Distinguished Alumni Award 2012
John Smithee
Rep. John Smithee, an Amarillo attorney who since 1984 has represented District 86 in the Texas House of Representatives, received the 2012 Distinguished Alumni Award from Amarillo College.
He was introduced as the 2012 honoree while serving as guest speaker for the AC Honors Convocation on April 15 at the Amarillo Civic Center Auditorium, and he later was feted at a luncheon in his honor at Amarillo Country Club.
Representative Smithee is an outstanding selection as our Distinguished Alumnus for 2012, Dr. Paul Matney, president of Amarillo College, said.
ACs roll call of Distinguished Alumni is all the more illustrious now that John Smithee has taken his rightful place alongside our honorees of the past. He has long been a great advocate of the College, not just here in the Texas Panhandle, but in the halls of state government.
We are honored that he got his start at Amarillo College and endorses it still.
Smithee, who received an associate degree from AC in 1971, is a partner in the Amarillo law firm of Templeton Smithee Hayes Heinrich & Russell.
A graduate of Tascosa High School, Smithee received a partial tennis scholarship when he enrolled at AC. He dabbled in journalism at the College and served as editor of the student newspaper.
The quality of the programs was excellent, the same as they are right now, Smithee said. We developed personal relationships with our professors, who really impacted our lives and cared a great deal whether or not we learned.
We were no less prepared than anyone at the university level, he said.
And he should know, because law school was Smithees ultimate ambition. He transferred his AC credits and went on to obtain a bachelor degree in business from West Texas State University and a law degree from Texas Techs School of Law.
Smithee became licensed to practice law in Texas in 1976 and won election to the State Legislature as a member of the Republican Party in November of 1984. He presently serves as chair of the state Insurance Committee, and he sits on committees for State Affairs, Oversight of Windstorm Insurance, and Seacoast Territory Insurance (as co-chair).
He has previously served on legislative committees focused on higher education, judicial affairs, regulated industries, natural resources, energy, economic development, and business and commerce.
Smithees experience with AC has been a family affair. His wife, the former Becky Collins, not only attended AC, but she was named Miss Amarillo College in 1975. Each of their three children also utilized the College for various credit courses over the years.
Even their dog has gotten in on the AC act.
We put him in the dog obedience class, Smithee said. In his case I liken it to no dog left behind because I suspect his may have been a social promotion.