New Hires & Promotions
As McBrayer PLLC expands to a new Frankfort office, Joseph P. Bowman has been added to the roster of the firm’s attorneys.
Stites & Harbison, PLLC announced that Lexington attorneys Katie Glass and Drake Staples have been promoted to member (partner).
The law firm of Minner Vines Injury Lawyers announced that Jonathan Fannin has been named a partner in the firm; while Miles Meehan and Carl Walter II have joined the firm as trial lawyers.
BrightStar Care, the nation’s leading home care and medical staffing franchise with more than 380 corporate and independently owned and operated agencies, has opened a new location in Lexington. New franchise owner Ryan Bethany is also the director of nursing at Brightstar Care of Northern Lexington.
Following a national search, the Kentucky Community and Technical College System Board of Regents chose Ryan Quarles, a Kentucky native and former community college student, as its fourth president.
Dickinson Wright announced that Sloane Carlough has joined the firm’s Lexington office as of counsel.
Lexington and Fayette County Parking Authority/LEXPARK has appointed Laura Boison as its new executive director.
As Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Farm exits its 20th-anniversary year, founder Michael Blowen has announced he will be stepping down as president of the facility he created in Georgetown, in 2003. Taking over the reins as the president and CEO of Old Friends is John Nicholson, best known as the former executive director of the Kentucky Horse Park from 1997-2014.
Sturgill, Turner, Barker & Moloney, PLLC recently promoted Katie E. Bouvier to a member of the firm and welcomed new member attorney Carmine G. Iaccarino and attorneys Megan Adkins, Tyler Chelf, Zoe Jessie, James McSweeney, Andrew Moore, and Andy Yocum to the firm’s Lexington office.
Dinsmore & Shohl LLP has elected Lexington attorneys Sara Johnston and David Kaiser to partnership. The firm also welcomed corporate attorney Alexander Gardner to its Lexington office.
McBrayer PLLC has promoted Lexington attorney Anne-Tyler Morgan to an equity member.
Derrick K. Ramsey, former secretary of the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet and the state’s Labor Cabinet, has joined the Kentucky Community and Technical College System as a special assistant to the president for strategic partnerships.
The Kentucky Bourbon Festival board of directors announced the election of Cordell Lawrence as its new chairman.
The NAI Isaac commercial real estate team has welcomed Max Darby as a sales/leasing associate.
Former University of Kentucky and Cleveland Browns quarterback Tim Couch has been elected to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
CHI Saint Joseph Medical Group – Gastroenterology in Lexington has welcomed Damir Kusmic, M.D., to its distinguished gastroenterology team.
Davis H. Elliot Company, Inc. recently appointed Rob Scott as its director of financial planning and analysis.
Community Trust Bancorp, Inc. has appointed Jeff Sandlin to its board of directors. Sandlin will serve on the Audit & Asset Quality Committee and the Risk and Compliance Committee.
Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Bluegrass has named the following individuals to its board of directors: Katie Ann Lester, Interior Yardage; Hannah Sawyer, Keeneland Association; Gail Moses, Regency Interiors by Gail Moses; Brad Nahra, McDonald’s; and Ali Slone, M.D., Kentucky Children’s Hospital.
The following officers were elected to serve on Lexington Clinic’s annual board of directors: Michael T. Cecil, M.D., president; Tharun Karthikeyan, M.D., vice-president; Robby K. Hutchinson, M.D.; secretary; An-Yu Chen, M.D., treasurer. Other members of the board include Brandon Devers, M.D., Jamil Farooqui, M.D., Kimberly Hudson MD., Jordan Prendergast, M.D., David Keilar, M.D., Nick Rowe, and Paul Rooke.
Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Bluegrass also announced this term’s executive board of directors, which included Max Smith, president (Ward, Hocker, & Thornton PLLC); Charlie Rowland, immediate past president (Regard Law Group, PLLC); Allison Helsinger, vice president (Moore, Ingram, Johnson, & Steele LLP); Ryan Graham, treasurer (Blue and Co., LLC); and Austen Bloomer, secretary (EY).
