8-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, DC 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

August 4, 2009
Date of Report
(Date of earliest event reported)

THE RYLAND GROUP, INC.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

Maryland	001-08029	52-0849948
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)

24025 Park Sorrento, Suite 400, Calabasas, California 91302

            (Address of Principal Executive Offices)                   (ZIP Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (818) 223-7500

                                        Not Applicable                                        

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the Registrant under any of the following provisions:

[ ] Written communication pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

[ ] Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

[ ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

[ ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Principal Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Principal Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers

On July 29, 2009, the Board of Directors of The Ryland Group, Inc. elected Robert G. van Schoonenberg as a Director.  Mr. van Schoonenberg was appointed to serve on the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors.  The press release announcing Mr. van Schoonenberg’s election to the Board of Directors is attached as Exhibit 99 and the information in the release is incorporated herein by reference.  The information in this report, including Exhibit 99, shall be deemed to be “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and shall be incorporated by reference into any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Item 9.01	Financial Statements and Exhibits
(d)	Exhibits
	Exhibit 99               Press release dated August 4, 2009

- 2 -

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

	THE RYLAND GROUP, INC.
Date: August 4, 2009	By:	/s/ Timothy J. Geckle
		Timothy J. Geckle
		Senior Vice President, General Counsel
		and Secretary

- 3 -

EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit Number	Description
99	Press release dated August 4, 2009

EX-99

Exhibit 99

News Release	The Ryland Group, Inc. www.ryland.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE	CONTACT:	Drew Mackintosh, Vice President,
		Investor Relations (818) 223-7548

RYLAND ELECTS ROBERT VAN SCHOONENBERG

AS A NEW MEMBER OF ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS

CALABASAS, Calif. (Aug. 4, 2009) — The Ryland Group, Inc. (NYSE: RYL) today announced the election of Robert G. van Schoonenberg to its board of directors.

Mr. van Schoonenberg is currently chairman and chief executive officer of BayPoint Capital Partners, LLC, a private equity and advisory firm in Newport Beach, California.  Previously, he was executive vice president, general counsel and secretary of Avery Dennison Corporation, a Los Angeles based NYSE Fortune 500 manufacturer of pressure-sensitive industrial labeling materials, office products and retail tag and branding systems.  Mr. van Schoonenberg currently serves on the board of directors of Guidance Software, Inc., Altair Nanotechnologies, Inc. and Premiere Entertainment, LLC.

Headquartered in Southern California, Ryland is one of the nation’s largest homebuilders and a leading mortgage-finance company.  Since its founding in 1967, Ryland has built more than 285,000 homes and financed more than 240,000 mortgages.  The Company currently operates in 15 states and 19 homebuilding divisions across the country and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “RYL.”  For more information, please visit www.ryland.com.

# # #