................172 

Can-Doo Budjet Rentals, Inc. ...................................................................................174 

McMahon Surovik Suttle, P.C....................................................................................175 

Abilene Chamber of Commerce..................................................................................176 

DATROO Technologies .............................................................................................177 

Steve Butman Photography .......................................................................................178 

SERVPRO ® of Abilene..............................................................................................179 

America’s Small Business Development Center.............................................................180 

Texas Healthcare Linen ...........................................................................................181 

Wagstaff LLP .........................................................................................................182 

Lammert, Inc.........................................................................................................183 

Texas Star Trading Company ....................................................................................184 

Mulberry Canyon. 


153

ARROW FORD, INC. 

Right: H.S. “Higg”Higginbotham, founder of Arrow Ford, Inc. 

Below: A WWII-era flight simulator at Abilene Aviation Company. 

They say that “character is destiny.” If that is true, then one 

would be hard-pressed to find a better example than in the life 

story of H. S. Higginbotham, Jr. Born in 1912 into a longtime 

East Texas farm family, Higginbotham developed the values of 

hard work and ambition from an early age. After graduating 

from Tarleton State, he began a career in the automobile 

industry, which ultimately brought him to Abilene, Texas, in 

1940 as the office manager of Western Chevrolet. 

His leadership and organizational acumen soon became 

apparent, and Western’s owner, Jack Hughes, tapped “Higg” to 

transition his private airport into the Abilene Aviation 

Company, where he oversaw the company’s work in training 

World War II pilots—a major contribution to the war effort. In 

1950, Western Chevrolet moved from its downtown location 

to South First Street, adjacent to Abilene Aviation, which was 

winding down its work for the Air Force in the post-war years. 

Spurred by Higg’s unique experience of working in a 

cooperative effort between the business and the military, and 

talents for “thinking big,” his consensus building managerial 

talents were again recognized, when in the late 1950s, 

Hughes named him general manager of his next project, 

Westgate Shopping Center, the area’s first indoor mall. Here, 

he brought in several major retailers, like Montgomery Ward 

and JC Penney’s, as well as Westgate UA Cinema and KCAD 

radio station, added in 1964, and run by “Slim” Willet, who 

wrote “Don’t Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes.” 

The pivotal year for Higg was 1964 and for the legacy he 

was already establishing. His story had been replete with 

business success and civic involvement. But in many ways, it 

was just the beginning. 

As in many great stories, the beginning of Arrow Ford and 

all it would go on to become, started out in failure. Higg wanted 

to buy Western Chevrolet from his mentor, Hughes. Thwarted 


154

y Chevrolet, which offered him dealerships in other cities, and 

spurred by his love of and commitment to Abilene, he declined 

and partnered with Lynn Lee to purchase McIlwain Ford. It was 

soon rechristened as Arrow Ford, after a brainstorming session 

between the new partners at the Walgreens soda fountain, and 

Arrow was off and running. Stemming from their vision of providing 

total service, as well as a fun experience for all involved, 

they found the perfect mascot to symbolize their passionate 

approach to the business–Little Chief ‘T P’ (Total Performance.) 

This, and other creative initiatives, came to exemplify Arrow 

Ford during these years. A Slim Willet radio spot encouraging 

passing motorists to honk their horns loudly enough to shatter 

the dealership’s glass windows was one fun experiment. But 

other actions were more directly tied to customer service and 

convenience. Higg expanded his used car operations, and kept 

the Service Department open on Saturday, along with the body 

shop, wrecker and car rental department. Another nice touch 

was the provision of driver training cars for Abilene Public 

Schools. In this and countless other ways, Arrow Ford was 

demonstrating its commitment to “total customer service.” 

True to his “East Texas farm boy” roots, Higg embraced 

his role as a provider of employment, rewarding his employees 

as family and encouraging ways for their continued success. 

A great example is his creation of an owner-operator 

model that ultimately resulted in the establishment of other 

dealerships, not only in Abilene, but across West Texas and 

in Oklahoma. During this time, he took a lead role in the 

creation of Five Points Industrial Park, collaborating with 

Bill Senter and the Abilene Industrial Foundation. 

When 1974 arrived, it had been a decade of growth and 

success for Arrow Ford. The tenth anniversary brought 

things “full circle,” when Higg bought the old Western 

Chevrolet Building, and had it completely remodeled. Arrow 

Ford has been there ever since. 

That was an auspicious year for the family as well, with 

Seaton, the first of Higg’s three sons, joining the firm after graduation 

from Texas Tech in 1974—soon assuming the duties of 

service manager, and beginning to implement some ideas of his 

own. Having grown up around the operation and driven by the 

underlying theme of total customer service, Seaton started the 

creative idea of the “Damsels in Distress” program—a free 24/7 

wrecker service for women in need. Under the guidance of 

Arrow employee Albert Wilson, countless “stranded” women 

customers have been helped over the years. 

The following years would bring, in quick succession, a 

series of additions and events that would usher in the next 

chapters in the story of Arrow Ford. 

In 1975, Dale Higginbotham graduated from Texas Tech, 

and like brother Seaton, joined the family business, by 

Above: “Higg” and his sons, Seaton, Vinson, and Dale. 

Left: President of Arrow Ford Seaton Higginbotham. 

COURTESY OF STEVE BUTMAN PHOTOGRAPHY. 


155

Seaton and wife, Carolyn, puttin’ on the Ritz. 


tradition, in the Service Department. He would soon become 

general manager of Heritage Cadillac, and ultimately the 

Parts and Service Director at Arrow. Then in 1984, Higg’s 

third son, Vinson, came on board and became Arrow’s 

Service Manager. Later he would go on to oversee all Arrow 

Ford properties, in the role of vice president. 

As a true family business, Arrow Ford has always made 

the most of its inter-generational talents and interests, something 

that remains true to this day. For example, after his 

assumption of duties as general manager in 1978, Seaton 

would go on to uphold the family tradition of commitment 

to community service by election to the Abilene City 

Council, and through his service on numerous civic boards 

and committees, including the Abilene Industrial 

Foundation, as co-chair of “Water Now” (which created Ivey 

Lake, another water source for Abilene) and Crimestoppers 

as president. This spirit of community service has been a 

continuing theme during Seaton’s tenure at the helm. 

Arrow Ford has always responded to the demands of 

changing times. So it was, that in 1975, not long after the 

tenth anniversary’s big remodel, the company slogan was 

changed to “Under the Big American Flag,” and a twenty by 

thirty foot version of Old Glory was raised over Arrow’s 

home at 4001 South First. This reaffirmed the company’s 

commitment to country and community, and also set the 

tone for future undertakings. 

The themes of growth and community involvement, tempered 

by response to changing times, continued throughout 

the next decade—and beyond. Consistent with their earlier 

program of providing driver training vehicles for AISD and 

in keeping with their ongoing belief that a commitment to 

children is essential to our future, in 1981, Arrow Ford 

opened in Safety City to help third graders learn about 

pedestrian and vehicular safety. 

The early 1980s also brought extreme challenges economically, 

with the collapse of oil prices and the subsequent 

financial struggles of many Abileneians. Seaton responded 

with tangible programs to help the people of the community. 

The Loan Arranger was created to assist customers whom the 

banks would not. Through its components—ReCreditrePair, 

Guaranteed Credit Approval and Vanishing Interest Rates— 

the Loan Arranger has been helping consumers ever since. 

In 1989, Arrow added Mitsubishi to its product line-up, 

yet another timely response to the demands of a discerning 

public, which added an even wider range of quality and fun 

vehicles to Arrow’s quiver. 

So, through a combination of long-term experience, dedication 

to its founding principles, market savvy and response to 

its customers’ needs, Arrow emerged from the 1990s stronger 

than ever and poised to face the challenges of the new century. 

In 1993, Arrow’s tone changed when Mari Kay Morrison came 


156

up with “The Right Choice” slogan. Focusing even more directly 

on the customer experience, Arrow underwent another 

remodel shortly thereafter. Instead of desks–consultation centers; 

expanded service drive and parts warehouse; and, a new 

finance and delivery showroom allowed customers to drive 

their vehicles right off the showroom floor. 

Always on the lookout for “a Better Idea” to enhance the 

customer’s buying experience and to encourage his employees, 

Seaton delved into the motivational techniques of Zig 

Ziglar. This experience evolved into what became known as 

the “I Can Attitude,” and took concrete form in a team meeting 

where the key props were an empty can of green beans 

and a selection of magazines. Team members cut out the eyes 

from magazine photos, then pasted them on the can. This “I 

Can” pencil holder would then sit as a reminder on each 

team member’s desk as a visible cue of Arrow’s working philosophy. 

This was followed up by an “I Can” Kids program 

in the schools and a sales campaign at the dealership—all of 

which spread the idea further into the community, and 

demonstrate Arrow’s ongoing efforts to reach out to the community 

it serves. In a more serious vein, Arrow teamed up 

with KTXS TV, KEAN Radio and the Abilene Reporter News, 

in 1998, to honor teachers and mentors who work with children. 

“Teacher Tribute” served as a “thank you” to inspirational 

teachers. Then, in 1999, Arrow joined forces with 

Cumulus Radio, KTXS TV and Love and Care Ministries to 

help Abilene’s homeless. This annual effort, “Mission 

Thanksgiving” has provided much-needed clothing, food 

and cash to the homeless for twenty years. Today it includes 

over fifty-five sponsors and 1,000 volunteers. Arrow Ford 

believed in collaboration before collaboration was cool. 

The twenty-first century would bring profound changes 

to society in general and the automobile industry in particular. 

From the atrocities of September 11, 2001, to the Great 

Recession of 2009, major adjustments have had to be made 

in all walks of life and the people of Arrow Ford Mitsubishi 

would rise to the occasion. Seaton responded by focusing his 

best efforts within the leadership of his industry, working on 

special financing programs to help with the disruptions 

faced by consumers through service on the HSBC Dealer 

Council and the Zurich Insurance Dealer Council. He also 

served as Chairman of the Texas Automobile Dealers 

Association in 2006, representing over 1,400 dealers at the 

state and national levels. 

During this period, Arrow continued to expand its used car 

operations, adding locations and staffing to the extent that the 

terms: Discount Center is under the leadership of Bargain Bin 

Bubba, Program Car Center led by Gerald Welch, and Special 

Finance 1 and 2, became “household names” across the area. 

Arrow also created a nostalgic showroom Christmas display 

featuring animatronics from Thornton’s department store, 

which grows bigger every year. In 2003, the Chrysler and Jeep 

franchises were added to Arrow’s vehicle line-up, ultimately 

ranking in the nation’s top ten percent for customer satisfaction 

and claiming the Jeep 5-Star Dealer Award. 

Arrow continued to grow by adding Auto Accessories and 

More, a company designed to sell accessories for all makes 

Above: Eagle statue dedicated by Arrow Employees following the attacks 

of 9/11. 

Left: Arrow Ford updated exterior following the 2014 remodel. 


157

Above: Arrow has always had an “I can” attitude and has promoted that 

attitude through several success programs like Heart to Heart, Teacher 

Tribute, and Mission Thanksgiving. 

Right: Trennon Cauthen and Shanna Kevil, the next generation of Arrow 

Ford leadership. 

and models, and a new Quick Lane tire and lube company, 

to compete in an ever changing world. 

The great recession of 2009 hit everyone hard, but Arrow 

took an extra blow, which came in June of 2009, when 

Chrysler declared bankruptcy, and terminated without cause 

more than 800 dealers, one of which was Arrow. Although it 

was able to meet its thirty-day liquidation deadlines, Arrow 

still had to pay off the franchise it no longer owned. 

Before the recession of 2009 wreaked its devastation, 

Arrow employed more than 175 people, and sold 350 vehicles 

per month. By December of 2010, sales had been cut in 

half, and sixty employees had been lost. 

Yet, Arrow Ford Mitsubishi survived and continues to 

thrive. Looking back on those darkest of days, Seaton credits 

several factors. 

First, and most importantly his employees—who took a 

cut in pay, and rededicated themselves to working harder and 

longer, and to identify completely with their customers’ wants 

and needs, working to create “raving fans,” and promoting a 

philosophy of “no excuses.” Second, to Arrow’s customers and 

the Abilene community, with whom they continue to grow 

and strengthen the bond of trust and commitment, as they 

stood “tall in the face of adversity” together. 

Arrow weathered the storms of 9/11 and the Great 

Recession thanks to its solid foundation, strong leadership, and 

deep ties to the Abilene community, and in 2013, it was time 

to invest the new generation of leadership. Seaton’s daughter, 

Shanna Kevil, was named general manager, and Trennon 

Cauthen, Vinson’s son-in-law, became comptroller. Both have 

been steeped in the “Arrow culture,” and are poised to fulfill 

Arrow’s mission—to its legacy, its partners, and its community. 

Well over fifty years into its history, Arrow Ford Mitsubishi 

now is a premier business in Abilene, employing 141 men and 

women (fourteen of whom are veterans.) It encompasses more 

than ten companies under the same roof—new car dealerships, 

used car operation, service center, parts, body shop, accessories, 

rentals, accounting, financing, note lot, and tire and lube facility, 

providing not only jobs but careers for its employees. Arrow 

is proud of the loyalty and longevity of its employees, with several 

staff members having served for more than thirty years. 

The legacy of community service continues, as Shanna 

serves as a board member for Ford Dealer Advertising, advisory 

board member for Prosperity Bank, Chairman of the 

Board of Habitat for Humanity, and is active in organizations 

that impact the foster care system. Trennon focuses on 

leadership in the Abilene Chamber of Commerce’s R.I.S.E. 

program (Relationship, Insight, Service, Engagement). 

Seaton has embraced his new role as mentor, which has 

allowed him to stay involved in civic initiatives crucial to the 

community, and is slated to become the Chairman of the 

Abilene Chamber of Commerce. Indeed, if there is a 

local organization focusing on education, employment, or 


158

economic development, it is very likely that Seaton is—or 

has been—an integral part of it, such as the Abilene 

Automotive Education Alliance (AAEA), chaired by Arrow’s 

Parts & Service Director Paul Bounds, which connects automotive 

industry partners, the Abilene Independent School 

District, Cisco College and Texas State Technical College, to 

form a program to train skilled auto technicians; Team 

Workforce, a committee of the Abilene Chamber of 

Commerce to promote a more skilled workforce for the 

region; cooperative programs with Dyess AFB; internships 

with Hardin-Simmons, ACU and McMurry Universities; and 

the AISD strategic planning committee, a committee 

designed to create a paradigm shift in education. Seaton 

strives to break down “silo cultures” by promoting a 

Collective Impact approach to solving large social problems. 

His goal is to bring everyone to the same table. 

To top it all off, Arrow has recently been awarded the title 

of “Small Employer of the Year” for 2017 by the Texas 

Workforce Commission. In its citation, Texas Workforce 

Commission’s Chairman Andres Alcantar lauded Arrow Ford 

Mitsubishi’s “leadership in developing a quality workforce, 

employing veterans, partnering with local educators and 

preparing students for their future success.” 

