• Physicians Surgical Hospitals was selected by Modern Healthcare as one of the 2022 Best Places to Work in Healthcare, sponsored by Healthcare Plus Solutions Group. This is the ninth time PSH has been named to the list. 
  • Bryan Bateman was named chief executive officer of Physicians Surgical Hospitals effective June 15. Bateman has more than 18 years of healthcare leadership experience, having spent the majority of his career with Community Health Systems.
  • For a third consecutive year, an independent analyst ranked West Texas A&M University’s nurse practitioner program as the best in Texas. Nursing Process ranked WT’s program No. 1 out of 11 programs across the state.
  • West Texas A&M University was ranked No. 6 in Texas, No. 32 in the South and No. 152 overall in Money’s 2022 Best College listings. 
  • Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center of Amarillo will move to Canyon to complete an agricultural research, education and outreach powerhouse on the West Texas A&M University campus.
  • The Small Business Administration’s West Texas District named Kim May with Nobox Creative, LLC the 2022 West Texas Small Business Person of the Year and 2022 Exporter of the Year Buffalo Technology Group Products.
  • The West Texas A&M University Woman and Man of the Year were honored in April. Hannah Scarborough and Allan Baltazar were given the respective honors during the All-University Honors Ceremony, held by the Office of Student Engagement and Leadership in Legacy Hall in the Jack B. Kelley Student Center.
  • Lauren Gaston was named WTAMU Employee of The Year in a ceremony in June. The 4 ½-year veteran is a community outreach and event coordinator for the Sybil B. Harrington College of Fine Arts and Humanities.
  • Judy Fugate, an Amarillo resident who played badminton and bowled for WT in the 1960s and early 1970s, has set up the Judy Fugate Lady
    Buff Scholarship endowment, a $1.85 million legacy gift that will ensure scholarships to top female athletes. 
  • Dr. Kristina Drumheller was awarded the Chancellor’s Medallion for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. The medallion is one of three honors given by TAMUS to recognize outstanding System employees.
  • WTAMU’s online MBA program is one of the Top 10 in the country after moving up in Fortune Magazine’s rankings. WT’s program, part of the Paul and Virginia Engler College of Business, ranked No. 9 this year, according to the magazine. In 2021, the program ranked No. 12.
  • The City of Amarillo was awarded the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from the Government Finance Officers Association for the current fiscal period. This award is the highest form of recognition in governmental budgeting. The award is for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, 2021.
  • The Texas Municipal League appointed City of Amarillo Director of Communications Jordan Schupbach as a Leadership Fellow during an awards ceremony May 13 in Round Rock. Schupbach was named COA director of communications in March 2019.
  • The Don Harrington Discovery Center and Wildcat Bluff announced inclusion in the Blue Star Museums initiative as the exclusive participating Amarillo museum. This summer, the Blue Star Museum initiative provides free admission to currently-serving U.S. military personnel and their families through Sept. 5, 2022. DHDC has also pledged to extend free admission to veterans in addition to currently-serving personnel. Blue Star Museums is a partnership between the National Endowment for the Arts and Blue Star Families, in collaboration with the Department of Defense and museums across America.
  • Local radio station KGNC celebrated 100 years of broadcasting in May 2022. Morgan Tanner, DJ Stubben and Charlie Singleton were inducted into the KGNC Hall of Fame during the anniversary celebration. KGNC, then known as WDAG, began broadcasting May 19, 1922 with just 10 watts of power. In 1935, the station was bought by the Globe-News Publishing Company, changing its callsign to KGNC for the first time.  The station began broadcasting at the current 10,000 watts in 1947.
  • Adrian Rodriguez was named president, Xcel Energy–Southwest, effective June 1. Rodriguez is succeeding David Hudson, who is retiring after 38 years of service to the company. 
  • Brooke Trammell accepted the position of regional vice president for Regulatory and Pricing for the Texas and New Mexico system, succeeding Bill Grant, who retired June 1. Trammell has been with Xcel Energy for almost a decade.
