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<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">As filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission on July&nbsp;21, 2005</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Registration No.&nbsp;333-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

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<p style="border:none;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;padding:0in;text-align:justify;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

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<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:18.0pt;font-weight:bold;">SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">WASHINGTON, D.C.&#160; 20549</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:18.0pt;font-weight:bold;">FORM&nbsp;S-8</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="3" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold;">REGISTRATION STATEMENT<br>
UNDER<br>
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:18.0pt;font-weight:bold;">THE RYLAND
GROUP, INC.</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(Exact name of registrant as specified in its
charter)</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100.0%;">
 <tr>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Maryland</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">52-0849948</font></b></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(State or other
  jurisdiction of<br>
  incorporation or organization)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(I.R.S. Employer
  Identification No.)</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">24025
  Park Sorrento<br>
  Suite&nbsp;400<br>
  Calabasas, California</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="49%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">91302</font></b></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(Address of principal
  executive offices)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(Zip Code)</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
</table>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">THE RYLAND GROUP, INC. 2005 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(Full title of plan)</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .15in;text-align:left;text-indent:-.15in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100.0%;">
 <tr>
  <td width="100%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:100.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Timothy
  J. Geckle<br>
  Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary<br>
  The Ryland Group, Inc.<br>
  24025 Park Sorrento, Suite&nbsp;400<br>
  Calabasas, California 91302<br>
  818-223-7500</font></b></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="100%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:100.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(Name, address and
  telephone<br>
  number of agent for service)</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
</table>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">CALCULATION
OF REGISTRATION FEE</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100.0%;">
 <tr>
  <td width="32%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:32.62%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><a name="TableHead"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Title of Each Class&nbsp;of Securities to be<br>
  Registered</font></b></a></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.08%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="12%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:12.04%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Amount<br>
  to be<br>
  Registered</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.1%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="14%" colspan="3" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:14.26%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Proposed<br>
  Maximum<br>
  Offering<br>
  Price Per Unit (4)</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="3%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:3.14%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="14%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:14.86%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Proposed<br>
  Maximum<br>
  Aggregate<br>
  Offering Price (4)</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="3%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:3.04%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="12%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:12.94%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Amount of<br>
  Registration<br>
  Fee</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.92%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="32%" valign="top" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;border:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:32.62%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Common
  stock, $1.00 par value (1)(2)(3)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.08%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="12%" valign="top" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;border:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:12.04%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.1%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="14%" colspan="3" valign="top" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;border:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:14.26%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="3%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:3.14%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="14%" colspan="2" valign="top" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;border:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:14.86%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="3%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:3.04%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="12%" valign="top" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;border:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:12.94%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;border:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.92%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="32%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:32.62%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 30.0pt;text-align:left;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Shares not previously
  registered</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.08%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="12%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:12.04%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">475,000</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.1%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.18%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">$</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="13%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:13.08%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">78.94</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="3%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:3.14%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.3%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">$</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="13%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:13.56%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">37,496,500.00</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="3%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:3.04%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="12%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:12.94%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">$4,413.34</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.92%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="32%" valign="top" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:32.62%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 30.0pt;text-align:left;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Shares registered under
  Prior Plan</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.08%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="12%" valign="top" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:12.04%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">769,576</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.1%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="14%" colspan="3" valign="top" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:14.26%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">N/A
  (1)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="3%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:3.14%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="14%" colspan="2" valign="top" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:14.86%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">N/A
  (1)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="3%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:3.04%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="12%" valign="top" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:12.94%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">N/A
  (1)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.92%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="32%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:32.62%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">TOTAL</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in .7pt 0in;width:2.08%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="12%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:double windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:12.04%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">1,244,576</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in .7pt 0in;width:2.1%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:double windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.3%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">$</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="12%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:double windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in 0in .7pt 0in;width:12.96%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">78.94</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="3%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:3.14%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:double windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in 0in .7pt 0in;width:1.3%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">$</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="13%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:double windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:13.56%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">37,496,500.00</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="3%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in .7pt 0in;width:3.04%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="12%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:double windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:12.94%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">$4,413.34</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.92%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr height="0">
  <td width="244" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="16" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="90" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="16" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="9" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="1" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="97" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="23" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="10" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="101" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="23" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="97" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="22" style="border:none;"></td>
 </tr>
</table>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:justify;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(1)</font><font size="1" style="font-size:8.5pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>Shares to be offered or sold under The Ryland
Group,&nbsp;Inc. 2005 Equity Incentive Plan (the &#147;<b><i><font style="font-style:italic;font-weight:bold;">2005 Plan</font></i></b>&#148;) include 475,000 shares not
previously registered, and 769,576 shares previously registered for offer or
sale under The Ryland Group,&nbsp;Inc. 2002 Equity Incentive Plan (the &#147;<b><i><font style="font-style:italic;font-weight:bold;">Prior Plan</font></i></b>&#148;) that
were not issued under the Prior Plan and that may be offered or sold under the
2005 Equity Incentive Plan (the &#147;<b><i><font style="font-style:italic;font-weight:bold;">Carried Forward Shares</font></i></b>&#148;).&#160; The Carried Forward Shares were registered on
Form&nbsp;S-8 filed on November&nbsp;25, 2002 (file no. 333-101445) and The
Ryland Group,&nbsp;Inc. (&#147;<b><i><font style="font-style:italic;font-weight:bold;">Ryland</font></i></b>&#148;)
paid a total fee of $4,303, of which $1,259 related to the unissued Carried
Forward Shares.&#160; Pursuant to
Interpretation&nbsp;89 under Section&nbsp;G of the Manual of Publicly Available
Telephone Interpretations of the Division of Corporation Finance of the
Securities and Exchange Commission (July&nbsp;1997) and Instruction E to the
General Instructions to Form&nbsp;S-8, Ryland has carried forward the registration
fee for the Carried Forward Shares.&#160;
Ryland is concurrently filing a Post-Effective Amendment No.&nbsp;1 to
the Registration Statement on Form&nbsp;S-8 (file no. 333-101445), registering
shares pursuant to the Prior Plan, to deregister the issuance of unissued
shares pursuant to the Prior Plan.</p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(2)</font><font size="1" style="font-size:8.5pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>Common stock being registered hereby includes
associated common share purchase rights, which initially are attached to and
trade with the shares of Ryland&#146;s common stock.&#160;
Value attributable to such rights, if any, is reflected in the market
price of the common stock.</p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(3)</font><font size="1" style="font-size:8.5pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>In addition, pursuant to Rule&nbsp;416 under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the &#147;<b><i><font style="font-style:italic;font-weight:bold;">Securities Act</font></i></b>&#148;), this Registration
Statement also covers an indeterminate number of shares of common stock that
may be offered or issued by reason of stock splits, stock dividends or similar
transactions.</p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(4)</font><font size="1" style="font-size:8.5pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>Estimated solely for purposes of calculating
the registration fee pursuant to Rule&nbsp;457(c)&nbsp;and (h).&#160; The proposed maximum offering price per
share, proposed maximum aggregate offering price and the amount of the
registration fee are based on the average of the high and low sale prices of
Ryland&#146;s common stock reported on the New York Stock Exchange on July&nbsp;14,
2005 (i.e., $78.94).</p>

