The Amarillo City Council voted Tuesday to hold a special meeting on August 7 to appoint a new member to the Amarillo Economic Development Corporation (AEDC) board, aiming to stabilize leadership and restore momentum ahead of the board’s next scheduled meeting on August 12.
The move comes in the wake of the sudden resignation of AEDC board chair Alex Fairly, who provided no public explanation for his departure. Fairly’s resignation caught both city officials and AEDC staff off guard, leaving the board temporarily reduced to four voting members at a time when critical decisions — including the hiring of a permanent CEO — remain unresolved.
Council Members Seek Stability, Experience
Discussion during Tuesday’s meeting quickly turned to the qualifications and urgency needed for the appointment. Councilmember David Prescott, who has been vocal about restoring function to the AEDC, named two candidates: Will Miller, a banking executive at FirstBank Southwest, and Brian Bruckner, president of Bruckner’s Truck Sales and a former AEDC board member.
“We’ve had a season of confusion, and we can’t afford to wait any longer,” Prescott said. “We need people with institutional knowledge, business expertise and no political agenda.”
Prescott stressed that the appointment should be based on qualifications and mission alignment, not political loyalty.
“This cannot be about loyalty to any one group or person,” he said. “This has to be about the mission and ensuring AEDC gets back on track.”
Councilmember Les Simpson voiced his support for Bruckner, noting his past service on AEDC executive search committees and understanding of how the agency operates.
“At this point, we need someone with a proven understanding of the AEDC’s history and structure,” Simpson said.
Mayor Cole Stanley acknowledged Fairly’s contributions but emphasized the need to look forward.
“You can love him or hate him, but you can’t deny what he’s done for this community,” Stanley said. “He stepped up when others wouldn’t. But now, we need to assemble a team that can lead this city’s economic development efforts into the next decade.”
The council confirmed that holding the appointment on August 7 would ensure the new board member is in place and ready to participate in the AEDC’s August 12 meeting, where key discussions, including the launch of a CEO search, are scheduled.
AEDC’s Executive Search Still Stalled
The AEDC has operated without a permanent president since January, when former CEO Kevin Carter and the board entered a separation agreement. Despite that, no executive search firm has been hired, raising ongoing concerns about the organization’s ability to lead regional economic development efforts effectively.
Interim CEO Doug Nelson acknowledged the disruption but reported a rebound in project activity.
“This quarter, we have continued to execute our plan of work,” Nelson told the council. “We do continue to see an increase in inquiries and leads. I believe we’ve turned the corner and continue to expect our deal flow to keep improving.”
Nelson added that Amarillo had been named the top midsize metro area for projected economic growth in 2025 and the second-most affordable city in its population category by Business Facilities — though city staff noted they were unable to independently verify that ranking.
The AEDC currently has 11 active project inquiries, Nelson said, and expects to discuss issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a search firm at the next board meeting.
Push for More Transparency in Economic Incentives
Prescott also called for greater public access to AEDC economic impact reports, pointing to the need for transparency when public funds are involved.
“These are public dollars,” Prescott said. “If we want trust, we need to be able to show the public what they’re getting in return — whether it’s a large campus, a job training initiative, or anything else the AEDC is backing.”
He requested a specific impact report on the Texas Tech University School of Veterinary Medicine to assess earlier claims made about the project’s value.
Simpson supported that level of scrutiny, noting the school already provides cost-saving benefits to the city by involving students in municipal animal care services.
“When I look at the [vet school], what wasn’t mentioned is the vet school being here is saving taxpayers about $70 thousand a year because students are working in our Animal Management and Welfare area,” Simpson said. “That’s probably going to increase.”
Multiple Candidates Under Consideration
In addition to Miller and Bruckner, Mayor Stanley named two additional candidates: Jay Brent and Joe Alarcon. He noted the term for the open seat runs through December, but the appointee could seek a full term afterward.
“So, we want that fifth member placed, and I think we also have several good names of people,” Stanley said. “We would expect that Aug. 7 you’ll have that board member named, they’d be able to participate in the Aug. 12 AEDC board meeting.”
Background on AEDC Leadership Turnover
The AEDC’s current instability follows significant board turnover last fall, when four of five members resigned in November. The city council appointed new permanent board members in April. The agency’s top executive position has remained unfilled since Carter’s departure in January.
Nelson said while the AEDC’s project pipeline slowed, he couldn't definitively link the decline to leadership changes. Nevertheless, he reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to economic growth, citing recent outreach efforts and increased engagement with site selectors and trade shows.
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