Hey Amarillo

A conversation with Stephen Crandall, the newly named artistic director for the TEXAS Outdoor Musical. Currently finishing up a career as Department Head and Professor of Theatre at WTAMU, Crandall will assume his new leadership position for the 56th season of the storied musical in Palo Duro Canyon. In this episode, Crandall shares with host Jason Boyett about his acting career before WT, his portrayal of protagonist Calvin Armstrong in 1999, and his thoughts about breathing fresh air into this long-running musical. This episode is sponsored by Union Hall Workspace and PestTex Pest Control.

A conversation with Gayle Callahan, the President and CEO of Plains Plumbing. After a multi-faceted career that included a stint as a corporate pilot, Gayle assumed leadership of a multi-generational family business after her husband's death from cancer. Today, the Amarillo-based Plains Plumbing serves customers from Georgia to California. In this episode, Gayle shares with Jason Boyett about her incredible career, including a promise she made—and broke—about maintaining the family business. This episode is sponsored by SKP Creative and Shemen Dental.

A conversation with Katie Wieck, the broker/owner of Wieck Realty. After growing up in and around a variety of Amarillo schools, Katie got into the real estate business within a year of her high school graduation. Incredibly, she bought her first home at the age of 19. In this episode, Wieck tells host Jason Boyett how she got into the business, why she decided to become a broker, and what's happening right now in Amarillo's wild housing market. This episode is sponsored by The Union Hall Workspace.

A conversation with John Forbis, coordinator of district communications for Canyon ISD. A former teacher and administrator, Forbis arrived in Amarillo several years ago after working in the Metroplex and in Bryan/College Station. He and his family ended up falling in love with this area. Forbis shares with host Jason Boyett details about the new West Plains High School, how he uses social media to recruit teachers, and why the Canyon school district is growing so fast. This episode is sponsored by Blue Handle Publishing and La-Z-Boy.

A conversation with Strecia McCaig, owner of On Target Amarillo and an honorably retired sergeant with the Amarillo Police Department. After 26 years of service with APD, McCaig opened a firearms training business that specializes in teaching women how to shoot or hunt. With host Jason Boyett, she shares about being one of just a few female officers at APD, her path from patrol officer to sergeant, and why she's passionate about using her business to empower women. This episode is sponsored by Wieck Realty.

A conversation with Trevor Caviness, the president of Caviness Beef Packers, a multi-generational family business that processes nearly a million head of cattle per year. Despite being privately owned, Caviness is one of the largest beef-packing businesses in the United States, with products sold around the world. In this conversation with host Jason Boyett, Trevor discusses his decision to work for the family business, Caviness's position in the beef industry, and its progressive approaches to food safety and sustainability. This episode is sponsored by SKP Creative.

A conversation with Marcie Steward, a local entrepreneur and minister who works at Park Central. Marcie grew up in Amarillo, dropped out of high school, and became homeless—as a single mother—before getting back on her feet through the assistance of Martha's Home. With host Jason Boyett, Marcie shares how she overcame those challenges through a combination of grit, faith, and the safety net Martha's Home provided. In fact, in the years since, Marcie has earned her GED and even started and sold a successful small business. This episode is sponsored by Shemen Dental.

A conversation with Charles D'Amico, the owner-operator of local Jimmy John's locations and the proprietor of Blue Handle Publishing and Book Puma. D'Amico grew up in Detroit but moved his family to Amarillo when he saw an opportunity to buy three existing franchise locations. He tells host Jason Boyett why he specifically chose this area to sell sandwiches, why he writes thrillers and started an indie publishing company, and how Amarillo customer complaints differ from Santa Fe complaints. This episode is sponsored by La-Z-Boy.

A conversation with Suzanne Talley, the executive director of the 100 Club of the Texas Panhandle, an organization that helps the families of local firefighters and peace officers who are killed in the line of duty. Before that, she spent 17 years as the executive director of Coffee Memorial Blood Center. Suzanne tells host Jason Boyett about her two decades in the nonprofit world, how the 100 Club "fills in the gaps," and how the blood center navigated the pandemic. This episode is sponsored by Blue Handle Publishing and Book Puma Online.

A conversation with Lance Garza, owner of Bitter Buffalo Records and one of the partners at Caliche. Lance grew up in Amarillo before departing during his high school years. But in 2020, at the height of the pandemic, he and his wife decided to move back here from Chicago. More than a year later, Lance tells host Jason Boyett about the growth and opportunity he recognized in Amarillo—especially within the local creative scene—and why that encouraged him to invest in this community. This episode is sponsored by Wieck Realty and SKP Creative.