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Paul Hitch: Shaping Cowboy Country and Beyond By
Ross Laubach As
the son of the late cattle feeding industry pioneer Henry C. "Ladd"
Hitch Jr., Paul Hitch was born and raised on his family's ranching operation
outside of Guymon, Okla. Although
agriculture is in his blood, Hitch said when he was younger there were
pros and cons to growing up on a ranch outside of town. "Growing
up on a ranch, you miss running around with your pals after school.
On the other hand, you could go hunting rabbits and I've ridden a horse
since I was old enough to walk. There's a lot of that sort of thing
kids in town don't get a chance to do," he said. After
graduating from Guymon High School and attending Wentworth Military
School for two years, Hitch went to OSU, where he graduated with a degree
in animal science in 1965. He was active in Greek life and said he found
a home in the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources.
"OSU
is my kind of people; I felt at home because there were people I could
relate to," said Hitch. After
OSU, he attended Stanford University and earned a master's degree in
business administration. While attending Stanford, Hitch said other
students did not understand why he was going to school if he just planned
to go home and be involved in agriculture. "It's
like you didn't need an education to be a farmer or rancher," said
Hitch. "Later on, I figured out they were at Stanford to try and
get qualifications to get a good job and I already had one." Hitch
returned to his family's business, Hitch Enterprise Inc., at a time
when the cattle feeding industry was profitable. "When
I came back, we were making nothing but money and the feedyards were
full with more people wanting to feed than we had room for," said
Hitch. "We were building pens with one hand and holding off customers
with the other. All we had to do was just put cattle on feed to make
money." Since
then Hitch Enterprises Inc. has grown into many different branches of
the agricultural industry. Today they consist of several subdivisions,
including feedyards, farms, pork farrow-to-finish operations, cattle
buying services, commodity services and a credit corporation. Every
day's activities are different for Hitch Enterprises Inc. with the main
interests revolving around the buying and selling of cattle and hogs. "The
constant trading obviously has its worries," said Hitch. "The
prices vary significantly from day to day." Hitch
said he has always been close to his family and he is thankful that
their corporation is big enough and successful enough to accommodate
his children. Jason works with him in the office at Guymon, and his
other son Chris is attending a feedyard management training program
in their Kansas feedyard. Hitch
said the agricultural industry has had its ups and downs, but it is
a way of life for his family. "I
grew up on a ranch, my two sons have grown up on the ranch, and now
my grandson will grow up at the ranch," said Hitch. In
addition to being president of Hitch Enterprises Inc., chairman of the
board, director and stockholder, Hitch takes an active role in community
and statewide activities. Hitch said he feels an obligation to give
something back to his church, town, school and community. He
is a member of the Victory Memorial United Methodist Church in Guymon,
where he is on various committees and has served as local and state
layperson representative for Methodist state and national conferences.
He is also a member of the Guymon Chamber of Commerce and the Oklahoma
State Chamber of Commerce, he serves on the board of the local City
National Bank & Trust Inc., and he is a board member and founder
of PROAG - an agricultural promotion group. In addition, Hitch is a
member of both the board of directors for the Texas County YMCA and
the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs, and he previously served six
years on the Oklahoma Board of Agriculture, an appointment by Governor
Frank Keating. In
addition to his involvement with local and state activities, Hitch has
made a dedicated commitment to OSU and especially to the College of
Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. "Hitch
has been extremely unselfish with his time and financial resources at
OSU," said Milford Jenkins, Division of Agricultural Sciences and
Natural Resources senior director of development. Sam
Curl, DASNR dean, said Hitch is a strong supporter and has served as
a member of the dean's advisory committee for three years. "Paul
Hitch has contributed greatly to the advancement of the livestock industry.
He has provided valuable leadership through various livestock organizations
in Oklahoma and the Southwest," said Curl. Hitch
has provided financial support to the Willard Sparks Beef Research Center,
the Charles B. Browning Endowed Professorship in Food Science, agricultural
economics scholarships and animal science scholarships. Furthermore,
Hitch's help on the OSU Foundation's Board of Governors has helped raise
more than 260 million dollars in its successful "Bringing Dreams
to Life" campaign. "I
want to do my part to stay involved with OSU, and I will always stay
involved," said Hitch. Don
Gill, OSU regents' professor of animal science, said Paul Hitch is much
like his dad and is known nationally and around the globe. "Hitch
is one of the world's greatest team players," said Gill. "He
is a born leader who helps to get everyone to walk side-by-side. "He
will listen to you, and if you're putting forth good ideas, he will
step in and give you support. That's a rare gift." Hitch
has followed in his late father's footsteps on various occasions in
the past, especially when called upon to make generous leadership and
financial investments at OSU. "Hitch
and his late father have always been interested in high-level educational
programs. Hitch has been very helpful to the college of agriculture,"
said Don Wagner, head of the animal science department. "He has
also been a strong supporter of OSU research and extension programs
and a true leader in agriculture." Hitch
said he is proud of his education and it has helped him to be successful
in the field of agriculture, and he encourages CASNR students to be
proud of their decision to receive an education at OSU. Hitch's
dedication to OSU has not gone unnoticed and is appreciated by many. "It's a privilege to have somebody of the stature and caliber of Mr. Hitch in our OSU agricultural family," said Jenkins. |
From
the Oklahoma Panhandle to the heart of cowboy country, Oklahoma State
University alumnus Paul