New Hires & Promotions
Kentucky State University announced the appointment of Grant Stepp as the new athletic director.
Fayette County Public Schools has named Eric Thornsbury as the next principal of Winburn Middle School.
The University of Kentucky James B. Beam Institute for Kentucky Spirits has named its first head distiller, Glenna Joyce. She will oversee all aspects of spirit production at the Institute.
Community Action Kentucky has named Rick Baker as its new executive director.
Shannon Barlow was promoted to senior property manager for commercial real estate management company NAI Isaac.
Raymond Daniels has joined Transylvania University as special assistant to the president for strategic partnerships and community relations.
Jason Ayers has joined Asio Capital LLC as a wealth strategist.
Bank of the Bluegrass & Trust Co. announced the addition of Dan Pauley to the Southland Financial Center, located on Southland Drive.
Commonwealth Credit Union has welcomed Kathy Begley to its team as the new vice president of consumer lending.
Georgetown College has named current head football coach Chris Oliver as the new vice president for athletics.
McBrayer announced the addition of attorneys Katherine Moore Donnelly and Valerie Michael as associates in its Lexington office.
Frontier Nursing University (FNU) welcomed four new members of its board of directors: Elaine Bolle, MB, BA; Michael Steinmetz, CPM, CMA, CSCA; Kate Corbett, FNP; and Bridget Ehrhart-Bennett, FNP, PMHNP. FNU also announced that Nancy Pesta Walsh, DNP, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC, was named new clinical director for the department of family nursing, and Susan Piper, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC, as new clinical director for the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) Program.
The Kentucky Community and Technical College System announced that Todd Brand will serve as interim president of Big Sandy Community and Technical College, and Patsy Jackson will serve as interim president of Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College.
Berry Popp recently joined the team at Commonwealth Credit Union.
Energy Insurance Agency announced the promotion of Holly Haga to director, client services and retention.
Lexington Clinic has welcomed Sarah H. Min to its Rheumatology team.
Valvoline Inc. has welcomed the following new leaders: Yale Silverman, senior director of central operations; Gretchen Oldt, senior director of store enablement; Angela Davied, director of corporate communications; and Kris Nunn, director of leadership and organizational development.
Stites & Harbison, PLLC welcomed attorney Jessie A. Smith to the construction service group in the firm’s Lexington office.
Brendan O’Bryan has been named senior planning engineer at Kentucky American Water.
Nancy Cox, long-time dean of the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment at the University of Kentucky and its first-ever vice president for land-grant engagement, announced plans to retire in late summer.
Commerce Lexington Inc. has welcomed Tyra Harbut as its new director of leadership development.
Kudos
The Bill Gatton Foundation made a transformational gift to Town Branch Park, now named "Gatton Park on the Town Branch".
Wade Haga, CCIM, Advisor at SVN | Stone Commercial Real Estate, received the Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) designation.
Haley Busch, PharmD, BCPS, of CHI Saint Joseph Health, was selected as a member of the 2024 Class of Tomorrow’s Leaders by the Catholic Health Association of the United States.
Commonwealth Credit Union received a National Award for Financial Literacy Education from the Institute for Financial Literacy and the Governor’s Service Award in the business service category.
An-Yu Chen, MD, was appointed to Team Kentucky’s board of physicians and advisors.
Terry and Marion Forcht were named the 2024 winners of the Award of Excellence for Private Individuals by the East Kentucky Leadership Foundation.
CHI Saint Joseph Health’s Critical Care Paramedic Program, offered through the Emergency Medicine Center of Excellence, has been named an official “Recognized Program” by the International Board of Specialty Certification (IBSC), the sole agent to become board-certified in Critical Care Paramedicine.