Arrow Ford Mitsubishi is proud to be a product of the West 

Texas frontier spirit, and is committed to helping lead the 

Abilene Renaissance, as together we “forge a NEW frontier.” 

Arrow’s remarkable story represents the best kind of narrative: 

a determined, visionary founder; an ongoing commitment to 

the community; and a family and staff recognizing the changing 

world in the new “Age of Acceleration” and restructuring 

their company to operate responsibly within it assuring a 

strong present and poised for an even brighter future. 

Above: Small Employer of the Year Workforce Award. 

Left: Vinson and Karla. 


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DENTON VALLEY FARMS 

Denton Valley Farms is just as peaceful and idyllic as it 

sounds, with brightly colored vegetables and fruit trees 

showing off their beauty in season, school children taking in 

the fresh air and learning about nature, and blissful couples 

taking in the beauty of an outdoor setting where they soon 

will be married. 

Denton Valley Farms is located on Highway 36, just an 

eighteen-minute drive southeast of Abilene, in a small farming 

community called Denton Valley. The iconic setting did not 

happen by accident. Mother Nature played her role, but owners 

Colby and Amanda Hatchett added the vision and muscle 

that transformed Denton Valley Farms into what it is today. 

“Fresh out of college from Texas A&M, we decided to go 

back to our roots and start farming in addition to our fulltime 

jobs,” Amanda said. Both of their families had been 

farming and ranching in the Abilene area for over 100 years. 

They started small with a three-acre garden plot that they 

now refer to as the “test plot.” Despite demanding jobs, they 

grew their garden, experimenting with several varieties of 

fruits and vegetables and trying different growing methods. 

While working and living in Abilene, Colby and Amanda 

saved enough money to buy the perfect piece of land in 2012 

for the development they envisioned. Even though the property 

they chose was overgrown land with no roads, an old 

farmhouse that needed a complete overhaul to even be livable, 

and every other structure either needing to be torn 

down or stripped to the studs, Colby and Amanda had the 

vision to see what it could become. They started immediately 

putting in many long days and much sweat equity. They 

built new fences, planted acres of fruit trees and grape vines, 

and deep plowed the soil to prepare for row crops. All that 

work paid off, and today the Farm Store, located on-site, features 

more than 100 varieties of produce, including fruits 

and vegetables that cannot be found locally anywhere else. 

“If it can be grown, we’ve tried it,” Colby likes to say. 

From spring through fall, the store is packed with seasonal 

produce, meats, homemade jams and jellies, local honey, 

farm fresh eggs, baked goods, and now-famous homemade 

ice creams that showcase the farm’s fresh fruit. During the 

summer it is not unusual to see dozens of children alongside 

parents and grandparents walking around with baskets, 

picking their own blackberries, tomatoes, and even grapes. 

From the original test plot, Denton Valley Farms has 

grown into a showcase of peach, plum, fig, apple and pomegranate 

trees, thorn-less blackberry plants, and seasonal 

vegetables, including peas, okra, watermelon, cantaloupe, 


160

tomatoes, peppers, squash, and cucumbers. They also raise 

goats, sheep, pigs, and cattle, selling the meat through the 

Farm Store year round. 

Amanda and Colby are not the only ones who get to enjoy 

the beauty of the farm they developed. They wanted their 

son to grow up in the country, learning the values they 

learned, and experiencing farm life. The Hatchetts are making 

that experience available to other children too. School 

tours are available, during which they provide information 

to children about where their food comes from and how the 

farm works. Kids can even ride on a trailer pulled by an old 

John Deere Tractor through the wooded areas of the farm 

and around the orchard and vineyard. The Hatchetts also 

enjoy giving back to the community. They do that by donating 

their venue facilities to several charitable organizations 

for their fundraising events. 

Denton Valley Farms also is lauded as a destination wedding 

site, with outdoor ceremony locations set against a backdrop of 

the surrounding hills, large oak trees, and of course, the 

orchard and vineyard. Their heated and cooled pavilion provides 

one of the Big Country’s largest indoor facilities for receptions 

as well as Christmas parties, school functions, corporate 

dinners, and charitable events. Videos, photo gallery, and testimonials 

on the website at www.dentonvalleyfarms.com will 

leave you breathless. A testimonial from the mother of a bride 

says it all—“From the twinkling lights in the vineyard, dancing 

in the barn, children chasing frogs by the peach orchard, and 

those amazing Texas stars shining ‘Big and Bright,’ we were 

unmistakably ‘Deep in the Heart of Texas!’” 

An aerial view of Denton Valley Farms shows just how 

meticulous Amanda and Colby have been in the planning of 

their dream farm. The perfectly aligned rows of fruit trees, 

grapevines, and produce form artistic patterns. As the seasons 

change, so does the landscape at Denton Valley Farms. 

From the first pink peach blooms and the bluebonnets in 

early spring to the full canopy of grapevines and the shady, 

cool wooded area in the summer, to pumpkins and oak 

leaves changing colors in the fall, there is much to see and 

admire at the farm all year round. 

Guests can get in touch with their country roots by picking 

fresh fruits and vegetables, enjoying a bowl of homemade 

ice cream, or just kicking back and soaking up the 

atmosphere. It is unlike anything else in the Big Country. 

Wide open spaces, beautiful sunsets, Denton Valley Farms. 


161

JACKSON BROS. 

FEED & SEED 

Jackson Bros. Feed & Seed is a familiar name in Abilene, 

but it could just as easily be “Jackson Bros., Wives, Sister, 

Children and Grandchildren Feed & Seed.” In March 1983, 

Waylan, Bob, and David Jackson opened their first store on 

South Treadaway Boulevard. It was tough at the beginning, 

and all three brothers poured a lot of sweat and long hours 

into the store, gradually building a loyal customer base. 

Today, there are a number of customers who started trading 

with Jackson Bros. back in 1983, customers who have 

become good friends of the family. It is not uncommon to see 

these customers sitting in the main office with one or more 

of the brothers, drinking coffee and sharing stories. 

Just as “brothers” may not adequately describe the scope 

of Jackson family involvement, so “Feed & Seed” does not 

adequately describe the contents of the stores. In addition to 

traditional farm and ranch supplies, shoppers can find a 

wide variety of pet supplies, lawn and garden supplies, horse 

tack, deer blinds and feeders, fencing materials, and even 

food items such as pecans, local honey, and jellies. 

The brothers expanded the business in 1991 by purchasing 

ACCO Farm & Ranch on South Eleventh Street. In 2017, 

this location got a new modern building and a new name, 

Jackson Bros. Feed & Seed #2. The South Eleventh location 

specializes in Nutrena Feed. They also carry bulk deer feed 

and offer bulk deliveries for game and cattle ranchers. 

Since 1983, the brothers have been joined by more than 

a dozen family members crossing three generations to run 

the two stores. It is truly a family owned and operated business 

with a number of family members working there, 

including the brothers’ youngest sister, the brothers’ wives, 

children, and grandchildren. 

It takes hard work, commitment, and knowledge of an 

ever-changing industry and new product lines to maintain a 

successful business for more than three decades like the 

Jackson brothers have. The three grew up in a farming family 

in Knox County where they raised cantaloupes, watermelons, 

cotton, wheat, and raised cattle. They shared a desire to open 

a feed store that focused on customer service and integrity. 

Each of the brothers already had experience in retail business 

before opening their own feed store. Waylan, the oldest 

brother, graduated from Goree High School, attended Texas 

Tech University, and then worked for Volume Shoes, Inc. The 

middle brother, Bob, joined the Army after graduating from 

Goree High School and served in the 101st Airborne Division 

during the Vietnam War. After the war, he worked for 

Kimball Grocery and then Fleming Foods, gaining experience 

in product placement and re-organizing stores to increase 


162

sales. David, the youngest, attended McMurry University and 

then went to work for Proctor & Gamble Co. Later in life, he 

took on a part time position serving as pastor at Caps United 

Methodist Church. The three brothers combined their broad 

retail experiences to open what they hoped would be the best 

and most successful feed store in the Abilene area. 

A 1989 article in the Abilene Reporter-News shows how the 

Jacksons’ hard work paid off early on. The article, with a photo 

of the three smiling brothers, reported that their store was being 

named to the National Chow Honor Council for two consecutive 

years. The article noted that the store had become one of 

the largest volume Purina dealerships in Texas. In the story, the 

brothers attributed their continued success to competitive 

prices, research-proven products, and excellent service. The 

same can be said today. A glance at the company website at 

www.jacksonbrosfeed.com shows “before” and “after” photos of 

the three brothers. In both, they are smiling broadly. The eyeglasses 

and hairstyles have changed, and the brothers have aged 

a bit, but they still look happy to be doing what they do. 

That attitude, work ethic, and reputation for honesty and 

integrity have not gone unnoticed. In addition to being one of 

the top businesses in Abilene, Jackson Bros. Feed & Seed is 

one of the city’s top corporate citizens. The business has also 

been recognized for its community involvement. In 2016, the 

Jacksons were named Farm Family of the Year at the Abilene 

Chamber Ag Scholarship luncheon during the West Texas 

Farm, Ranch, and Wildlife Expo, which they have attended 

since its inception. In 2017, Jackson Bros. Feed & Seed 

received the Excellence in Agriculture Award at the annual 

Abilene Chamber of Commerce banquet. Just two months 

before that, Jackson Bros. Feed & Seed responded to the victims 

of Hurricane Harvey, donating many items while also 

serving as a drop-off location for much-needed items to help 

pets and livestock during recovery from that tragic storm. 

The store’s name is frequently seen on a list of sponsors for 

local events. Among them are the West Texas Fair & Rodeo, 

Western Heritage Classic, the Texas Farm Ranch Wildlife Expo, 

and the Taylor County Livestock Show. An annual favorite, 

from the beginning, is Christmas Lane at the Abilene State 

Supported Living Center. Gae Jackson said in an Abilene 

Reporter-News article that the business likes to be a sponsor 

because the event gets people in the Christmas spirit and 

because it brings attention to the center. 

Jackson Bros. Feed & Seed may have added a second 

store, a new store front, and new products over the years, 

but the family still hangs its hat on its core values—“With 

over thirty-five years in business, the focus remains on customer 

service and honesty as well as community service.” 


163

SHARON RILEY’S 

RESTAURANTS 

Pull up a chair, hang your hat on a deer antler if you wish, 

and get ready for an experience you will want to repeat over 

and over. 

Welcome to Sharon Riley’s Lytle Land & Cattle Company, 

one of three restaurants Riley owns in Abilene. The chic 

Texas/New Mexico ambience, the food, the service—everything 

about Lytle Land & Cattle Company, says “first class.” 

But that does not mean there is not a cozy feel, too. 

“It’s a true family restaurant,” Scott Terrell, Sharon’s son, 

says, including the family heirlooms displayed on shelves 

around the restaurant. 

Scott even prefers his informal title, “I’m her son,” to his 

more formal title of chief operating officer. Everybody in 

Abilene and far beyond knows that if it has “Sharon Riley’s” 

in the name, it is quality. Two barbecue restaurants, one on 

East Highway 80 and one on Antilley Road, round out the 

family of restaurants. A catering business is adjacent to the 

East Highway 80 restaurant. 

Newspaper clippings, plaques, even a Texas House of 

Representatives resolution hang on the walls of Lytle Land & 

Cattle Company, all attesting to Riley’s expertise and dedication. 

“She’s the queen bee,” Scott boasts of his mother. 

When Riley was honored in 2018 as a Woman of 

Outstanding Achievement by the AAUW, a good friend, Kaye 

Price-Hawkins, introduced her and said someone suggested 

Riley change her name to “Abilene’s Energizer Bunny.” That 

is because her name is all over everything in Abilene, from 

her three restaurants to plaques in her honor, to numerous 

nonprofit boards to checks in support of community 

endeavors. A few of those community commitments show 

her range of interests and passions, such as the Abilene 

Opera Association, Abilene Philharmonic, Grace Museum, 

Global Samaritan Resources, Abilene Convention and 

Visitors Bureau, Abilene Chamber of Commerce, Western 

Heritage Classic, Taylor County Expo Center, United 

Way of Abilene, Grover Nelson Zoological Foundation, and 

Frontier Texas. 

But say the name “Sharon Riley” and the first thing people 

think of is great food. She learned early in the restaurant 

business that food comes first, followed closely by a desire to 

please customers and excellent service, which requires a 

dependable staff. 

“I have a great crew in all three places,” Riley said. “I’m 

so blessed.” 

The sumptuous food does not just happen. It starts long 

before the steak is laid on the grill, before the fresh shrimp, 

waiting to be grilled and wrapped in bacon, is purchased, or 

the homemade bread comes out of the oven. Sharon Riley’s 


164

Lytle Land & Cattle Company is known for great steaks 

cooked over a mesquite-fired grill. Riley orders only the 

best—aged corn-fed beef, which is cut into steaks at the 

restaurant. Riley tells her supplier not to ship steaks until 

they have aged three weeks—a demand she takes seriously. 

When a customer commented on Facebook that his meal 

was “fine,” but not “great,” that was not fine with Riley. She 

tracked the origin of the complaint—the steak was tough. 

Then she let the supplier know about it. 

“The food is the thing,” Riley says. “The food’s gotta be great.” 

It is the details that make all the food great at any of 

Riley’s restaurants. From aged beef to butter, no margarine, 

to homemade bread, to handcrafted poppers, those tasty 

jalapenos wrapped in bacon, everything is authentic in a 

Riley restaurant. The road has not been easy for Riley to rise 

to the level of a Woman of Outstanding Achievement in 

Abilene. After graduating from Eastland High School in 

1965, she started college, married, had two children (Scott 

Terrell and Amy Terrell Gomez), and eventually earned a 

bachelor’s degree in nursing from TCU. She worked as an RN 

in Eastland and then started her own consulting business for 

nursing homes. In an Abilene Reporter-News feature called 

“20 Over 50: Model Business Leaders,” Riley did not take all 

the credit for her success. She noted that several people had 

been influential in her life, none more so than her parents, 

Millie and Frank Sayre, who “instilled in me an independent 

spirit that is not afraid to try new things.” 

The switch to the restaurant business came in 1980 and 

Riley has never looked back. But she did bring to it a quality 

from her days as a nurse, a gift for caregiving. “You have to 

care about making people happy,” Riley said, to be successful 

in the restaurant business. Lytle Land & Cattle Company 

opened in 2000, followed by Sharon’s Barbeque on East 

Highway 80 in 2005 and the newest location on Antilley 

Road in 2017. From the beginning, Riley has been the driving 

force, the “Energizer Bunny,” in the Lytle Land & Cattle 

Company, from the interior design to the food on the table, 

is a perfect example. The restaurant was built as a New 

Mexico-style Mexican food restaurant and still retains hints 

of that decor. But much of it came from Riley’s own imagination 

and the help of Scott. 

“There’s not a corner of this restaurant I haven’t been in,” 

he said. 

That includes the corner with the bar that was the result 

of Scott’s hard work. Lumber for the bar came from a mill 

close to Santa Fe. Logs were selected and then the boards 

were cut to Scott’s specifications. The result is an authentic 

Texas bar, with some New Mexico wood added in. Christmas 

tree lights hung from the ceiling beams and neon beer signs 

on the wall add a soft lighting. Straw cowboy hats, with the 

names of former staff on the brims, also hang from the 

beams, creating an unmistakable Texas atmosphere. 

