New Hires & Promotions
The Kentucky Fire Commission Board has selected Bruce Roberts, a retired firefighter and longtime advocate for fire safety training, as the new executive director of the Kentucky Fire Commission.
Commerce Lexington Inc. announced that Caitlyn Maynard recently joined its team as leadership program and event coordinator.
Asbury University’s College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences welcomed Daniel Strait in his new role as the school’s dean.
RE/MAX Elite Realty has welcomed agent Erica Embree.
Valvoline Inc. recently welcomed new leader Will Fite, vice president, M&A Integrations. Cassie Bernardi was also named director, franchise marketing.
Saint Joseph Medical Group - Orthopedics has welcomed specialized hand surgeons Margaret Napolitano, MD, and Wesley Lykins, DMSc, PA-C, to its Lexington team.
Central Bank has promoted Kelsey Whitaker to commercial lines CSR supervisor, officer.
Opportunity for Work & Learning (OWL) announced the appointments of Randy Perry as new chief executive officer, and Chad Usherwood to its board of directors.
SUN Behavioral Lexington outpatient center announced the hiring of three new adolescent therapists: Chelsea Blackman, LPCA; Shawn Gray, CSW; and Ashton Stamper, LPCA.
South Central Bank has promoted Camden Skidmore to Lexington market president. Skidmore will also join the South Central Bank board of directors.
Lockaby PLLC has welcomed Abigail Wearden to its practice as an associate.
Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College has named Andrea ‘Lee’ Harrison as its new president.
Award-winning leader in custom contract Kentucky whiskey, Lofted Spirits, has elevated Dan Callaway to the role of master blender.
McBrayer member Jon A. Woodall has been elected to the board of directors of Meritas, a global alliance of independent law firms that serves the legal needs of companies across major jurisdictions and global markets.
Emily Sacca PT, DPT, has been named director of Rehabilitation Services at Baptist Health Lexington.
Ryan Linville, BSN, RN-ONC, has been named as nursing director of the Orthopedic-Neuro-Spine / Surgical-Telemetry unit at Baptist Health Lexington.
Ashland Terrace Senior Living Community announced that Lauren Seaman has joined their team as its new assistant director.
Lexington Clinic announced the appointment of Chris Walters, MBA, as its new chief information officer.
Bank of the Bluegrass & Trust Co. recently announced the following promotions: Chris Boaz to senior vice president of consumer lending; Chris French to senior vice president, commercial lending; Matthew Robertson to assistant vice president, commercial lender, business development officer and treasury management specialist; and Nathan Hamblin to vice president, chief credit officer.
Julie Driskell also joined the bank as assistant vice president, consumer mortgage lender; Logan Swiger has joined as a universal banker; and Rob Fridley has been hired in the position of bookkeeper.
Shayla Lynch, 2nd District Councilmember, has been appointed to the National League of Cities 2025 Race Equity And Leadership Council.
Frontier Nursing University (FNU) announced that Marcus Osborne has been selected to serve as the chair of FNU’s board of directors.
Kudos
The Postal Service has honored Lexington Bluegrass Station letter carrier Visar Hasani as a Postmaster General Hero for his actions in aiding a customer.
Dan Cummins Auto Group has been presented with the 2025 Governor’s Business Service Award Wednesday. The company earned the state’s highest award for businesses supporting volunteer efforts in their communities thanks to its ongoing support of CASA of Lexington.
Montgomery County circuit court clerk Tanya P. Terry has been chosen by her colleagues to lead the Kentucky Association of Circuit Court Clerks for 2025–26.
Bob Swisher, Kentucky Employers’ Mutual Insurance’s director of claims-legal and former commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Workers’ Claims, has been inducted into the Kentucky Workers’ Compensation Hall of Fame. The prestigious honor recognizes Swisher’s outstanding contributions to the workers’ compensation field and his dedication to serving Kentucky’s workforce.
The U.S. Small Business Administration Kentucky District Office named the following Lexingtonians as recipients of its 2025 Small Business Awards:
WBC Excellence and Innovation Center Award (national award) – Devanny King, executive director, Women’s Business Center of Kentucky;
Small Business Person of the Year (state district award) – Crinda Francke, president and CEO, ExecuTrain; and
Financial Services Advocate of the Year (state district award) – Dale Morgan, president and CEO, Foundation47.
City National Bank proudly announced that Shawn Tower, assistant vice president and manager of the Tates Creek branch, has been honored with the City Cares Award given to employees who go above and beyond in demonstrating a strong commitment to community involvement and service.
Saint Joseph Health has been honored as one of the nation’s 15 Top Health Systems according to an independent analysis based on a scorecard provided by PINC AI, the technology and services brand of Premier, Inc., and reported by Fortune.
