The Kentucky Entrepreneur Hall of Fame serves as both a virtual and physical destination celebrating the state’s most successful entrepreneurs. The 2024 class was honored at a banquet on November 12 at the Central Bank Center in Lexington.
“Kentucky has a long history of innovation,” said Kentucky Chamber CEO Ashli Watts. “At the Kentucky Chamber, we are part of highlighting this work through the Kentucky Entrepreneur Hall of Fame, which recognizes those in the commonwealth who, through grit and determination, achieve great entrepreneurial success.”
“Small businesses are the backbone of the economy,” said Paul Costel, Region Manager for JPMorgan Chase in Kentucky, the event’s presenting sponsor. “Entrepreneurs generate
jobs, create diverse neighborhoods, and are vital to prosperous cities. It’s an honor to celebrate these leaders and their contributions to Kentucky’s innovation and success.”
2024 Inductees
Breck Jones, President and CEO, US WorldMeds — A self-described “serial entrepreneur,” Breck Jones has founded several businesses, including the specialty pharmaceutical company US WorldMeds in 2001. Based in Louisville, the company develops and markets healthcare products aimed at improving the lives of patients with unmet medical needs.
US WorldMeds is noted for having secured FDA approval for all five of the products it has created and has earned recognition as a “Best Place to Work” by the Kentucky Chamber and KY Society for Human Resource Management for six of the past seven years.
Scott and Sean Smith, Co-Founders, Castellan Group, Zelis, and HealthLink Dimensions — Twin brothers Scott and Sean Smith have significantly shaped the healthcare technology landscape by co-founding multiple companies specializing in health-tech and data analytics. One of their ventures, Zelis Healthcare, has grown into a $15 billion leader in healthcare finance, backed by Bain and Parthenon Capital.
The brothers’ companies have been featured on the Inc. 500 and Inc. 5000 lists more than 15 times, and they have received prestigious accolades, including the Ernst & Young Southeast Regional Entrepreneur of the Year Award.
Mike Scanlon, CEO and Founder, Thomas and King, Inc. — Mike Scanlon is best known for co-founding Thomas and King, Inc., in 1988. Over 25 years, the company operated more than 100 Applebee’s restaurants across six states, employing over 5,000 people before selling the franchise in 2014.
Scanlon, who also served as Lexington’s vice mayor from 2002 to 2006, has earned numerous awards for his entrepreneurial accomplishments, including Inc. Magazine’s Entrepreneur of the Year for Kentucky in 1996.
Cedric Francois, MD, PhD, Co-Founder and CEO/President, Apellis Pharmaceuticals — Belgian-born Cedric Francois, MD, PhD, co-founded Apellis Pharmaceuticals in 2009 while working as a faculty member at the University of Louisville. Apellis, a biotechnology company, developed its first product to treat a rare blood disorder in 2021 and has since released a treatment for geographic atrophy, a precursor to age-related macular degeneration.
The event also recognized outstanding contributions from Kentucky entrepreneurs in various categories: Emerging Entrepreneurs – Buddy Bockweg, Co-Founder & CEO, Vsimple; Andy Eastes, CEO & Co-Founder, SkuVault. Investor of the Year – Phoebe A. Wood, Principal, Companies-Wood; Mentor of the Year – Dave Knox, Executive Director, Blue North; Executive of the Year – Ann B. Bakhaus, Chair, Kentucky Eagle Inc.