The atmosphere also has a family quality about it, because 

it always has been family. Scott is on site daily. His oldest 

daughter, Alex Terrell Russell, worked as general manager 

for two years following her graduation from Texas Tech 


165

University before opening her own public relations firm, 

Oddly Natural. His younger daughter, Symantha, started her 

career as a server and is working her way up in the family 

business. Riley’s daughter, Amy, has worked at all of Riley’s 

restaurants. Now she and her husband, Dr. Jaime Gomez, are 

back in Abilene from Dallas. She loves eating at her mom’s 

restaurants and says, “The old days were tough growing up 

in the restaurant business...but worth it. I’m happy mom 

doesn’t have to work the long hours like she did when we 

were growing up.” 

When it is all said and done, Scott knows what his mother’s 

legacy will be in Abilene. Besides “Queen Bee” and 

Above: Sharon Riley. 


Right: Sharon Riley proudly shows off samples of her delicious plates. 

“Abilene’s Energizer Bunny,” Sharon Riley will leave a legacy 

of being one of Abilene’s all-time favorite restaurateurs. Her 

name is magic in Abilene. See it on the invitation as “caterer,” 

and a crowd is guaranteed. But that success did not happen 

magically. Her legacy will include the vision, desire, confidence, 

and nose-to-the-grindstone work ethic to pull it all 

together. Abilenians know that and appreciate it. “Everybody 

saw her in that restaurant every day,” Scott said. “I know 

what she put into it—I was there.” 

In her own words, Riley says, “The restaurant business is 

a wonderful, rewarding business, but people have to be prepared 

to pay their dues...hard work and long hours. And 

then, if you’re lucky and blessed as I am to have a great staff, 

you can take a little time off...but not much!” 

That little bit of time off usually is spent with family, 

cooking, reading, dancing and traveling with husband, Tom, 

in their motorhome. Nowadays, thanks to Scott being in 

charge and a reliable staff, Riley does not have to worry 

about taking a little time off. Another part of Riley’s legacy 

will be the loyalty of her family and crew, or as Scott puts it, 

“We all have each other’s back.” 


166

A colorful history, a remarkable present, and a bright 

future all are hallmarks of Abilene’s third oldest business, 

First Financial Bank, N.A. The bank opened as Farmers & 

Merchants National Bank on January 2, 1890, in a small 

frame building on South First Street that was the former 

home of the Green Front Saloon. 

When the bank opened, the city of Abilene was home to 

3,000 settlers with a pioneering spirit. By the end of the year, 

many of them had become customers of the new bank, 

depositing $33,000, a tidy sum in those days. That number 

has grown significantly since then, but the core values of the 

bank remain the same. 

“While our long legacy always remains the backbone of 

who we are, we continue to be excited about our future,” 

said Chairman, President and CEO of First Financial 

Bankshares, Scott Dueser. 

In January 2018, exactly 128 years after opening, First 

Financial Bankshares acquired Commercial Bankshares Inc. 

and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Commercial State Bank of 

Kingwood. With the acquisition of this bank, which is located 

just outside Houston, First Financial Bankshares now has 

seventy-two locations from the Panhandle to southeast 

Texas. The company is the only publicly traded company 

headquartered in Abilene. It is listed on NASDAQ as FFIN. 

“With total assets of over $7.6 billion, First Financial 

Bankshares is optimistic about additional opportunities for 

continued growth,” Dueser said. 

Although the bank has endured several economic downturns 

during its 128-year existence, it has never reported a 

loss. The company is very focused on providing a good 

return for its stockholders, but First Financial 

Bankshares is not all about the numbers. It is about 

people, from valued customers and investors to the 

more than 600 employees in Abilene and another 

750 plus employees scattered across Texas. “Our primary 

focus will always be to put the customer first,” 

Dueser said. 

First Financial’s “Customer Service First” attitude 

also extends to its action in the communities that it 

serves. As an example of their commitment to community 

involvement, First Financial has dedicated 

Columbus Day, which is traditionally a bank holiday 

as a “Day of Service” for employees. In October 

2017, more than 250 Abilene employees spread out 

over the city to do volunteer work. They were joined 

by First Financial Bank employees in other Texas 

cities where the bank operates. In all, about 750 

bank volunteers were doing good deeds statewide on 

Columbus Day. 

“Everything we do is centered in providing the very 

best service to our customers and contributing financial 

resources and volunteers to each of the communities we 

serve,” Dueser said. 

Left: Original location of Farmers & Merchants National Bank. 

Below: 400 Pine Street, 1984-Present. 

FIRST FINANCIAL 

BANK, N.A. 


167

ABIMAR FOODS, INC. 

Try walking into AbiMar Foods without smiling—you 

just cannot do it. 

Not with the aroma of fresh-baked cookies that smell like 

they just came out of your grandmother’s oven. Not with that 

cute Lil’ Dutch Maid inviting you to try a bag of her windmill-shaped 

cookies. Not with yummy chocolate chips or 

vanilla crèmes tempting you at every turn. Even the employees 

are all smiles, knowing they are turning out products 

that are guaranteed to bring a smile. They will even tell you 

how happy they are. 

“It’s a great company,” an employee for sixteen-plus years 

said. “It’s really like a family.” 

It has been that way from the beginning when Steve and 

Vicki Fehr bought Magic Dream Cookies and founded Fehr 

Foods, Inc., in 1992. Along with it, the “Lil Dutch Maid” 

Brand was created. The company sold in 2010 to Grupo 

Nutresa from South America. 

Nutresa is a more than 100-year-old Colombia-based company 

Food Holding Group with presence in fourteen countries. 

The name “AbiMar” comes from the first three letters of 

Abilene and Marietta, Oklahoma, where the company once 

had a plant. 

Satisfied customers are the greatest testament to AbiMar’s 

success, but happy employees tell a lot about the company, 

too. By the end of 2017, AbiMar Foods had over 600 

employees from every walk of life, diverse origins, cultures 

and languages. Many employees are refugees from countries 

all over the world who have been resettled in Abilene 

through the local office of the International Rescue 

Committee. Jobs at AbiMar Foods are varied. A master baker 

is charged with coming up with new recipes to meet changing 

demands. An employee in accounts payable and payroll 

remembers when the company started and had only two 

lines, compared to seven now. And, the administrative office 

had only five employees. Now there are twenty-five. 

“It was very laid back,” she recalled. “Now, it’s a little 

more hectic” but still an enjoyable place to work. 

Another employee was surprised when she saw the ad in 

the newspaper for a position at AbiMar Foods. “I didn’t even 

know we had a cookie factory here,” she said. But now she 

has risen in the ranks to the level of manager. 

Visitors to AbiMar Foods are in for a treat—literally. They 

will hear employees saying things like, “It’s been a good life 

for me.” and “I like it a lot—it’s always a challenge.” 

In addition to meeting friendly and knowledgeable 

employees, visitors get to tour the heart of the plant where 

the magic happens. Before entering the production area, 

guests put on a red hairnet, just one of the many safety and 


168

sanitation safeguards AbiMar Foods uses. The company 

maintains a comprehensive Food Safety Program that 

includes a Safe Quality Food (SQF) certification. 

The tour begins with the industrial-sized mixers that transform 

basic ingredients like sugar, flour, and shortening into 

works of art. The perfectly mixed cookie dough is either die cut 

or wire cut, depending on consistency. The product lines consist 

of numerous varieties and sizes to suit your needs. Chocolate 

Chip, Coconut Macaroon and Oatmeal are just some of the wire 

cut cookies made from recipes handed down over the years to 

ensure quality taste and appearance. The classic die cut cookie 

maintains an old-fashioned appearance and the taste you will 

remember from childhood. Varieties include the Almond 

Windmill, Coconut Bar, and the old-fashioned Butter Cookie. 

The Sandwich Crème line offers a wide variety of flavors to 

fit everyone’s cravings. You will find flavors such as Vanilla, 

Peanut Butter, Lemon, Chocolate, and Strawberry. Touring the 

production area is like walking through every child’s dream 

world. Various-shaped cookie tops and bottoms form perfect 

rows of tasty treats on conveyor belts that move along at an 

amazing clip. Chocolate, vanilla, or other filling is added onto 

the bottom layer before the top is precisely placed. Robotic 

arms rise and fall, assembling the cookies, packaging them, 

and placing them in boxes, all with military precision. 

But it is the more than 600 employees who make the 

magic happen. The robotic arms just speed things up a bit. 

Once cut and baked, the cookies or crackers are packaged 

and then transported to a distribution warehouse at another 

location in Abilene. The biggest market for the products is 

the United States, but the company continuously is growing 

the export business. 

The large-scale production was made possible by the acquisition 

and construction, with support of the city, in 2014 of a 

second location on South First Street, about a half-mile from 

the original building on North First Street. 

The North First Street location houses administrative 

offices in addition to a production plant that turns out a variety 

of cookies. Both cookies and crackers are produced at the 

South First Street location. 

From 2010, when Nutresa bought Fehr Foods, to 

2017, both the amount of sales and the number of employees 

doubled, making AbiMar Foods, the city’s largest 

manufacturing employer. 

“We’re here to stay,” the company vows. 


169

ABILENE CONVENTION 

CENTER 

Above: The Convention Center exterior. 


Below: The Auditorium. 

The Abilene Convention Center has been a staple in 

Abilene’s events scene since 1970. Providing top of the line 

service and a facility that can accommodate a plethora of 

activities. The Convention Center has hosted groups from all 

around the United States that truly enhance the cultural, 

educational, professional and recreational well-being of our 

citizens and community. 

The Convention Center specializes in helping bring people 

from all over the world to Abilene with over 400,000 

people attending events in the facility each year. From meetings 

and conventions to concerts and road shows, the 

Convention Center hosts over 400 events a year boasting 

100 percent usage during weekends and 90 percent usage 

during the week. 

The Convention Center’s original design recently received 

upgrades to be able to accommodate the ever growing events 

that continue to support the environment that the 

Convention Center offers to Abilene. In 2015 the citizens of 

Abilene approved a bond program totaling $80.69 million. 

The bond focused on improving many of the basics: public 

safety, infrastructure, and quality of life services, which 

included the already busy and successful Convention Center. 

Many theatre productions and trade shows choose the 

Abilene Convention Center as the venue to accommodate 

their events. Upgrades to the exhibit hall and auditorium 

have increased the number of events held in both of these 


170

locations as these upgrades have created a state-of-the-art 

center designed to attract events of all sizes. 

Though this was the most recent of upgrades to our 

beloved Convention Center, it was not the first. The busy 

nature of the Convention Center has kept it a busy facility 

since its inception in 1970. With what started as only 

100,000 square feet consisting of the auditorium, foyer, 

exhibit hall, kitchen, small meeting rooms and offices, it has 

once before seen upgrades in 1990, which expanded to 

include a conference center, service alley, additional kitchen 

and upstairs conference room. 

Having always been a regional location for meetings and 

trade shows, the Convention Center is also known for its 

outstanding customer service that keeps bringing patrons, 

families and events back. In 2018, Convention Center staff 

helped a family celebrate by hosting a bride’s wedding reception 

whose mother had her reception in the same location 

over twenty years ago! 

It is this same outstanding service that continues to bring 

outstanding options to our small West Texas town. Broadway 

series, banquets, concerts and live shows make up a large 

part of the Convention Center’s calendar. Hosting four to five 

Broadway shows a year—previous shows including 

Cinderella, Mamma Mia!, Chicago, Dirty Dancing, The Wizard 

of Oz, ELF The Musical, Annie, Beauty and the Beast, and 

Legally Blonde—who needs to leave Abilene to experience the 

beauty and awe that is Broadway! Speaking of great acts that 

have come to town, the Convention Center has also been 

known to host a variety of concerts. How many cities the size 

of Abilene can boast acts such as Styx, Oakridge Boys, The 

Temptations, Casting Crowns, Aaron Watson, Willie Nelson, 

Newsboys, Rodney Carrington, Asleep at the Wheel, Amy 

Grant, Joe Bonamassa, Jim Brickman, and Loretta Lynn, just 

to name a few! And if you are looking for local acts, the 

Convention Center is the home of the Abilene Philharmonic 

orchestra concerts! Looking for a little something different, 

look no further as we also host everything from gameshows 

like Price is Right LIVE! to well-known stand up acts and fun 

for the kiddos including: Jerry Seinfeld, Gabriel Iglesias, 

Anjelah Johnson, Sesame Street Live, and Barney. We have 

got a little something for everyone! 

Abilene’s history of supporting the Convention Center 

and the events that are available to the community because 

of it, will keep the Convention Center around and thriving 

for years to come. If you have not, stop by the Convention 

Center and see what we have going on, we promise you will 

not have to look very far before you find something that will 

keep you coming back! 

The Exhibit Hall. 


171

LAWRENCE HALL ABILENE 

Above: Lawrence Hall Chevrolet-Cadillac-Buick-GMC. 

1385 South Danville, Abilene Texas. 

Below: Lawrence Hall SuperCenter Certified Used Cars. 

200 North Clack Street. 

The year was 1956 and 

Chevys were hot, especially those 

two-toned Bel Airs and the sporty 

new Corvette, which had rolled 

off the production line just three 

years earlier. 

Lawrence Hall and his wife, 

Myrl, were living in Anson and 

saw the opportunity to open a 

Chevrolet dealership in 1956. It 

was the first of what would 

become a large enterprise of 

Lawrence Hall Chevrolet dealerships. 

Since 1956, the Lawrence 

Hall name has come to be identified 

with the best products, the best people, and the best 

service and customer care in the automotive market in 

Abilene and all over West Texas. It is a tradition set when the 

Hall Family opened their first dealership, and it remains the 

hallmark of all of their locations. “Our parents instilled in us 

the importance of taking care of our customers at an early 

age,” said Larry Hall. “They made sure that we worked hard 

to fulfill that every day.” 

Lawrence and Myrl opened the Anson business, with the 

help of an office clerk, a parts person, and two mechanics. 

Lawrence operated the Anson dealership until 1989, when 

his sons, Larry and Mitch, expanded to Abilene, with the 

purchase of Larry Rigby Chevrolet-Mazda. “We had so many 

Abilene customers at the time, so it was a great opportunity 

for us to expand to Abilene,” Larry added. 

The expansion of the Lawrence Hall name was just beginning. 

In 1991 the Halls purchased the facilities at 1300 South 

Clack Street and moved their Mazda operations to that location. 

In 2002, the Lincoln franchise was added to that location. 

Next came the Cadillac franchise in October 2004, followed 

by the Buick and GMC Truck franchises in 2006, all 

located at 1385 South Danville. The dealership branched out 

in August 2012 when Larry and Mitch acquired Sterling 

Volkswagen on South First Street. Shortly after that, they 

began the process of designing and building a new facility at 

1350 South Clack Street, next to the current Lincoln-Mazda 

dealership. Groundbreaking was held in July 2013, with the 

grand opening following in July 2014. 