Saint Joseph Health and the More in Common Alliance are once again partnering with the Morehouse School of Medicine and Kentucky State University to offer a summer program focused on STEM and health careers to middle school, high school and college students. The More in Common STEM and Health Careers Summer Academy will be offered July 21–Aug. 1 at Kentucky State University.
Saint Joseph Health has recognized outstanding medical staff and leaders with the following awards:
Saint Joseph East – Physician of the Year: Edgar Emerick, MD, Vieques, Puerto Rico; APP of the Year for Saint Joseph East and overall APP of the Year for Saint Joseph Health: Katie Cranfill, PA, Lexington; Employee of the Year: Pueblo Rico, Lexington; Leader of the Year: April Jennings, Lexington;
Saint Joseph Hospital – Physician of the Year: Samy Elayi, MD, Lexington; APP of the Year: Micah Short, PA-C, Lexington; Employee of the Year: Chelcie Scifres, Lexington; Leader of the Year: Heather Raygoza, Lexington;
Continuing Care Hospital – Physician of the Year: Eliseo Colon, MD, Lexington; APP of the Year: Sara Staab, NP, Nicholasville; Employee of the Year: Nautica Beasley, Lexington; Leader of the Year: Terri Caldwell, Winchester;
Saint Joseph Jessamine – Employee of the Year: Carly Smits, Nicholasville.
Kentucky Blood Center announced its new partnership with Georgetown/Scott County Emergency Medical Services, Jessamine County Emergency Medical Services, Lexington Fire and Emergency Services, and Madison County Emergency Medical Services, which will strengthen emergency response capabilities in Central Kentucky. The Lexington Fire Department is also partnering with the Kentucky Blood Center and surrounding EMS agencies in a significant step forward for emergency medical care. Lexington medical units will begin carrying whole blood, joining Jessamine County EMS, Georgetown-Scott County EMS, and Madison County EMS in this lifesaving initiative.
The Lexington Hospitality Awards recently honored front-line staff and volunteers in the tourism industry who have demonstrated exceptional service to Lexington. Those Service Excellence Award recipients are as follows:
Delaney Battle, The Campbell House, Curio Collection by Hilton;
Wayne Basconi, Camp Nelson National Monument;
Tessa Blanton, Homewood Suites by Hilton Lexington Fayette Mall;
Josh Campbell, Lexington City Center Marriott;
Franco Enmanuel Cerda Obregon, Mexico Mi Amor Mexican Restaurant;
Kathy Gross, Bella Café & Grille;
Rose Hill, Red Mile, Inc.;
LeAnna Hollon, Homewood Suites Lexington-Hamburg;
Matthew Lerza, Castle & Key Distillery;
Sonia Martinez Amador, Bella Cafe & Grille;
Susan V. Miller, Waveland State Historic Site;
Joy Moore, Keeneland Race Course;
Dean Morton, Delaware North LEX;
Kelli Nowlin, Embassy Suites Lexington Green;
Curtis Ocelotl-Aca, Residence Inn Lexington City Center;
Kaylee Payton, Barrel House Distilling Co.;
Lo Perez, The Crossroads Cafe, Hilton Lexington Downtown;
Annie Quinn, Buffalo Trace Distillery;
Craig Richardson, Delaware North LEX;
Nora Rivera, Smashing Tomato Fayette Mall;
Jorge Luis Romero-Ruiz, Staybridge Lexington South;
Selena Silva, Bespoken Spirits Inc.;
Sean Sines, OBC Kitchen;
Tasha Spires, DV8 Kitchen Vocational Training Foundation;
Martha Taylor, Nicholas County Tourism;
Mercer Vandenburg, Bluegrass Distillers; and
Robert Williams, KRM Wagering, LLC.
Kentucky REALTORS has allocated an additional $125,000 to support individuals and families whose homes were damaged or destroyed by severe weather last month. Including this most recent grant, the Kentucky REALTORS Relief Foundation has made $400,000 available for Kentuckians since the declared State of Emergency on Feb. 14.
The Lexington Tool Library announced it is re-opening at a new site. Tools can now be found at ArtFarm located at 1123 Winchester Road. Beginning June 1 the ToolMobile will hit the road bringing tools directly to parks, parking lots, and community spaces across Lexington.
God’s Pantry Food Bank announced the grand opening of its new Lexington warehouse and administrative offices located at 2201 Innovation Drive, a transformational step in the organization’s mission to reduce hunger across Central and Eastern Kentucky. The opening also marks the public launch of a transformative $40 million “Building the Future, Nourishing Communities” capacity campaign for Kentucky’s future.