BUSINESS FOCUS - Commerce Lexington · 2018-03-28 · finish legislative business or override vetoes be - fore adjourning sine die. Budget: o The priority this session has been the

www.CommerceLexington.com

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Commerce Lexington Inc. HostsBLOOD DRIVE on April 12th

SPARK Luncheon Features Womenin Entrepreneurship Panel April 17th

2018-19 Leadership Lexington Applications Available on April 16th

The Club at UK’s Spindletop HallHosts Business Link on April 19th

\\\BUSINESS FOCUS

April 11thSPOTLIGHTFeatures Lookat DowntownLexington WithNew DLP CEO,Terry Sweeney

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF COMMERCE LEXINGTON INC. | APRIL 2018 | VOLUME XXVI, ISSUE IV

2 BUSINESS FOCUS APRIL 2018

Business Focus is published once a month for atotal of 12 issues per year by Commerce LexingtonInc., 330 East Main Street, Suite 100, Lexington,KY 40507. Phone: (859) 226-1600

2018 Chair of the Board:Karen HillChief Operating Officer/Chief Nursing OfficerBaptist Health Lexington

Publisher:Robert L. Quick, CCE, President & CEOCommerce Lexington Inc.

Editor:Mark E. TurnerCommunications Specialist: Elizabeth BennettPrinting: Post PrintingMail Service: SouthEast Printing & MailingService, LLC (2610 Palumbo Drive)

Subscriptions are available for $12 and are in-cluded as a direct benefit of Commerce Lexing-ton Inc. membership. Business Focus (USPS012-337) periodical postage paid at Lexington,Kentucky.

POSTMASTER: Send address corrections toBusiness Focus, Commerce Lexington Inc.,P.O. Box 1968, Lexington, KY 40588-1968.

Display RatesFor DISPLAY RATES in Business Focus, con-tact Dana Zinger at (859) 226-1607 [email protected], and anaccount executive will contact you.

Personnel UpdatesSubmit your company’s awards and mile-stones or personnel changes and additionsto [email protected]. Per-sonnel news might include promotions, ad-ditions, awards and milestones, recognitionsand certifications and/or appointments. In-formation is published only as space per-mits.

Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives

2016 Chamber of the Year

April 2018: Volume XXVI, Issue IV

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT:BEAM Partners Conclude Work With Brookings InstituteSTAT: Lexington #3 for High Salaries, Low Costs of LivingCommerce Lex. E.D. Team Attends Site Selectors GuildSPARK Kicks Off Events for Entrepreneurial Community

PUBLIC POLICY:2018 Legislative Session Enters Final Days

EVENTS:@330: Drive Content as an Industry Thought LeaderThe Club at UK’s Spindletop Hall Hosts Business LinkSPOTLIGHT Features DLP President Terry SweeneyLeadership Visit: Time to See Boise for Yourself!Best of Chile & Argentina Trip is September 15-26

CONNECT:Scholarship Available for UK/UofL Executive MBA ProgramLeadership Development Program Recaps2018-19 Leadership Lex. Applications Available Apr. 16AMBASSADOR SPOTLIGHT: Donnie NiehausWelcome New Commerce Lexington Inc. MembersMember Personnel Announcements & Awards

WHAT 2 WATCH 4

Commerce Lexington Inc. Hosts aBlood Drive on Thursday, April 12

SEE PAGE 13

Registration Available for2018 Leadership Visit to Boise,

Idaho, May 8 - 10, 2018

@330 Presented by DistilleryHeights: Strategies to Drive

On-Line Content for Customers

SPOTLIGHT Series Presented byFifth Third Bank Features DLP

President Terry Sweeney

BUSINESS FOCUS

4-5

6

8-12

14-19

The Economic Value of Bluegrass Community andTechnical College

bluegrass.edu/chamberkentucky community & technical college system

Imagine More!

ALUMNIIMPACTImpact of the increased earnings of BCTC’salumni and the businesses they work for

$100.3 millionANNUAL

ADDED INCOME

enough to buy

91,216Kentucky Derby

grandstand box seats

or

1,399JOBS SUPPORTED

About Bluegrass Communityand Technical College

14,177Credit Students

1,987Non-Credit Students

964Employees

OPERATIONSSPENDING IMPACT

Impact of BCTC’s payroll and day-to-day spending

$45.1 millionADDED INCOME enough to buy

or 1,067 JOBS SUPPORTED

STUDENT SPENDING IMPACT

Impact of the daily spendingof BCTC students retained and

attracted to the region

352 JOBSSUPPORTED

or

1,344 new cars

Sources: Emsi Economic Impact Study: https//www.cnbc.com/2017/05/03/a-ticket-to-the-kentucky-derby-could-cost-you-15k.html; http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2015/05/04/new-car-transaction-price-3-kbb-kelley-blue-book/26690191/; http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/01/grocery-costs-for-family/2104165/

The Bluegrass Region

BCTC TotalAnnual Impact

$160.1 millionADDED INCOME

or

2,818JOBS SUPPORTED

*family of four = 10 jobs

$14.6 millionADDED INCOMEenough to buy

1,174families* a year’sworth of groceries

STUDENTS

TAXPAYERS

SOCIETY

Average Earnings in the Bluegrass RegionThe average associate degree graduate earns $9,900 more than a high school graduate at their career midpoint.

Less than high school

High School

Certi�cate

Associate

Bachelor’s

$21,300

$27,700

$32,600

$37,600

$52,700

For every $1 invested by...

in lifetime earnings

in added taxes and public sector savings

in added state revenue and social savings

=

=

=

$5.20

$4.90

$11.90

///


ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

2018 By The Numbers:In 2018, Commerce Lexington’s EconomicDevelopment Division has responded tocalls from the following:

New Business: 31 new prospects interestedin finding a new location or expandingExisting Clients & Local EntrepreneurialCompanies: 11 companies with potentialexpansions in LexingtonClient Visits: 8Existing Business Visits: 33

BEAM Regional Partners Concludes Work With Brookings Institute in D.C.

Lexington recently ranked #3among Cities with High Salaries andLow Costs of Living according to GoBanking Rates, which based its rank-ing metrics on livability data such asmedian home rent, groceries, utilities, transportation, and income. Average householdincome in Lexington is $77,827, compared to the state average of $64,852, and Lexingtonrepeatedly scores competitively low on other quality of life measures, such as the Cost ofLiving Index. We measured 96.0 for 2017, meaning that Lexington’s living costs are 96percent of the national average, or four percent less here compared to other areas aroundthe country.

The combination of high salaries and low cost of living means that salaries go furtherand add to Lexington’s quality of life. Lexington offers limitless opportunities for highereducation, a vibrant downtown that attracts over 2.8 million visitors every year, excitingsports teams, nearby Keeneland and other equine attractions, craft beer and ice cream,renowned bourbon distilleries, and many other assets. Go Banking Rates used data fromthe U.S. Census Bureau, Zillow, and Numbeo.