<div style="border:none;border-bottom:double windowtext 9.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;">

<p style="border:none;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;padding:0in;text-align:justify;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

</div>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:justify;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<div align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">

<hr size="2" width="100%" noshade color="gray" align="left">

</font></div>

</div>
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<div style="font-family:Times New Roman;">

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">PART&nbsp;I</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">INFORMATION
REQUIRED IN THE SECTION&nbsp;10(a)&nbsp;PROSPECTUS</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Not required to be included
in this Form&nbsp;S-8 Registration Statement pursuant to introductory Note to Part&nbsp;I
of Form&nbsp;S-8.</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">PART&nbsp;II</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">INFORMATION
REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Item 3.</font></b><b><font size="1" style="font-size:8.5pt;font-weight:bold;">&#160;&#160;&#160; </font></b><b><font style="font-weight:bold;">Incorporation of Documents by Reference.</font></b></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The following documents
which have been filed by Ryland with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(the &#147;<b><i><font style="font-style:italic;font-weight:bold;">Commission</font></i></b>&#148;)
are incorporated herein by reference:</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt 1.0in;text-align:left;text-indent:-.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(a)</font><font size="1" style="font-size:8.5pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>Ryland&#146;s Annual Report on Form&nbsp;10-K for
the fiscal year ended December&nbsp;31, 2004;</p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 1.0in;text-align:left;text-indent:-.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt 1.0in;text-align:left;text-indent:-.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(b)</font><font size="1" style="font-size:8.5pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>All other reports filed pursuant to
Sections&nbsp;13(a)&nbsp;or 15(d)&nbsp;of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended (&#147;<b><i><font style="font-style:italic;font-weight:bold;">Exchange
Act</font></i></b>&#148;), since December&nbsp;31, 2004; and</p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 1.0in;text-align:left;text-indent:-.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt 1.0in;text-align:left;text-indent:-.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(c)</font><font size="1" style="font-size:8.5pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>Description of Ryland&#146;s common stock
contained or incorporated in the registration statements filed by Ryland under
the Exchange Act, including any amendments or reports filed for the purpose of
updating such description.</p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 1.0in;text-align:left;text-indent:-.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">All documents subsequently
filed by Ryland with the Commission pursuant to Sections&nbsp;13(a), 13(c), 14
and 15(d)&nbsp;of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a post-effective
amendment which indicates that all securities offered have been sold or which
deregisters all securities remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated
by reference into this Registration Statement and to be a part of this
Registration Statement from the date of filing of such documents.</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Item 4.</font></b><b><font size="1" style="font-size:8.5pt;font-weight:bold;">&#160;&#160;&#160; </font></b><b><font style="font-weight:bold;">Description of Securities.</font></b></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&#160;Not applicable.</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Item 5.</font></b><b><font size="1" style="font-size:8.5pt;font-weight:bold;">&#160;&#160;&#160; </font></b><b><font style="font-weight:bold;">Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.</font></b></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Timothy J. Geckle, Senior
Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Ryland, provides the opinion
regarding the legal validity of the shares of Common Stock being registered for
issuance under the 2005 Plan.&#160; As of the
date of this filing, Mr.&nbsp;Geckle beneficially owned approximately 66,609
shares of Ryland&#146;s common stock, and had the right to purchase up to 240,100
shares of Ryland&#146;s common stock pursuant to outstanding stock options awarded
under the Prior Plan and the 2005 Plan.</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">2</font></p>

