Kent Hance

A statesman, strategist, and storyteller, The Honorable Kent Hance has shaped Texas politics and policy across nearly five decades of public service and leadership. His career spans the Texas Legislature, the U.S. Congress, the Texas Railroad Commission, and the chancellorship of the Texas Tech University System. This résumé reads like a history of modern Texas government.

As Chancellor, Hance led Texas Tech to unprecedented heights: raising more than $1.2 billion, expanding enrollment by 45%, and opening a new medical school in El Paso. Before that, as a U.S. Congressman, he carried President Ronald Reagan’s landmark federal tax cut; still regarded as one of the most significant in American history.

Hance’s leadership has extended far beyond elected office. As Chairman of the Texas Railroad Commission, advisor to governors and presidents, and founder of Hance Scarborough LLP, he has been a constant force in business, energy, and public affairs. His firm continues to serve clients at the intersection of law, regulation, and government with the same pragmatic spirit that has defined his life’s work.

As one of this year’s Lobby Legends, Kent Hance represents the enduring influence, institutional knowledge, and steady leadership that have defined the very best of Texas public service.