STAT OF THE MONTH: Lexington Among TopCities for High Salaries, Low Costs of Living

A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT OF THE BLUEGRASS BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP (BBDP)

SUBMITTED BY CLX ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIVISION: GINA GREATHOUSE, HANNAH CRUMRINE & KIMBERLY ROSSETTI

As a part of the Bluegrass Economic Advancement Movement (BEAM),the Commerce Lexington Inc. economic development team joinedLouisville colleagues in Washington, D.C. for a two-day meeting with theBrookings Institute. This meeting served as the conclusion for our marketprioritization initiative. In mid-2017, BEAM was selected to join a group

of nine cities/regions seeking to increase the impact of metropolitan tradestrategies through new research and plans that will determine how our re-gional can best use international economic partnerships with internationalmetro counterparts. The BEAM region presented our current findings tothe cohort of communities and will finalize the project this spring.

APRIL 2018 BUSINESS FOCUS 5

\\\ ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Commerce Lexington Inc. AttendsSite Selectors Guild in Cincinnati

SPARK Kicks Off 2018 Events forLocal Entrepreneurial CommunityOn March 14, SPARK hosted its first event of the year at Wrigley MediaGroup. It offered our startup community an opportunity to network, tolearn more about the 2018 SPARK calendar, and to see how companies canuse video production to enhance their marketing opportunities. Our nextevent is the SPARK Women in Entrepreneurship lunch, which will feature apanel of female founders and their stories of how they started and builttheir businesses. It will take place April 17th from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.at Malone’s Prime Events & Reception (3373 Tates Creek Road). Learnmore and register on-line here: https://sparkwomeninentrepreneurship18.eventbrite.com.

Commerce Lexington Inc. attended the 2018 Site Selectors Guild inCincinnati at the end of March. This annual conference is an oppor-tunity for site selection leaders to share trends and insights into eco-nomic development and the state of business. It is an excellentopportunity for professional development and for cultivating rela-tionships with over 40 top-notch site selection consultants.

Dhani Jones, former Cincinnati Bengals player, who is currently with the Bowtie Foun-dation, welcomed 45 site selection consultants and over 300 economic developmentprofessionals at the annual Site Selectors Guild conference in Cincinnati.

///


PUBLIC POLICY: LEGISLATIVE SESSION

PRESENTED BY

PLATINUM SPONSORS

Kentucky Legislative Session Enters Final Days; Priority Issues Unresolved

Regional Leaders Interact With Governor & Legislators at Legislative Reception

SUBMITTED BY ANDI JOHNSON, CLX CHIEF POLICY OFFICER | [email protected]

The 60-day 2018 Regular Session of the KentuckyGeneral Assembly is entering its final days. Atthe time of publication, the legislature washeaded into a two-week recess period. Duringthis time, Governor Matt Bevin will consider ve-toes to legislation passed by both chambers andawaiting his signature. After the recess, lawmak-ers are expected to return for a couple of days tofinish legislative business or override vetoes be-fore adjourning sine die.

Budget: The priority this session has been the completionof the state’s next two-year $20 billion ExecutiveBranch budget. At the time of print, leadershipin the House and Senate were negotiating differ-ences in their budget proposals (HB 200) andrevenue measures (HB 366). Governor Bevin,along with House and Senate leaders, have com-

mitted to fully funding the public employee pen-sion systems in the budget. Other highlights in-clude increases in K-12 per pupil spending in theHouse and Senate budgets, funding cuts to moststate agencies, base funding cuts for higher edu-cation institutions in the Governor and Senateproposals, and sources for revenue such as theHouse proposal’s proposed tax increases on cig-arettes and opioids. For the University of Ken-tucky (UK), the Governor's proposal and theSenate version reduced state funding by 6.25% -or about $16 million annually and cut several UKprograms receiving state funding.

Pension Reform: At press time, the fate of pension reform legisla-tion remained uncertain. Lawmakers may con-

On February 22nd, Commerce Lexington hostedthe 11th annual An Evening in the Bluegrass state leg-islative reception at Berry Hill Mansion in Frankfort.Commerce Lexington Inc.’s board members and topinvestors, along with regional business leaders, inter-acted with Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin and other

state legislative leaders shaping the budget and publicpolicy in Frankfort.

Find out more about Commerce Lexington Inc.’sadvocacy efforts on-line atwww.commercelexington.com/clx-blog, or contactAndi Johnson, Chief Policy Officer, at (859) 226-1614.

GOLD SPONSORS:Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield

Babbage CofounderKentucky Blood Center

KTA-KTOBVisitLEXWesBanco

Woodford Forward

INVITATION DESIGN SPONSOR:Stablemate Creative LLC

INVITATION PRINT SPONSOR:Alltech

REGIONAL PARTNERS SUPPORTING AN EVENING IN THE BLUEGRASS: Commerce Lexington Inc., Frankfort AreaChamber of Commerce, Georgetown-Scott County Chamber of Commerce/Scott County United,Jessamine County Chamber of Commerce, Paris-Bourbon County Chamber of Commerce, RichmondChamber of Commerce, and the Woodford County Chamber of Commerce.

ABOVE: Jason Keller from Charter Communications addressedthe crowd during An Evening in the Bluegrass at Berry Hill Man-sion. ABOVE LEFT: (left to right) FCPS Superintendent MannyCaulk, FCPS School Board Member Melissa Bacon, and SenatorReggie Thomas. AT LEFT: Anne Donworth (Lexington PublicLibrary and Bob Babbage (Babbage Cofounder) talked with Gov-ernor Matt Bevin. (Photos by Mark Turner | CLX Staff )

Stay InformedCommerce Lexington will be moni-toring legislation and providing reg-ular email updates about activity inFrankfort and Washington to keepyou informed about the issues im-pacting the business community. Ifyou have questions or concerns,contact Andi Johnson, Chief PolicyOfficer, at (859) 226-1614.

To make your voice heard on legis-lation, contact your legislatorsthrough the Legislative ResearchCommission at (502) 564-8100 orvisit www.lrc.ky.gov.

SEE “SESSION” ON PAGE 13

PRESENTED BYIn today’s ever-changing business land-

scape, driven by the relentless pursuit of dig-ital experiences and content-on-demand,business leaders face a steep incline to beonline 24-7, to provide relevant and di-gestible content that benefits their cus-tomers, and to remain ultra-competent anduber competitive in that space. That is muchmore feasible, if you have the resources ofAmazon or Microsoft, but today’s smallbusiness owners are facing the continuousquestion of “How much is enough?” or“How much is too much?”

