New Hires & Promotions
Ana M. Franco-Watkins has been named the new dean of the University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences. Pending board of trustees approval, she will join the UK family on July 1.
Frontier Nursing University (FNU) has named Eileen Thrower, Ph.D., CNM, as the department chair for the Department of Midwifery and Women’s Health. FNU also named Bobbi Silver as its new chief advancement o.cer. Silver brings to Frontier nearly 20 years of experience in fundraising and marketing. Most recently, she served as the director of development at the Diocese of Lexington.
McBrayer litigation practice continues to grow with the addition of Brittany Deskins, who joins the firm’s Lexington o.ce as a senior associate.
Hannah Rivera, Esq., has been promoted to chief of sta., board and government relations for the Kentucky Community and Technical College System.
Wiser Strategies announced that Allie Wasson has joined the full-service communication consulting firm as the marketing and administrative services specialist.
Kinkead & Stilz PLLC has welcomed attorneys Pamela A. Chesnut as a partner, Andrew Yocum as an associate attorney, and Robert A. Jenkins as counsel.
The Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning announced that Shayla Lynch has been appointed new executive director. An experienced nonprofit professional and fund raiser, Lynch will succeed Neil Chethik. Chethik, who served as the executive director from 2012— 2022, retired in March.
Cody Giles has been named head distiller at Lexington’s James E. Pepper Distillery.
The Kentucky Distillers’ Association announced that Allison Delande has joined the historic nonprofit trade group as its first-ever director of special projects.
Community Trust Bank announced that Gregory C. Haney has been named a senior retail lender at the bank’s downtown Mt. Sterling, Kentucky, location.
Traditional Bank has welcomed commercial lender Ross Smith to its Lexington lending team.
Brandi Botkin, APRN, FNP-C, has joined CHI Saint Joseph Health – Cancer Care Center in Lexington in radiation oncology.
Thoroughbred, a Lexington-based design, engineering, and construction firm, announces the addition of Lexington architect Aaron Bivens as a principal in the firm and as director of architecture.
Republic Bancorp, Inc., and Republic Bank & Trust Company have announced the appointment of Jennifer N. Green and Timothy S. Huval to both boards.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear has named Keith E. Hamilton to the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) Board of Regents.
46 Solutions recently promoted Richard Manning to systems administrator. Douglas Hocker has been hired as a project manager.
Kudos
The LG&E and KU Foundation has awarded scholarships to 10 outstanding students across Kentucky, including Lexington high school student Anna Compton. The foundation is recognizing the students as “Future Bright Lights” — leaders of tomorrow empowered through foundation efforts such as scholarships, STEAM support and academic partnerships.
Patent Lawyer magazine has named Stites & Harbison, PLLC, to the 2022 Top 10 Patent Firms and IP Practices in North America – South list.
Chambers USA selected 23 Stites & Harbison, PLLC, attorneys in Kentucky and Tennessee for inclusion in their 2022 guide, including Lexington attorneys Mandy Wilson Decker, William T. Gorton III, and Warren D. Schickli. The Chambers USA guide ranks the top law firms and leading attorneys in the U.S.
Managing Intellectual Property magazine has named the following four Stites & Harbison, PLLC, attorneys from the Lexington offices to the 2022 “IP Stars” list: Mandy Wilson Decker, Michael S. Hargis, Warren D. Schickli, and Patrick M. Torre. The publication also named Decker to the 2022 edition of Managing IP’s “Top 250 Women in IP.” This is the eighth time Decker has been honored on this list, and she is the only attorney honored from Kentucky.
Stites & Harbison, PLLC, has also ranked in the Top 10 “Best Places to Work in Kentucky” for 2022 in the medium company category. The firm has made the list 16 times — nine of those in the Top 10.
Executive director Jason Rainey with the Mt. Sterling/Montgomery County Industrial Authority announced they have been awarded an Economic Development Administration federal grant through the Economic Adjustment Assistance Project with a total project cost of $500,000. The $400,000 grant is matched by $100,000 in local investment and is to support the creation of an in-depth comprehensive community and economic development plan to develop long-term strategies that will steer housing, recreation, infrastructure, tourism, workforce, and economic development in Montgomery County.
Money Magazine has named Berea College its 20th overall Best College and the 10th Best College in the South. Editors have also found Berea College to be the best college in affordability. While they do not compile a separate list for affordability, their scoring formula captured Berea as having the best score of all the colleges in their ranking.
Commonwealth Credit Union has been awarded a prestigious Marketing Association of Credit Unions Award for its website redesign. The overhauled site, which officially launched in January, took the top award in this category.
Republic Bank & Trust Company announced its new Simple Access checking account was officially certified by the national Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund (CFE Fund) as meeting the Bank On National Account Standards (2021-22).
The Lexington Hospitality Awards recently honored the following 24 front-line staff and volunteers in the tourism industry with Service Excellence Awards who have demonstrated exceptional service: Rohantha Anthony, DoubleTree Suites Lexington; Letwan Boyd, Hilton Lexington Downtown; Melanie Burton, DV8 Kitchen; Justin Conn-Powers, Ramsey’s Diner; David Dean, Keeneland Association; Barbara Gent, OVG360/Central Bank Center/Rupp Arena/Lexington Opera House; Johnny Green, Malone’s Lansdowne; Jonathan Hargett, Bella Café & Grille; Diana Ivanova, Pam Miller Downtown Arts Center; Paul Lewis, Lexington Marriott City Center; Cecil Lovings, KRM Wagering, LLC; Matt Mabe, Malone’s Palomar; Caitlyn Maynard, Bella Notte; Steve Morgan, Bluegrass Distillers; Haleigh Peterson-Best, Leestown Coffee House; Robbie Reed, Infinity Skybar at Lexington Marriott City Center; Stephon Saunders, Hilton Lexington Downtown; Moris Said, Home2Suites by Hilton Hamburg; Remi Smith, Elwood Hotel & Suites; Claudette Taylor, Levy at Rupp Arena, Central Bank Center & Lexington Opera House; Nick Taylor, Saul Good Restaurant & Pub Fayette Mall; George Turnley, Keeneland Association; Julia Villemuer, Carson’s Food & Drink; and Sarabeth Weise, LexLive.
Commonwealth Credit Union has awarded the following four graduating high school seniors with a $1,000 scholarship: Jacob Hogan, a graduate of Franklin County High School who plans to attend the University of Kentucky; Addison Riley, a Mercer County High School graduate who plans to attend Campbellsville University; Haven Six, also a Mercer County High School graduate who plans to attend Eastern Kentucky University; and Zachary Tackett, a graduate of Lexington Christian Academy who plans to attend the University of Kentucky.
Through donations from Colonels in Kentucky and around the world, the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels will award $3.1 million to support 314 charities throughout the commonwealth. This year’s Good Works Program will impact more than 3.9 million Kentuckians. The Good Works Program focuses on areas that include: community enhancement, community support, education, homeless and low income, health rehabilitation and life skills, historic preservation, veteran services, and youth services. Central Kentucky area charities will receive 88 grants totaling over $640,000.