New Hires & Board Selections
The Kentucky Community and Technical College System announced the addition of Jessica Stigall as general counsel and Chris Crumrine as chief external affairs officer.
Sayre School has named John Carr as its new director of advancement.
Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorney Chrisandrea L. Turner has been appointed as the Greater Lexington Chamber of Commerce representative to the Ethics Commission of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government.
Stites & Harbison, PLLC announced the promotion of attorneys Alison M. Zeitlin and Trevor T. Graves to member (partner) in its Lexington office. It was announced that Graves was also recently elected to the Lexington Humane Society’s board of directors.
City National Bank has promoted Zanga Nassem to branch manager of its downtown Versailles location.
Central Bank announced the promotions of William Flowers to officer and retirement plan manager; Melissa McCay to assistant vice president and mortgage underwriter; and James C. Morris to senior vice president and private banking manager. Jennifer Cooper has also joined Central Bank as vice president, SBA lending specialist.
Central Bank has also selected eight new members to its Lexington Advisory Board, including: Ron Johnston (Net Lease Alliance, LLC); Bill Shively (Tower Hill Insurance Group); Kevin Doyle (Congleton Hacker Company); Al Ruggles (Rood & Riddle); Pam Shepherd (Federated Transportation); Lee Howard (H&W Management); Kenny Schomp (Lexington Truck Sales); and Casey Dunn (Denham-Blythe Company).
Dinsmore has promoted attorney Courtney Ross Samford to partner in its Lexington office.
American Trust Wealth recently announced the promotions of Elizabeth Brown, AAMS®, AIF®, to associate advisor and Andrew Mason, CFP®, AIF®, to fiduciary investment advisor.
Opportunity for Work & Learning (OWL), a Lexington-based nonprofit, has named William Bacon as its interim chief executive officer. OWL also welcomed Nancy Brown as chair of its board of directors, as well as newly appointed board members Gordon Garrett and August “Gus” Johannsen.
Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance elected Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorney Walter S. Robertson as president of its board of directors.
Commerce Lexington Inc. has appointed Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorney Ken Gish to its board of directors.
The Board of Directors of Equestrian Events, Inc. has welcomed Molly Day as the organization’s new executive director.
Central Bank Center, managed by Oak View Group, has announced Joey Trevino as its new director of booking for Rupp Arena and the Lexington Opera House.
The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Airport Board has appointed Brian Wells as chair of its board for 2025. Other appointments also included: Tonya Jackson, vice chair; Marc Mathews, treasurer; and Shirie Hawkins, secretary. Other members include Clay Angelucci, Angela Coleman, Dan Mason, Bengaly “Sav” Savané, Dave Sevigny, and Mary-Alicha Weldon.
Representative Matt Lockett of Nicholasville has been reappointed as vice chair of the Kentucky House’s Banking and Insurance Committee.
Yuri Boyechko, MD, has joined Baptist Health Medical Group Cardiology, and David Redinger, MD, has joined Baptist Health Medical Group Behavioral Health.
After raising $10.5 million for expansion, CJS Beverage LLC, doing business as Pinhook Bourbon and Rye & Sons, has named John Scarborough to the post of CEO.
Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Bluegrass has welcomed Ernie Johnson (Tempur Sealy International), Tony Majors (Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits), and Jeff Pearson (Pearson & Pearson Architects) to its board of directors. The foundation also announced its 2025 executive board of directors, which included: Allison Helsinger, president (Moore, Ingram, Johnson, & Steele LLP); Max Smith, immediate past president (Ward, Hocker, & Thornton PLLC); Ryan Graham, vice president (Blue and Co., LLC); Austen Bloomer, treasurer (EY); and Hannah Sawyer, secretary (Keeneland Association).
Georgetown College has named Brad Compton as the new vice president for finance, chief financial officer, and treasurer. Professor of Biology Tracy Livingston, Ph.D., was promoted to associate provost for the college. Christy McGuire has been named new human resources director.
Bank of the Bluegrass & Trust Co. announced that Kali Kincaid has joined its Southland Financial Center location as a universal banker, and Trey Barnes has joined its Romany Road Financial Center also as a universal banker.
Community Trust Bancorp, Inc. announced the retirement of Charles J. Baird from its board of directors.
Morning Pointe of Lexington-East Assisted Living and Memory Care has named Netza Mullins as its new executive director.