Finding an authentic voice and a digital rhythm thatsuits your company’s culture (and your customers’needs) is essential to the success of your business.Join us at the next Commerce Lexington Inc. @330 Se-ries event presented by Distillery Heights on Tuesday,April 10, from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. at Commerce Lexing-ton Inc.’s first floor conference room when David Cald-well, Principal, Advertising + Marketing Services forBalance Creative, will examine how developing rele-vancy and thought leadership for your industry can bethe answer to this on-going digital demand.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER:In addition to client strategy and account services,David Caldwell handles the marketing and businessmanagement side of Balance Creative. He began his

career as a graphic designer, but eventuallymigrated to client services, project manage-ment and media services. David still plays avery active role in the creative process forclients, but now he also focuses on helpingclients to determine appropriate marketingstrategies, and the necessary approach toget them there. He’s an avid digital/onlinejunkie and thinks an integrated approach(across traditional, digital and socialmedia) is the most effective way to engagetoday’s audiences.

ABOUT @330 SERIES:The @330 events provide a topical presentation thatis relevant to the success of entrepreneurs, businessowners and business professionals. They also allowmembers the opportunity to discuss ideas, share bestpractices, and work through challenges.

TO REGISTER:The @330 events are open to Commerce LexingtonInc. members at no charge. However, please registerfor the events by contacting Liz Bennett at (859) 226-1615 or [email protected].


///EVENTS: @330 SERIES

@330 Series: Find Your Digital Rhythm | Drive Relevant Content for Your Customers by Becoming a Thought Leader in Your Industry

GOLD SPONSOR:TravelHost of the Bluegrass DAVID CALDWELL

BALANCE CREATIVE

TUESDAY, APRIL 10 | 3:30 - 5:00 P.M. | COMMERCE LEXINGTON INC. (330 E. MAIN ST. - FIRST FLOOR CONFERENCE ROOM)

Springtime in the Bluegrass means it’s time for gardening, and there’sno better place to grow your client base and connect with other businessprofessionals than at the next Commerce Lexington Inc. Business Linkafter-hours networking event. On Thursday, April 19, The Club at UK’sSpindletop Hall and Unified Trust Co. are co-sponsoring Commerce Lex-ington’s Business Link from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. at The Club at UK’s Spindle-top Hall (3414 Iron Works Pike). Enjoy great foodand fun, browse the many exhibitors, and learnmore about the amenities of The Club at UK’sSpindletop Hall and the services of Unified Trust.

TO REGISTER:The cost to attend the Business Link event is $5 forCommerce Lexington members, $10 for non-mem-bers (payable at the door). Members of LexingtonForum can also attend for CLX member rate of $5 perperson. You can also pre-register for Business Linkevents on-line at www.CommerceLexington.com. Ifregistering online, pick up your beverage ticket at theregistration table. PLEASE NOTE: NO REFUNDSWILL BE GIVEN FOR ONLINE REGISTRATIONS.

EXHIBIT SPACE:Limited exhibit space is available at this BusinessLink for Commerce Lexington Inc. members only.The cost to exhibit is $175. Contact Liz Bennett [email protected] to reserve yourexhibit space.


\\\ EVENTS: BUSINESS LINK

Grow Your Client Base Through Networking at Springtime Business Link

THURSDAY, APRIL 19 | 4:30 - 6:30 P.M. | THE CLUB AT UK’S SPINDLETOP HALL (3414 IRON WORKS PIKE)

CO-SPONSORED BY

KY Refugee Ministries is Nonprofit Spotlightat Next Business LinkThe next Commerce Lexington Inc. Busi-ness Link networking event on Thursday,April 19, from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. at The Clubat UK’s Spindletop Hall (3414 Iron WorksPike) will spotlight Kentucky Refugee Min-istries, an outreach community that advo-cates for and provides resettlementservices to refugees to encourage hope andan increased sense of belonging and inclu-sion to our future American citizens. Fromjob placement to citizenship classes, KRMprograms support refugees in their journeyto rebuild their lives. Find out more on-lineat https://kyrm.org.


SPOTLIGHT to Feature Downtown Lexington Partnership’s Terry Sweeney

PRESENTED BY

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11 | 8:30 - 10:00 A.M. | THE MANE ON MAIN (201 EAST MAIN ST., SUITE 1500)

///EVENTS: SPOTLIGHT SERIES

GOLD SPONSOR:WUKY 91.3FM

SILVER SPONSORS:Kentucky Utilities Co.

Top Marketing Group, LLC

SMALL BUSINESS SPONSORS:Al Torstrick Insurance Agency

Cumberland Valley National BankHurst Office Suppliers, Inc.

Melia RealtyPrecision Duplicating Solutions

The Downtown Lexington Corporationand the Lexington Downtown Develop-ment Authority were recently consolidatedto form the Downtown Lexington Partner-ship (DLP), and following an extensive na-tional search, Terry Sweeney was namedthe organization’s first president and chiefexecutive officer. An Indianapolis native,Sweeney previously served as executive di-rector of the Corpus Christi (Texas) Down-town Management District and as vicepresident of real estate development forIndianapolis Downtown, Inc.

During the next Commerce LexingtonInc. SPOTLIGHT Series event presentedby Fifth Third Bank on Wednesday, April 11, begin-ning at 8:30 a.m. at the Mane on Main (201 EastMain St., Suite 1500), Mr. Sweeney will discuss hisnew role with the Downtown Lexington Partnership,as well as some of the organization’s focus areas andthe creation of a new three-year strategic plan fordowntown Lexington.

ABOUT THE DLP:The DLP provides a strategically coordi-nated approach to downtown revitalizationand management and acts as the singlepoint of contact and accountability. Specif-ically, DLP works to create a successful, vi-brant downtown by proactively andstrategically working with its partners.

TO REGISTER:The cost the attend this SPOTLIGHT Se-ries event is $29 per person for CommerceLexington Inc. members and $39 per per-son for potential members. To register, e-mail to [email protected] or

register on-line at www.CommerceLexington.com.

EXHIBIT SPACE:For member companies who would like to show offtheir products/services through this SPOTLIGHTevent, exhibit space is available at a cost of $195. Re-serve your space on the SPOTLIGHT registrationpage at CommerceLexington.com.

TERRY SWEENEYDOWNTOWNLEXINGTONPARTNERSHIP


\\\ EVENTS: LEADERSHIP VISIT

Commerce Lexington Inc.’s annual LeadershipVisit is among the largest and longest-running in-tercity trips in the country among chambers ofcommerce. Over the years, these trips havehelped expose Central Kentucky leaders to the bestideas of model communities throughout theUnited States, yielding valuable lessons that havebeen applied to the improvement of the BluegrassRegion.

You may recognize several things in Lexingtonthat were influenced by or a direct result of ourLeadership Visits. Things like the wildly popularThursday Night Live downtown, Coldstream Re-search Park, Commerce Lexington’s Minority Busi-ness Development Division and Access Loansmall business financing program, enhancementsin our trail system, improvements in FayetteCounty Public Schools facilities, and the EMERGEconference for emerging leaders all came fromideas, meetings and discussions that took placeduring a Leadership Visit.