172

Since 1989, Lawrence Hall Abilene has grown from fifteen 

employees to more than 200 employees. The Lawrence Hall 

Abilene family currently includes Lawrence Hall Chevrolet- 

Cadillac-Buick-GMC located at 1385 South Danville Street, 

Lawrence Hall Lincoln-Mazda at 1300 South Clack Street, 

Volkswagen of Abilene at 1350 South Clack Street, and 

Lawrence Hall Certified Used Cars at 200 North Clack Street. 

Since opening its doors in Abilene, Lawrence Hall has 

become recognized as one of the most community-minded 

businesses in town. Lawrence Hall Abilene is well known for 

the benevolent support of local nonprofits, such as Abilene 

and Wylie School Districts, Crimestoppers of Abilene, the 

American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, 

Junior League of Abilene, youth sports and much more. 

“Supporting people that support our business is a strong 

emphasis within the entire organization,” Larry said. 

The dealerships also sponsor numerous events such as the 

Texas Farm Ranch and Wildlife Expo, Western Heritage 

Classic, West Texas Fair & Rodeo, and the Fellowship of 

Christian Athletes. The Hall family believes in taking care of 

their customers and employees and being a good corporate 

citizen in the community. Lawrence Hall Abilene continues 

to serve its customers and help the community to grow and 

to be a great place to live. 

All employees are encouraged to get involved in civic 

activities, volunteering, serving on local boards, activities 

that support the airmen and families at Dyess Air Force Base, 

and other similar activities. 

“We have always enjoyed the Abilene community and we 

try to always do our part to make Abilene an even better 

place to live,” Larry said. “Our customers have been good to 

us and we want to return the favor as much as we can.” 

Above: Lawrence Hall Lincoln-Mazda. 

1300 South Clack Street. 

Below: Volkswagen of Abilene. 

1350 South Clack Street. 

. 


173

Right: Lou Paulsen. 

CAN-DOO BUDJET 

RENTALS, INC. 

Below: A few of the units supplied by Can-Doo Budjet Rentals. 

Lou Paulsen rolled into Abilene in 1981 with a small 

pickup truck and twenty portable toilet units. Today, his 

Can-Doo Budjet Rentals, Inc., with locations in Abilene and 

San Angelo, boasts more than 1,000 units, including some 

fancy ones with showers. 

The company employs fourteen full-time certified 

technicians, plus seasonal help. Paulsen is a “can-do” kind of 

guy. He is reluctant to tell his age, other than “over sixtyfive,” 

and is fond of a T-shirt with the slogan, “Retirement’s 

for Quitters.” 

There is no “quit” in Paulsen. Before moving to Abilene, 

Paulsen was involved in various businesses in Illinois, 

including advertising, service station owner, real estate, and 

marina construction on the Illinois River. Today, Paulsen 

owns an enviable business that is recognized nationally. In 

December 2013, Can-Doo was featured on the cover 

of PRO, a magazine published by Portable Restroom 

Operator. In 2014, Paulsen received the Andy Gump 

Award, the highest award given by Portable Sanitation 

Association International. Gump is credited with creating 

the first portable toilet in 1956. 

Paulsen has seen the industry grow and change 

dramatically since he got into it. The equipment and deodorants, 

the designs, and the permits and regulations all have 

evolved. “Everything is changed and updated all the time,” 

Paulsen said. 

One thing that has not changed is Paulsen’s attention 

to detail and insistence on getting the job done right. 

If an employee brings back a portable unit that is not 

clean, he has to stay until the unit is spotless. The reputation 

that Paulsen has built has paid off. He has a contract 

with Dyess Air Force Base to evacuate waste from 

the aircraft stationed there and even from Air Force One, 

which landed at Dyess occasionally when George W. Bush 

was president. 

Paulsen’s reputation also has landed him some big gigs, 

such as the Dyess Air Show, the Chili Super Bowl that benefits 

Ben Richey Boys Ranch, outdoor weddings, festivals, and 

even a country/western concert north of Dallas that featured 

Roy Clark and Willie Nelson. 

Paulsen is not all business. He finds time to be involved 

with local organizations like the Chamber of Commerce, 

Better Business Bureau, Big Country Home Builders 

Association, and the Abilene Association of Independent 

Business Owners, which he served as president. He also previously 

was on the board of Ben Richey Boys Ranch. 

Even if Paulsen is “over sixty-five,” he is not considering 

retirement or selling the business. He is the sole owner and 

plans to keep it that way a while longer. 

“I’m not ready to slow down,” he said. 


174

McMahon Surovik Suttle, P.C., is one of the oldest and 

largest firms in Abilene. With over fifteen attorneys, this 

fast-paced firm handles some of the region’s most complex 

transactions and litigation matters. Its roots, however, were 

much humbler. 

In 1904, when the fledgling town of Abilene was barely 

twenty years old and home to just over 3,000 people, T.P. 

Davidson came to town from his native Gonzales and 

opened a law office. 

Davidson’s practice and Abilene grew fast enough that just a 

year later, Davidson formed a partnership with H.N. Hickman. 

Thomas J. McMahon joined the partnership in 1926 and 

spent a distinguished legal career of over fifty years with what 

would, under his leadership, become the premier law firm in 

Abilene and the Big Country. McMahon died in 1979; however, 

the firm still bears his name. 

Today, the firm of McMahon Surovik Suttle, P.C., carries on 

the legacy of that early-day practice, with a list of attorneys and 

range of practice fields so lengthy that Davidson and Hickman 

would hardly recognize it. But, they would be proud to know 

the small firm they started enjoys a stellar reputation more than 

a century later. 

Throughout the years, the law firm has been noted for its 

emphasis on ethics and its commitment to its clients, and 

as long as memory serves, has maintained a “preeminent” 

peer rating for the highest level of professional excellence 

from Martindale-Hubbell, considered the gold standard for 

attorney ratings. 

While many fine lawyers have combined to continue the 

firm’s tradition of excellence; former partners Bob Surovik and 

Stephen Suttle remain familiar names in the Abilene legal community 

and throughout Texas. Throughout their lengthy 

careers, Surovik and Suttle were role models and mentors to the 

lawyers of the firm; and each epitomized competence and professionalism 

as lawyers of the highest distinction. 

Today, McMahon Surovik Suttle, P.C., serves its clientele in 

an array of fields so vast that its early day founders could never 

have imagined. While the faces have changed, the foundation of 

integrity, excellence and service prevails to this day. 

MCMAHON SUROVIK 

SUTTLE, P.C. 

Back row (from left to right): Mike Murray, Jason Hall, Patricia LaRue, 

Randa Barton, Chet Caldwell, Wayne Watson, Elizabeth Wallace, Jessica 

Haile, Chris Shelton, and Matt Mercer. Front row (from left to right): Mark 

Zachary, Kelly Gill, David Buhrmann, Steven Suttle, Paul Cannon, and 

Robert Wagstaff. 



175

ABILENE CHAMBER 

OF COMMERCE 

The Abilene Chamber: 110 Years of Service and Counting. 

. 

Developing and promoting the economy and quality of 

life in the Abilene area. As mission statements go, the 

Abilene Chamber of Commerce has an important one. 

Founded in 1908, the Abilene Chamber was formed by 

community leaders who believed strongly that businesses 

must have a strong role in not only driving our local economy, 

but also in shaping the quality of the community they live in. 

As a private association of business and partner to the 

City of Abilene and the Development Corporation of 

Abilene, the Chamber’s work impacts its growing membership 

of nearly 1,400 local companies and every man, woman 

and child in our area. While its work is wide and varied, the 

Chamber’s leadership believes today, just as it did more than 

a century ago, that Abilene will not be good enough for any 

of us until it is good enough for all of us. 

This is why the Chamber is deeply committed to the longterm 

economic vitality of our great city. Endeared in a lasting 

belief that it “all starts with jobs,” the Chamber maintains its 

role as the community’s chief business advocacy organization, 

working with government at all levels to ensure a pro-business, 

pro-growth environment in which our members operate. 

With specialized focus on business recruitment and retention, 

talent attraction and retention, tourism marketing, downtown 

development, building upon the cultural assets of our 

city, engaging young professionals and supporting and growing 

the military mission at Abilene’s Dyess Air Force Base, the 

Chamber and its countless member volunteers touch much of 

what most people think “just happens” in a community. 

These are not simple tasks, and their importance cannot 

be overstated. Through its award-winning Abilene 

Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Chamber works to attract 

more than $430 million in economic impact to our city each 

year. Our Abilene Cultural Affairs Council has brought the 

arts to Abilene and is best known for creating and enhancing 

our place as the Storybook Capital of America. 

The Chamber’s focus on downtown Abilene is driven by 

believing that Abilene’s central business district is “everybody’s 

neighborhood” and an unmistakable economic 

barometer for our community. 

When it comes to job creation, retention, and the capital 

investment that follows, the Chamber’s Abilene Industrial 

Foundation is known for its promotion of our city as a place 

to locate and grow a business. Our Young Professionals 

group, itself nearly 600 members strong, is committed to 

creating opportunities to engage our under forty population 

with the intent of retaining them. 

Finally, the Chamber’s commitment to Dyess Air 

Force base and the nearly 15,000 airmen and their families 

always is a priority, just as it has been for more than 

sixty years. 

The Abilene Chamber is proud of its heritage and excited 

about the future of our community. The Chamber invites 

you to engage in its work and to be a part of ensuring 

progress for the betterment of everyone. 

To see what Abilene Chamber can do for you or 

what you can do for your community, please visit them 

at www.abilenechamber.com. 


176

Located in a historic building, DATROO Technologies has 

its eye on the present and future, with a highly trained staff 

dedicated to “Making I.T. Better.” 

That is more than a brag at DATROO Technologies, located 

at 1292 North First Street in what originally was a Gulf 

“filling station” and later a tire company. In those days, terms 

like “advanced networking” did not exist, but that is exactly 

what businesses are looking for today. Sales, word of mouth 

referrals, and new business all over the United States and in 

Canada give that slogan, “Making I.T. Better,” credibility. 

“We’ve got a proven track record,” said Keith White, 

owner and president. White started the business in his home 

in 2004. The name comes from two words–data and “Roo,” 

the nickname of White’s oldest daughter, Rachel. After six 

months, White moved the business to a bank building, where 

it stayed until the historic building became available in 2015. 

Technology changes with the speed of light, and DATROO 

Technologies has kept up. The company specializes in VOIP 

phone systems and in hardware, software, and system design 

for government communication systems and for large commercial 

networks. Projects include network analysis, network security, 

advanced routing, switching, and application optimization. 

White, Vice President Ryan Kana, and other employees at 

DATROO Technologies, have connections with the top vendors 

in the industry, ensuring the best possible solution for 

customers. An ever-growing client base proves the strategy 

works. “Word of mouth goes before us,” Kana said. 

“Making I.T. Better” starts at the top with White, whose 

leadership sets the tone for the entire operation. All employees 

are professionally certified in their field and are problem 

solvers. DATROO Technologies can go into a business that 

has experienced problems for years, take a quick look, recognize 

the problem, and fix it. 

White, who holds a degree in electrical engineering from 

the University of Texas at Arlington, brings experience and 

problem-solving abilities to the table. Before owning his own 

business, he worked for companies that designed and 

installed secure communications for the government and 

White House, including the phone systems in the Oval Office. 

Today, DATROO’s work can be found in banks, engineering 

firms, medical offices, any place in need of the best in I.T. 

services. DATROO also has offices in Snyder and Burleson. 

The Abilene office is in what originally was the Boyd 

Building, constructed in 1925. Inside, the original safe and 

historic photos blend with modern technology to create an 

upscale atmosphere—perfect for a technologies firm and its 

creative employees. 

Additional information is available on the Internet at 

www.DATROO.com. 

DATROO TECHNOLOGIES 


177

STEVE BUTMAN 

PHOTOGRAPHY 

Play Faire Park in Abilene is the oldest miniature golf course in Texas. 

Steve Butman grew up on a ranch in Mulberry Canyon, 

southwest of Abilene. His career as a photographer began 

in 1964 when a darkroom was added in his family’s house. 

His first professional camera purchase, a Pentax Spotmatic, 

allowed him to begin photographing weddings and portraits 

in high school. He also ventured into multi-frame 

panoramas and light painting. 

Steve graduated from Sam Houston State University with 

a bachelor of science in photography and a minor in art. 

While at the university he exhibited nationally and won first 

and second place in the f/70 seven-state photographic 

contest. Next came the San Francisco Art Institute where he 

studied under Jerry Burchard, John Collier Jr. and visiting 

photographers Robert Frank, Ralph Gibson, Imogen 

Cunningham, and Bret Weston. 

Steve specializes in commercial, aerial, industrial, 

architectural, and fine art photography. His 3,500-squarefoot 

studio is located at 1065 South First Street in Abilene, 

Texas. Fine art printing up to forty-four inches is produced 

in-house. With digital capture he decided Olympus was the 

best and got on board ten years ago with their mirrorless 

bodies. This allowed him the advantage to create the highquality 

work he does today. 

His award-winning work has appeared in a variety of 

magazines including Texas Architect, Texas Monthly, 

American Movie Classic Magazine, Reader’s Digest, Southern 

Living, Southern Bride, Sports Illustrated, American Airlines’ 

Magazine, and ACU Today. Other work includes the U. S. 

Marshal’s office, the Navajo Nation, the Library of Congress, 

and the U.S. Department of Energy. 

Steve is actively involved in preserving the area’s history 

through the Taylor County Historical Commission and 

serves as chairman of the City of Abilene’s Landmark 

Commission. He has been a staff photographer with Abilene 

Christian University for over 30 years and has worked with 

M. D. Anderson Hospital for 28 years. 


178

The aftermath of a fire or flood can be devastating, but 

seeing the SERVPRO ® “heroes in the green vans” driving up 

can make life a whole lot better. 

In Abilene, those heroes are Clifford and Wendy 

Densman, owners of the local SERVPRO ® franchise since 

2007. The SERVPRO ® slogan is “Like it never even happened” 

and that is their pledge to the customers they serve. 

SERVPRO ® of Abilene answers emergency calls twenty-four 

hours a day, specializing in the cleanup and restoration of 

residential and commercial property after a fire or flood. 

Clifford and Wendy credit the success of their franchise to 

the “tough trainers who made us walk the line and be the 

best we can be.” The couple’s first contact with SERVPRO ® 

came in 2005 when they met Kent Stone. 

In 2007, Clifford bought a franchise and Wendy, who 

had been working in the medical field, joined her husband 

in 2009. Today, SERVPRO ® is located in a modern, attractive 

facility on FM 18, just south of town. A part of their 

legacy is their children, Brittany Roes and Chelsey Heller, 

their husbands, Lee Roes and Vinnie Heller, and grandchildren, 

Avery and Cooper Roes, and Hesston Heller. 

Clifford and Wendy are rightfully proud of the business 

they have built through long hours and hard work. They 

met in high school in Abilene in 1975 and married in 1978. 

Clifford became a master carpenter, learning the building 

trade from his father and older brother. In their early marriage, 

Wendy stayed home and raised their children. 

