HORTENSTINE RANCH COMPANY - Key Persons

Location: Anding Acres is highly improved combination equine property located in a desirable area in eastern Upshur County at 3721 Buie Rd. Diana, TX. Conveniently, the property lies just 135 miles from Dallas, 4 miles from Diana, 13 miles fro... 89.65± Acres | $2,868,262

Job Titles:

• Manager
• Partner / Broker / Dallas, TX
• Texas Real Estate Broker License, 2002 / Texas Real Estate Salesman License, 1997 / Oklahoma Real Estate Broker License, 2006

Blake Hortenstine was raised in North Texas and graduated from Highland Park High School in Dallas. Hunting, fishing and assisting a wildlife manager on a Shackelford County ranch developed his childhood interest of wildlife fisheries management into a career. This interest led him to pursue a degree from Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. Blake graduated from Texas A&M in the spring of 1996 with a Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Management. Upon graduation, Blake was hired as a hunting guide for Dresser Industries' Mota Bonita hunting operation in South Texas. He relocated south to Falfurrias, Texas in Brooks County to help manage the ranch's wildlife and to guide business executives on quail, deer, hog and turkey hunts. After living on the King Ranch for a year, he moved to Dallas to pursue a career in commercial real estate. Upon relocation to Dallas in 1997, Blake became the game manager of a low fenced 14,000 acre hunting operation and wildlife management program in the eastern Rolling Plains west of Albany, Texas. As a result of his management efforts, the ranch's wildlife improved considerably with whitetails scoring over 170" Boone & Crockett. Blake resigned as wildlife manager in 2012 after 15 years of intensive game management due to his busy real estate career. Early in 1998, he officially began managing another ranch property north of Breckenridge, Texas in Stephens County. This hunting operation began as a 3700+/- acre ranch and was grown to include over 11,000 acres of land. The acreage was subsequently reduced to 8200+/- acres which was intensively managed for wildlife. Blake resigned in 2013 after 15 years of service as wildlife manager. In June of 1998, he joined Henry S. Miller Commercial's Farm & Ranch Division to focus on rural and recreational property sales. After nearly 5 years with Miller's Ranch Division, Blake decided to start his own company, Hortenstine Ranch Company, LLC. The company was successfully launched in April of 2003. In December of 2011, Blake formed a partnership with Cash McWhorter. Blake and Cash continue to successfully grow and run the business. In 2004, Blake purchased a small property Southeast of Albany in Shackelford County near Ibex. The property has Hubbard Creek running through it and land management has been intensive since his ownership began. The wildlife has flourished and improving the property has been a favorite pastime. Blake currently resides in Dallas and has two boys, Rollins and Hayes.

Job Titles:

• Broker Associate / Hico, TX
• Texas Real Estate Broker License, 2023 / Texas Real Estate Salesman License, 2012

Bret Polk was raised on a working ranch along the Bosque River just North of Hico, Texas. He developed a passion for hunting, fishing, and the natural beauty of this part of Central Texas, at a young age. Something he shares with his wife and three children today. In 1999, Bret graduated from Tarleton State University with a B.S. in turfgrass management and was hired by Rough Creek Lodge and Resort as superintendent of resort grounds and a couple years later as assistant superintendent at Lake Fork's acclaimed championship golf course, The Links at Land's End. Each of these positions allowed him unique opportunities and invaluable experience working on property development and enhancement projects. With a growing family and intent of raising his children on the family ranch near Hico, he returned in 2002 where he went to work for a land surveying company. After six years working in the land surveying industry, Bret started his own firm in 2008. He has had the pleasure of assisting clients with their land acquisitions and sales surveying farm and ranch property throughout Central Texas, including Bosque, Hamilton, Erath, Comanche, Mills, Lampasas, Coryell, Hill, and Somervell counties. He currently owns and operates Polk Land Surveying, specializing in farm and ranch boundary and topographic surveys. He has also worked with numerous land owners on private lake construction projects and the NRCS on flood control structure rehabilitation projects. In 2012, Bret received his Texas Real Estate License and joined the Hortenstine Ranch Company team. Bret uses his vast knowledge from surveying, land management, and land development to assist clients who desire to sell or purchase ranches for sale in Texas, more specifically in the Central Texas area.