<div align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">

<hr size="2" width="100%" noshade color="gray" align="left">

</font></div>

</div>
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<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Item 6.</font></b><b><font size="1" style="font-size:8.5pt;font-weight:bold;">&#160;&#160;&#160; </font></b><b><font style="font-weight:bold;">Indemnification of Directors and Officers.</font></b></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">As permitted by the Maryland
General Corporation Law (&#147;<b><i><font style="font-style:italic;font-weight:bold;">MGCL</font></i></b>&#148;),
Article&nbsp;Eighth, Paragraph&nbsp;(8)&nbsp;of Ryland&#146;s Articles of
Restatement (the &#147;<b><i><font style="font-style:italic;font-weight:bold;">Charter</font></i></b>&#148;)
provides for indemnification of directors and officers of Ryland, as follows:</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(8)&nbsp; The Corporation
shall indemnify its directors and officers, in all capacities in which such
directors and officers serve the Corporation, to the full extent required or
permitted by the General Laws of the State of Maryland now or hereafter in
force, including the advance of expenses under the procedures and to the full
extent permitted by law.&#160; The Corporation
shall indemnify other employees and agents, in all capacities in which such
employees and agents serve the Corporation, to such extent as shall be
authorized by the Board of Directors or the By-laws and be permitted by
law.&#160; The foregoing shall not limit in
any manner the authority of the Corporation to indemnify directors, officers,
employees or agents of the Corporation to the extent authorized by the Board of
Directors or the stockholders and permitted by law.&#160; The Board of Directors may take such action
as is necessary to carry out these provisions and is expressly empowered to
adopt, approve and amend from time to time such By-laws, resolutions or
contracts implementing provisions or such further indemnification arrangements
as may be permitted by law.&#160; No amendment
or repeal of this Article&nbsp;Eighth, paragraph 8 of the Corporation&#146;s Charter
shall apply to or have any effect on any right to indemnification provided
hereunder with respect to acts or omissions occurring prior to such amendment
or repeal.</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The MGCL permits a
corporation to indemnify its directors and officers (which include any person
who is, or was, serving at the request of the corporation as a director,
officer, partner, trustee, employee, or agent of another foreign or domestic
corporation, joint venture, trust, other enterprise or employee benefit plan),
among others, against judgments, penalties, fines, settlements and reasonable
expenses actually incurred by them in connection with any proceedings to which
they may be a party by reason of their service in those or other capacities,
unless it is established that (a)&nbsp;the act or omission of the director or
officer was material to the matter giving rise to such proceedings and (i)&nbsp;was
committed in bad faith or (ii)&nbsp;was the result of active and deliberate
dishonesty, (b)&nbsp;the director or officer actually received an improper
personal benefit in money, property or services, or (c)&nbsp;in the case of any
criminal proceedings, the director or officer had reasonable cause to believe
that the action or omission was unlawful.</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">As permitted by the MGCL, Article&nbsp;Ninth
of the Charter provides for limitation of liability of directors and officers of
Ryland, as follows:</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">To the fullest extent
permitted by Maryland statutory or decisional law, as amended or interpreted,
no director or officer of this Corporation shall be personally liable to the
Corporation or its stockholders for money damages.&#160; No amendment of the Charter of the
Corporation or repeal of any of its provisions shall limit or eliminate the
benefits provided to directors and officers under this provision with respect
to any act or omission which occurs prior to such amendment or repeal.</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The MGCL permits the charter
of a Maryland corporation to include a provision limiting the liability of its
directors and officers to the corporation and its stockholders for money
damages, except to the extent that (i)&nbsp;the person actually received an improper
benefit or profit in money, property or services or (ii)&nbsp;a judgment or
other final adjudication is entered in a proceeding based on a finding that the
person&#146;s action, or failure to act, was the result of active and deliberate
dishonesty and was material to the cause of action adjudicated in the
proceeding.</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">As permitted under Section&nbsp;2-418(k)
of the MGCL, Ryland has purchased and maintains insurance on behalf of its
directors and officers against any liability asserted against such directors
and</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">3</font></p>

