Cody Fry from Armstrong, Texas, manages the historic Armstrong Ranch in deep south Texas that encompasses 43,000 acres. He was raised in Bellville, Texas, and graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science in 1997. Cody completed his master’s in 1999 from Texas A&M in animal science with an emphasis in beef cattle breeding. He then moved to Okotoks, Alberta, Canada where he worked for Nutrition Service Associates as a feedyard nutritional consultant. After working two years in this role, Cody returned to Texas to work as an office manager in a south Texas feedyard for six years before moving to the Armstrong Ranch in 2007 to take on the management role.
Cody currently oversees the extensive operation that includes cow-calf, stocker, hunting, family recreation, and mineral enterprises. The cow-calf operation is primarily based around Santa Gertrudis females that are bred to Charolais and Hereford bulls to produce highly marketable calves. His responsibilities for the hunting operation entails oversight of five lease groups that primarily hunt bobwhite quail, whitetail deer, and an exotic species of antelope called nilgai. Cody also oversees the Armstrong family recreation and headquarter maintenance that includes two historic houses dating back to the late 1800’s.
Cody manages a staff of seven employees that have an average tenure of more than 15 years on the ranch. He credits the ranch’s success to these employees and their dedication to the Armstrong family.
Cody is also involved in community and state organizations. He serves on the local Farm Bureau board of directors, is the president of the Kenedy County Emergency Services District, serves as a director of the local Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative, sits as a member of the Brand and Inspection committee of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, and also serves in a leadership role for the TSCRA Young Leadership Series. He is also the chairman of the Republican Party of Kenedy County. Cody and his family are also members of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Harlingen, Texas.
Cody and his wife Dawn have been married for 17 years and have three wonderful children between the ages of 4 and 10. They homeschool on the ranch and feel that there is no better place to raise kids and teach them about all of God’s wonderful creations.