Frontier Nursing University Information Technology Director Marc Blevins has been promoted to the role of the university’s first chief information and digital officer.
Thomson Lawn announced the promotions of Angelo Capria to lawn care manager, and Joey Patterson to pest control manager.
Visit Horse Country has welcomed Jamie Hulet Frantz as its new lead concierge focusing on group tour sales and VIP experiences.
The partners of Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs, LLP have approved the election of Thomas E. Travis as a partner in the firm.
Dennis Lawrence, president and CEO of CLARK Material Handling Company, has been appointed to the board of directors for CLARK Material Handling and will step down as president and CEO. Michael (Mike) Binnie has been appointed the company’s new CEO.
Townsend Financial Planning announced the promotion of Nick Bailey, CFP, to the position of partner.
Kudos
Dickinson Wright announced that two of the firm’s attorneys in the Lexington office, Brian M. Johnson and David A. Owen, have been named as 2024 Kentucky Super Lawyers. One attorney, Logan J. Mayfield, was named to 2024 Kentucky Super Lawyers Rising Stars.
Another record number of McBrayer attorneys have been named to lists of Kentucky Super Lawyers and Kentucky Rising Stars in the 2024 edition of Thomson Reuters Super Lawyers. The Lexington attorneys on the 2024 Kentucky Super Lawyers list include Stephen G. Amato; Jaron P. Blandford; Keeana Sajadi Boarman; James H. Frazier, III; David J. Guarnieri; Douglas T. Logsdon; Robert E. Maclin, III; Luke A. Wingfield; and Jon A. Woodall. Jack A. Wheat has received the additional distinction of being listed in the Top 10 2024 Kentucky Super Lawyers list, while Stephen G. Amato is listed in the Top 50 2024 Kentucky Super Lawyers list. The following attorneys from McBrayer’s Lexington office received the Rising Star distinction: Jonas S. Bastien, Brittany Deskins, Chris Eller, Jason Hollon, Anne-Tyler Morgan, T. Neal Morris, Scott Schuette, Cassidy Sorrells, and Preston Clark Worley.
Community Trust Bank, Inc. was recently honored for the 15th consecutive year with the “Gold Lender Award” from the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) as Kentucky’s top volume SBA 7a Community Bank lender in federal fiscal year 2022–23.
Wiser Strategies, a Lexington-based strategic communication firm, took top honors in the 2023 Public Relations Society of America’s East Central District competition. The firm won ‘Best in Show’ for its work with LEXPARK’s digital marketing program, most notably promoting the use of a parking reservation app.
Stites & Harbison, PLLC announced that Lexington attorneys W. Blaine Early, III, Warren D. Schickli, Michael S. Hargis, Ashley W. Ward, and Gregory P. Parsons have been honored as Kentucky Super Lawyers for 2024. The firm also announced the following attorneys from the Lexington office were named as Rising Stars: Joshua F. Barnette, Drake W. Staples, Gentry C. Collins, Taylor J. Stuckey, Robin E. McGuin, Alison M. Zeitlin, and Rebecca M.W. Sherman.
The University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service has presented the Thomas Poe Cooper Farm Leadership Award to commercial farmer Clayton Geralds and Pennbrook Farm owner Frank Penn for their significant impact in Kentucky and beyond.
The Kentucky Small Business Administration has awarded the 2023 ‘Microlender of the Year’ award to nonprofit Community Ventures for the organization’s dedication to helping entrepreneurs launch and grow small businesses across the commonwealth.
Alltech recently presented a $100,000 check to GreenHouse17, an advocacy agency and emergency shelter in Central Kentucky committed to ending intimate partner abuse. The donation was made possible by the success of Alltech’s second annual Make a Difference Golf Scramble and matching funds from the Pearse Lyons ACE Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports the philanthropic endeavors of Alltech and the Lyons family.
MML&K Government Solutions and McBrayer PLLC are proud to announce an expansion in Frankfort. MML&K Government Solutions will relocate from its current office at 305 Ann St. to a new office just across the street at 202 W. Main St., where the law firm of McBrayer PLLC will expand and open a new Frankfort practice to complement current offices in Lexington and Louisville.