<div align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">

<hr size="2" width="100%" noshade color="gray" align="left">

</font></div>

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<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">officers
in their capacities as such, whether or not Ryland would have the power to
indemnify such persons under the provisions of Maryland law governing
indemnification.</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Item 7.</font></b><b><font size="1" style="font-size:8.5pt;font-weight:bold;">&#160;&#160;&#160; </font></b><b><font style="font-weight:bold;">Exemption from Registration Claimed.</font></b></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:37.45pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Not applicable.</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Item 8.</font></b><b><font size="1" style="font-size:8.5pt;font-weight:bold;">&#160;&#160;&#160; </font></b><b><font style="font-weight:bold;">Exhibits.</font></b></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">A list of exhibits is set
forth on the Exhibit&nbsp;Index which immediately precedes the exhibits and
which is incorporated by reference herein.</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Item 9.</font></b><b><font size="1" style="font-size:8.5pt;font-weight:bold;">&#160;&#160;&#160; </font></b><b><font style="font-weight:bold;">Undertakings.</font></b></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The undersigned Registrant
hereby undertakes:</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(1)</font><font size="1" style="font-size:8.5pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>To file, during any period in which offers or
sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration
Statement:</p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-align:left;text-indent:-.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-align:left;text-indent:1.0in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(i)&nbsp;To
include any prospectus required by Section&nbsp;10(a)(3)&nbsp;of the Securities
Act of 1933;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 1.0in;text-align:left;text-indent:-1.0in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 1.0in;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(ii)&nbsp;To
reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date
of the Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment
thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental
change in the information set forth in the Registration Statement;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 1.0in;text-align:left;text-indent:-1.0in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 1.0in;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(iii)&nbsp;To
include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not
previously disclosed in the Registration Statement or any material change to
such information in the Registration Statement.</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 1.0in;text-align:left;text-indent:-1.0in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Paragraphs
(l)(i)&nbsp;and (l)(ii)&nbsp;above do not apply if the information required to
be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in
periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the Registrant
pursuant to Section&nbsp;13 or Section&nbsp;15(d)&nbsp;of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement.</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-align:left;text-indent:-.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(2)</font><font size="1" style="font-size:8.5pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>That, for the purpose of determining any
liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment
shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities
offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be
deemed to be the initial <u>bona</u>  <u>fide</u> offering thereof.</p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-align:left;text-indent:-.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(3)</font><font size="1" style="font-size:8.5pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>To remove from registration by means of a
post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain
unsold at the termination of the offering.</p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-align:left;text-indent:-.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the
Registrant&#146;s annual report pursuant to Section&nbsp;13(a)&nbsp;or 15(d)&nbsp;of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an
employee benefit plan&#146;s annual report pursuant to Section&nbsp;15(d)&nbsp;of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new Registration Statement
relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities
at that time shall be deemed to be the initial <u>bona</u>  <u>fide</u> offering
thereof.</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Insofar as indemnification
for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to
directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the
foregoing</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">4</font></p>

<div align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">

<hr size="2" width="100%" noshade color="gray" align="left">

</font></div>

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<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">provisions,
or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the
Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public
policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.&#160; In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses
incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant
in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by
such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities
being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the
matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of
appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is
against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">5</font></p>

