Photos and graphic by Noah Dawson
The votes are in, and our readers have picked the Amarillo Pioneer’s next Pioneer of the Year.
The 2025 Amarillo Pioneer of the Year Award is given to Les Simpson.
Amarillo City Councilman Les Simpson has long been a towering figure in Amarillo. Before running for council, Simpson spent over a decade as the publisher of the Amarillo Globe-News, was the founding president of Downtown Amarillo Inc., and served on the Amarillo Local Government Corporation.
Simpson’s political story isn’t a straightforward one. In short, before directly jumping into the political arena himself, Simpson appeared to be squarely in the old-school local establishment camp. But, in 2022, he began to align himself with businessman Alex Fairly as Fairly fought to stop the city from using a loophole in state law to fund renovations to the Amarillo Civic Center.
Following a successful lawsuit against the city, Fairly set his eyes on flipping the council. Fairly’s picks, including Simpson, all went on to win their elections.
Though the entire council had been endorsed by Fairly, they have not shied away from engaging in open debate on key issues. Simpson in particular has been no stranger to voicing his opinion, even when he has found himself at odds with his fellow councilmembers.
Simpson’s tenure thus far hasn’t only been marked by his willingness to go against the grain. Early in 2024, Simpson was appointed to a two-member subcommittee to find a firm to assist the search for a new city manager. Then, over the summer, Simpson served on the Charter Review Committee, which ultimately resulted in local citizens passing Prop E, the first new charter amendment since 2020.
Runner Ups
John Smithee, Texas State House Member
One of the longest serving members of the Texas State House, Smithee handily won reelection earlier this year. Though he pulled out of the race, he was also one of the key contenders for the speakership position.
Craig Gualtiere, Former AEDC Board Member
Though Gualtiere previously served on the AEDC Board of Directors, he has not been shy about criticizing the organization. Earlier this year, Gualtiere helped to shed light on the RANGE controversy, spurring an audit of the AEDC, mass board resignations, and an ongoing rewrite of the organization’s articles of incorporation.
Walter Wendler, WTAMU President
When somebody imagines a typical public university president, they probably aren’t imagining Walter Wendler. In 2024, Wendler continued to champion embracing conservative ideals in higher education. Outside of politics, Wendler has also earned notoriety for his push to make textbooks free for WTAMU students. More recently, though, Wendler has made headlines for his push to modernize the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum.