Ucross Announces Three New National Trustees To Board

Ucross announced today the addition of three new trustees to its board: Tracy Boyle of Sheridan, Wyoming; Greg Hill of Wilson, Wyoming, and Houston, Texas; and Roger B. Plank of Ucross, Wyoming, and Houston, Texas. This marks the second tenure on the Ucross board for Plank, who is the son of Ucross founder and longtime chairman, Raymond Plank.

"As Ucross approaches our 40th year, we are honored to welcome these three new trustees to the board," said Ucross President William Belcher. "Their expertise, their affinity for Wyoming and their enthusiasm for Ucross's history, mission and programs will contribute to our continued success as both an important artist residency program and a vibrant Wyoming institution."

In addition to the new trustees, the Ucross board comprises Jim Nelson, chair (Big Horn, Wyoming); Susan Miller, vice president (Sheridan, Wyoming); Charlie Hart, secretary (Big Horn, Wyoming); Kim Cannon (Big Horn, Wyoming); Chad Deaton (Jackson, Wyoming, and Houston, Texas); Steve Farris (Ucross, Wyoming, and Houston, Texas); Lisa Hatchadoorian (Fort Collins, Colorado); Jesse Marion (Houston, Texas); Kate Schutt (New York, New York); and Scott Manning Stevens (Syracuse, New York).

The three new board members bring a blend of arts, philanthropy and high-level leadership experience to Ucross.

Boyle, an avid photographer and watercolor artist, studied at the National Academy Museum and School of Fine Arts in New York City. She and her husband, Bobby, moved to Sheridan from New Jersey four years ago, after more than 30 years of summer visits to Eatons' Ranch in Wolf, Wyoming. She now serves on the National Advisory Committee at The Brinton Museum and on the board of SAGE Community Arts. Boyle graduated from Hobart and William Smith Colleges with a bachelor's degree in religious studies, raised four children in New Jersey and has seven grandchildren. She is an active member of the United States Women's Seniors Golf Association and enjoys horseback riding and bridge.

A Wyoming native and graduate of the University of Wyoming, Greg Hill is president and COO of Hess Corporation, a global independent energy company. Prior to joining Hess in 2009, Hill spent 25 years at Shell in a variety of operations, engineering, technical and business leadership roles in Asia Pacific, Europe and the United States. Hill is a member of The WYldlife Fund, chaired the Wyoming ENDOW initiative to develop a 20-year economic diversification plan for the state of Wyoming and serves as an emeritus member of the University of Wyoming Foundation board.

Plank is founder and chairman of Apex International Energy, a privately-held upstream oil and gas company operating in the Western Desert of Egypt. Plank was previously President and Chief Corporate Officer of Apache Corporation, where he worked for 32 years. Apache is a large, international upstream oil and gas company founded in 1954 by Plank's father, Ucross founder Raymond Plank. Roger Plank formerly served on the Board of Directors of Newfield Exploration and Parker Drilling Company. He is a trustee of Houston's Alley Theatre and co-chaired a campaign that funded its complete renovation. Plank is a long-time Ucross supporter, having served as a trustee from 1996 to 2010. He earned an economics degree from Colgate University and an MBA from St. Thomas University in his original hometown of Minneapolis, Minnesota.

"Feedback from our artists always mentions that it is our location in Wyoming on a 20,000-acre working cattle ranch that sparks their creativity in ways never imagined," Ucross Board Chair Jim Nelson said. "I am excited that each of our new trustees brings a passion for Wyoming and history which sets our program apart from other artist residencies."

Learn more about Ucross at ucross.org.

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