<div align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">

<hr size="2" width="100%" noshade color="gray" align="left">

</font></div>

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<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">SIGNATURES</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the Registrant
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
requirements for filing on Form&nbsp;S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Calabasas, State of California, on the 20<sup>th</sup>
day of July, 2005.</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100.0%;">
 <tr>
  <td width="47%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:47.76%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="52%" colspan="3" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:52.24%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">THE RYLAND GROUP, INC.</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="47%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:47.76%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="3%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:3.66%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="48%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:48.58%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="47%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:47.76%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="3%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:3.66%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="48%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:48.58%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="47%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:47.76%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="3%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:3.66%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">By:</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="43%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:43.74%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ Timothy J. Geckle</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="4%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:4.84%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="47%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:47.76%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="3%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:3.66%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="48%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:48.58%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;&nbsp;Timothy J.
  Geckle</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="47%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:47.76%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="3%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:3.66%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="48%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:48.58%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;&nbsp;Senior Vice
  President, General Counsel and Secretary</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
</table>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:justify;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Pursuant to the requirements
of the Securities Act, this Form&nbsp;S-8 Registration Statement has been
signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates
indicated.</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100.0%;">
 <tr>
  <td width="20%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:20.38%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:justify;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Signature</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.44%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="56%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:56.08%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Title</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.14%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="18%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:18.98%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Date</font></b></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="20%" valign="top" style="border:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:20.38%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:justify;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.44%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:justify;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="56%" valign="top" style="border:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:56.08%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:justify;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.14%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:justify;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="18%" valign="top" style="border:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:18.98%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:justify;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="20%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:20.38%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:justify;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.44%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:justify;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="56%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:56.08%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">R. Chad Dreier</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.14%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:justify;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="18%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:18.98%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">July&nbsp;20, 2005</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="20%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:20.38%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ R. Chad Dreier</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.44%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="56%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:56.08%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Chairman of the Board,
  President and</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.14%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="18%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:18.98%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="20%" valign="top" style="border:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:20.38%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">R. Chad Dreier</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.44%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="56%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:56.08%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Chief Executive Officer</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.14%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="18%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:18.98%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="20%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:20.38%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.44%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="56%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:56.08%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(Principal Executive
  Officer)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.14%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="18%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:18.98%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="20%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:20.38%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.44%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="56%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:56.08%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.14%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="18%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:18.98%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="20%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:20.38%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.44%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="56%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:56.08%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Gordon A. Milne</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.14%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="18%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:18.98%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">July&nbsp;20, 2005</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="20%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:20.38%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ Gordon A. Milne</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.44%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="56%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:56.08%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Executive Vice President
  and</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.14%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="18%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:18.98%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="20%" valign="top" style="border:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:20.38%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Gordon A. Milne</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.44%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="56%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:56.08%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Chief Financial Officer</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.14%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="18%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:18.98%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="20%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:20.38%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.44%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="56%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:56.08%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(Principal Financial
  Officer)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.14%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="18%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:18.98%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="20%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:20.38%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.44%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="56%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:56.08%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.14%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="18%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:18.98%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="20%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:20.38%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.44%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="56%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:56.08%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">David L. Fristoe</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.14%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="18%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:18.98%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">July&nbsp;20, 2005</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="20%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:20.38%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ David L. Fristoe</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.44%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="56%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:56.08%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Senior Vice President,
  Controller and</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.14%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="18%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:18.98%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="20%" valign="top" style="border:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:20.38%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">David L. Fristoe</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.44%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="56%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:56.08%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Chief Accounting Officer</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.14%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="18%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:18.98%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="20%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:20.38%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:justify;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.44%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:justify;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="56%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:56.08%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(Principal Accounting
  Officer)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.14%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:justify;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="18%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:18.98%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
</table>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">A majority of the Board of Directors:</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">R. Chad Dreier, Daniel T. Bane, Leslie M. Fr&#233;con,
Roland A. Hernandez, William L. Jews, Ned Mansour, Robert E. Mellor, Charlotte
St. Martin, and John O. Wilson</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100.0%;">
 <tr>
  <td width="20%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:20.38%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ Timothy J. Geckle</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.44%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="56%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:56.08%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">As Attorney-in-Fact</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.14%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="18%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:18.98%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">July&nbsp;20, 2005</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="20%" valign="top" style="border:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:20.38%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Timothy J. Geckle</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.44%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="56%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:56.08%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.14%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="18%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:18.98%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
</table>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">6</font></p>

<div align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">

<hr size="2" width="100%" noshade color="gray" align="left">

</font></div>

</div>
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<br clear="all" style="page-break-before:always;">


