Earlier this year, we invited our readers to submit nominees for our annual award that recognizes the person who has had the single greatest impact on our city over the past year. From our pool of nominations, 19 finalists were chosen. And in this year’s voting, our readers spoke loud and clear.
The 2026 Amarillo Pioneer of the Year Award is given to State Rep. John Smithee.
Representative Smithee is finishing his last term in Austin as we write this article. A mainstay of the Texas Panhandle, Smithee was first elected to the Texas House in 1984 and has held the District 86 seat ever since. In his most recent election for the Texas House, Smithee cruised to victory over Jamie Haynes with more than three-quarters of the vote…