Andy Miller, who served as Benton County prosecutor for close to four decades, has received one of the Mid-Columbia’s highest recognitions for service to the community. 

Miller was recently awarded Tri-Citian of the Year at the annual awards banquet for the honor. The award is given to individuals who have demonstrated outstanding service above self and show appreciation to efforts exerted in building community through service. 

“Andy Miller is a lifelong Tri-Citian who has put his life blood into making the Tri-Cities – his beloved ‘forever’ community – a safer, better place for all. Even though he retired in December 2022 as the state’s longest elected prosecutor, he continues to quietly put an abundance of time – just as valuable as financial resources – into multi-faceted causes that positively impact his fellow Tri-Citians,” according his nomination. 

Miller grew up in the Tri-Cities and began dedicating his life to service early on, working as a lifeguard in the 1970s at what was then the Columbia Park Lagoon. Social justice also was a value instilled in him by his parents, leading him to pursue a career in law. 

He was first elected as county prosecutor in 1987, having been a deputy prosecutor for six years prior. He served for 36 years, making him the longest tenured Benton County employee and longest tenured prosecutor in the state.  

During that time, he personally prosecuted hundreds of cases, including dozens of murders, one of which resulted in the death penalty. He also earned numerous community awards, including the Hero of Hope award, Public Official of the Year from the Washington State Association for Justice and, most recently, the North Star award from the Blue Mountain Council of Scouting America. 

“When it comes to helping organizations, Andy does not know the meaning of the word no,” his nomination read. His contributions have included supporting efforts to build the Columbia Valley Center for Recovery by serving on its steering committee; helping to launch the KidsHaven program at the Support, Advocacy and Resource Center; raising money to support the creation of My Friend’s Place, an overnight sanctuary for homeless teens, and more, according to the nomination. 

Miller has said he believed he made a difference through his life’s work. He announced his retirement in March 2022, noting he would not run for re-election in the fall. 

“To the announcement and the reason for the announcement, I am going to talk about the cases and the effects on the victims, and I have a strong belief,” he said at a March 2022 press conference. “That every case like this destroys a part of your soul. And I don’t think when I go through a case like this, I ever get it back.” 

This year’s Tri-Citian of the Year banquet featured Broadway star and Richland native Santino Fontana as the keynote speaker alongside emcee Cathy Kelly, a local performer and community advocate.