Commerce Lexington Inc. is pleased to an-nounce that the 2018 Leadership Visit presentedby Central Bank & Trust Co. will take us to Boise,Idaho, from May 8 - 10, 2018. Boise and Lexingtonshare several similarities, including population ageand size (both county and MSA), a low cost of liv-ing and doing business, an educated workforce, aplethora of higher education institutions, low un-employment rates, and a high quality of life.

During this trip, we’ll take a look at what Boisedoes well in the areas of talent recruitment, edu-cation, workforce, entrepreneurial support, place-making, and more, and why it is consistentlyranked among the top cities to visit, to live, and towork. In fact, one source recently described Boiseas “what cool looks like before the rest of the world

has figured it out.” Join us as we find out whyBoise is topping the charts in mid-sized city rank-ings.

According to the Boise Valley Economic Part-nership, Boise is the 99th-largest city in the nationwith a county population of 392,365 and 683,525in the greater metropolitan area. It is the hub ofcommerce, banking and government for the stateof Idaho and is located midway between Salt LakeCity and Portland. Idaho is among the top fivefastest-growing states in the nation.

TO REGISTER:Registration is available now for the LeadershipVisit to Boise, Idaho, May 8-10, 2018. For regis-tration options and more information, visitwww.commercelexington.com/boise-2018.html.

Talent Recruitment, Education, Workforce Among Topics of Focus for Trip

BOISE, IDAHO | TUESDAY - THURSDAY, MAY 8 - 10, 2018

OPENING NIGHT RECEPTION SPONSOR:Saint Joseph Hospital & Saint JosephEast, part of KentuckyOne Health

PLATINUM SPONSORS:Baptist Health LexingtonKentucky Utilities Co.MCM CPA’s & AdvisorsThe McBrayer Law FirmStites & Harbison, PLLCUnified Trust Company

WesBanco

GOLD SPONSORS:KLH Engineers

Lexington Legends

BRIEFING BOOK SPONSOR:J.J.B. Hilliard, W.L. Lyons, LLC

NAMETAG SPONSOR:Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs, LLP

WIFI/TEXT ALERT SPONSOR:Hanna Resource Group

CHARGING STATION SPONSOR:Friends of Coal

PRESENTED BY


///EVENTS: INTERNATIONAL TRIP

SEPTEMBER 15-26, 2018

Experience the Best of Chile & Argentina During CLX International TripFor the eighth consecutive year, Commerce Lex-

ington Inc. is pleased offer a unique internationaltravel opportunity for its members and the generalpublic. Commerce Lexington’s International Trip Se-ries has taken groups to China, Cuba, Vietnam/Cam-bodia, Dubai, Croatia, Sicily, and South Africa. In2018, CLX will offer yet another attractive destination,which will enable travelers to take part in this populargroup travel experience.

Commerce Lexington Inc. is partnering with Aven-tura World by Central Holidays West for a 10-day, 9-night trip to Chile and Argentina from September15-26, 2018. Revel in the energy and enthusiasm ofChile and Argentina on this journey from Santiago toIguassu Falls. Visit Santiago de Chile, a truly cosmopolitan city with itscolonial charm, neoclassical plazas and stylish neighborhoods.

Wind through the country lanes of the Mendoza region and be en-chanted with its vineyards, wineries, mineral waters springs and breath-taking Andes, Canyon and Valley views. Explore Buenos Aires, called theParis of South America, with its cafes, tango shows, restaurants, colonialsites and great shopping. Finally, discover the majestic Iguassu Falls, themost magnificent waterfalls in the world!

REGISTRATION INFORMATION:Departing from Miami, the cost for this once-in-a-lifetime trip is$4,699 per person (double occupancy) for CLX members, $4,799per person (double occupancy) for non-members, and includeshotels, most meals, day trips, and airfare from Miami. For moreinformation on the itinerary or registration options, visitwww.commercelexington.com/argentina-chile-2018.html or con-tact Lynda Bebrowsky at [email protected].

sider further changes to SB 1 to address con-cerns of education lobbying groups, who havestrongly opposed reforms. SB 1 seeks to imple-ment important structural reforms to the state'spublic employee pension systems, including theKentucky Teachers Retirement System, to re-duce the risk to taxpayers in future years. SB 66provides a contribution phase-in to help localgovernments and schools adjust and imple-ment the increased required contributions effec-tive July 2018. For the City of Lexington, thismeans approximately $10 million in additionalfunding for pension contributions. Kentuckyhas one of the worst funded pension systems inthe nation with $40-60 billion in unfunded lia-bilities, an amount four-to-six times the state’sGeneral Fund budget. This liability puts Ken-tucky at risk for lower bond ratings by creditingagencies and increased costs for local and stateprojects. The pension crisis is also impactingour ability to attract jobs. Businesses looking tolocate new operations want to be confident thestate’s fiscal house is in order and our state hasfavorable financial ratings. Structural changes

with the current defined benefit system must beaddressed to put the systems on a path to finan-cial solvency.

Workers’ Comp System Reform: HB 2 makes important modernizations to thestate's workers’ compensation system to help im-prove outcomes for businesses and employers.

Tax Reform:Although comprehensive tax reform appears un-likely this session, HB 599 has been discussedas a starting point. It contains several provi-sions, such as lowering the individual and cor-porate income taxes and increasing the statesales tax to 8%. It also takes away the tax ex-emption for the sale of horses under two yearsof age, which may discourage selling or buyingin Kentucky. Commerce Lexington Inc. has alsoworked to advocate for support for tax creditsfor angel investors that support Central Ken-tucky’s growing innovation start-ups (HB 312).

Bourbon/Winery Tourism:HB 400 allows bourbon distilleries and smallfarm wineries to ship their products, if the pur-chaser is in-person at a distillery or winery visi-tor center.

Net Metering:HB 227 revises the state's net metering laws forprivate solar to ensure fairness and low-cost en-ergy rates for all customers and allows the PSCto set rates for solar energy customers.

Essential Skills Curriculum:HB 3 Encourages K-12 schools to adopt softskills and drug prevention curriculum.

Infrastructure Funding: HB 609 raises additional revenues to meet Ken-tucky's infrastructure needs through increases inthe state's gas tax (10 cents), increases in the li-cense and regulatory user fees, and the implemen-tation of a user fee for electric and hybrid vehicles.


\\\ PUBLIC POLICY: LEGISLATIVE SESSION

Commerce Lexington Inc.to Host Blood Drive onThursday, April 12th

SESSION | Continued from Page 6

Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needsblood. To put that in perspective, by the timeyou’ve read this, 20 people will need a bloodtransfusion – people with families and friends justlike you. Even though red blood cells can bestored for 42 days, blood for hospitals is alwaysin short supply. A single car accident victim canrequire as many as 100 pints of blood. This is whyblood is in constant demand at Kentucky hospi-tals. Blood cannot be created in a laboratory. Itmust come from human donors, one pint at atime.

