Chief among the reasons that former Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead was selected to be the 2023 Citizen of the West was his deep respect for the land and the inhabitants of it. What might not have factored in — but became abundantly clear during Monday night’s Citizen of the West Dinner — is his ability to respect diverse points of view from both political parties.

Mead grew up on the family cattle ranch in Jackson, Wyo. He was the state’s 32nd governor, serving from 2011-2019, and praised those who share his belief that while folks may “wear different hats and disagree on certain subjects,” true citizens of the West can “share fences and remain friends” while seeking what is best for them and the precious land they inhabit.

Mead, who also was the U.S. Attorney for the District of Wyoming from 2001-2007, said he continues to live by the words of his great-grandfather, Peter Christoffersen Hansen, who had homesteaded on land at the base of the Jackson Hole ski area in 1897 and went on to acquire enough land and cattle to become one of the state’s more prosperous ranchers. They are: “When you find one blade of grass, leave two.” Meaning, leave things better than you found them.

Mead illustrated his belief in bipartisanship by asking his good friend and former Wyoming Gov. Mike Sullivan, a Democrat who had been Citizen of the West in 2016, to serve as master of ceremonies for this dinner benefiting the National Western Scholarship Trust.

“It may seem strange for a Democrat to be introducing a Republican, but Matt is a man of courage,” Sullivan admitted to the bipartisan crowd of about 1,000 who’d gathered at the National Western Events Center to see Mead accept the coveted honor that also had been bestowed on his grandfather, Clifford P. Hansen, in 1996.

Clifford Hansen was a U.S. Senator from 1967-78 and served as Wyoming’s governor from 1963-67.

Sullivan also noted that Matt Mead’s mother, the late Mary Mead, had run against him during Sullivan’s second gubernatorial campaign. In fact, he added, the friendship between himself and Matt Mead “emerged even stronger” following the campaign and the subsequent death of Mead’s mother. Mary Mead died in 1996, the result of a horseback riding accident.

Sullivan added that Mead is “a man who knows the value of hard work and has a deep love for our country. He can ride a horse, fix a fence, balance a state budget and discuss gigabytes and know what he’s talking about.”

Mead, however, jokingly disputed Sullivan’s claim that while the two are fishing buddies, Mead has yet to catch one.

“Maybe I haven’t caught a fish, but when I do, it’s going to be a huge one,” Mead predicted.

He accepted the custom cowboy hat from Hamblen Hats and personalized branding iron from Tom Mowrey Enterprises that symbolize the Citizen of the West award.

Mead said that while he and his family have attended many National Western Stock Shows and were so proud when his grandfather was named Citizen of the West: “Never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine myself as the honoree.”

He honored his grandfather by wearing a belt buckle and bolo tie that had belonged to Hansen. Both bore the family XDiamond brand.

Former Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal and current Gov. Mark Gordon, along with Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, were among those attending the dinner. Other dignitaries included:

• Former Colorado Govs. Bill Owens and Bill Ritter
• Wyoming State Sen. Affie Ellis
• Colorado legislators Richard Holtorf, Polly Lawrence and Rod Pelton, along with former Speaker of the House Terrance Carroll and former State Rep. Tom Wiens
• Tim Tymkovich, a 10th Circuit Judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals
• Former Denver District Attorney Mitch Morrissey
• Former Citizens of the West Marvin Beeman, Tony Frank, Pete Coors, Sue Anschutz-Rodgers, Pat Grant, John K. Matsushima and Ron Williams
• Arrangements Committee chair Audra McNicholas
• Steering Committee chairs Greg Hill and Court Wold
• Teema McIntosh, whose family has provided all five of the Shetland ponies that have been known as Cowboy Joe, mascot of the University of Wyoming
• Arrow Electronics chairman Mike Long