The Buddy and Shirley West Building

Long time residents of Odessa, George E. “Buddy” and Shirley West’s commitment to education in the Permian Basin and to The University of Texas of the Permian Basin has never wavered. A retired safety engineer, Representative Buddy West was first elected to the Texas House in 1992 representing Ector, Andrews and Winkler counties and served on the House Environmental Regulation and Law Enforcement committees.

Sponsored by his desk mate of many years, Representative Jim Pitts of Waxahachie, the 81st Legislature adopted a concurrent resolution directing the University of Texas of the Permian Basin to name a building after Buddy and Shirley West. 

In 2011, the Board of Regents of the University of Texas System, approved naming the building housing the Presidential Archives and the John Ben Shepperd Public Leadership Institute after Buddy and Shirley.  While serving in the legislature, Buddy was a key supporter of both the Presidential Archives, then known as the Presidential Museum, and the John Ben Shepperd Public Leadership Institute.

A graduate of UT Permian Basin, Buddy West was proud of the university and worked hard to make sure that his university served the needs of the community.  During his tenure, the building housing the Presidential Archives was funded, along with the Library Lecture Center, the Science and Technology Building, the Wagner Noël Performing Arts Center, and the Student Activities Center.