<div>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">EXHIBIT&nbsp;INDEX</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100.0%;">
 <tr>
  <td width="15%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:15.16%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:justify;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">EXHIBIT<br>
  NUMBER</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.22%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="82%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:82.62%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">DESCRIPTION</font></b></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="15%" valign="top" style="border:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:15.16%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">4.1</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.22%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="82%" valign="top" style="border:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:82.62%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The Ryland
  Group,&nbsp;Inc. Articles of Restatement (incorporated by reference from
  Form&nbsp;10-Q for the quarter ended March&nbsp;31, 2005)</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="15%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:15.16%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.22%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="82%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:82.62%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="15%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:15.16%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">4.2</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.22%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="82%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:82.62%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">By-laws of The Ryland
  Group,&nbsp;Inc., as amended (incorporated by reference from Form&nbsp;10-K
  for the year ended December&nbsp;31, 1996)</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="15%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:15.16%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.22%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="82%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:82.62%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="15%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:15.16%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">4.3</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.22%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="82%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:82.62%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Rights Agreement dated as
  of October&nbsp;18, 1996, between The Ryland Group,&nbsp;Inc., and
  ChaseMellon Shareholder Services, L.L.C. (incorporated by reference from
  Form&nbsp;8-K filed October&nbsp;24, 1996)</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="15%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:15.16%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.22%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="82%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:82.62%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="15%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:15.16%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">4.4</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.22%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="82%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:82.62%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Amendment to the Rights
  Agreement dated as of February&nbsp;25, 2001, between The Ryland
  Group,&nbsp;Inc. and Mellon Investor Services L.L.C. (incorporated by
  reference from Form&nbsp;10-Q for the quarter ended March&nbsp;31, 2004).</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="15%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:15.16%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.22%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="82%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:82.62%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="15%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:15.16%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">4.5</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.22%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="82%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:82.62%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The Ryland
  Group,&nbsp;Inc. 2005 Equity Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference from
  Form&nbsp;10-Q for the quarter ended March&nbsp;31, 2005)</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="15%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:15.16%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.22%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="82%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:82.62%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="15%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:15.16%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">5.0*</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.22%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="82%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:82.62%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Opinion of Timothy J.
  Geckle, counsel for The Ryland Group,&nbsp;Inc., regarding the legal validity
  of the shares of common stock being registered for issuance under the Plan</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="15%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:15.16%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.22%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="82%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:82.62%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="15%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:15.16%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">23.1*</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.22%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="82%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:82.62%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Consent of Counsel
  (contained in Exhibit&nbsp;5.0)</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="15%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:15.16%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.22%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="82%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:82.62%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="15%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:15.16%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">23.2*</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.22%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="82%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:82.62%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Consent of
  Ernst&nbsp;&amp; Young LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="15%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:15.16%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.22%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="82%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:82.62%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="15%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:15.16%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">24.0*</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.22%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="82%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:82.62%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Power of Attorney</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
</table>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<div align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">

<hr size="1" width="25%" noshade color="black" align="left">

</font></div>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">* Filed herewith.</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">7</font></p>