For the second consecutive year, CommerceLexington Inc. hopes to address this need by host-ing a BLOOD DRIVE on Thursday, April 12, from9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Commerce Lexington’sfirst floor conference room. The blood drive willbe conducted by representatives of the KentuckyBlood Center, and photo I.D. is required in orderto give blood.

SIGN UP ON-LINE TO GIVE:For your convenience, donation times can be re-served on-line at the Kentucky Blood Center’s website at https://my.kybloodcenter.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/65833.

The University of Kentucky/University of LouisvilleExecutive MBA program gives participants hands-onskills and real-world knowledge applicable to a varietyof challenging work situations, while supporting per-sonal and career growth, as well as leadership devel-opment. The goal is to help ‘up-and-coming’

business professionals develop the confidence andknowledge they need to take the next step in advanc-ing as a leader in their field. The program was recentlyranked 28th in the world by CEO Magazine – a rank-ing that reflects the focus on excellence in areas in-cluding faculty talent, student experience, andinclusiveness in the program.

For many years, Commerce Lexington Inc. has rec-ognized the importance of nurturing young leadersand providing leadership development opportunitiesto individuals in our community and region throughits Leadership Lexington and Leadership Central Ken-tucky programs. Between the two programs, morethan 1,600 people have become more knowledgeableabout the region in which they live, while actively con-tributing to efforts to enhance the Bluegrass througha variety of class projects.

Through a partnership formed between Com-merce Lexington Inc. and the University of Kentucky’sGatton College of Business & Economics, a scholar-ship in the amount of $10,000 will be available to aCommerce Lexington Inc. member to help defray thecost of the program beginning in August 2018. Thegoal is to provide an opportunity for an advancingcorporate leader to demonstrate their desire to im-prove the economic environment of Central Kentucky,while furthering their own personal development.

UK/UofL EXECUTIVE MBASCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS:To qualify for the scholarship, those within the Com-merce Lexington Inc. membership must complete anapplication that includes an essay outlining how theirparticipation in the program would benefit both them-selves and Central Kentucky as a whole. Scholarshipapplications are available online at www.commercelexington.com/ukul-executive-mba-scholarship.html,with a submission deadline of April 15th, 2018. Ad-ditionally, the scholarship candidate must meet all theadmission criteria for the UK-UofL Executive MBAprogram detailed at http://ExecMBA.biz/apply.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:Scholarship applications will be reviewed by both rep-resentatives of Commerce Lexington Inc. and the Uni-versity of Kentucky’s Gatton College of Business &Economics, and a recipient will be recommended tothe EMBA Admissions Committee, who will thenmake the final determination. For questions aboutthe Commerce Lexington Inc. EMBA Scholarship op-portunity, contact Lynda Bebrowsky [email protected]. For ques-tions about the UK-UofL Executive MBA program ingeneral, contact Lorna Patches (859) 257-7636.


///CONNECT: UK/UofL EXECUTIVE MBA PROGRAM

Scholarship Opp. Available for 2018-19 UK/UofL Executive MBA Program

APPLICATION DEADLINE IS APRIL 15, 2018

During Madison County day, the cohort of Leadership Central Ken-tucky discovered key resources of what keeps the county thriving, as wellas what could hurt the county. What keeps the county thriving is the levelof community support. Kentucky State Trooper Purdy, Public Affairs Of-ficer, gave an amazing presentation on the drug epidemic of MadisonCounty. The presentation covered “slang” words utilized among childrenand discussed how marketing in “drug use” makes a negative impacton school-aged children. The presentation also covered all drug para-phernalia and how a simple click on Amazon can allow these kinds oftools to easily enter the communities within Madison County.

The next destination on the agenda was the Kentucky Department ofCriminal Justice Training Center on Eastern Kentucky University’s cam-pus. This tour included the amount of training newly-hired (except Lex-ington PD, Louisville PD, and Kentucky State Police) police officersthroughout the state go through prior to joining the force.

Moving across the Eastern Bypass, we met Dr. David McFadden,Vice President of Engagement and Regional Stewardship, and Dr. TomOtieno, Dean for the College of Science, to discuss Education and Lead-ership. Both Dr. McFadden and Dr. Otieno, were confident in the ad-vancements Eastern Kentucky University has made within science andtechnology, and growth among the campus with new dining halls andresident halls, and reminded the cohort of how strong the university re-mains despite external factors such as a drug epidemic and state budgetshortfalls.

After a down-home-southern-style meal at the beautiful Kentucky Ar-tisan Center, our group ventured to another gem within Madison County,Berea College. President Lyle Roelofs passionately discussed the richhistory behind what makes Berea College an amazing place for both stu-dents and alumni. One bonus to what makes Berea college unique isthe free tuition most of the students can utilize while getting an educa-tion.

To end the day, the cohort went to visit the Bluegrass Depot De-miloperation for training, and took a quick tour of the Bluegrass ChemicalAgent-Destruction Pilot Plant. Both locations involve an extremely rig-orous process to the breakdown of military weapons.


\\\ CONNECT: LEADERSHIP CENTRAL KENTUCKY

Leadership Central Kentucky Class Explores Richmond, Madison County

BY PATRESE A. NESBITT, EKU STUDENT HEALTH SERVICES | FULL RECAP POSTED AT www.LeadershipCentralKentucky.com

PRESENTED BY

PLATINUM SPONSOR

GOLD SPONSOR:Kentucky American Water

SILVER SPONSORS:Ale-8-One

Kentucky Bank

BOOK SPONSOR:CV Sciences

DAY SPONSOR:Leadership Madison County

ABOVE: Leadership Central Ky. classmembers at the Department of CriminalJustice Training. (CLX Staff Photo)

As a company looking torelocate, Craftsmanship Cor-poration had several majorpriorities to consider: tax in-centives, a skilled workforce,and security. In making thedecision for relocation, Crafts-manship toured three majorcommunities in Kentucky: Air-port County, University City,and Outlying Metro County.Indiana and North Carolinaalso offered incentives toCraftsmanship, but ultimately,the company opted to relo-cate to University City, a com-munity loosely based uponLexington.

This economic development simulation taughtthis year’s Leadership Lexington participants valuablelessons in site location, workforce development, andtax incentives, not to mention the value of interper-sonal skills in securing new job opportunities for acommunity. The class was divided into six groups:three corporations seeking a new location and threecommunities attempting to lure them. This was ahighlight of our Economic Development Day Session.

Before the group began the activities that eco-nomic development professionals participate in everyday, they were prepared with informative panels. Thefirst panel discussed workforce development, includ-ing the strides and challenges the Lexington marketfaces. Representatives from Toyota, Bluegrass Com-munity and Technical College, Kentucky Workforce In-novation Board, and the Mayor’s Office shared theirperspectives and answered questions about this com-

plicated subject. The next panel discussed relocated and expanded

businesses and featured representatives from Tiffany& Co., Neogen, MakeTime, and Innovative MattressSolutions. The new location for Blue Grass Stockyardsprovided an appropriate backdrop for the day, servingas an example of innovative agri-tourism, with thespace featuring retail shops, a restaurant, classroomspace, and other features that are appealing to morethan those in the market for buying cattle.

