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New Hires & Promotions
Lauren Ridderikho, DO, has joined Lexington Clinic’s team of board-certified family medicine physicians at its Beaumont location.
The Kentucky Community and Technical College System Foundation announced the appointments of three members to its board of trustees and the election of two officers. New members include: Nick Phelps, managing director, Fifth Third Private Bank; Adam Marley, vice president of employee benefits, Houchens Insurance Group; and Chad Harpole, director of government and community affairs, Century Aluminum. Linda Rumpke, director of government and public affairs for Columbia Gas, was elected treasurer, and Phelps was elected secretary.
Central Bank recently announced the following new hires and promotions: Ryan Leigh Chapman, director of client services officer; Jennifer Ward, vice president, commercial lending officer IV; Alex Wolf, vice president, private banking officer; Justin Smith, vice president, personal trust officer; Tim Hurley, assistant vice president, information security officer; Laura Warren, central insurance services office manager, officer; Laura Warren, central insurance services office manager, officer; and Danny Purvis, senior staff accountant, officer.
The University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment recently appointed Rebecca Wilkes as its new director of the UK Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory.
Lexington Ballet has appointed Joey-Lynn Mann as the organization’s new senior ballet mistress.
Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorney Robin McGuinn has been appointed chair of the firm’s employment law service group.
Bluegrass Hospitality Group has named Eli Barber as new chief financial officer.
LexPhil announced the appointment of Brittany J. Green as the 2025-2026 Saykaly Garbulinska Composer-in-Residence.
Frontier Nursing University has named Kristin B. Ashford, PhD, WHNP-BC, FAAN, as the university’s new Dean of Nursing.
Jones Walker LLP has welcomed Laura D’Angelo as a partner in its corporate practice group and a member of the gaming industry team based in Lexington.
The Lexington Legends has expanded its front office staff ahead of the 2025 season. New members include: Morgan McEldowney, director of special events and promotions; Bethany Blair, content creation manager; Will O’Bryan, account executive; Jackson Davis, account executive; Wil Eads, account executive; Emma Retherford, operations assistant; and Jonathan Henderson, executive chef.
Rachel Ray has been named executive director of the literacy-based nonprofit International Book Project.
Traditional Bank has promoted Sarah Jefferson to chief experience officer, a new position for the bank.
Kentucky Christian University has appointed Olivia Riddle, BSN, RN, as the student representative to the board of directors of the Kentucky Association of Nurse Practitioners and Nurse Midwives.
Kudos
Kentucky State University’s Amanda Fickey has been selected among 34 entrepreneurial professionals and scholars for Babson College’s Building an Entrepreneurship Education Ecosystem Leadership Program.
The University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment recently recognized outstanding faculty for their significant contribution in research and extension efforts. Tiffany Messer, associate professor in the Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering and Gatton Foundation Endowed Chair, was recognized with the Bobby Pass Excellence in Grantsmanship Award; Tomo Kawashima, associate professor in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, was recognized with the Prestigious Original Research Paper Award; and a Plant and Soil Sciences team consisting of Brad Lee, John Grove, Jason Unrine, and Erin Haramoto were honored with the Research and Extension Impact Award.
The International Association of Fire Chiefs announced that Assistant Chief Joey Harris of the Lexington Fire Department has been accepted into the Fire Service Executive Development Institute.
Commerce Lexington has recognized Gina Greathouse for her 30 years of leading economic development efforts in Lexington and 35 years altogether in the industry.
Bardstown Bourbon Co., part of Lofted Spirits, was honored as Global Brand Innovator of the Year; and Estes PR was honored as Global PR Team of the Year at the recently held global Icons of Whisky awards in London, England.
The Kentucky Distillers’ Association has named Left Bank Bourbon in Jefferson County as the newest member of the nonprofit trade group that unites and leads Kentucky’s signature bourbon and distilled spirits industry.
Lexington Planning Commission has unanimously approved The Railyard, a $6 million mixed-use development that will bring new life to Delaware Avenue. The project includes 32 residential units and ground-floor commercial spaces designed to support locally owned businesses.
S&P Global Market Intelligence has named Republic Bank & Trust Company a Top 50 Community Bank with assets of $3-10 billion based on 2024 performance. Ranking 17th nationally, Republic is the highest ranked of any bank or financial institution headquartered in Kentucky.
Bourbon & Beyond and the Danny Wimmer Presents team announced that the festival was named Pollstar’s Music Festival of the Year (Global, over 30k in attendance). The 36th annual Pollstar Awards have been recognizing and supporting the live entertainment business’s most innovative companies, venues, artists, tours, and executives.
Kentucky Blood Center (KBC) has expanded its partnership with The Milk Bank to include a seventh drop-off location for frozen breast milk. Frankfort Donor Center is now accepting donations of frozen breast milk from approved donors of The Milk Bank.