CHI Saint Joseph Health also recently recognized outstanding medical staff and leaders with awards. Those awarded at Saint Joseph East included: Physician of the Year – Kevin Donahue, MD, Lexington; APP of the Year – Heather Smith, Lexington; Employee of the Year – Kathy Williams, Lexington; and Leader of the Year – Jason (Jay) Elery, Lexington. Awarded at Saint Joseph Hospital were: Physician of the Year – Korey Brammell, DO, Huntington, W.Va.; APP of the Year – Michael Farran, PA-C, Lexington; Employee of the Year – Dee Thompson, patient care assistant, Lexington; and Leader of the Year – Rachel Kennedy, market director, patient flow, Frankfort. Awarded at Continuing Care Hospital were: Physician of the Year – Ghassan Shakhashiro, MD, Lexington; Employee of the Year – Emily White, RN, clinical care coordinator, Winchester; Leader of the Year – Dawn Erb, RN, nursing supervisor, Lexington. Those awarded at Saint Joseph Jessamine included: Employee of the Year – Erica Houp, CT tech, Nicholasville; and Leader of the Year – Patsy Harlow, lab services supervisor, Versailles.
Stites & Harbison, PLLC, was named to the 2024 Top 10 Patent Firms and IP Practices in North America – South list by The Patent Lawyer Magazine.
The Kentucky Community and Technical College System announced the winners of the 2024 Pathfinder of the Year Award recipients. The educator of the year program recognizes a teacher or guidance counselor for exemplary efforts in assisting students with their college-going and career plans. Those honored were: Anita Lewis, Ashland Community and Technical College; Taylor Slone, Big Sandy Community and Technical College; Pam Bates, Bluegrass Community and Technical College; Jennifer McMillen, Gateway Community and Technical College; Sarah Trent, Hazard Community and Technical College; Natalie Riggs, Hopkinsville Community College; Marc Monroe, Jefferson Community and Technical College; Tracy Warner, Madisonville Community College; Kendrick Applegate, Maysville Community and Technical College; Kelly Spaw, Owensboro Community and Technical College; Nathan Britt, Somerset Community College; Julie Waddell, Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College; Richie Rogers, Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College; and Chris Jones, West Kentucky Community and Technical College.
Frontier Nursing University (FNU) has been named the private college and university recipient of the 2023 Inclusive Excellence, Belonging, and Sustainability in Nursing Education Award, presented annually by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.
City National Bank has been named the top bank in the country on the Forbes list of America’s Best Banks 2024. The bank was also honored by J.D. Power with customer satisfaction award for the fifth time in seven years.
Heaven Hill Brands has been selected as a 2024 US Best Managed Company by Deloitte Private and the Wall Street Journal.
NetGain Technologies VP of Growth, Megan Reed, was recently included on the elite 2024 Women of the Channel Power 100 Solution Provider List for going above and beyond in her commitment to the IT channel community.
The National Science Foundation recently awarded the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) and partners a $1 million grant to advance additive manufacturing practices, also known as 3D printing, throughout Kentucky and surrounding regions. KCTCS also announced a new transfer partnership with Alice Lloyd College in order to bolster education and workforce development.
Blue Grass Trust for Historic Preservation has announced its 2024 Preservation Awards. The 12 recipients announced for 10 different awards included: Preservation Craftsman Award – Josh Lowry, MasterCraft Woodworks, Inc.; Community Preservation Award – Lewis and Lynne Wolfe; Barbara Hulette Award – Midway Museum; Lucy Graves Advocacy Award – The James Harrod Trust; Public Service to Preservation Award – Kitty Dougoud; Clyde Carpenter Adaptive Reuse Award – Craig Rushing; Clay Lancaster Heritage Education Award – Footprint Traces of Black History in Richmond, KY by Sharyn Mitchell, Wesley Francis; Landscape Preservation Award – Terry Thomas; Yvonne Giles Award – Thomas Tolliver; Lifetime Service to Preservation Award – Maureen Peters. For their years of service to the 4-H program, The Fayette County 4-H Council has inducted John and Mary Johns, and Bill and Fredda Moody as the first lifetime members to the council.