Dozens of local business, government and community leaders will descend on Washington, D.C. on July 6-7 to discuss federal policy issues and share the concerns of the Central Kentucky business community with Congressional leaders, agency officials and legislative experts.
The Bluegrass region’s annual Washington, D.C. Fly-in, presented by Columbia Gas of Kentucky, has established multiple federal legislative priorities, including support for: regulatory and tax reforms, the federal workforce system, FAA re-authorization, higher education re-authorization, funding for research and innovation grants, fair labor policies, improved access to capital for community banks and the region’s signature industries.
Attendees for the Washington Fly-in represent various sectors of the local economy such as government, banking, health care, non-profit, education, manufacturing, energy, and professional services, and will act as “policy ambassadors” for the region during the two-day trip.
Those attendees for 2016 include:
• Rusty Ashcraft, manager, government affairs and environmental policy, Alliance Coal, LLC
• Kevin Atkins, chief development officer, City of Lexington
• Bob Babbage, leading lobbyist, Babbage Cofounder
• Brian Babbage, Babbage Cofounder
• Julie Babbage, director, Babbage Cofounder
• Laura Babbage, corporate social responsibility, Babbage Cofounder
• Lynda Bebrowsky, executive vice president, membership and engagement, Commerce Lexington Inc.
• Bill Bissett, president, Kentucky Coal Association
• Carla Blanton, president, Carla Blanton Consulting
• David Boggs, president/CEO, Opportunity for Work and Learning
• Tim Burcham, vice president, KCTCS
• Amy Caudill, director of marketing and community relations, Blue Grass Airport
• Ashlea Christiansen, director of government relations, Passport Health Plan
• John Cooper, managing partner, Capital Link Consultants
• Kevin Courtois, congressional and public affairs manager, Great Lakes Region, U. S. Chamber of Commerce
• Elizabeth Croney, president, KVC Behavioral HealthCare Kentucky, Inc.
• Luther Deaton, chairman/president/CEO, Central Bank & Trust Co.
• Michael Delzotti, president and CEO, Markey Cancer Foundation
• Betsy Dexter, executive director, Business and Education Network, Commerce Lexington Inc.
• Stephen Dobson, professor, University of Kentucky, and CEO, MosquitoMate, Inc.
• David Freibert, director, external affairs, LG&E and KU Energy
• Gina Greathouse, executive vice president, economic development, Commerce Lexington Inc.
• Tom Harris, vice president for university relations, University of Kentucky
• Bob Helton, economic development manager, R J Corman Railroad Group
• Pamela Jenkins, public policy representative, Kentucky Blood Center
• Andi Johnson, chief policy officer and director of regional engagement, Commerce Lexington Inc.
• Patrick Keal, government affairs director, Big Ass Solutions
• Eric King, director, federal relations, University of Kentucky
• Jeff Koonce, regional president, Your Community Bank
• Eric Lycan, partner, Dinsmore & Shohl LLP
• Brack Marquette, director, government affairs regulated revenue CKY, Columbia Gas of Kentucky
• Barry Mayfield, vice president, strategic planning/external affairs, East Kentucky Power Cooperative, Inc.
• E. Sam McGee, M.D., chairman of the board, Kentucky Blood Center
• Kristin Meadors, director of governmental affairs, Kentucky Distillers' Association
• Laura McNichol, R J Corman Railroad Group
• Kim Menke, senior director, government affairs, Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc.
• Herb Miller, president, Columbia Gas of Kentucky
• David Moss, vice president, Kentucky Coal Association
• Michael Noftsger, executive vice president, bank administration, Forcht Bank NA
• Thomas Owen, commercial team lead, U.S. Bank
• William Prather, mayor, City of Georgetown
• Bob Quick, president & CEO, Commerce Lexington Inc.
• Ed Receski, managing member, Frost Brown Todd LLC
• Bill Reed, president/CEO, Kentucky Blood Center
• Hollie Spade, director, legislative affairs, AT&T
• Michelle Stansbury, Realtor, Lexington-Bluegrass Association of Realtors
• Alan Stein, president and CEO, SteinGroup, LLC
• Carl Tackett, president, Lexington-Bluegrass Association of Realtors
• Darryl Thompson, acting senior director of equity, Fayette County Public Schools
• Robert Trimble, director, electric distribution, LG&E and KU Energy
• Mark Turner, chief communications officer, Commerce Lexington Inc.
• Jacob Walbourn, associate, McBrayer, McGinnis, Leslie & Kirkland PLLC
• Ashton Wright, local food coordinator, City of Lexington
The annual “Kentuckians in Washington” Reception will be hosted on July 6 at Union Station to promote networking among Central Kentucky leaders and those Kentuckians living and working in various sectors in Washington.
Attendees will also receive issue briefings from representatives of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Canadian embassy officials on trade policy, and U.S. Economic Development Administration officials on development trends for local communities. Presentations will also be made on the impact of federal research funding on Central Kentucky’s economy and Zika virus prevention.
The Bluegrass Region D.C. Fly-In is organized by Commerce Lexington Inc. and the Central Kentucky Regional Public Policy Group. Members of the Regional Policy Group are responsible for crafting the federal policy agenda each year. The Regional Policy Group’s membership includes 45 business, community and government leaders hailing from within the eight-county region of Bourbon, Clark, Fayette, Franklin, Jessamine, Madison, Scott, and Woodford counties.
More information on the Fly-in can be found online at www.commercelexington.com/washington-fly-in.html.