To see an excerpt
from H C’s book “Painted Memories,” click on “From Then to Now”
About the Artist:
H.C. Zachry is chairman of Zachry Associates, an Abilene/Dallas digital marketing and fund raising company, as well as Zachry Digital Outdoor, LLC, an outdoor advertising company. He created Zachry Publications, a state-wide magazine and directory publishing and conference management company, and started with partners Caswell, Zachry, Grizzard of Dallas, an endowment development company. He is owner of Zachry Studio/Gallery, Inc.
A life-long artist, his images are owned by several hundred individuals and corporations nationwide. He has a BA in Graphic Design from Texas Tech. Zachry has written three books: Frontier Texas! – a review of the creation of the museum; Painted Memories – a personal biography and review of his paintings; and Tudors to Texans – tracing his family’s 500-year migration from medieval England to the Texas frontier.
A community advocate, in addition to multiple volunteer projects, his civic involvement includes one or more terms as president, chairman and/or trustee of 27 public organizations, including:
- Abilene Chamber of Commerce
- Southwest Golf Classic
- Abilene Fine Arts Museum
- Abilene Community Theater
- Abilene Country Club
- Abilene Philharmonic Association
- Abilene Zoological Society
- United Way of Abilene
- West Texas Chamber of Commerce
- ACU Advisory Board
- Chisholm Trail Boy Scout Council
- Better Business Bureau
- Abilene Civic Center
- Abilene Cultural Affairs Council
- Leadership Abilene
- West Texas Rehabilitation Center
- Sears Methodist Retirement Systems
- Community Foundation of Abilene
- Petroleum Club of Abilene
- Abilene Improvement Corporation
- Development Corporation of Abilene
- Tax Increment Financing District
- Texas Tech University Foundation
- Fort Phantom Foundation
- Sears Methodist Foundation
- Taylor County Historical Foundation
- A. V. Jones Foundation
Zachry was instrumental in organizing the Development Corporation of Abilene and served as its first president, after helping Abilene to become the first city in Texas to utilize sales tax for economic development. Zachry also made the presentation to the Texas Legislature to secure the French Robertson Prison Complex and its 1,500 jobs for Abilene. He helped lead an effort involving numerous volunteers to win the national designation of All American City for Abilene, including making the presentation to the national jury in Phoenix.He initiated the conversion of the city’s railroad right of way into a six-mile greenscape through the center of Abilene. He conceptualized and coordinated the establishment of Frontier Texas!, a 12 million dollar historical entertainment and regional visitor center in downtown Abilene.
Zachry has been honored as Abilene’s Outstanding Citizen, Outstanding Businessperson, Abilene’s Distinguished Citizen and has received its Hero of Tourism award as well as the Volunteer Service Award. He was made an Honorary Member of the Texas Society of Architects for contributions to the built environment in Texas. A former rodeo contestant, he has been inducted into the Texas Tech University Rodeo Hall of Fame. He was also added to the Hall of Fame of the National Association of Advertising Agencies (rumor is that he is the only former bull rider to be inducted!.)
He lives in Abilene with his wife, Lanita, and continues to mix careers in art, business, and civic endeavors, but no rodeoing.