The class also received a dose of humility whendivided up into teams for a “Wage Game,” in whichthey predicted the financial rankings of wages for in-dustries throughout the region.

Overall, it was an enlightening and educationalday for the class, as we gained new insights into thenuances and various factors of the economic devel-opment process.


///CONNECT: LEADERSHIP LEXINGTON

Leadership Lex. Learns About Economic Development Strategies, Challenges

RECAP BY LIZ ROACH, KENTUCKY ACADEMY OF EYE PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS (KAEPS)

PLATINUM SPONSORS

BRONZE SPONSORS:Kentucky Employers’ Mutual

InsuranceLG&E & KU Energy

Lexington Clinic FoundationToyota Motor Manufacturing,

Kentucky, Inc.

BOOK SPONSOR:Lexington History Museum

PRESENTED BY

Photo by M

ark Mahan, M

ahan M

ultim

edia

Mahan MultimediaWhere L ight Meets Stor y™

2018-19 Leadership Lexington Applications Available on April 16thApplications are available beginning Monday, April 16, 2018, for the2018-19 Leadership Lexington program. This leadership develop-ment program is sponsored by Commerce Lexington Inc. and di-rected toward individuals who demonstrate leadership qualities.Since 1979, this popular program has been giving participants theopportunity to better understand our city and to prepare for the chal-lenges it faces by meeting with and learning from our leaders.

LEADERSHIP LEXINGTON ENABLES PARTICIPANTS TO:l Gain exposure to current issues and developments;l Visit local sites and facilities;l Meet local and state leaders;l Develop and expand network of contacts;

l Broaden their perspectives and understanding; l Build friendships and working relationships with class members;l Give back to the community through participation in group projects.

Residents and individuals who work in the Lexington area are eligibleto apply for Leadership Lexington. Applicants must be employed byfirms or organizations that are active members of Commerce Lexing-ton Inc.

The deadline to return applications for the 2018-19program is Wednesday, May 16, 2018. Downloadan application at www.leadershiplexington.com.

\\\

\\\

CONNECT: LEADERSHIP YOUTH


AMBASSADOR SPOTLIGHT

Donnie Niehaus, Ward Hocker Thornton, PLLC

Youth Class Members Learn Tips for Higher Education Decision Process

ABOUT DONNIE NIEHAUS: An attorney at Ward HockerThornton, PLLC, Donnie Niehaus focuses on representing em-ployers in workers’ compensation claims, while also handlingemployment law and general litigation matters. He also collab-orates with businesses to prevent workplace injuries and de-velop strategies for quickly and cost-effectively bringing theiremployees back to work after an injury. WHT is primarily an in-surance defense firm with offices in Lexington and Louisville.

ABOUT BEING A LAWYER: “The daily challenges of being alawyer are numerous and include staying current on legal is-sues to predicting future trends,” said Niehaus. “Additionally,being a lawyer is the definition of the customer service indus-try, and I strive to ensure I am exceeding my client’s needs.”

ABOUT SERVING AS AN AMBASSADOR: “I enjoy serving asan Ambassador, because it gives me the opportunity to meetpeople with other interests and from other industries that Iwould not otherwise come into contact with,” he said. “Addi-tionally, I am exposed to businesses that I never even knewexisted. My favorite events to attend are ribbon cuttings fornew businesses. The stories of the entrepreneurs and theirbusinesses are very inspiring.”

WHAT HE LIKES ABOUT LEXINGTON: “I enjoy Lexington, be-cause it’s a smaller town with all of the amenities and oppor-tunities of a bigger metropolitan area. The city has great charm.The area is gorgeous and food is absolutely tremendous. Thecost of living is also lower than many other cities.”

DONNIENIEHAUS

Read More About Our Ambassadors at www.CommerceLexington.com > Connect > Volunteer Opportunities

333 W. VINE ST., SUITE 1100, LEXINGTON, KY 40507 | (859) 422-6000 | [email protected]

RECAP BY ELIZABETH BOWLING, HENRY CLAY HIGH SCHOOL

College is fast approaching forme and my peers from the Lex-ington Leadership Youth pro-gram (LLYP), and it can be veryintimidating and difficult to makechoices at such a young age thatwill affect the rest of your life.However, our latest LLYP sessionwas meant to prepare us forwhat’s to come in the upcomingsummer and school year. Westarted and finished our meetingwith the opportunity to voice ourquestions and concerns aboutcollege to actual college stu-dents, as well as hear testimoni-als from them about their owncollege experience so far. This was a refreshing per-spective to have about college, since so much of whatwe hear comes from adults that haven’t been in thesame system of higher education recently that we willbe entering in a little over a year.

We then heard from a remarkable group of stu-dents who advocate on behalf of Kentucky students.They provided us with valuable information on howto be active in our schools and promote positivechange to school policies through proper studentrepresentation. I found their presentation inspiring,and it opened my mind to what students can accom-plish when we speak our minds.

Before our insightful luncheon on etiquette, wehad a presentation from a college planner, SeanSmith, on the best practices to get into higher edu-cation institutions. This was the most educationalpart of the meeting, in my opinion, because I wasvery unsure about the application process. I didn’tknow how many schools I should apply for, where toget scholarship information, and the difference be-tween or the significance of early and regular action.I was going into the application process blind, butafter the meeting all those questions were answered,and I felt motivated and prepared to start applying touniversities in the fall.

PRESENTED BY

PLATINUM SPONSORS

BRONZE SPONSORS:Central Bank & Trust Co.

Sleep OutfittersToyota Motor Manufacturing,

Kentucky, Inc.