<div align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">

<hr size="2" width="100%" noshade color="gray" align="left">

</font></div>

</div>
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[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "filename": "a05-11849_1s8.htm", "description": "S-8", "secsgml_size_bytes": 103155}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "RYLAND GROUP INC", "cik": "0000085974", "assigned-sic": "1531", "irs-number": "520849948", "state-of-incorporation": "MD", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-126783", "film-number": "05966572"}, "business-address": {"street1": "24025 PARK SORRENTO", "street2": "SUITE 400", "city": "CALABASAS", "state": "CA", "zip": "91302", "phone": "8182237500"}, "former-company": {"former-conformed-name": "RYAN JAMES P CO", "date-changed": "19720414"}}
As filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission on July 21, 2005
Registration No. 333-
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C.  20549
FORM S-8
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
THE RYLAND
GROUP, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its
charter)
Maryland
52-0849948
(State or other
  jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
(I.R.S. Employer
  Identification No.)
24025
  Park Sorrento
Suite 400
Calabasas, California
91302
(Address of principal
  executive offices)
(Zip Code)
THE RYLAND GROUP, INC. 2005 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
(Full title of plan)
Timothy
  J. Geckle
Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
The Ryland Group, Inc.
24025 Park Sorrento, Suite 400
Calabasas, California 91302
818-223-7500
(Name, address and
  telephone
number of agent for service)
CALCULATION
OF REGISTRATION FEE
Title of Each Class of Securities to be
Registered
Amount
to be
Registered
Proposed
Maximum
Offering
Price Per Unit (4)
Proposed
Maximum
Aggregate
Offering Price (4)
Amount of
Registration
Fee
Common
  stock, $1.00 par value (1)(2)(3)
Shares not previously
  registered
475,000
$
78.94
$
37,496,500.00
$4,413.34
Shares registered under
  Prior Plan
769,576
N/A
  (1)
N/A
  (1)
N/A
  (1)
TOTAL
1,244,576
$
78.94
$
37,496,500.00
$4,413.34
(1)
Shares to be offered or sold under The Ryland
Group, Inc. 2005 Equity Incentive Plan (the "
2005 Plan
") include 475,000 shares not
previously registered, and 769,576 shares previously registered for offer or
sale under The Ryland Group, Inc. 2002 Equity Incentive Plan (the "
Prior Plan
") that
were not issued under the Prior Plan and that may be offered or sold under the
2005 Equity Incentive Plan (the "
Carried Forward Shares
").  The Carried Forward Shares were registered on
Form S-8 filed on November 25, 2002 (file no. 333-101445) and The
Ryland Group, Inc. ("
Ryland
")
paid a total fee of $4,303, of which $1,259 related to the unissued Carried
Forward Shares.  Pursuant to
Interpretation 89 under Section G of the Manual of Publicly Available
Telephone Interpretations of the Division of Corporation Finance of the
Securities and Exchange Commission (July 1997) and Instruction E to the
General Instructions to Form S-8, Ryland has carried forward the registration
fee for the Carried Forward Shares. 
Ryland is concurrently filing a Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to
the Registration Statement on Form S-8 (file no. 333-101445), registering
shares pursuant to the Prior Plan, to deregister the issuance of unissued
shares pursuant to the Prior Plan.
(2)
Common stock being registered hereby includes
associated common share purchase rights, which initially are attached to and
trade with the shares of Ryland's common stock. 
Value attributable to such rights, if any, is reflected in the market
price of the common stock.
(3)
In addition, pursuant to Rule 416 under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "
Securities Act
"), this Registration
Statement also covers an indeterminate number of shares of common stock that
may be offered or issued by reason of stock splits, stock dividends or similar
transactions.
(4)
Estimated solely for purposes of calculating
the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(c) and (h).  The proposed maximum offering price per
share, proposed maximum aggregate offering price and the amount of the
registration fee are based on the average of the high and low sale prices of
Ryland's common stock reported on the New York Stock Exchange on July 14,
2005 (i.e., $78.94).
PART I
INFORMATION
REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS
Not required to be included
in this Form S-8 Registration Statement pursuant to introductory Note to Part I
of Form S-8.
PART II
INFORMATION
REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
Item 3.
Incorporation of Documents by Reference.
The following documents
which have been filed by Ryland with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(the "
Commission
")
are incorporated herein by reference:
(a)
Ryland's Annual Report on Form 10-K for
the fiscal year ended December 31, 2004;
(b)
All other reports filed pursuant to
Sections 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended ("
Exchange
Act
"), since December 31, 2004; and
(c)
Description of Ryland's common stock
contained or incorporated in the registration statements filed by Ryland under
the Exchange Act, including any amendments or reports filed for the purpose of
updating such description.
All documents subsequently
filed by Ryland with the Commission pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14
and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a post-effective
amendment which indicates that all securities offered have been sold or which
deregisters all securities remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated
by reference into this Registration Statement and to be a part of this
Registration Statement from the date of filing of such documents.
Item 4.
Description of Securities.
Not applicable.
Item 5.
Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.
Timothy J. Geckle, Senior
Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Ryland, provides the opinion
regarding the legal validity of the shares of Common Stock being registered for
issuance under the 2005 Plan.  As of the
date of this filing, Mr. Geckle beneficially owned approximately 66,609
shares of Ryland's common stock, and had the right to purchase up to 240,100
shares of Ryland's common stock pursuant to outstanding stock options awarded
under the Prior Plan and the 2005 Plan.
2
Item 6.
Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
As permitted by the Maryland
General Corporation Law ("
MGCL
"),
Article Eighth, Paragraph (8) of Ryland's Articles of
Restatement (the "
Charter
")
provides for indemnification of directors and officers of Ryland, as follows:
(8)  The Corporation
shall indemnify its directors and officers, in all capacities in which such
directors and officers serve the Corporation, to the full extent required or
permitted by the General Laws of the State of Maryland now or hereafter in
force, including the advance of expenses under the procedures and to the full
extent permitted by law.  The Corporation
shall indemnify other employees and agents, in all capacities in which such
employees and agents serve the Corporation, to such extent as shall be
authorized by the Board of Directors or the By-laws and be permitted by
law.  The foregoing shall not limit in
any manner the authority of the Corporation to indemnify directors, officers,
employees or agents of the Corporation to the extent authorized by the Board of
Directors or the stockholders and permitted by law.  The Board of Directors may take such action
as is necessary to carry out these provisions and is expressly empowered to
adopt, approve and amend from time to time such By-laws, resolutions or
contracts implementing provisions or such further indemnification arrangements
as may be permitted by law.  No amendment
or repeal of this Article Eighth, paragraph 8 of the Corporation's Charter
shall apply to or have any effect on any right to indemnification provided