Lexington Clinic recently named its board of directors for 2025. New appointments include: Tharun Karthikeyan, M.D., president; Kimberly Hudson, M.D., vice president; Robby K. Hutchinson, M.D., secretary; and Jordan Prendergast, D.O., treasurer. Other members of the board include Walaa Ayoub, M.D., Jonathan Keeling, M.D., Erin Moore, M.D., Brandon Devers, M.D., David Kielar, M.D., Nick Rowe, and Paul Rooke.
Reed Ryan has been named the president of The Asphalt Institute, a 106-year-old trade association based in Lexington.
Kudos
The city of Lexington has achieved LEED Silver certification, making it the second city in the state to receive that honor.
The Carnegie Center recently announced the Kentucky Writers Hall of Fame inductees for 2025. Those honored include: Naomi Wallace, Frank X Walker, Crystal Wilkinson, Ronald D. Eller, and David Dick.
The 2025 edition of Kentucky Super Lawyers recently honored the following Stites & Harbison, PLLC Lexington attorneys as “Super Lawyers”: W. Blaine Early III, Warren D. Schickli, Michael S. Hargis, Ashley W. Ward, and Gregory P. Parsons.
Community Trust Bank, Inc. has earned the “Gold Lender Award” from the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) as Kentucky’s top volume SBA 7(a) Community Bank lender in federal fiscal year 2023–2024 for the 16th consecutive year.
Lexington Clinic urologist Thomas Slabaugh, Jr., M.D., has been recognized as an expert at treating bladder and bowel dysfunction with innovative Axonics Therapy.
Award winners for An Evening with Commerce Lexington were recently announced. Those honored are as follows: Volunteer of the Year Award – Jordan Parker, Traditional Bank; and Community Impact Award – Lexington’s Transformational Housing Affordability Partnership.
Holly Hill Inn has been selected as a semifinalist for the James Beard Foundation’s 2025 Outstanding Hospitality Award. Out of thousands of restaurants across the country, only 20 establishments were recognized in this category.
Lockaby PLLC managing partner Matthew T. Lockaby and co-managing partner Amanda M. Lockaby have both been named 2025 Super Lawyers.
Gatton Park on the Town Branch announced that Lexington-based Triangle Foundation will make a $2 million gift to the park. The park’s board of directors will commemorate the gift by dedicating and naming the park’s Adventure Playground for the Triangle Foundation.
Team Kentucky recently accepted 28 new artists into its prestigious Kentucky Crafted program, an initiative that supports visual and craft artists with business training, networking, exhibitions, and promotional opportunities to help grow their creative enterprises. The new program members include: Pat Buckley, painting, Madison County; Bill Cole, photography, Fayette County; John Cowgill, glass, Jefferson County; James Ellenberger, 2D mixed-media, Madison County; Sheila Fox, 2D mixed-media, Jefferson County; Jeanne Freibert, 2D mixed-media, Jefferson County; Sam Greenwell, sculpture, Fayette County; Kara Hill and Andrew McDonald, wood, Fayette County; Karen Hudson, painting, Fayette County; Duane Keaton, 2D mixed-media, Scott County; David Larson, wood and furniture, Fayette County; Frank Leake, 2D mixed-media, Fayette County; Marti Luken, ceramics, Campbell County; Christian Mansfield, photography, Laurel County; Molly Marek, ceramics, Lee County; Stan and Darcy Marohn, wood and glass, McCreary County; Vini Moura, painting, Fayette County; Dana Muhammad, painting, Jefferson County; Linda Raddatz, painting, Jefferson County; Lesley Rahner, jewelry, Jefferson County; Kathy Reynolds, 2D mixed-media, Jefferson County; April Schweiss, painting, Whitley County; Jennifer Smyth, natural/organic, Fayette County; Wendy Tallis, baskets, Marshall County; Lindsey Ward, 2D mixed-media, Boone County; Laura Weis, photography, Jefferson County; and Mabel Zaglul, painting, Fayette County.
Republic Bank & Trust Company has been recognized as one of America’s Best Regional Banks 2025 by Newsweek and Plant-A-Insights Group.
Lex Grow Trees announced the recipients of its second round of grant funding, awarding a total of $392,985 to six organizations committed to expanding and maintaining Lexington’s tree canopy. Recent recipients included: Andover Neighborhood Association – $100,000; Beaver Creek Hydrology – $80,000; Crawford Middle School PTSA – $9,855; Headley Green Homeowners Association, Inc. – $25,052; Trees Lexington!, Inc. – $91,943; and The University of Kentucky Research Foundation (Arboretum) – $86,134.
Kentucky Farm Bureau was recognized with four Awards of Excellence at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 106th Convention in San Antonio.