Clifford worked as a superintendent for a construction company 

that also owned an oil company. During the boom 

years, times were good, but eventually oil played out and so 

did the job. 

Clifford then started a building and remodeling 

business. Times were hard, but the couple had faith that 

God had a plan for them. “We knew someday we would 

work our way back with honesty, integrity, and hard work,” 

Wendy said. 

That journey started when Clifford got a job in the fire 

remediation industry. For twenty years, first with the company 

that hired him and then independently, Clifford did 

fire rebuilds and became certified in mold remediation. He 

later added water mitigation to his skill set, which led to 

owning a SERVPRO ® franchise. Today, the Densmans are 

grateful to SERVPRO ® and SERVPRO ® is grateful to them. 

“That is why every day,” Wendy said, “I try to tell each of my 

employees ‘thank you’ for what they do for SERVPRO ® and 

make them feel as special as SERVPRO ® has made us feel.” 

SERVPRO ® OF ABILENE 

Clifford and Wendy Densman, owerners of SERVPRO ® of Abilene. 


179

AMERICA’S SMALL BUSINESS 

DEVELOPMENT CENTER 

In 1987, an America’s Small Business Development 

Center opened in Abilene and that decision proved to be, 

and continues to be, a boon to the entrepreneurs of the city. 

The SBDC opened at Abilene Christian University, operated 

by Don Altman, then an ACU business professor, and 

Judy Wilhelm. In 2000 the center became an affiliate of 

Texas Tech University and was renamed America’s Small 

Business Development Center at Texas Tech. 

Maybe one reason Wilhelm, who has been regional director 

since 1996, can relate to her job is that when the center opened 

in 1987, she was in the same place her clients are in today. 

“It was almost like starting a new business,” Wilhelm said. 

Thirty years later, thanks to Wilhelm and her five assistants 

in the Abilene office, which covers seventeen counties, 

a number of businesses have opened and are thriving. 

Through Fiscal Year 2017, the Abilene office had assisted in 

the formation of 2,763 businesses, helped create 8,811 jobs, 

counseled 17,969 clients, conducted 1,211 seminars, and 

assisted clients in getting $137,693,874 in capital formation. 

Many of the early businesses that the center assisted are 

among the best-known names in Abilene. Names like 

Rentech Boiler Systems, Inc; Beehive Restaurant; Bike Town; 

and Batts Communications, Inc. 

Yvonne Batts, who owns Batts Communications with her 

husband, Ron, understands how valuable the SBDC is, 

beyond the expertise provided. People like Wilhelm understand 

the emotional ups and downs of starting a business. 

Batts recalled that her husband was laid off from his job in 

1989. He visited with Wilhelm and then called his wife to tell 

her that he had lost his job but was starting his own business. 

“Oh, no!” was her response to both messages. 

But, within six months he was making more money than he 

had in one year at his old job. Wilhelm assisted with the technicalities 

of starting a business but also went a step beyond. 

“She offered continued support as needed,” Batts said. 

“Ron had the confidence he needed to move forward.” 

Today, the Abilene office of the SBDC is located at 749 

Gateway Street and provides business counseling, training, 

information, and special programs. 

A constant in the process has been Wilhelm, who started 

with the Abilene center on its first day, January 26, 1987— 

her birthday. Today, whenever Wilhelm drives by the early 

businesses that have expanded, she gets another present. 

“It is our reward just to remember when they were starting 

this endeavor,” Wilhelm said, “and to see the results of a 

vision that each had at the time.” 


180

From humble beginnings as the Hendrick 

Medical Center laundry department operating 

out of the hospital basement, to today’s full-scale 

commercial laundry business servicing seventyfive 

facilities in a 250-mile radius, Texas 

Healthcare Linen (THL) is a great success story 

for Abilene. 

Built in 2011 as a partnership between 

Hendrick Medical Center, Midland Memorial 

Hospital and Medical Center Hospital in Odessa, 

THL was created to provide laundry and linen 

services specifically for healthcare facilities in the 

West Central Texas region. Today, THL ships 

nearly14 million pounds of clean linen annually 

from the 48,000 square-foot state-of-the-art 

facility on Arnold Boulevard. 

How? Specialized, automated equipment help the production 

team sort the soiled linen, wash it, and then fold the 

clean linen to be put back into carts and delivered to customers 

via transport truck. THL operates a fleet of seven 

trucks with eight CDL drivers to deliver clean linen and pick 

up soiled linen. Within the plant, an overhead rail system 

helps transport goods from one area to the next to minimize 

touchpoints and increase efficiency. 

THL’s industrial washers put out forty-four loads of linen 

per hour, and the industrial folding machines allow THL to 

ship out thousands of items per day, to the tune of 2.6 million 

flat sheets annually, just to give an example. Because of 

the high demand for goods, efficiency is important, which is 

why the production floor maintains an average productivity 

rate of 130 pounds per operator hour. 

THL’s service area spans over 400 miles from tip to tip and 

serves hospitals in Odessa, Lubbock, Greenville (DFW), San 

Angelo and almost everywhere in between. With a total 

employee base of more than seventy dedicated Abilenians, 

THL still has plans to continue expanding its customer base 

with a mission of providing the highest quality healthcare 

linen with exceptional service in the most responsible way. 

THL holds two certifications from the Textile Rental 

Service Association (TRSA). The Hygienically Clean certification 

ensures that the facility meets best management practices 

as verified by third-party inspection of the plant, as well 

as ongoing third-party bacteriological linen testing. 

THL also holds TRSA’s Clean Green certification, which 

recognizes laundries that demonstrate responsible leadership 

in sustainability and conservation. THL recycles its plastics 

and cardboard, reclaims heat where possible to be redistributed 

for creating steam, and uses state-of-the art equipment 

designed to conserve utilities and minimize waste. 

THL also gives back to the community by donating linens 

to various charities such as Love and Care Ministries, Baptist 

Social Ministries and the annual barbecue held for active and 

retired military. 

For additional information, visit their website at 

www.thlinen.com. 

TEXAS HEALTHCARE LINEN 

Above: The Texas Healthcare Linen clean side production floor includes an 

overhead rail system, which transports clean linens to operators who feed 

items into industrial folding machines. Once folded, the linen is put into 

transport carts to be shipped out to hospitals. 

Below: The 48,000 square-foot facility at 1349 North Arnold Boulevard in 

Abilene was completed in May 2011 and services hospitals all over the west 

central Texas region. 


181

WAGSTAFF LLP 

Above: Judge John M. Wagstaff. 

Below: Wagstaff LLP’s current partners. Front row: Roy B. Longacre and Lisa 

Chavez. Back row: Charles L. Black, Darrell W. Moore, Kyle D. Tatom, and 

Benjamin E. Grant. 

In many ways, Wagstaff LLP is not much different today 

than it was when Judge John M. Wagstaff started it in 1890, 

when the City of Abilene was only nine years old. The firm 

is still located downtown, still known for its integrity and 

the quality of its work, and its attorneys are still dedicated to 

community involvement. In July 1890, Judge Wagstaff left 

his position as President of the Buffalo Gap Presbyterian 

College to open his law office in Abilene. He helped celebrate 

the 1891 opening of what is now Hardin-Simmons 

University, and he was the first to ride on Abilene’s new 

streetcars. Over his career, Judge Wagstaff earned a reputation 

as a superior trial lawyer, a man of integrity, and a civic 

leader. “That’s a history we’re proud of and a legacy we want 

to continue,” said Managing Partner Darrell W. Moore. 

Today, the firm is located at 290 Cedar Street in what was, 

at one time, the A.B. Barrow furniture store. The firm’s current 

partners are Roy B. Longacre, Darrell W. Moore, Charles 

L. Black, Kyle D. Tatom, Lisa Chavez, and Benjamin E. Grant. 

Wagstaff LLP is Abilene’s oldest law firm and one of its 

largest. Its fourteen attorneys offer legal services in a variety 

of areas, such as energy, real estate, health, banking, family, 

corporate, insurance defense, estate planning and criminal 

law. Energy law has been a large part of the firm’s practice 

since its beginning. Around the turn of the century, Judge 

Wagstaff, along with W.G. Swenson, owned and operated an 

electric company and an ice company, the two of which 

would become West Texas Utilities Company—now a part of 

AEP Texas Inc. Today, Wagstaff LLP continues to provide legal 

services to AEP Texas Inc. and several of its affiliates, as well 

as other electric utility companies, and has added renewable 

energy representation to its areas of expertise. 

Beginning with Judge Wagstaff and continuing for over 

127 years, the firm’s commitment to civic involvement has 

never changed. Many attorneys throughout the firm’s history 

have served in state and local government, as members of 

the judiciary, and in leadership and service positions in 

numerous religious, educational, and civic organizations. 

The Wagstaff name is an integral part of Abilene’s history. 

The current partners appreciate and value that legacy, and 

will continue to give back to, and invest in, the legal profession, 

the community, and historic downtown Abilene. “We 

are closely connected with this community,” says Moore 

“and we plan to remain that way.” 


182

Since its origins in 1973, as a small regional publishing 

company based in San Antonio, Texas, Lammert Inc. has 

been in the business of helping its customers tell their stories 

in the most compelling and powerful ways possible. Working 

with a wide variety of clients—from corporations to civic 

organizations to individuals and families, Lammert Inc. 

emerged as a force in the publishing industry. 

The company initially produced specialty publications, such 

as an office building directory for the North San Antonio 

Chamber of Commerce, and a pictorial roster for the San 

Antonio Bar Association. Over the last four decades, Lammert 

published hundreds of directories, maps, and magazines for 

chambers of commerce and civic groups across the country. 

In the mid-1990s, Lammert created a new division, 

Historical Publishing Network (HPN), and focused on producing 

hardcover coffee table-style history and cityscape books. 

The first of these was Fire and Gold: The San Francisco Story. In 

the ensuing years, Lammert perfected the sponsored-book 

model of publishing. 

Conceived around the idea of an ultra-high quality hardcover 

chronicle of a city or county’s past, these exceptional books were 

also designed to raise funds for a sponsoring organization—typically 

a chamber of commerce or a historical preservation group. 

They utilized a unique advertising mechanism, known as company 

profiles—business and institutional histories, which were 

purchased by organizations wishing to tell their individual stories, 

and placed in special sections of the books. 

As of 2018, Lammert had published more than 140 titles 

using the sponsored-book model, while raising hundreds of 

thousands of dollars for its many sponsoring groups. 

Having carved out its position in the market for turnkey 

design, production, and marketing of photography-rich coffee 

table books through HPN, in 2018 Lammert Inc. signaled a 

new focus with the launch of its new division, HPN Custom 

Media & Publishing (HPN-CMP). 

HPN-CMP remains a one-stop source for custom media, 

including turnkey book design, writing, editing, and 

production, as well as offering an enhanced range of 

customized services, including print, digital, and photo and 

video media solutions, as well as related website design and 

events management services. 

Employees, customers, partners, and shareholders all value 

a credible story which unites the organization’s past to its present 

and to its future, enhancing its community standing and 

brand reputation, or celebrating a significant anniversary, milestone, 

or similar event. 

The unique mix of talents and expertise brought to bear in 

a HPN project culminates in a remarkable creation—a 

breathtaking, photo-rich, coffee table book. 

The book may be complemented by a dedicated website, 

digital “flip-book,” and/or by related events to commemorate a 

historical milestone, introduce or promote a product or brand, 

or to present an organization’s annual report with more 

impressive visuals. As a gift to associates, partners, current and 

prospective employees, clients, and civic officials, the book 

serves as a powerful marketing tool. 

For more information, or to inquire about producing your 

own publication, please visit www.hpncustommedia.com. 

LAMMERT INC. 

DBA 

HPNBOOKS & 

HPN CUSTOM 

MEDIA & PUBLISHING 


183

TEXAS STAR 

TRADING COMPANY 

Right: Texas Star offers a wide selection of Texas books, gifts, gourmet, 

souvenirs, T-shirts and more. 

Below: Carol and Glenn Dromgoole founded Texas Star in 2004. 

Texas Star Trading Company proclaims 

itself “The National Store of 

Texas.” Located at Cypress Street and 

North Second downtown Abilene, 

Texas Star offers a variety of Texas 

books, gourmet, gift baskets, T-shirts, 

souvenirs, jewelry, ornaments and 

more—including the best selection of 

Abilene-related merchandise. 

Owners Carol and Glenn Dromgoole 

founded the store in 2004 two blocks 

up Cypress Street and moved to the 

present location in 2007. 

“At first we focused primarily on 

Texas books, with a few gift items available,” 

Carol said. “But as customers 

requested more Texas merchandise, we 

expanded our line to meet their needs.” 

The store is known around town, and throughout the 

area, as “that Texas store.” And it draws customers from literally 

around the world. 

“We have a guest book and encourage visitors to sign in,” 

Carol said. “We’ve registered guests from every state in the 

U.S. and from more than fifty foreign countries. It’s pretty 

amazing. Texas has that kind of mystique around the world, 

and visitors want to take a little bit of Texas home with them.” 

Texas Star does a brisk gift basket business throughout 

the year, especially during the Christmas holidays. 

“A lot of people these days are really hard to shop for,” 

Carol said. “A gift basket full of Texas gourmet seems to 

appeal to just about everyone’s taste—and budget. It also 

makes a good gift for a company’s special clients and vendors. 

And we can handle the shipping as well.” 

Texas books remain an important part of the store’s appeal, 

especially books by Abilene authors or with Abilene themes. 

“Our best-selling book of all time in our store,” Glenn 

said, “is Tom Perini’s cookbook, Texas Cowboy Cooking, but 

every year we seem to have a number of Abilene-related or 

Texas books that do very well.” 

Glenn’s own books—he has written thirty of them—also 

are big sellers. “Well,” he joked, “when you’re an author, it’s 

nice to have your own bookstore.” 

Abilene historian Jay Moore’s books and DVDs are other 

popular selections, and Texas Star often hosts local and 

regional authors for book signings. 

Texas Star offers a section of Texas bargain books—many 

of them still shrink-wrapped—at a fraction of their original 

price. “We buy overstock from Texas publishers and then 

pass the savings along to our customers,” Glenn said. 

Texas Star Trading—(325) 672-9696—is open Monday 

through Saturday, offers free gift wrapping, and sells online 

through its website at www.texasstartrading.com. 


184

Deer on the bank of the Brazos River. 


185


186

Building a Greater Abilene 

Abilene’s real estate developers, construction 

companies, heavy industries, and manufacturers 

provide the economic foundation of the city 

Esperanto Developments ..........................................................................................188 

Rentech Boiler Systems............................................................................................192 

Enprotec/Hibbs & Todd, Inc. (eHT) ...........................................................................196 

Senter, REALTORS ® ................................................................................................198 

AEP Texas.............................................................................................................200 

Abilene Association of REALTORS ® ...........................................................................202 

Atmos Energy ........................................................................................................203 

TeleCom Unlimited .................................................................................................204 

Weathersby Roofing, Inc. .........................................................................................205 

An old spudding unit used in early oil production. 