BEVERAGE SPONSOR:Ale-8-One

Trustee Member

Trustee Member


///WELCOME NEW MEMBERS

Amada Senior Care of LexingtonHome Health ServiceMain Contact: James Bernoski333 West Vine Street, Suite 300Lexington, KY 40507Phone: (859) 963-1842www.amadalexington.com

ATD Solutions LLCBookkeeping ServiceMain Contact: Jacqueline Kopp2333 Alexandria DriveLexington, KY 40504Phone: (859) 308-1605www.atdsolutions.com

Bellevue UniversitySchool-Postsecondary EducationMain Contact: Angela Jessee1000 Galvin Road SouthBellevue, NE 68005Phone: (859) 533-7803http://transfer.bellevue.edu/bluegrass

BF CapitalPrivate Equity InvestingMain Contact: Dale Boden333 E. Main St., Louisville, KY 40202Phone: (502) 587-1860www.wellerequity.com

Big League RoofersRoofing ContractorsMain Contact: Riley Wolfe2901 Richmond Road, Suite 140Lexington, KY 40509Phone: (859) 693-7663www.bigleagueroofers.com

Bluegrass Computers & TechnologyInformation TechnologyMain Contact: Eric Crabtree1795 Alysheba Way, Suite 6202Lexington, KY 40509Phone: (859) 363-6999www.bluegrasscomputers.com

Capstone RealtyReal EstateMain Contact: Annette Peters12910 Shelbyville Road, Suite 200Louisville, KY 40243Phone: (502) 254-5001www.capstonerealty.com

Enderle & Romans, PLLCAccountantsMain Contact: Owen Sutton318 E. Main Street, 2nd FloorLexington, KY 40507Phone: (859) 254-4428www.enderlecpa.com

Frankie's Corner Little Thoroughbred CrusadeNon-Profit OrganizationsMain Contact: Jermo Reese1863 Marlboro DriveLexington, KY 40505Phone: (323) 378-2249www.frankiescorner.org

Goeing Goeing & McQuinn PLLCAttorneysMain Contact: Stanley Goeing300 East Main St., Suite 150Lexington, KY 40507Phone: (859) 534-9327www.kylawpractice.com

Steven Haines DMDDentistsMain Contact: Steven Haines1608 Cumberland Falls Hwy.Corbin, KY 40701Phone: (606) 523-2411www.hainesdental.com

HealthMarketsInsurance & Financial PlanningMain Contact: Chris Brewer602 Ogden St., Somerset, KY 42501Phone: (615) 498-3570

Henry Clay Memorial FoundationHistorical PlacesMain Contact: James Clark120 Sycamore RoadLexington, KY 40502Phone: (859) 266-8581www.henryclay.org

Infinity HVAC LLCAir Conditioning & Heating SystemsMain Contact: Velicia MartindaleP.O. Box 1483, Versailles, KY 40383Phone: (859) 552-3893www.infinityhvacky.com

James Pepper Distilling Co.DistilleryMain Contact: Tylar Culver1288 Manchester Street, #100Lexington, KY 40504Phone: (859) 693-5276www.jamesepepper.com

Jennifer Parsons - RE/MAX Elite RealtyRealtorsMain Contact: Jennifer Parsons203 Ruccio Way, Lexington, KY 40503Phone: (859) 351-1747www.jenniferlparsons.com

John Michul Law PLLCAttorneysMain Contact: John Michul250 W. Main St., Suite 3000Lexington, KY 40507Phone: (859) 545-1166

Kentucky State Police FoundationNon-Profit OrganizationsMain Contact: David Jude1303 US 127 South 402-204Frankfort, KY 40601www.kspfoundation.org

Lexington Farmers' MarketFruits & Vegetables-RetailMain Contact: Joshua EnglandP.O. Box 553, Lexington, KY 40588Phone: (859) 608-2655www.lexingtonfarmersmarket.com

Louie's Wine Dive & Chevy Chase KitchenRestaurantsMain Contact: Whitney VinZant854 E. High St., Lexington, KY 40502Phone: (859) 523-7900www.louieswinedive.com

Martine's PastriesBakeriesMain Contact: Martine Holzman400 E. Third St., Lexington, KY 40508Phone: (859) 231-9110http://martinespastries.com

omar + elsieWomen's ApparelMain Contact: Joy-Robyn DixonFenwick114 Old Lafayette Ave.Lexington, KY 40502Phone: (859) 231-6627www.omarandelsie.com

Perio Health, LLCBiomedical TechnologyMain Contact: Brutus Clay300 West Vine St., Suite 2200Lexington, KY 40507Phone: (859) 253-2255

The Prissy Peach BoutiqueClothingMain Contact: Holly Goeing882 E. High St., Lexington, KY 40502Phone: (859) 382-7611www.shopthepeach.com

Securitas Security Services, USA, Inc.Security Guard & Patrol ServicesMain Contact: Joseph Olive870 Corporate Drive, Suite 402Lexington, KY 40503Phone: (859) 252-8777www.securitasinc.com

Shaker Village of Pleasant HillHistorical PlacesMain Contact: Maynard Crossland3501 Lexington RoadHarrodsburg, KY 40330Phone: (859) 734-1541www.shakervillageky.org

Spectrum ReachAdvertising-OtherMain Contact: Amy Lassman101 Prosperous Place, Suite 250Lexington, KY 40509Phone: (859) 514-2471www.spectrumreach.com

Gary Stewart, Ph.D.PsychologistsMain Contact: Gary Stewart436 West Second StreetLexington, KY 40507Phone: (859) 699-6005

Tidy Tim Cleaning CompanyJanitorial ServicesMain Contact: Brad Pagel1018 E. New Circle Rd., Suite 208Lexington, KY 40505Phone: (859) 536-6254https://tidytimcleaning.com

Volo Careers InternationalExecutive Search ConsultantsMain Contact: Everett Bracken212 Chenault RoadLexington, KY 40502Phone: (859) 523-3071www.volocareers.com

WoodSpring Suites LexingtonHotels/MotelsMain Contact: Brenda Davenport2370 Lake Park RoadLexington, KY 40502Phone: (859) 269-6677www.woodspring.com/extended-stay-hotels/locations/kentucky/lex-ington/hotels

NEW COMMERCE LEXINGTON INC. MEMBERS FOR THE PERIOD OF FEBRUARY 19 THROUGH MARCH 19, 2018

\\\ MEMBER PERSONNEL ANNOUNCEMENTS

Holly B. Wiedemann of AU Associates, Inc. inLexington was one of six women recognized bythe Kentucky Chapter of the National Associationof Women Business Owners (NAWBO). She wasnamed Thrive Business Owner of the Year duringthe 2018 EPIC Awards Gala in Louisville.

Bank of the Bluegrass & Trust Co. welcomedback Jennifer Frye, AVP, as senior mortgage loanofficer.

Blue & Co., LLC welcomed the following individ-uals in its Lexington office: Amy Sandlin as man-ager on the tax team; Sarah Bailey as anadministrative assistant; Blake Brinkman, an in-tern on the audit team; and Sydni Beasley, JohnBrown, and Sean Sutton as interns on the taxteam.

Cambridge Insurance announced the addition ofJohn Chamness to the sales staff as a personaland commercial new business development pro-ducer.

Community Trust and Investment Company an-nounced that Jason L. Ayers has joined CTIC’sWealth and Trust Management team as a rela-tionship officer for private wealth services.

Dean Dorton Allen Ford, PLLC, was recentlynamed as a Top Firm in the Southeast again,along with being named to the “Beyond the Top100: Firms to Watch” list by Accounting Today.

FASTSIGNS of Lexington, a local sign and visualgraphics provider, was recognized as a top per-forming center at the recent 2018 FASTSIGNSConvention in Houston. Owned by Conda andDon Marcum, FASTSIGNS of Lexington receivedthe Pinnacle Club Award, which is given to cen-ters ranked 26 to 125 in sales volume betweenOct. 1, 2016 and Sept. 30, 2017.