Casey Berley was raised in North Texas with hunting and agricultural pursuits in both Oklahoma and Texas. Hunting, fishing, vocational agriculture, and working for a veterinarian/cattle rancher throughout his high school and college years were instrumental in influencing his love and appreciation for the land, livestock, wildlife, farming and ranching. These interests prompted Casey to pursue a degree in Animal Science from Texas A&M University where he graduated in 1989. Upon graduation, Casey entered into a productive 18+ year career in the animal health industry. As a field sales representative, district sales manager, and key account manager, he sold prescription pharmaceuticals and provided business consultation to veterinarians in private and corporate practice. In 2008, Casey transitioned from the animal health industry into farm and ranch brokerage where he has won several recognition-based awards for customer service, sales initiative, and sales performance. Together with exhaustive real estate educational requirements, such achievement was instrumental in Casey earning his Accredited Land Consultant accreditation from the National Association of Realtors affiliate organization - Realtors Land Institute in 2015. Casey is quite dedicated to assisting both buyers and sellers of farm, ranch, and recreational land located in Oklahoma and Texas. Whether assisting a seller by evaluating, maximizing and negotiating the best value for their property, or assisting the buyer with comprehensive due diligence, value assessment, and negotiation, he is impassioned by meeting the needs of his clients. Casey greatly values the trust earned within his client relationships before, during, and after the sale. Consequently, he has numerous repeat clients.

Job Titles:

• Broker Associate / Dallas and Athens, TX
• Texas Real Estate Broker License, 2023 / Texas Real Estate Salesman License, 2019 / Oklahoma Real Estate Salesman License, 2022

A sixth-generation Texan, Chance was born in the west Texas town of Abilene and later moved east to Texarkana where he spent his younger years. Being raised in both Abilene and Texarkana, Chance gained a deep appreciation for two very different regions of the Lone Star State: the big skies of West Texas and the piney woods of east Texas. Chance is a graduate of Texas Tech University where he earned a BBA in Finance and Business Economics. Upon graduation from Texas Tech, Chance moved to Dallas where he spent the first decade of his career building and operating a healthcare services company. Serving in the role of Chief Operating Officer, the business venture ultimately led to a successful equity sale. Following the transaction, Chance chose to follow his passion for the outdoors by joining Hortenstine Ranch Company. This passion and love for the outdoors took off in 2014 when Chance fulfilled a lifelong dream and purchased his own ranch near Athens, Texas. An avid hunter, Chance turned his sights on making immediate improvements to his ranch which allowed the wildlife to flourish. Experiencing ranch ownership and reaping the benefits of hard work fueled his desire to help others experience the same satisfaction. Chance now focuses solely on assisting sellers and buyers with rural and recreational ranch properties. Chance's commitment to going above and beyond for each one of his clients fits right into Hortenstine Ranch Company's commitment to an unparalleled customer experience. He combines a unique perspective from his successful corporate background, business efficiency, and his hands-on experience in the ownership of his ranch. He, along with the rest of the HRC team, will continue to set the bar for farm and ranch real estate transactions in Texas. Chance works tirelessly to provide his clients with an experience that cannot be matched. Chance, along with his wife and their two boys, reside in Dallas, although they try to spend as much time as possible at their ranch.

Job Titles:

• Agent

Job Titles:

