Greg Higdon, president and CEO of the Kentucky Association of Manufacturers (KAM), has announced his plan to retire from the organization.
Hidden joined KAM’s governmental affairs team in 1994, and was named president and CEO in December 2009. Prior to joining KAM, Higdon served 10 years in the Kentucky Senate, and also served as deputy secretary of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Cabinet and as a special assistant to the Governor’s Office.
With Higdon at the helm, KAM has worked to address pressing issues such as energy and workforce development on behalf of manufacturers across the state. The organization instituted an Energy Conference to provide manufacturers with real-time examples of cost-saving options and initiatives. KAM has also been a leader in the expansion of the KY FAME program, aimed at developing skilled industrial maintenance talent. Now with ten chapters statewide, involving more than 125 member companies, 56 employer sponsors, and more than 10 partner colleges, KY FAME’s 98 percent employment rate for graduates is helping to create more highly skilled trained workers.
Higdon told the KAM Board of Directors that he will stay in his current role until an orderly transition to new leadership is complete.
“I am proud to have been a part of KAM’s support for Kentucky’s manufacturers,” said Higdon. “Manufacturing is the No. 1 contributor to Kentucky’s GDP, and KAM has a 105-year history of advocacy. I am confident that KAM is well-positioned for its next 100 years. I look forward to working with the Board of Directors and my successor to ensure a seamless transition.”