The Museum of the Big Bend will host its 10th Heritage Award Dinner on Saturday, April 18, honoring longtime supporters Tom and Val Beard for their contributions to ranching, public service and the preservation of Far West Texas history.
The event will take place at the Cultural Events Center at the museum in Alpine. A cocktail reception is scheduled for 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m. The evening will include an open bar featuring select beer and wine, along with appetizers during the reception.
Admission is $150 for members and $175 for non-members.
The Beards, who have operated Leoncita Ranch for more than five decades, are being recognized for their deep ties to the region and their support of the museum’s mission to showcase the history and culture of Far West Texas.
Tom Beard, whose family has owned Leoncita Ranch for more than a century, founded Leoncita Cattle Company while attending law school and continues to serve as its president. The ranch operates as a commercial cow-calf Red Angus operation with an active wildlife management program.
In addition to his ranching work, Beard has held leadership roles in multiple cattle industry organizations, including serving as president of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association and as a board member of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. He has also been involved in water policy, serving as the first chairman of the Far West Texas Water Planning Group and as president of the Brewster County Groundwater Conservation District.
Val Beard has also had a distinguished career in public service. She served as Brewster County attorney for eight years, becoming the first woman to hold the position, and later served as Brewster County judge. During her tenure, she worked with county leaders to expand public safety infrastructure and presided over an active county court docket.
Both Tom and Val Beard earned law degrees from the University of Texas and began their legal careers together in Alpine in the early 1970s, shortly after marrying and relocating to Leoncita Ranch.
Over the years, the couple has also been active in the community and has built a collection of Southwestern art. Tom Beard is an avid pilot, while Val Beard is known for her interest in gardening and community involvement.
Dinner will feature a menu including baby romaine salad, jalapeño-minted venison loin, au gratin potatoes with roasted broccolini, five pepper blueberry mole with beet oil, and a warm flourless Mexican chocolate cake. Menu items are subject to change.
