Kathy Cornett serves as chairman of JLM1926 Holdings, the parent company of McCormick Company headquartered in Amarillo. McCormick provides communication counsel to companies throughout the United States including DuPont Crop Protection, Eli Lilly Animal Health Division and Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. among others. Local clients include BSA, Nolan Ryan Beef, Texas Cattle Feeders Association, United Sorghum Checkoff Program, West Texas A & M University and others.
During her 39-year career in marketing communications, Cornett has received numerous honors and awards for her work including “Copywriter of the Year” from the Wichita Kansas Advertising Federation, Silver Medal award from the Amarillo Advertising Federation, Career Achievement Award from Amarillo Women’s Network. She served as president of the National Agri-Marketing Association.
Her community involvement includes BSA Board of Trustees, Don & Sybil Harrington Board of Directors, Texas FFA Foundation Board of Directors and Texas Cattle Feeders Association political action committee (BEEF PAC) Trustee. She currently serves as president of the WTAMU Foundation Board.
Kathy was born and raised in El Paso. She earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism at UTEP and completed master’s level coursework at U.T. Austin. |
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Billy Smith is the executive director of Information Technology for the American Quarter Horse Association. He joined AQHA in 1999 after 10 years as a university professor, business consultant, market researcher, speaker and writer. He grew up among the cotton fields and oil rigs of West Texas and among his family's menagerie. He graduated from the University of North Texas with degrees in Journalism and Business in 1984. He completed master's degrees in Public Relations and Education from Texas Tech University in 1989 and completed a doctorate of education from Texas Tech in 1999.
He worked as a journalist for various publications after graduating from college, including assignments in Central America.
His responsibilities at AQHA include the computer operations that include a database of more than 6 million American Quarter Horses, web sites that welcome nearly two million visitors a year and the internal office computing operations for 300 employees.
He is also co-chairman of the Equine Species Working Group, a horse-industry body that advises the United States Department of Agriculture on equine identification policy.
Billy has been married for 25 years. He and his wife, Mindy, have two children, Lauren, 21, who is a senior at Baylor University and will enter New York Law School in the fall and Hunter, 16, a Canyon High School student and a frequent horse-show exhibitor. |