BUILDING A GREATER ABILENE 

187

ESPERANTO DEVELOPMENTS 

Candlewood Suites is located at 3050 Catclaw Drive in Abilene. 

Founded in 2007, in El Paso, Texas, by President and CEO 

Madhi Nair, Esperanto Developments is an award-winning 

company providing development and hospitality services 

throughout the country. In its relatively short life-span, the 

company has experienced exceptional growth—currently 

operating 17 hotels in 8 Texas cities, with 4 more in development 

and several in the pipeline. 

For more than four years, Esperanto Developments has 

owned and operated three hotels in Abilene, Texas. 

Esperanto believes strongly in Abilene’s economy, the people—and 

most of all—the future of Abilene. The company’s 

Abilene properties currently include the Holiday Inn Express 

at 1802 East Overland Trail; the Candlewood Suites at 3050 

Catclaw Drive; and the La Quinta Inn and Suites at 3018 

Catclaw Drive. 

The newly remodeled Holiday Inn Express offers a pool, 

wireless Internet, a Health & Fitness Center, a Business 

Center, and free breakfast. Candlewood Suites is a petfriendly 

hotel featuring kitchenettes in all the rooms, as well 

as a Business Center, pool, complimentary laundry facilities, 

a Health & Fitness Center, and wireless Internet. The La 

Quinta Inn & Suites, also a pet-friendly hotel is newly 

remodeled, and offers a Business Center/Health & Fitness 

Center, free Wi-Fi, meeting facilities, free breakfast, and 

pillow-top beds. 

As a company, Esperanto employs over seventy local people 

from Abilene—with an annual payroll of over $1.1 million 

dollars. Esperanto employs a broad section of the economy 

from entry level to management positions. Consistent 

with its philosophy of expansion, Esperanto is always on the 


188

lookout for quality employees, and offers many valuable 

opportunities year-round. Esperanto’s commitment to the 

community is also seen in its contribution to the local tax 

base—more than $450,000 in property taxes in the last year. 

Esperanto’s ties to Abilene are evident through its work 

with the Abilene Chamber of Commerce and the Abilene 

Convention and Visitors Bureau. Its commitment to the city 

is further strengthened by the civic involvement of its 

employees, many of whom participate in a variety of worthwhile 

civic activities, volunteerism, charities, etc. 

Feeling that time is life’s richest currency, the experts at 

Esperanto Developments provide services designed to help 

clients bridge the gap between risk and reward, bring farfetched 

opportunities closer to arm’s reach, and provide the 

tools and confidence to help grasp bigger and bolder projects. 

Esperanto is led by a group of talented and experienced 

executives, including CEO Nair, and Chief Development 

Officer Bharat D. Bhatka. Often regarded as the go-to expert 

for complex operational takeovers and transitions, Nair has 

pioneered sustainable growth for many companies from 

their infancy stage through assistance in making complex 

business decisions, improving the work ethic and helping 

establish impeccable accounting procedures. Nair empowers 

his team with the efficacious philosophy of leading by example 

and is committed to the belief that “a happy team is a 

productive team.” He invests in a wide range of life enrichment 

programs—such as fitness, counseling, financial incentives 

and community outreach. This team coherence is 

reflected in the fact the company employees like to think of 

themselves as “Esperantos,” stemming from the unique 

name. According to Nair, “Esperanto” is a unique language 

designed to be easy to learn and was developed with the 

noble intention of connecting people from all walks of life. 

In this language, “Esperanto” means “hopeful one.” 

Bhakta is an inspiring and unrelenting entrepreneur who 

has constructed several multimillion dollar companies since 

A guest room at Candlewood Suites. 


189

Top: Holiday Inn Express & Suites, located at 1802 East Overland Trail in 

Abilene. 

Middle: Holiday Inn Express & Suites lobby in Abilene. 

Bottom: Guest room at Holiday Inn & Express and Suites in Abilene. 

arriving in the U.S. in 1969. His long track record of picking 

undervalued assets and turning them around is bolstered by 

strong leadership and mentoring skills, which motivate 

Esperanto’s growing team of professionals. 

Esperanto Developments provides cross-functional support, 

with full service hospitality experience in a variety of 

markets. The Esperanto team now encompasses a burgeoning 

group of talented professionals, and this strength and diversity 

is available to support its cohorts in the hospitality industry. 

The team at Esperanto Developments feels the success of its 

projects comes from the conceptual design of each of its properties. 

The company focuses on every single detail to make 

sure the team embraces the Esperanto working philosophy. 

Esperanto’s centralized accounting and financial services 

include assistance with budgets, accounts payable and receivable, 

daily revenue reporting, general ledger reporting and 

preparation of financial statements and bank reconciliation. 

Food and beverage services include creating food and beverage 

profits in an area that has historically sustained losses; 

help with marketing and events; cost control and analysis; 

and creation of partnerships with local food and beverage 

market leaders. Clients benefit from such sales and marketing 

skills as Esperanto’s “Pound the Pavement” campaign, where 

relationships are built outside–in the community—not in the 

sales office. Other sales and marketing tools provided by 

Esperanto include competitive analysis, creative marketing 

and regional on-site support. The human resource services 

provided by Esperanto include recruiting, screening and hiring, 

training and employee development programs and 

benefits, risk management and insurance administration. 

Esperanto is involved in hotel development offering general 

contracting, interior design, PIP consultants, budget and 

cost analysis, renovations and repositioning. 

In addition to the three Abilene properties previously discussed, 

Esperanto’s current portfolio includes five hotels in 

El Paso: Best Western Plus, Comfort Inn & Suites, Hawthorn 

Suites by Wyndham and Comfort Suites hotel located at the 

airport; and Hotel Indigo in downtown El Paso. Other Texas 


190

locations include the Holiday Inn Express, Van Horn; 

Quality Inn, Pesos; Candlewood Suites, Monahans; Baymont 

Inn & Suites, Snyder; Comfort Inn, Stanton; Big Spring Inn, 

Big Spring; Holiday Inn and the Candlewood Suites, 

Beaumont; and the newest properties, now under construction—the 

Staybridge Suites and the Woodspring Suites, 

Pecos; and Townplace Suites by Marriott and Residence Inn 

by Marriott, both in El Paso. 

Significantly, Esperanto Developments represents six different 

hotel brands within its portfolio: 

Marriott International, Intercontinental Hotels Group, 

Wyndham Worldwide, Choice Hotels, Best Western Hotels 

& Resorts, and La Quinta Inn & Suites. Both Hilton and 

Hyatt are also on the horizon. 

Building on its enviable early track record, Esperanto 

Developments is poised to capitalize on a promising future. 

Based on the goals set by the leadership team, Esperanto 

expects to have thirty hotels under management by the year 

2020. An exciting prospect is the introduction in 2019 of a 

new asset class within Esperanto management—a multifamily 

apartment complex in Pecos, Texas. Besides new construction, 

the company is constantly doing due diligence on acquiring 

cash-flowing hotels in and outside of Texas. Additionally, 

Esperanto will have its first set of Joint Venture hotels with an 

international investment house, made possible by efforts put 

in the last year on the development front, and with the great 

financials demonstrated at all its hotels—making Esperanto’s 

performance shine as a company, and creating even more 

opportunities for all its stakeholders. 

As the company grows, Esperanto Developments is constantly 

pursuing and forming new partnerships, and is 

aggressively looking to sign third-party management contracts 

for hotels across North America. As a “preferred franchisee” 

for both Hilton and Hyatt, Esperanto points toward 

the potential addition of one of these branded hotels in the 

near future. 

Pairing the strength, vibrancy and dynamic growth of Abilene 

with a company like Esperanto Developments, which shares 

these same goals and values, makes doing business together in 

Abilene the perfect mix. Esperanto believes in Abilene! 

For more information, please visit them on the Internet 

at www.esperantodevelopments.com. 

The Fitness Center at Candlewood Suites in Abilene. 


191

RENTECH BOILER SYSTEMS 

Above: Rentech Boiler systems are used across the world. 

Below: Rentech’s Abiline facility is located at 5025 East US Highway 80, 

Abilene, Texas 79601. 

Travel to an Ivy League university, to Canada, to 

California, even to the United Kingdom and Rentech Boiler 

Systems, Inc., is there. 

The company located in Abilene, Texas, and built by 

Abilenian Jack Rentz is so well-known for quality and value 

that businesses do not think twice about ordering massive 

boilers and shipping them across the country, or across the 

pond, at tremendous expense. 

The Rentech name is that good. Since 1999 a large petroleum 

refiner has recognized that when it comes to the manufacturing 

and servicing of boilers and their component 

parts, it does not get any better than Rentech. 

“It’s really value for the money,” the company’s technology 

adviser for utility Infrastructure said. “The reliability and 

longevity of their boilers far exceeds others.” 

By 1996, when Rentz established Rentech Boiler Systems 

in Abilene, the reputation the company enjoys today was 

already in the making. He may not have known it at the 

time, but Jack was building that reputation while working 

on the family farm in McLennan County as a youngster, 

working for a manufacturing company in Lubbock while 

earning a degree in mechanical engineering at Texas Tech 

University, and landing his first job out of college in Abilene. 

Today, Rentech Boiler Systems has earned the right to 

possess a unique trademark: “Rentech Boilers for people who 

know and care.” 

This pretty well sums up Rentech Boilers and its two associated 

businesses, Rentech Boiler Services and Frontier 

Welded Products, all located on eighty-acres of land on the 

east side of Abilene. 

“If they don’t know, we can educate them,” Jack said. “If 

they don’t care, there is not much we can do about that.” 

Jack knows and cares about the businesses he created. 

From one employee in 1996, Rentech Boiler Systems and its 

affiliated businesses have grown to an operation employing 

over 300 people with an average annual revenue of just over 

$100 million. 

The state-of-the-art manufacturing plant includes 179,000 

square feet of manufacturing space in several buildings. 


192

Inside those facilities, skilled workers, including twenty-plus 

with engineering degrees, custom design and build massive 

boilers for refineries, chemical plants, universities and most 

other heavy industries. 

A major development at Rentech came in 2016 when 

Mark Colman, who had been vice president for operations 

since 2005, was named president and chief executive officer. 

Jack remains as chairman of the board and eventually will 

transfer ownership to Colman. 

The story of how Jack and Becky Rentz ended up in 

Abilene started when they were students at Texas Tech 

University. Jack graduated first, with a degree in mechanical 

engineering, and worked for a Lubbock manufacturing 

company until Becky graduated. He had set a modest goal 

for himself. 

“All I really wanted to do,” Jack recalled, “was get out of 

school and get a job.” The job he was looking for happened 

to be in Abilene, which was perfectly situated between her 

hometown of Lubbock and his hometown of China Spring 

near Waco. 

After graduating from Texas Tech, Jack joined ABCO 

Industries, Inc., a boiler manufacturer in Abilene, in 1975 

as an entry level engineer. He rose to the presidency, 

serving in that capacity from 1992 to 1996 when he 

established Rentech. 

Since 1996, Jack and his employees have grown Rentech 

to be the recognized leader among boiler manufacturers. 

“We are the only privately held boiler company in the United 

States that serves our segment of the market,” Jack said. 

The craftsmanship and quality of work turned out at 

Rentech Boiler Systems is so highly thought of that several 

Ivy League universities buy products from them, which 

includes Harvard. Getting a massive boiler from Abilene to 

Massachusetts is not easy. In fact, it may be harder than shipping 

one from Abilene to the United Kingdom. A trip to 

Boston highlights the logistical nightmare of transporting 

boiler systems cross-country. 

“They got arrested in the suburbs of Boston,” Jack said 

jokingly. Actually, no one ended up in jail, but the transportation 

crew got shut down near Boston for several days, despite 

having a permit. The largest boilers are 25 feet tall 

and 15 feet wide and weigh 450,000 pounds. When 

laid down for transport, they are 15 feet tall and 25 

feet wide, requiring two lanes of highway space. 

Often, a “pushing truck” connects to the back of the 

trailer with a six-foot pipe to add power. 

Trucking companies that specialize in transporting 

over-sized loads are hired for that purpose. 

Often, traffic light arms and electrical lines must be 

raised along the routes when the truck and its load 

passes through town. The transport company works 

with the state to plan and manage the route. “They’re 

highly engineered loads,” Jack said. 

Once Jack got Rentech Boiler Systems up and 

running in 1996, he realized a need for a repair 

Jack Rentz. 


193

Above: Rentech Boiler systems are shipped across all of North America. 

Below: Workers build and prepare high quality boiler systems for use. 

service as well. In August 1997, Jack with David Hunter 

founded Rentech Boiler Services to answer that need. The 

company repairs and provides engineered upgrades to existing 

boilers in the field and fabricates the boilers that Rentech 

Boiler Systems designs and sells. It employs over 175 people 

with a variety of skills and does work all over the United 

States and internationally. 

The newest addition to the Rentech line is Frontier 

Welded Products, Inc., which opened in 2007 with partner 

Jaime Rocha. The company employs over 110 craftsmen to 

fabricate a variety of boiler auxiliaries such as ductwork, ladders, 

and platforms for Rentech Boiler Systems and does 

some fabrication work for the public. 

All of Jack’s achievements in the engineering, community, 

and corporate worlds have not gone unnoticed. Jack’s list of 

honors and accomplishments are too numerous to list, but 

among them are being named Young Engineer of the Year in 

1979 and Engineer of the Year in 1986 by the Abilene 

Chapter of the Texas Society of Professional Engineers and 

being named a Distinguished Alumni in Mechanical 

Engineering from the Texas Tech University Whitacre School 

of Engineering in 2011. 

Jack also is a member of, and has served as an officer for, 

numerous professional and community organizations. He 

was elected in 2017 to serve as chair of the Abilene Chamber 

of Commerce board of directors for the 2017- 

2018 term. Among his other past or current 

involvements are United Way of Abilene 

Campaign Chairman, Meals on Wheels Plus, Big 

Brothers-Big Sisters, Kiwanis Club, Texas Society 

of Professional Engineers, Texas Tech Academy 

of Professional Engineers, and the American 

Boiler Manufacturers Association. 

Jack may have turned over the day-to-day 

operations of the companies he founded to Mark, 

but that does not mean he plans to take it easy. 

Jack and Becky have enough community involvements 

to keep both busy for years to come. 

Those involvements have not gone unnoticed 

either. In 2014, Jack and Becky were named cowinners 

of the Distinguished Citizens of Abilene 


194

award, given by the Abilene Chamber of Commerce. The 

couple’s extensive involvement in the community comes from 

enjoying what they do and from a sense of being grateful to 

the city where they built their business and make their home. 

“We owe back to the city,” Jack said. This includes many 

entities such as banks, insurance companies, the 

Development Corporation of Abilene, the Abilene Industrial 

Foundation, and other institutions Jack works with as 

founder of Rentech Boiler Systems, Inc. 

Jack and Becky’s means of giving back include her service 

on the Wylie School Board for thirteen years, followed by 

serving as founding president and volunteer director of the 

Wylie Bulldogs Education Foundation since its beginning in 

2010. Jack and his crews use their skills and equipment to 

assist with improvements to encampments owned by the Boy 

Scouts of America Texas Trails Council, to construct a 

Christmas tree on top of Hendrick Medical Center, and to 

bring a bit of whimsy to Frontier Texas by adding eight “flying 

buffalo” to the perimeter of the grounds. 

