Philip Anschutz Named Citizen Of The West

DENVER (AP) — Billionaire Philip Anschutz has been named this year's Citizen of the West by the National Western Stock Show.

Anschutz will accept the award Monday at a banquet to benefit the National Western Scholarship Trust.

Anschutz grew up on a farm and ranch near Russell, Kansas. He and his family became regular visitors to Colorado after his father opened a Denver office to manage oil and gas holdings.

Anschutz graduated from the University of Kansas in 1961 with a bachelor's degree in business. Although he wanted to attend law school, his father was in poor health and the younger Anschutz moved to Denver to help run the energy business. In 1964, he created The Anschutz Corp. to launch his own oil and gas investments.

(© Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)