Leadership Kentucky announced the graduates of the Leadership Kentucky Class of 2023. This year’s program consisted of 52 participants including Dorothy Lockhart, Anne-Tyler Morgan, Camden Skidmore, Jared Smith, John Cox, John Hampton, Dalton Hatfield, Ben Haydon, and Timothy Johnson from Fayette County.
Commerce Lexington announced the members of its 2024 Ambassador Committee, a select group of volunteers who serve as an extension of the Commerce Lexington Inc. staff, ensuring that member businesses are getting the most out of their membership. Members include: Francisco Castro, JCC Insurance Group, LLC; Nicole Corbin, David H. Elliot Company, Inc.; April Corwin, Forcht Bank; Alicia Cox, Stock Yards Bank; Ginger Davis, Churchill McGee; Brandy Drakeford, Xooker; Vicki Evans, TOPS Marketing; Caroline Francis, University of Kentucky Alumni Career Services; Jamie Hall, Don Franklin Auto Mall (2024 Committee Chair); Laura Justice, VisitLEX; Trey McCallie, Realty One Group Bluegrass; Laura Mobley-Corn, Express Employment Professionals; Jeff Morrett, Parsons & Howard Insurance Group; Crystal Newton, 46Solutions; Dan Noel, Men In Kilts Lexington; Susie Patrick, WDKY FOX 56; Jessica Pfister, Heartland Payroll & Payments; Berry Popp, Whitaker Bank; Alisa Rose, Nimlok-Kentucky; Adam Routt, Quality Inn Lexington; Mike Sypolt, LW Office Furniture Warehouse; Becky Trimble, Central Bank Center; Kelly Webb, Houchens Insurance Group; and Mark Weimer, WesBanco Bank.
Commerce Lexington is proud to announce its annual awards recognizing community impact and volunteerism, which highlight individuals and organizations that have had a significant impact on our organization and the community. The Volunteer of the Year Award recipient is Jeff Morrett from Parsons and Howard Insurance Group, while the nonprofit organization Lexington For Everyone has been selected for the Community Impact Award.
Bluegrass Community & Technical College recently received the Outstanding Community Partner Award from Beta Gamma Omega of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
The National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Daily Racing Form, and the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters have honored Tom Hammond, whose dynamic career of more than 50 years in broadcasting, television production, and numerous contributions to the Thoroughbred industry, with the Special Eclipse Award for Career Excellence.
Leaders from CHI Saint Joseph Health announced the recipients of $235,000 in grant funding to community organizations in the Lexington area. The grants are part of the CommonSpirit Health Community Health Improvement Grants program. Six local nonprofit groups will receive funding ranging from $20,000 to $50,000.
Saint Joseph Hospital has received national accolades for being one of America’s 100 Best Hospitals for 2024, according to new research released by Healthgrades. This is the second year in a row Saint Joseph Hospital has been recognized among the top 2% of hospitals nationwide for overall clinical performance and, along with numerous other accolades from Healthgrades, reflects Saint Joseph Hospital’s commitment to exceptional patient care.
High-speed internet provider Kinetic has been named Business of the Year by the Somerset–Pulaski County (Ky.) Chamber of Commerce.
The Kentucky Community and Technical College System website was named to the Top 10 list of campus websites for 2023 by Modern Campus, the content management system vendor that sponsored the excellence in website design and management awards.
George C. Wolfe, three-time Tony award-winning director of plays and movies; Fenton Johnson, who wrote the first major work of fiction about the impact of the AIDS crisis on rural America; and Mary Ann Taylor-Hall, whose novel “Come and Go, Molly Snow” is a classic Kentucky story, are this year’s living inductees into the Kentucky Writers Hall of Fame. Joining the 2024 Hall of Fame are three deceased Kentucky writers: Mary Lee Settle, a National Book Award-winning novelist; Paul Brett Johnson, a landscape painter who wrote and illustrated children’s books; and Billy C. Clark, whose autobiography was considered by Time magazine to be “as authentically American as Huckleberry Finn.”