“Giving to various good causes is our way of saying ‘thank 

you’ to so many good people in the community who have 

worked with us and to our great employees,” Becky said. 

Jack and Becky, the employees of their three businesses 

and the institutions they do business with, and many of their 

customers live in Abilene, making it a win for everyone. 

“When we help Abilene,” Becky said, “we all benefit.” 

Becky is especially proud of her work with the Wylie 

Bulldogs Education Foundation. A dinner is held each 

October raises money for scholarships and helps new teachers 

in the Wylie Independent School District. Each year, a 

luncheon is held for the new teachers and each is given a 

$100 gift card to purchase supplies for classrooms. Since 

2010, over $245,000 has been awarded to Wylie students 

and teachers through grants benefiting WISD. 

Besides their community involvement, Jack and Becky are 

parents of three children who live in Dallas, Fort Worth, and 

Scottsdale, Arizona. There are no grandchildren, but someday, 

if there are grandchildren, they will get to enjoy their grandparents’ 

ranch near View, which is southwest of Abilene. The 

ranch is home to several antique vehicles, including a 1941 

John Deere tractor that Jack’s dad bought new to use on the 

family farm where Jack learned how to solve problems–the 

beginnings of his eventual career as an engineer. 

The ranch is home to deer, imported elk, and other 

wildlife with great views of the mesas in southern Taylor 

County. In Jack’s spare time, he and a helper use heavy 

equipment to rid the land of unwanted cedar trees. Mainly, 

Jack and Becky like to get away from it all on occasion and 

enjoy their country home. “It’s a place for us to go and play,” 

Jack said. 

Rentech booth at a trade convention. 


195

ENPROTEC/ 

HIBBS & TODD, INC. (EHT) 

Right: President of eHT, Scott Hibbs, with City of Abilene leadership in 2016 

discussing water management strategies. 

COURTESY OF THE ABILENE REPORTER-NEWS. 

Below: Entrance sign to the City of Abilene Hamby Water Reclamation 

Facility and Indirect Reuse Project managed and designed by eHT. 

COURTESY OF DOUG HODEL. 

Enprotec / Hibbs & Todd, Inc. (eHT) has been designing 

and managing important projects and improvements 

for the Abilene community since 1989. Our vision and 

values are to continue to develop long-term relationships 

with civil, environmental and geotechnical clients in which 

relationships result from the delivery of timely, personal, 

professional, cost-effective solutions that meet the objectives 

of our clients. 

Tommy O’Brien, PE, Director of Water Resource Planning 

for the City of Abilene, sums up the value eHT has provided 

to the City of Abilene. “eHT has been instrumental in 

managing the successful $82 million water reclamation 

facility expansion and indirect reuse project as well as 

ongoing water management strategies for the City of 

Abilene,” O’Brien said. “For the Hamby Water Reclamation 

Facility, eHT worked with Abilene leadership to design and 

construct the largest facility of this type in the State of Texas. 

The project was ahead of schedule and provides an additional 

seven million gallons per day of water supply through 

indirect reuse.” 

Abilene, like many other municipalities and entities in 

Texas, knows and trusts the reputation for service and 

quality and the integrity of eHT. The Abilene-based 

engineering firm has provided its hometown with multiple 

successful projects such as water and wastewater treatment 

and system improvements, civil and site design for schools, 

medical centers, developers and public works 

improvements, street and paving improvements, parks and 

recreation and athletic facility improvements, to name a few. 

The numerous engineering services provided by eHT, led 

by President Scott Hibbs and Executive Vice President David 

Todd, provide the City of Abilene and the surrounding Big 

Country and beyond with important and successful projects 

designed right here in Abilene. eHT is a civil, environmental 

and geotechnical engineering firm with headquarters in 

Abilene and offices in Lubbock and Granbury. Our Client 

Vision is to be an organization where we attract clients with 


196

whom we can create enduring relationships. Being called on 

repeatedly by communities like Abilene proves eHT lives up 

to that vision. 

The present structure of the company came about in 2006 

when Enprotec, Inc., merged with Hibbs & Todd, Inc. The 

firm is a merger of two entities, Hibbs & Todd, Inc., founded 

in 1985 as Todd Engineering, Inc., and Enprotec, Inc., 

founded in 1989. In its history, eHT has completed 

thousands of projects all over Texas and has been cited 

numerous times with prestigious state and national awards 

for its work. Even with about seventy employees, ranging 

from engineers to technicians, the founders of eHT still point 

to personal relationships as the basis for its recognition. 

The name “eHT” is a familiar one to many Abilenians. But 

they may not know exactly how important the firm is to the 

everyday life of the city. As previously mentioned, the 

Abilene Hamby Water Reclamation Facility and Indirect 

Reuse Project is an example of the significance of the projects 

that eHT has worked on and how well we perform our work. 

In 2017, the project, designed and managed by eHT, 

received the Large Utility Indirect and Bob Derrington Reuse 

Award from the Texas Section of the American Waterworks 

Association (AWWA). In 2016, the City of Abilene and eHT 

received two highly prestigious awards for the project. The 

first was the 2016 Project of the Year Award from the 

WateReuse Association, which recognizes projects whose 

significance and contributions to the community continue to 

advance the water reuse industry. The project was presented 

and the award received in Tampa, Florida. The second award 

the project received in 2016 was the Engineering News- 

Record Texas and Louisiana Chapter Best Water and 

Environmental Project of the Year Award. Recognition for 

this award was given during a ceremony in Houston. 

Projects designed by Enprotec/Hibbs & Todd, Inc. extend 

far outside the City of Abilene and surrounding area. 

Missouri City, near Houston, is also the home of an awardwinning 

project designed by the Abilene firm. On July 6, 

2012, the Missouri City Surface Water Treatment Plant 

project received the Environmental Project of the Year Award 

from the Texas Chapter of the American Public Works 

Association (APWA) in the $25-$75 Million category. 

The leadership of eHT also has been honored with 

various awards, such as the Texas Water Utilities Association 

2011 Leadership Award for “being devoted to improving 

the public health and water environment for the citizens 

of Texas.” Hibbs, Todd and numerous members of our 

professional staff have deep roots in Abilene and are 

involved in the life of the city. We employ Registered 

Professional Engineers, Registered Professional Geologists 

and Registered Professional Land Surveyors in the State of 

Texas. Our staff are members of the American Society of 

Civil Engineers and other national and state professional 

organizations. eHT professionals are committed to the 

Abilene community and are involved with several 

professional and charitable organizations. We are proud to 

call Abilene home and are also proud to represent our city 

around the State of Texas managing multiple successful 

projects — all designed in Abilene! 

Above: In 2011, Scott Hibbs, President of eHT, met with Washington D.C. 

representatives along with City of Abilene officials regarding progress on 

the proposed Cedar Ridge Reservoir. Pictured are Scott Hibbs, Anthony 

Williams, Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson, Norm Archibald, Larry Gilley and 

Tommy O’Brien. 

Below: Abilene Shotwell Stadium improvements designed and managed 

by eHT. 

COURTESY OF EHT. 


197

SENTER, REALTORS ® 

Right: Scott and Shay proudly pose with a Senter REALTORS ® logo. 

Below: The current office of Senter REALTORS ® . 

Since 1957, a Senter, REALTORS ® sign in front of a house 

or commercial building in Abilene has meant that an experienced, 

knowledgeable, and committed professional is working 

behind the scenes to ensure the fastest and best result. 

Going forward, that gold and black sign will mean the 

same with Scott Senter, the second generation owner, handing 

over the keys to his son, Shay. 

“We’re here yesterday, today, and tomorrow serving 

Abilene,” Scott said. 

The future is bright for Senter, REALTORS ® because of 

the tradition of trust that has been building since 1957. 

Today, the name Senter, is synonymous with the best. The 

agency employs only full-time residential and commercial 

professionals with the highest ethical and professional standards. 

Many of them have been with the company since the 

1970s, making Senter, REALTORS ® a name that instills confidence 

in sellers and buyers. They have access to the 

latest technology, marketing techniques, industry laws and 

trends, which, combined with their know-how, guarantees 

good results. 

Senter may be a hometown name, but its professionals 

have contacts globally, making it easy to connect with a professional 

real estate firm anywhere in the world. Say the 

name “Senter” in Abilene and somebody might ask, “Which 

one?” The Senter families are fixtures in Abilene with their 

mark on numerous church, civic, and charitable endeavors 

all across the community and Dyess Air Force Base. Scott 

bought his father’s real estate business in 1996 and now is 

passing it on to his son, Shay. Bill Senter arrived in Abilene 

in 1956 as a pharmaceutical salesman and the next year 

went into the insurance and real estate business. 

Scott did not intend to follow in his father’s footsteps and 

Shay did not set out to follow either his grandfather or 

father. But now, all the Senters are proud that their name is 

associated with Senter, REALTORS ® . Scott went to Texas 

Tech University to major in management, with his eyes on 

hotel or airport management as a career. But he got his real 

estate license his senior year and decided to try his hand at 


198

selling houses. As it turned out, that was a perfect fit and 

Scott joined the family business. 

Shay also attended Texas Tech, but with intentions to 

major in music. He discovered that he enjoyed music as a 

hobby but did not think that was what he wanted for a 

career. He got a sales job in Lubbock and realized he was 

good at it. Exploring the real estate business seemed like the 

logical thing to do. So, Shay took courses, got his license, 

and returned to the family business, ensuring that Senter, 

REALTORS ® will be on signs in Abilene and the surrounding 

area for years to come. 

Both Scott and Shay learned that just because their name 

was Senter, did not mean they would have an easy path to success. 

They had to start from the ground up, just like everybody 

else with a Senter nametag. Both also learned that having 

dad around, and granddad, can be beneficial. Bill still has an 

office in the Senter, REALTORS ® building at 3401 Curry Lane 

and stops by most days. While Scott was working his way up 

to someday owning the business, he had the benefit of being 

mentored by is father and grandfather. Bill’s father, Earl Senter, 

retired from Shell Oil Company in 1964 to become the company’s 

FHA property manager several years and licensed agent 

until early 1990s. Shay has received the same mentoring from 

his father along with grandfatherly advice from Bill. 

All that mentoring has contributed to what makes Senter 

one of the most respected names in Abilene. Bill was named 

Citizen of the Year by the Abilene Chamber of Commerce in 

2008. He was cited for being an early leader in downtown 

development and for improving Abilene’s infrastructure and 

industrial growth. His numerous leadership positions with 

civic and charitable organizations also was noted, a trend that 

continues today—and will continue into the future—at Senter, 

REALTORS ® . Shay says the company has supported many 

charitable causes and events of the last six decades. The long 

history of community service on local boards and events is a 

family tradition started by Bill and Lila and followed by his parents, 

Scott and Michelle. He says the company will carry on 

this tradition in the future. 

Being supportive works both ways, Scott noted. From the 

beginning, Abilenians responded well to Senter, REALTORS ® 

helping the company grow to the status it enjoys today. 

“We’re supportive of the community,” Scott said, “because 

they’ve been supportive of us.” 

“Senter, REALTORS® in 2018 celebrated its sixty-first 

anniversary and wanted to thank both the community and 

all of our Road Runner Agents for their support, trust, and 

dedication to excellence.” 

“Tradition of Trust” is prominent in the mention of the 

name and company. You can count on it being prominent for 

years to come. Scott once said that his father advised him to 

always display honesty and integrity and to treat people fairly. 

Left: Bill Senter, Founder. 


Below: The Senter office in 1978. 


199

AEP TEXAS 

Above: Dennis O’Dell, AEP Texas customer service representative principal, 

(left) and Jeff Roberts, distribution system supervisor, (right) discuss electric 

service needs with Abilene homebuilder Lucas Gibbs. 

Below: Greg Blair, AEP Texas manager of community affairs and 

customer services, is shown with Lynn Barnett, executive director of 

the Abilene Cultural Affairs Council, and Doug Peters, president and CEO of 

the Abilene Chamber of Commerce, at the Adamson-Splading Storybook 

Garden in downtown Abilene. 

A handsome slice of limestone, with a jagged slanted 

edge on the top and a large wooden star on the front, 

sits prominently on a table in the Abilene office of AEP 

Texas, “2016-2017 Corporate Star Award” is engraved 

on it, just below the name of the recipient, AEP Texas. 

The award was presented October 19, 2017, at the 

annual meeting of the Abilene Chamber of Commerce. 

It makes a stylish addition to the office, but that is 

not the reason Greg Blair, manager of external affairs 

and customer service for AEP Texas in Abilene, admires 

it so much. 

“We’re quite proud of this honor,” Blair said. “It 

reaffirms that AEP Texas plays a powerful role in 

the Abilene community beyond bringing electricity to 

our customers.” 

Receiving the award from the Chamber of Commerce is 

one in a long line of distinctions for AEP Texas, which is a 

unit of American Electric Power. Electricity came to west 

Texas in 1891 with the founding of the Abilene Light and 

Water Company. In those early days three different companies 

provided Abilene’s electric, gas, and ice service. The 

electric company and the ice company were owned and 

operated by two men, Judge John Wagstaff and W.G. 

Swenson, who for many years to come would play an active 

part in the operation of West Texas Utilities Company. Over 

the years, WTU became a part of the Central and South West 

Corporation, which merged with American Electric Power in 

June 2000. 

The merger created one of the largest utilities in the 

nation, with combined revenues of $12.5 billion, electricity 

sales of 200 million megawatt hours, $35 billion in assets, 

and nearly 9 million customers globally. 

Today, AEP Texas is an energy delivery, or “wires” company, 

which delivers electricity over its transmission and distribution 

lines. Encompassing a 97,000-square-mile service 

territory in West and South Texas, AEP Texas delivers electricity 

to over one million electricity consumers. 

“While we have a rich history,” Blair said, “our focus is on 

the present and the future.” 

Abilene got its first electrical power in 1891, just ten 

years after its founding. Those early men of vision would 

hardly recognize the system in place today. Much has 

changed, but something significant remains the same and 

will into the future. 

“That all changed,” Blair said, “except for the service.” 

The exceptional service and commitment to the community 

played a big part in AEP Texas winning the Corporate Star 

Award from the Abilene Chamber of Commerce. AEP Texas’ 

role in the communities it serves extends far beyond the reliable 

and safe delivery of electricity. 

“Our employees take pride in the fact that they not only 

work in these areas but live in and are active parts of local 

organizations and community events,” said Dennis O’Dell, 

AEP Texas customer services account representative principal, 

who also was recognized along with Blair during presentation 

of the Corporate Star Award. “We have partnered in 


200

the growth and progress of these regions by ensuring 

a safe and reliable supply of electricity.” 

