News Release
For Immediate Release: April 24, 2025
Contact: Sean Hoffmann, Director of Communications, shoffmann@texas-wildlife.org
Kelly Thompson named TWAF 2025 Texas Outdoorsman of the Year
New Braunfels, TX — The Texas Wildlife Association Foundation (TWAF) is proud to announce that Westover Hills resident Kelly Thompson has been selected as the 2025 Texas Outdoorsman of the Year, one of the highest honors in Texas conservation and outdoor heritage.
Thompson will be recognized during a special gala on May 8, 2025 at the Fort Worth Zoo, an evening set to celebrate his enduring impact on Texas’ wild places and the people who steward them.
The event—co-chaired by past honorees Richard Hill, Carter Smith and Dan Allen Hughes, Jr.—will bring together family, friends, and conservation champions to toast Thompson’s contributions. Guests will enjoy dinner, a formal awards presentation and live music from Fort Worth’s own Johnny Reno. Festivities kick off at 6 p.m.
A respected investor, conservation advocate and civic leader, Thompson manages a family office focused on a range of public and private investments, from energy and real estate to agriculture. A former principal of Crates Thompson Capital, he has also held leadership roles in banking and served on the boards of companies across multiple industries.
Thompson’s impact, however, extends far beyond the business world. He is Chairman Emeritus of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation, Chair of the Upland Game Bird Advisory Committee for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and an Advisory Board Member for the Borderlands Research Institute. He also currently serves as Mayor of Westover Hills.
A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with a B.B.A. in Finance, Thompson has long championed land stewardship, wildlife conservation and outdoor education in Texas. This award recognizes his lasting legacy and continued leadership in conserving the state’s natural resources.
For more information about the event, visit https://bit.ly/Outdoorsman2025.
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About Texas Wildlife Association Foundation
In 1991, TWAF was formed as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, dedicated to providing responsible environmental education about wildlife and habitat conservation to Texans of all ages. TWAF promotes educational and informational activities to support Texas wildlife, habitat, and sound stewardship. The activities and programs include science curriculum for middle school students, leadership camps, youth and adult hunting opportunities, teacher training and adult education seminars–all of which are performed by the Texas Wildlife Association.