hereunder with respect to acts or omissions occurring prior to such amendment
or repeal.
The MGCL permits a
corporation to indemnify its directors and officers (which include any person
who is, or was, serving at the request of the corporation as a director,
officer, partner, trustee, employee, or agent of another foreign or domestic
corporation, joint venture, trust, other enterprise or employee benefit plan),
among others, against judgments, penalties, fines, settlements and reasonable
expenses actually incurred by them in connection with any proceedings to which
they may be a party by reason of their service in those or other capacities,
unless it is established that (a) the act or omission of the director or
officer was material to the matter giving rise to such proceedings and (i) was
committed in bad faith or (ii) was the result of active and deliberate
dishonesty, (b) the director or officer actually received an improper
personal benefit in money, property or services, or (c) in the case of any
criminal proceedings, the director or officer had reasonable cause to believe
that the action or omission was unlawful.
As permitted by the MGCL, Article Ninth
of the Charter provides for limitation of liability of directors and officers of
Ryland, as follows:
To the fullest extent
permitted by Maryland statutory or decisional law, as amended or interpreted,
no director or officer of this Corporation shall be personally liable to the
Corporation or its stockholders for money damages.  No amendment of the Charter of the
Corporation or repeal of any of its provisions shall limit or eliminate the
benefits provided to directors and officers under this provision with respect
to any act or omission which occurs prior to such amendment or repeal.
The MGCL permits the charter
of a Maryland corporation to include a provision limiting the liability of its
directors and officers to the corporation and its stockholders for money
damages, except to the extent that (i) the person actually received an improper
benefit or profit in money, property or services or (ii) a judgment or
other final adjudication is entered in a proceeding based on a finding that the
person's action, or failure to act, was the result of active and deliberate
dishonesty and was material to the cause of action adjudicated in the
proceeding.
As permitted under Section 2-418(k)
of the MGCL, Ryland has purchased and maintains insurance on behalf of its
directors and officers against any liability asserted against such directors
and
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officers
in their capacities as such, whether or not Ryland would have the power to
indemnify such persons under the provisions of Maryland law governing
indemnification.
Item 7.
Exemption from Registration Claimed.
Not applicable.
Item 8.
Exhibits.
A list of exhibits is set
forth on the Exhibit Index which immediately precedes the exhibits and
which is incorporated by reference herein.
Item 9.
Undertakings.
The undersigned Registrant
hereby undertakes:
(1)
To file, during any period in which offers or
sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration
Statement:
(i) To
include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities
Act of 1933;
(ii) To
reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date
of the Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment
thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental
change in the information set forth in the Registration Statement;
(iii) To
include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not
previously disclosed in the Registration Statement or any material change to
such information in the Registration Statement.
Paragraphs
(l)(i) and (l)(ii) above do not apply if the information required to
be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in
periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the Registrant
pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement.
(2)
That, for the purpose of determining any
liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment
shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities
offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be
deemed to be the initial
bona
fide
offering thereof.
(3)
To remove from registration by means of a
post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain
unsold at the termination of the offering.
The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the
Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an
employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new Registration Statement
relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities
at that time shall be deemed to be the initial
bona
fide
offering
thereof.
Insofar as indemnification
for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to
directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the
foregoing
4
provisions,
or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the
Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public
policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.  In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses
incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant
in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by
such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities
being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the
matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of
appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is
against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the Registrant
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Calabasas, State of California, on the 20
th
day of July, 2005.
THE RYLAND GROUP, INC.
By:
/s/ Timothy J. Geckle
Timothy J.
  Geckle
Senior Vice
  President, General Counsel and Secretary
Pursuant to the requirements
of the Securities Act, this Form S-8 Registration Statement has been
signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates
indicated.
Signature
Title
Date
R. Chad Dreier
July 20, 2005
/s/ R. Chad Dreier
Chairman of the Board,
  President and
R. Chad Dreier
Chief Executive Officer
(Principal Executive
  Officer)
Gordon A. Milne
July 20, 2005
/s/ Gordon A. Milne
Executive Vice President
  and
Gordon A. Milne
Chief Financial Officer
(Principal Financial
  Officer)
David L. Fristoe
July 20, 2005
/s/ David L. Fristoe
Senior Vice President,
  Controller and
David L. Fristoe
Chief Accounting Officer
(Principal Accounting
  Officer)
A majority of the Board of Directors:
R. Chad Dreier, Daniel T. Bane, Leslie M. Frécon,
Roland A. Hernandez, William L. Jews, Ned Mansour, Robert E. Mellor, Charlotte
St. Martin, and John O. Wilson
/s/ Timothy J. Geckle
As Attorney-in-Fact
July 20, 2005
Timothy J. Geckle
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EXHIBIT INDEX
EXHIBIT
NUMBER
DESCRIPTION
4.1
The Ryland
  Group, Inc. Articles of Restatement (incorporated by reference from
  Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2005)
4.2
By-laws of The Ryland
  Group, Inc., as amended (incorporated by reference from Form 10-K
  for the year ended December 31, 1996)
4.3
Rights Agreement dated as
  of October 18, 1996, between The Ryland Group, Inc., and
  ChaseMellon Shareholder Services, L.L.C. (incorporated by reference from
  Form 8-K filed October 24, 1996)
4.4
Amendment to the Rights
  Agreement dated as of February 25, 2001, between The Ryland
  Group, Inc. and Mellon Investor Services L.L.C. (incorporated by
  reference from Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2004).
4.5
The Ryland
  Group, Inc. 2005 Equity Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference from
  Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2005)
5.0*
Opinion of Timothy J.
  Geckle, counsel for The Ryland Group, Inc., regarding the legal validity
  of the shares of common stock being registered for issuance under the Plan
23.1*
Consent of Counsel
  (contained in Exhibit 5.0)
23.2*
Consent of
  Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
24.0*
Power of Attorney
* Filed herewith.
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