Time's “Person of the Year" came from a short list in 2017. If we had a list for our own state's person of the year, that may also be short, but we do have some real winners. In fact, Cowboy State residents might prefer these homegrown folks to polarizing people.

Six candidates for our "Wyoming Person of the Year":

1. Casper's Janie Wait is the owner of Intermountain Record Center and was chosen as Wyoming's Small Business Person of the Year in 2017. Ms Wait is loved by her clients and employees and according to trib.com, she runs an inclusive workplace.

2. Ryan Fuhrman of Sheridan County School District 2 is the 2017 Wyoming Teacher of the Year. A teacher always makes a meaningful difference.

3. Anne Ellingson is the super single mom on a Jackson Hole ranch. Certainly she's impacting the lives of her own kids. Perhaps we need a Parent of the Year Award.

4. The Capitol City’s first female Mayor, Marian Orr's first year looks like she's as good of a leader as Cheyenne has ever had.

5. Taylor Sheridan directed Elizabeth Olsen in the movie "Wind River." She calls him a "modern day cowboy." However she meant that, we'll call it a badge of honor. A few years ago, Taylor and family moved to Salt River Wyoming, close to his wife's family.

6. Brody Cress is the 2017 Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo Champion - a home state boy who really did take a ride for the ages. He could be Wyoming's Athlete of the Year.

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