Abilene and the Big Country are in the 

AEP Texas North Division. The numbers that 

tell the story of the service to the North Division 

are impressive: 

• 185,960 meters (residential, commercial, 

and industrial); 

• 5.3 million megawatt hours delivered; 

• 53,000 square-mile service area; 

• 153 communities served in 48 counties; 

• 13,308 miles of distribution lines (from a substation 

to homes or businesses); and 

• 4,292 transmission lines (from energy source 

to substation). 

Along with its years of growth and service have come 

recognitions, major investments, and innovative upgrades. 

Some of them include: 

• 2010–AEP celebrated 100 years of consecutive quarterly 

dividends to shareholders, bumping the total amount 

paid in dividends over a century to $18.5 billion. 

• 2014–AEP was featured on Fortune magazine’s 2014 

World’s Most Admired Companies list in the electric and 

gas utilities sector. 

• 2015–AEP began building new transmission lines using 

the company’s patented BOLD (Breakthrough Overhead 

Line Design), which increases the efficiency and power 

transport of transmission lines while enhancing their 

visual appearance and reducing their physical footprint. 

AEP plans to spend $1 billion a year for the next few years 

to make system-wide improvements to transmission and distributions 

lines. On November 15, 2017, the National 

Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) 

presented BOLD® with its 2017 Utility Industry Innovation 

in Electricity award. 

All those numbers add up to one thing–AEP Texas is 

totally committed to bringing safe, reliable, and affordable 

electric power to its customers. Although the amounts can 

vary from year to year, AEP Texas continues as one of the 

largest contributors to local initiatives. The company also 

commits funds to teach electric safety. 

The handsome limestone award sitting in the AEP Texas 

Abilene office is not just for show. It proves that the company’s 

commitment has been noticed. It proves the 164 AEP 

Texas employees who work in the Abilene area are active in 

civic organizations that make the city a great place to live. 

And that makes Greg Blair proud. 

“Wires and poles are not our only ties to customers,” Blair 

said. “We are connected to Abilene through employee 

involvement, whether it’s participating in a chamber committee 

or as a Little League coach.” 

AEP Texas contributes to many worthy nonprofits and 

sponsors local events that enrich the lives of citizens. The 

Abilene Chamber of Commerce honored the local office of 

AEP Texas with its 2016-2017 Corporate Star Award for 

good reason. “These types of activities, along with excellent 

customer service,” Blair said, “define us as a company.” 

Left: AEP Texas Service Mechanic Darron Rosenquist was one of many 

employees participating in the POWER OF PINK campaign to recognize and 

support Breast Cancer Awareness month in October. 

Below: AEP Texas service territory map. 


201

ABILENE ASSOCIATION OF 

REALTORS ® 

Abilene Association of REALTORS ® is located at 626 South Pioneer and on 

the Internet at www.abileneaor.com. 

Between 1920 and 1930, Abilene’s population more than 

doubled, and right in the middle of that growth spurt was 

the establishment of the Abilene Real Estate Board. 

The board was chartered September 10, 1926, by the 

National Association of Real Estate Boards, with John H. 

Darnell serving as the first president. On May 13, 1959, the 

board got a new name, the Abilene Board of REALTORS®. 

Today, it is known as the Abilene Association of REALTORS®. 

From its beginning in 1926 to today, the board or association, 

has served Abilenians well. In 1920, Abilene’s population 

was 10,274 and by 1930 it had reached 23,175. Today, 

Abilene boasts a population of about 120,000 citizens, and 

many of them look to the Abilene Association of REAL- 

TORS®, just like early Abilenians looked to the Abilene Real 

Estate Board, as the “The Voice for Real Estate in Abilene.” 

In 2018, the association has 478 REALTOR® members 

and 105 affiliate members. The association serves more than 

just its membership; it provides information for consumers 

and advocates for legislation that is beneficial to the public. 

Two of the core competencies of the Abilene Association 

of REALTORS® are “to achieve integrity and to promote fair 

business practices” and “to promote and improve the availability 

and affordability of housing.” 

The local association is involved politically at all levels. In 

the years the Texas Legislature is in session, the association 

charters a bus to take members to Austin to advocate for 

legislation favorable to REALTORS® and to property owners. 

In 2017 and 2018, the association, along with KTAB 

television station, sponsored a forum for the mayoral and 

council candidates. 

Association members help with awareness campaigns, 

passing out pamphlets with information beneficial to potential 

homeowners. The association also conducts homebuyer 

seminars and provides continuing education and professional 

development opportunities for members. 

The Abilene Association of REALTORS® works for the 

betterment of Abilene citizens by joining with local agencies. 

In May 2017, the association built its first Habitat for 

Humanity house. Every August, the association works with 

the Salvation Army and Payless Shoe Source to sponsor Walk 

With Pride, a program that provides school shoes for families 

in need. 

Ken Hogan, the current Association Executive of the 

Abilene Association of REALTORS®, is proud of the strict 

Code of Ethics that all REALTORS® are bound by. The cover 

of a brochure distributed by the National Association of REAL- 

TORS® shows the front door of a house. The words on it capture 

the essence of the Code of Ethics: “Respect Starts Here.” 


202

Atmos Energy is committed to being the safest natural gas 

provider in the nation. That is why we are investing more 

than $1 billion a year in system upgrades. This is how we 

provide our customers and communities with affordable, 

clean and reliable natural gas service for generations to come. 

For more than 100 years, Atmos Energy has fueled Texas 

communities with America’s best energy choice. We provide 

natural gas utility service to more than 3 million customers 

in 1,400 communities throughout eight states, but approximately 

seventy percent of our operations are in Texas. Atmos 

Energy also manages company-owned natural gas pipeline 

and storage assets, including one of the largest intrastate natural 

gas pipeline systems in Texas. 

“Our vision is to be the safest provider of natural gas services,” 

said Atmos Energy Mid-Tex Division President John 

Paris. “And we’re doing it from the ground up by focusing on 

the safety of our system, the public and our employees.” 

Atmos Energy proudly supports and participates in community 

events and safety outreach efforts with nonprofit and 

civic groups, schools, and first responders throughout the 

areas we serve. Our employees enjoy educating children, 

customers, and the public about how to be safe with natural 

gas; from safe digging practices like calling 811 before digging, 

to how to detect a natural gas leak and what to do if 

you smell gas. 

Homeowners choose natural gas because it is affordable 

and efficient energy that provides for abundant hot 

water, a warm and cozy home and for 

precision heat to cook like a professional 

chef for family and friends. Plus, 

modern and efficient natural gas appliances 

make your home stylish, energy 

efficient and help keep your energy 

bills lower. 

For more information about Atmos 

Energy, visit www.atmosenergy.com. For 

customer support, call our Customer 

Contact Center at 888-286-6700 during 

business hours. If you smell gas or suspect 

a gas leak, leave the area immediately, 

then call 911 and Atmos Energy at 

866-322-8667 anytime. 

ATMOS ENERGY 


203

TELECOM UNLIMITED 

Right: A TeleCom Unlimited office and truck fleet. 

Below: Romona and John Brogan. 

Like its name suggests, TeleCom Unlimited 

is a technology-based business, but the company’s 

success is based on a principle that requires 

no technology. 

Founded in 1992, TeleCom has offices in 

Abilene and Midland, with annual revenues 

ranging from $1.5 million to $2.2 million. That 

is a lot of wires, cables, and technical expertise, 

but the essential ingredient is something that 

requires an expertise of a different kind. John 

Brogan, founder and president, has that expertise, 

his wife, Romona, who heads sales and 

marketing, attests. 

“John is good at listening to customers,” 

Romona said. “John will listen and realize there 

is a solution or start researching and find a solution.” 

This quality, coupled with staying on top of the 

ever-changing world of technology, catapulted John 

to the top of the profession and keeps him there more 

than twenty-five years later. That kind of stability in the 

technology realm is valued by current and prospective 

customers. “TeleCom Unlimited has earned such a good 

reputation in West Texas that most referrals today are 

by word of mouth,” John said. “People buy from people 

they know.” 

TeleCom Unlimited provides a range of equipment and 

services, including sales, installation, and support of telephone 

systems (digital and VoIP), telephone and computer 

cabling, fiber optic cabling, network and IT services, cell 

boost systems, and security camera systems. 

“Our desire is to be a turnkey solutions provider to your 

business,” John said, “not just another vendor.” 

TeleCom Unlimited has grown from a home-based business 

in 1992 to a multi-city operation with twelve employees 

and a 1,000-plus customer base. Highlights include becoming 

an AT&T dealer in 1995, a Toshiba dealer in 2005, and an 

Alcatel-Lucent dealer and ESI dealer in 2017. 

Despite putting in the long hours required to build a successful 

business, the Brogans find time for community 

involvement. John was chairman of the board of the Abilene 

Chamber of Commerce in 2004. 

Both Brogans have served on multiple boards, including 

the chamber’s Military Affairs Committee, Alliance for 

Women & Children, West Texas Rehabilitation Center, Big 

Brothers Big Sisters, and the Better Business Bureau. The 

Brogans together received the chamber’s Business Person of 

the Year Award in 2012. 

The customer service and stability in the industry that 

TeleCom Unlimited promises its customers is unchanging, 

from 1992 to the present and into the future. In fact, the 

only thing that changes at TeleCom Unlimited is the “telecom” 

part. Technology changes with the speed of light and 

savvy providers like the Brogans know they have to stay 

ahead of it. 

“As technology changes, we change with it,” Romona said. 


204

New products, new rules and regulations, and new technologies 

have hit Weathersby Roofing, Inc., since opening in 

1973, but one thing will never change. 

The mission statement adopted by owner Russell 

Weathersby remains the same: “To provide honest, reliable 

service to Abilene and the surrounding area.” 

The Weathersby name is so solid, in fact, most new customers 

learn of the roofing business by word of mouth. New 

customers call Weathersby because someone they know recommended 

him. Weathersby has worked with enough local 

homeowners, builders, and businesses that people know his 

work and reputation are as good as gold. 

Weathersby learned the roofing business the old-fashioned 

way, through experience. He started learning while a 

student at Abilene High School, working with a family member. 

After attending Cisco College, Weathersby established 

his own roofing company. 

Much has changed in the roofing industry since Weathersby 

first started climbing up ladders with a load of shingles on his 

shoulder. Today, metal roofs, which account for about fifty percent 

of his business, and stone coated shingles are popular. 

Metal roofs are especially popular for country homes. 

“It’s a personal preference more than an advantage,” 

Weathersby said. 

Since opening, Weathersby Roofing has grown to include 

two sales associates and crews that run from twelve to fifteen 

roofing associates. The company also does some patch work, 

sheet metal work and small building repairs. Weathersby’s 

wife, Beth, does the office work for the company and Gary 

Barr has been sales manager for several years. 

Weathersby’s name is well known outside of Abilene, as 

well. Years ago, he was a Little League umpire and was selected 

to umpire the Little League World Series in 1988 and the 

Senior League World Series in 1991. Weathersby honed his 

skills by working at his roofing business from sunup until 

about 4:30 and then umpiring baseball games until 10:30. 

When he was not building his business or umpiring, 

Weathersby might be found donating his time as a Big Brother 

or serving on the board of directors of Big Brothers Big Sisters. 

Or, he might be found in a country in need of clean water. 

Weathersby works with other members of Southwest Park 

Baptist Church to either help dig water wells or install water 

purification systems. His motivation for helping provide safe 

clean water to Haiti, Puerto Rico, or other places that have been 

ravaged by hurricanes, earthquakes, or any natural disaster is 

simple; “If you’ve ever witnessed people living in an area without 

safe clean water, it is a life-changing experience.” 

WEATHERSBY ROOFING, INC. 


205

Sponsors 

Abilene Association of REALTORS ® ..............................................................................202 

Abilene Chamber of Commerce ....................................................................................176 

Abilene Christian University .........................................................................................151 

Abilene Convention Center...........................................................................................170 

Abilene Independent School District.............................................................................134 

Abilene Zoo..................................................................................................................142 

AbiMar Foods, Inc........................................................................................................168 

AEP Texas.....................................................................................................................200 

America’s Small Business Development Center..............................................................180 

Arrow Ford, Inc............................................................................................................154 

Atmos Energy ...............................................................................................................203 

Ballinger Memorial Hospital District .............................................................................144 

Can-Doo Budjet Rentals, Inc.........................................................................................174 

City of Abilene .............................................................................................................148 

DATROO Technologies .................................................................................................177 

Denton Valley Farms.....................................................................................................160 

Dr. Norman Dozier.......................................................................................................138 

Enprotec/Hibbs & Todd, Inc. (eHT)..............................................................................196 

Esperanto Developments ..............................................................................................188 

First Financial Bank, N.A..............................................................................................167 

Hardin-Simmons University..........................................................................................140 

Hendrick Health System ...............................................................................................146 

Hendrick Home for Children........................................................................................136 

Jackson Bros. Feed & Seed ...........................................................................................162 

Lammert, Inc................................................................................................................183 

Lawrence Hall Abilene..................................................................................................172 

Love and Care Ministries ..............................................................................................130 

McMahon Surovik Suttle, P.C........................................................................................175 

McMurry University .....................................................................................................150 

Rentech Boiler Systems .................................................................................................192 

Senter, REALTORS ® ......................................................................................................198 

SERVPRO ® of Abilene...................................................................................................179 

Sharon Riley’s Restaurants.............................................................................................164 

Steve Butman Photography ...........................................................................................178 

TeleCom Unlimited.......................................................................................................204 

Texas Healthcare Linen .................................................................................................181 

Texas Star Trading Company.........................................................................................184 

Tolar Systems, Inc.........................................................................................................137 

Wagstaff LLP.................................................................................................................182 

Weathersby Roofing, Inc...............................................................................................205 


206

About the Photographer 

Steve Butman 

Award-winning photographer Steve Butman specializes in commercial, aerial, industrial, architectural, and fine art 

photography. His 3,500-square-foot studio is located at 1065 South First Street in Abilene, Texas. Fine art printing up to fortyfour 

inches is produced in-house. 

His work has appeared in a variety of magazines from Texas Architect to Sports Illustrated. Other work includes the U.S. 

Marshal’s office, the Navajo Nation, the Library of Congress, and the U.S. Department of Energy. 

Steve is actively involved in preserving the area’s history. He serves on the Taylor County Historical Commission and is 

chairman of the City of Abilene’s Landmark Commission. He has been a staff photographer with Abilene Christian University 

for over 30 years and has worked with M. D. Anderson Hospital for 28 years. 

ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER 

207

About the Writer 

Loretta Fulton 

After a career with the Abilene Reporter-News, Loretta Fulton began doing freelance writing in 2007. She still writes for the 

Reporter-News, as well as for other outlets, and has written or contributed chapters to several books. Loretta began her career 

with the Reporter-News in 1969 shortly after earning a degree in journalism from the University of Texas at Austin. In her long 

career, Loretta has earned honors for her reporting and writing from numerous journalism organizations, among them the 

Texas Managing Editors Association, Headliners Club of Austin, and Religion Newswriters Association. A history buff, Fulton 

was named winner of the Perini Award in 2013. The award is given annually by the Taylor County Historical Commission to 

someone whose work advances and preserves local history. 


208

ISBN: 978-1-944891-63-3 

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Abilene: Heart of the Big Country

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