• Agent / Hico, TX

Gary Wilhite grew up outside the quaint hill country town of Hico, Texas, where, at a young age, he developed a passion for the great outdoors. Still home to this day, Gary has spent his life exploring the central Texas country roads and brings a unique enthusiasm and knowledge of this highly sought-after area of the Lone Star State. Spending most of his time outdoors, you will likely find Gary working cattle on his family ranch and hunting or fishing when time permits. He will tell you some of his best days are spent on his kayak paddling down the Brazos or Bosque River, where he spent much of his childhood. Beginning his professional career in the oil and gas business, Gary has spent the last 26 years working in various roles within the industry. First working offshore on seismic vessels, it was in this capacity that Gary was fortunate to travel and experience many different locations around the world. Following ten years of offshore work, Gary moved into well testing, six years as a completion consultant for EP Energy, and the last two years as director of operations for Cajun Energy, a mid-size flowback and well-testing company. Through these leadership roles, Gary developed and sharpened his ability to lead and manage. In 2021, Gary decided it was time to further his career to pursue what he loves. He took his passion for the outdoors, livestock, wildlife, and land and put it to work, receiving his Texas Real Estate Sales License and joining the HRC Family. Today, he looks forward to sharing this affection and knowledge of ranch land, especially in central and south Texas, to complement Hortenstine Ranch Company's ever-growing network of Buyers and Sellers. Gary, his wife Kassi, and their two children live the ranch life just outside of Hico, where they run a small herd of registered Texas Longhorns. Together, they raise and train full-size and mini-longhorns for their kids to show. Raising longhorns is work but also a lot of fun and a priceless responsibility they greatly enjoy together. Most importantly, rearing livestock teaches kids the value of being outdoors with animals and the rewards of hard work. Gary values these life lessons and shares them on his YouTube Channel, Cross W Longhorns.

Job Titles:

• Broker Associate / Throckmorton, TX
• Texas Real Estate Broker License, 2020 / Texas Real Estate Salesman License, 2007

Jack Fauntleroy was raised in Texas and Oklahoma and graduated from Highland Park H.S. in Dallas, Texas in 1987. He was then accepted to The University of Texas at Austin where he received his bachelors of Science degree in communications, in 1993. Upon graduation, Jack was hired by Clear Channel Communications in Austin where he worked in the radio advertising industry until August 2000. In August, Jack was hired by Cox Radio in Houston, Texas where he continued his work in the advertising field. In September of 2002, Jack joined the family business and moved to Throckmorton, Texas to run The Fauntleroy Hunting lodge and Bed and Breakfast. Jack added the namesake pizza business "Jack's Pizza" to the family operation in 2003 and continues to work out the old Fauntleroy home to this day. In his spare time, Jack was president and co-creator of the World Championship Rocky Mountain Oyster Festival and BBQ Cook-off (Est. 2002), President of the Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture for 3 separate years, and a member of the Throckmorton Volunteer Fire department. Jack now helps raise 3 children (Brad, Ryan and Olivia) with his wife, Angela Fauntleroy. In February 2007, Jack received his salesperson license with the TREC and is a proud member of Hortenstine Ranch Company, LLC, where he helps with, among other things, advertising Texas ranches for sale.

Job Titles:

• Agent / Longview, TX
• Agent, 903 - 738 - 7882

Stephen Schwartz was raised in East Texas, where he graduated from White Oak High School. Most of his childhood was spent hunting and fishing in the woods of East Texas, where he learned at a very young age to respect the outdoors. Following his interests, he graduated from Texas A&M University in the spring of 2005 with a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Systems Management with an emphasis on rangeland and wetland management. After he graduated, he began working in the engineering department at the TXU Martin Lake Mines. He then worked for over a decade in the mining industry. For the first 7 years he worked in engineering as a surveyor and long-range planner, where he designed and led the construction of various projects ranging from initial clearing and mining activities, to permanent reclamation. Along with that, he developed a special interest in land reclamation where he had hands-on experience with many extensive watershed management projects. He also had a hand in developing many of the ponds, wetlands, and reforested acres that are now enjoyed by many. He then spent the next 4 years as an operations supervisor learning the big picture of the entire mining process, further developing his leadership skills in managing people, money and machines. Overall, he has gained a unique perspective in the importance of sound land stewardship and how vital it is to a successful ranching operation. His unique skill set enables him to clearly visualize a property's potential and effectively communicate that to potential buyers. He is dedicated to use that knowledge to better understand the needs of each client and will go the extra mile to ensure they are met. Stephen is a committed steward of the land which shows through continuing his education through the Quality Deer Management Association as a level 2 Deer Steward, which specifically focuses on intensive management for white-tailed deer. He has also been an active member of several conservation organizations such as Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Delta Waterfowl, Quality Deer Management Association, Trout Unlimited, and National Wild Turkey Federation. Stephen is a committed husband to his wife, Lacie of 12 years, and father to his son, West. He is a deacon at Mobberly Baptist Church in Longview and enjoys spending as much time as he can in the outdoors with both his wife and son.