  • Samuel Reese was named to the post of manager for Community and Economic Development in Xcel Energy’s Borger and Dumas area, succeeding Jesse Shuffield, who retired June 10 after more than 42 years of service.
  • Justin Smiley was named director of Business Customer Relations as of May 2 upon the retirement of Bryan Kauffman. Smiley is an Amarillo native and joined Xcel Energy in 2001 as an engineering intern in Amarillo.
  • Education Credit Union announced it will use funds deposited by Apple via CNote, a women-led impact platform, to expand access to capital and provide essential financial products and services in the Panhandle of Texas. This deposit to ECU is part of a $25 million commitment from Apple to support communities of color across the U.S. through CNote.
  • Grace Kuo, Ph.D., Pharm.D., has been named dean of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy. Kuo began her new position as dean May 16. 
  • The Carnegie Classification® of Institutions of Higher Education has designated Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center as a Special Focus Four-Year Research Institution (Very High Research Activity University). This distinguished classification places TTUHSC among 22 elite four-year special focus research universities nationwide
  • Drs. Paul Morley, Benjamin Newcomer and Matthew Scott from Texas A&M Veterinary Education, Research & Outreach program were recognized for their research and teaching excellence at the School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences’ 2022 Honors & Awards Ceremony.
  • The Board of Cal Farley’s hired Richard Nedelkoff to serve as Cal Farley’s new President and Chief Executive Officer. He joined Cal Farley’s team on June 27.
  • TXAutoInc. donated $15,600 to the 24 Hours in the Canyon Cancer Survivorship Center this year after a May fundraiser. The donated funds were raised through the group’s Amarillo dealerships, including Texas Dodge, All Star Dodge, Autoplex BMW, Tri-State Ford, Amarillo Hyundai, and All Star Family Ford.
  • Dr. Tori Marnell joined Family Medicine Center Canyon in June.
  • The United Family raised more than $187,000 for the Save the Children Ukraine nonprofit through a company-wide donate-at-the-register campaign. The nonprofit provides relief efforts to children impacted by the ongoing war in Ukraine.
  • Mindi McLain was reappointed to the Texas Medical Board District Three Review Committee for terms set to expire on January 15, 2028. McLain is a partner and attorney with Wright Law TX, PLLC. 
  • Amarillo Professional Firefighters formed the Amarillo Professional Firefighters Charitable Foundation to help local charities and give back to local organizations. The foundation will be funded from community and member donations and proceeds from fundraising.
  • U-Haul Company of Texas announced that 287 Body Shop signed on as a U-Haul neighborhood dealer to serve the Amarillo community. 287 Body Shop will offer U-Haul trucks, trailers, towing equipment, support rental items and in-store pickup for boxes.
  • The Aspen Institute named Amarillo College a Finalist for the 2023 Aspen Prize. AC is one of the 10 Finalists for the 2023 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. Started in 2010 and awarded every two years, the $1 million Aspen Prize is the nation’s signature recognition of community colleges that are achieving high, improving, and equitable outcomes for students.
  • Dr. Bruce Lin, assistant professor of music, and Dr. Asanga Ranasinghe, assistant professor of chemistry, were named recipients of the prestigious 2021-2022 John F. Mead Faculty Excellence Award. Each received AC’s foremost faculty accolade during commencement exercises on May 13 at Hodgetown Stadium.
  • Kristi Van Winkle from Lakeview Elementary was named Elementary Teacher of the Year, and Aly Harmon from Canyon Junior High was named Secondary Teacher of the Year by Canyon ISD.
  • FirstBank Southwest announced the appointment of David M. Jones as Executive Vice President, General Counsel and President of Covenant Title, a subsidiary of FBSW. Jones will be part of the executive management team, in addition to providing legal advice to the Board of Directors. As President of Covenant Title Company, David will oversee all activities of the company, including underwriter relationships, strategic planning and closing services.
  • Josh Butler of Butler Benefits was named the 2022 Broker of the Year by BenefitsPRO. The award was announced in Austin in late May. 

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