A Painted View Ranch is excited to announce that Tom Flower is coming on board as the Director of Operations beginning June 6, 2011. Tom and his wife, Cindi, have lived in the Wet Mountain Valley since 1986.

Tom holds a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture Education from Colorado State University and a Master of Technology in Education from Lesley University, Cambridge, MA. He brings a wealth of knowledge of the horse industry, farm and ranch management and livestock and crop production.

Having grown up on farms and ranches in Colorado, Arizona and Nebraska, Tom and his six brothers participated in livestock showing, horse showing and rodeoing. Calf roping, team roping and bull riding are rodeo events that Tom competed in at the high school, college and amateur levels.

During his twenty-six years of teaching agriculture education, Tom has developed and managed hundreds of events and activities ranging from banquets to international trips. A Painted View Ranch will surely benefit from Tom's management style, organizational skills and dealing with everyone in an honest, fair and open manner.

One of Tom's passions is acknowledging and preserving the western heritage and lifestyle. Tom is very involved in restoring and cooking with chuckwagons. He has begun competing in regional chuckwagon cook-off competitions and won an individual category in his 1st attempt!

"I am very excited to pursue the challenges and rewards of managing A Painted View Ranch. Donna and Ralph Hood have put together a top-notch horse facility in Custer County and I hope to bring many other activities to the ranch that will attract people from both local and surrounding communities to enjoy one of the greatest places on the planet, the Wet Mountain Valley." –Tom Flower