Simpsons Honored at Ucross Gala

Alan K. Simpson and his grandson, Nick Kooi Simpson at Ucross

On Thursday, September 26, The Ucross Foundation honored former U.S. Senator Alan and his wife, Ann Simpson, with the Raymond Plank Award for Visionary Leadership. The award presentation was a part of the 2024 Ucross Gala celebration.

This award honors and celebrates business leaders, philanthropists and innovators who have forged their own path and had an enduring impact on business, the arts or land stewardship.

Senator Simpson had known Raymond Plank for many years and talked about Plank and the Ucross Foundation.

Ann Sales, author of “Let’s Talk About Hard Things,” introduced the Simpsons, who are good friends of her family.

She added that the Simpsons have art in their family as well. Ann’s great-uncle painted landscapes when he lived in Shell, and Al talked about his mother having a dream of having an artist’s colony in Cody. Their daughter runs an art gallery in Cody.

Sale read an excerpt from Simpson’s book during her introduction.

She talked about the ‘Ann Simpson Artmobile’ at the University of Wyoming.

Ann thanked the Foundation for the award, and how the Foundation was Raymond Plank’s legacy.

The Simpsons have a demonstrated history of leadership across several fields, from the Senator’s celebrated service in the U.S. Senate and Wyoming House of Representatives to Mrs. Simpson’s advocacy for arts and mental health.

A story on the gala will be posted later.