Jamie Roby Johnson has been named as market-ing specialist for First Security Bank and will co-ordinate advertising, promotions and publicrelations for all of the bank’s markets, includingOwensboro, Bowling Green, Franklin and Lexing-ton in Kentucky, as well as Evansville and New-burgh, Indiana.

The Huntington National Bank was recently rec-ognized with a “Gold Lender Award” from theUnited States Small Business Administration(SBA) as Kentucky’s Top Overall Regional SBALender for the federal fiscal year ending Septem-ber 30, 2017, with 82 new SBA 7a loans author-ized for more than $21.7 million.

JRA Architects announced that Craig Chamber-lain, AIA, has passed his exams and is now a reg-istered architect. Additionally, Bryan Nicholasjoined the firm as an emerging professional.

Keeneland announced the additions of Kyle Wil-son and Dean Roethemeier to its sales team assales associates.

Kentucky American Water was recognized by theKentucky Department for Environmental Protec-tion’s KY EXCEL program for exemplary effortsin environmental stewardship. KY EXCEL pre-sented the company with a Beacon Award in re-source support for its partnership with BluegrassGreensource, a regional environmental educa-tion organization, to provide educational work-shops on water conservation and watershedprotection that also enabled participants to makerain barrels for their own use. In 2018 alone, 10such educational workshops funded by KentuckyAmerican Water, with a total of 113 rain barrelsconstructed.

Keller Williams Greater Lexington announced thefollowing new agents: Kim Ford; Rachel Good;Maurice Spaulding; Lindsay Sebastian; AdamSmith; and Amanda Yeary.

The Lexington-Bluegrass Association of Realtors(LBAR) recently announced Justin Landon as itsnext CEO. Selected following a nationwidesearch, Landon previously served as vice presi-dent of government affairs for the San AntonioBoard of Realtors and will join LBAR in April.

Littler Mendelson’s Lexington office announcedthat Michael D. Hornback joined the firm as spe-cial counsel. His practice focuses on employ-ment and general litigation in state and federalcourts in Kentucky and Tennessee.

Midway University President Dr. John P. Mars-den was recently recognized with the Excellencein Education Vision Award from Bluegrass To-morrow. The annual Vision Awards pay tribute toindividuals and businesses in the 18-county re-gion dedicated to improving quality of life andplace.

NAI Isaac welcomed Jimmy White to its team asa sales/leasing associate with a primary focus onretail space in Lexington and surrounding centralKentucky. Meanwhile, Jim Holbrook, an agentwith NAI Isaac, has been promoted to senior as-sociate.

Omni Architects announced the addition of twonew design team members, including LibbyLamb and Shelby Hilliard.

Sargent and Greenleaf, a STANLEY Security sub-sidiary and manufacturer of high security locks,recently named Keith Deaton as the company’snew COO.

Shaker Village at Pleasant Hill recently namedBarry Stumbo as chief development officer.

Steptoe & Johnson PLLC recently welcomedHeather L. Cavanagh to the firm’s leadership asdirector of recruiting and professional develop-ment. Cavanagh will oversee the firm’s attorneyrecruitment program including the formationand implementation of recruiting strategies andcandidate selection, as well as acting as liaisonto law schools and career services offices acrossthe country.

Traditional Bank welcomed Nicole Ware andPatrick Towles as business development associ-ates.

Taran McZee has been named Transylvania Uni-versity’s new associate vice president for diver-sity and inclusion. He has more than twelveyears of higher education experience in diversityand inclusion services, multicultural affairs andinternational programs.

Gregg Muravchick, director of Transylvania Uni-versity’s Department of Public Safety, has beenselected to receive a TOP COPS Awards honorfor his actions during an attack last April in acampus coffee shop. Lexington Police Com-mander Brian Maynard nominated Chief Mu-ravchick for the prestigious award, presented bythe National Association of Police Organiza-tions, which he will receive during a ceremony onMay 14 in Washington, D.C.

TrinSoft welcomed Laura Claytor to its MicrosoftDynamics team.

SUBMIT PERSONNEL NEWS:Submit your company’s awards, personnel changes,additions, or promotions for Business Focus [email protected]. Informationis published in the order received & as space permits.


Commerce Lexington Inc.330 East Main Street, Suite 100P.O. Box 1968Lexington, KY 40588-1968

PeriodicalPostage PAIDat Lexington,Kentucky

APRIL 2018:@330 Series presented by Distillery Heights, 3:30 - 5:00 p.m.,at Commerce Lexington’s first floor conference room.

SPOTLIGHT Series presented by Fifth Third Bank, 8:30 - 10a.m., at The Mane on Main (201 E. Main St.) - SEE PAGE 10

Leadership Lexington Youth Program presented by UKHealthCare: Graduation Day.

Blood Drive courtesy of Ky. Blood Center, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. atCommerce Lex.’s 1st floor conference room. - SEE PAGE 13

Leadership Lexington co-presented by Child Care Council ofKy./McGregor & Associates, Inc.: Diversity Day.

Deadline to submit scholarship applications for 2018-19UK/UofL Executive MBA Program. - SEE PAGE 14

Applications for 2018-19 Leadership Lexington program becomeavailable at www.CommerceLexington.com. - SEE PAGE 16

SPARK Women in Entrepreneurship Luncheon, 11:30 a.m. - 1:30p.m. at Malone’s Prime Events & Reception. - SEE PAGE 5

Leadership Central Kentucky presented by LG&E & KU Energyat Clark County.

Business Link co-sponsored by The Club at UK’s SpindletopHall and Unified Trust Co., 4:30 - 6:30 p.m., at The Club at UK’sSpindletop Hall (3414 Iron Works Pike). - SEE PAGE 9

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MAY 2018:@330 Series presented by Distillery Heights, 3:30 - 5:00 p.m.,at Commerce Lexington’s first floor conference room.

Leadership Visit to Boise, Idaho, presented by Central Bank &Trust Co. See trip information on PAGE 11.

Leadership Central Kentucky presented by LG&E & KU Energy:Reflection & Graduation Day.

Applications for 2018-19 Leadership Lexington program aredue today. More information on PAGE 16 of this issue.

Leadership Lexington co-presented by Child Care Council ofKy./McGregor & Associates, Inc.: Equine Day.

New Member Luncheon presented by WindstreamCommunications, 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., at CommerceLexington Inc.’s first floor conference room.

Commerce Lexington Inc. offices CLOSED for Memorial Dayholiday.

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\\\ COMMERCE LEXINGTON: UPCOMING EVENTS

Documents

BUSINESS FOCUS - Commerce Lexington · 2018-03-28 · finish legislative business or override vetoes be - fore adjourning sine die. Budget: o The priority this session has been the