2025 Distinguished Alumni Award Winner
James Sheridan
It’s time to nominate your fellow Leadership Tyler graduate(s) for our Distinguished Alumni Award for 2026. This award is an opportunity to recognize an outstanding Leadership Tyler graduate for their ongoing fulfillment of the Leadership Tyler mission:
“Equipping Leaders to Enrich Our Community.”
For the nomination, you will be asked to answer a few quick questions about the individual’s personal and professional achievements and community service. We will take care of adding their Leadership Tyler service to the nomination information.
That’s all there is to it! If your nominee is selected, he or she will join our outstanding list of past award recipients and be honored at Leadership Live 2026.
Nominations are due by January 31, 2026.
One of the greatest honors is to be recognized by your peers. The Leadership Tyler Distinguished Alumni Award is an opportunity to say thank you to an outstanding Leadership Tyler graduate for their ongoing fulfillment of the Leadership Tyler mission: “Equipping Leaders to Enrich Our Community.”
Each year the alumni of Leadership Tyler nominate their fellow leaders to be recognized for their continuing work in our community. In recognition of his service to and passion for the Tyler community, we would like to announce that James Sheridan is the Leadership Tyler Distinguished Alumni Award winner for 2025.
James is a graduate of Leadership Tyler Core Program Class 17. He is a native Tylerite who has spent his entire adult life serving our community. James currently serves as President of the Board for the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce. He has served on multiple community boards including: Past President – United Way of Smith County, Past President – Better Business Bureau, Past President – Tyler Rotary Club, Past President Tyler Rotary Club Foundation, Past President – University of Texas at Tyler Patriots, Past President – Tyler Junior College Alumni Association, Past President – Junior Achievement of Greater Tyler, Past Board of Director – Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Past Board of Director – Habitat for Humanity, Past Board of Director – Big Brothers & Big Sisters of Tyler, East Texas Area Council of Boy Scouts of America – Fundraising committee.
James is devoted to his family. His wife, Gillian, also graduated from Leadership Tyler Class 17, and they have two teenage daughters.
Distinguished Alumni Award Winners
2000 & Prior – Linda Fleet Ferguson, Sharon Howell, Steve Roosth, Carol Lott, Jimmy Tallent, Ron Shaffer, Barbara Bass
2001 – Rev. Dr. James Ballard
2002 – Felicity Reedy
2003 – Joey Seeber
2004 – Mike Thomas, CPA
2005 – Paula Anthony
2007 – Don Pinkerton
2008 – Gary Swindle
2009 – Dawn Franks
2010 – Kay Latta
2011 – Mitch Andrews
2012 – 25th Anniversary
2013 – Donna Spann
2014 – Henry Bell
2015 – Shannon Dacus
2016 – Brian Brandt
2017 – Rabbi Neal Katz, Jerry Woolverton
2018 – Dr. John English
2019 – Rev. Orenthia Mason
2020 – Judge Nathaniel Moran
2022 – James and Leah Wansley
2023 – Smittee Root
2024 – Chief David Coble