Amarillo Globe-News Man of the Year: Vance Reed has made long-standing contributions to city

The Amarillo Globe-News is proud to announce Vance Reed as the 2022 Man of the Year. The 2022 Man and Woman of the Year are being presented by FirstBank Southwest.

Throughout his life, Reed has touched many lives and played many roles in the community. Although anyone who has met Reed knows that he prefers to stay out of the limelight, he still has a way of drawing people in and finding a way to help those in need.

"Anybody who knows Vance Reed knows what the definition of a true gentleman is. From the way he greets people, and it doesn't matter if you are young or old, rich or poor, he treats everyone in a manner that everybody should aspire to achieve and portray. He is a kind gentleman and a person of service to others. I am delighted and honored to know Vance and certainly honored to call him my friend," said Tod Mayfield, co-director of Coors Cowboy Club Ranch Rodeo.

Through his family business, Reed Beverage, Inc. that has been in business for more than 58 years, Reed serves as Chairman of the Board. In connection with the family business, Reed has served as President/Chairman of Executive Committee of the Wholesale Beer Distributors a/Texas, Past Chairman of Coors Product Supply Committee and Past Chairman of MillerCoors National Business Council. In 2010, Reed was honored as a MillerCoors Legend.

"I have known Vance for approximately 50 years; he is like a brother to me," said Peter Coors, chairman of the board for the Coors Beverage Company. "He is one of he most generous people I know. He commonly uses his warehouse to house several charitable events. I visit Amarillo probably once or twice a year, and I don't know any citizen that is more involved in the community than Vance Reed."

Throughout his life, Reed has worked behind the scenes with many local and national affiliations, each with philanthropic intent. Reed served as a past president to the Tri-State Fair Exposition Board, served for the Amarillo Chamber of Commerce and was also a member of the Amarillo Airport Board. Reed is currently a board member of the Amarillo/Potter County Events Venue District and a member of the Tri-State Fair Executive Committee.

"Vance and I have been friends and business associates for over 50 years. He is without a doubt one of the finest men I will ever know," said Greg Mitchell, Chairman of Toot'n Totum Food Stores. "From the moment I first met Vance, he never turned me down on any request for a charity event or project I was working on. Vance is known all over the Panhandle for his involvement and his unending passion for promoting Amarillo, and especially the Western Heritage of the region."

Helping to draw more business to Amarillo, Reed has been active in promoting major projects such as the Tri-State Fairgrounds, the Amarillo National Center, and the development of Hodgetown. In addition to his support, Reed also played a role in helping to recruit the Sod Poodles to Amarillo as a Founding Sponsor.

In medicine, Reed served as a board member for Maxor National Pharmacy, Inc., and worked behind the scenes to ensure the Texas Tech University School of Veterinary Medicine became a reality in Amarillo.

From the mid to late '90s, Reed served two terms as board president to the Amarillo Economic Development Corporation (AEDC). During his time as president, Reed was influential in attracting Bell Helicopter to the Amarillo area.

"Vance was certainly instrumental in several big projects while serving on our board, and one of them includes securing Bell Helicopter for the Amarillo community. With that, we can see how that has benefitted the area over the last 22 years as one of our largest employers and the contributions that it has made to our economy," said Kevin Carter, current president and CEO of the AEDC.

Reed co-founded The 100 Club of the Texas Panhandle in 2004, which was organized to support the families of first responders and fallen peace officers in Amarillo and across the 26 counties of the Texas Panhandle. As a part of the organization established by Reed to help ease the pain of a lost loved one, The 100 Club contributes up to $12,000 in afterlife benefits of the fallen heroes. The organization also supports law enforcement and firefighters through stipends utilized to provide safety equipment, as a additional injury prevention method for first responders.

The 2022 Man of the Year has also served as chairman of the Shriners Hospital for Children - Houston Unit, as potentate of the Amarillo Khiva Shrine Center and as chairman emeritus of Dispensations and Charters Committee of Shriners International. Reed was also one of the first individuals to benefit Make A Wish of Amarillo, leading to the Amarillo branch of the nonprofit.

"My father, Vance, is a very touching and giving person, and everyone that meets him wants to be his friend," said Chris Reed, President and CEO of Reed Beverage. "Probably one of the neatest things that he ever did is he was the first person to grant the first wish for Make A Wish of Amarillo. When they began their chapter here, they came to him, and he was able to grant the first wish."

Reed co-founded the Coors Cowboy Club (CCC), which today includes more than 120 active members. The CCC supports the cowboy way by looking out for other members of the community. Each year, the club hosts the Coors Cowboy Club Ranch Rodeo, where ranches from across the Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico areas travel to compete in the one-of-a-kind event. Last April, Reed along with all members of the CCC were honored as 2022 inductees of the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame in Fort Worth, Texas.

"I first met Vance Reed in 1980 in Kansas City, Missouri at the National Coors Distributor Convention," said Ed Montana, member of the CCC. "I was working for the brewery playing music with the Coors Cowboy Band; Vance was in attendance. We met, and it was like magic. Vance and I have been friends ever since that moment. He is an inspiration to me and countless others."

"Vance Reed has been and continues to be a father to me as well as a mentor; he has taught me so much," Montana added. "Vance's theory on life is something that I have always tried to emulate: 'the more you give, the more you get back.' Vance told me one time, after helping me one of the many times, I said, 'Thanks Vance, I owe you' — he said, 'There was never a mark on the wall.' He gives because he can, and he would if he had one dollar left, he'd give it all away to help others."

Celebration to be held Jan. 25

• A celebration honoring the 2022 Man and Woman of the Year, Vance Reed and Cari Roach Good, is set for lunchtime Jan. 25 at the Amarillo Civic Center and is sponsored by FirstBank Southwest. The event will also recognize Citizens on the Move, sponsored by Physicians Surgical Hospitals, and nominations are still being accepted through Jan 13. Tickets for the celebration are available online at www.amarillo.com/mwoy .

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Vance Reed named Amarillo Globe-News 2022 Man of the Year