New Hires & Promotions
Stoli Group announced the hiring of David Mandell as president of Kentucky Owl® Real Estate Company, LLC. Mandell will be responsible for leading the construction and development of the Kentucky Owl Distillery and Park located on over 400 acres in the Bourbon Capital of the World, Bardstown, Kentucky.
The Lexington Center Corporation (LCC) and Oak View Group Facilities have named Brian Sipe as general manager of Central Bank Center, which includes the 20,000-seat Rupp Arena, the new 200,000- square-foot Convention Center, and the 900-seat Opera House.
Beverly “Tara” Smith, DO, has joined Baptist Health Medical Group Family Medicine at 4071 Tates Creek Centre Drive, Ste. 100, in Lexington. Leigha High, MD, has joined Baptist Health Medical Group OB/GYN, located at 1700 Nicholasville Road, Suite 702 in Lexington.
The board and staff of the Kentucky Resources Council announced the hiring of Ashley Wilmes as the new director of the council. Wilmes succeeds Tom “Fitz” FitzGerald, who has assumed a senior staff position.
God’s Pantry Food Bank has named new officers of its board of directors: president – Steven R. Byars, Money Watch Advisors; first vice president – Amanda Goldman, Gordon Food Service; second vice president – Melissa A. Wilson, Esq.; treasurer – Gregory Kasten, Unified Trust Company; and secretary – Elizabeth A. Combs. The Food Bank also welcomed the following new board members: Douglas Allen, vice president of business & finance/ CFO, Tennessee State University; Debbie Beidleman, retired from Lexmark; Kelly Bozeman, marketing director University of Kentucky; and Andy Henderson, retired physician and former CEO of Lexington Clinic.
First State Bank of the Southeast has welcomed Jeremy Gray to the commercial lending team as senior vice president/commercial lender at the Tates Creek Banking Center, Lexington.
Diane Medley, executive chairman and co-founder of MCM CPAs and Advisors, has been elected to serve as chairman of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce for the 2022 term. Medley succeeds Winston Griffin, CEO and chairman of Laurel Grocery Company, whose term expired Sept. 30.
Bill Johnson, president and CEO of Farm Credit Mid-America, announced he will retire in the first quarter of 2022 after 11 years in the role and 39 years of dedicated service to the Farm Credit System.
Phyo Phyo Ye Kyaw, MD, has joined CHI Saint Joseph Medical Group – Pulmonology in Lexington.
Keeneland has announced four new additions to its advisory board of directors: prominent horsewoman Julie Cauthen, Three Chimneys Farm chief commercial officer Case Clay, Airdrie Stud vice president Bret Jones and LNJ Foxwoods’ Jaime Roth. Longtime directors Seth Hancock of Claiborne Farm and Will Farish of Lane’s End will move to emeritus roles on the advisory board.
Lexington Clinic has welcomed five new physicians: Eric Kiltinen has joined Hospital Medicine based out of CHI Saint Joseph Health Office Park; Sanjay Agarwala has joined the Center for Breast Care and is located in the main South Broadway building; Katharine Freeman has joined Jessamine Medical and Diagnostics Center; Antonio Lopez has joined Lexington Clinic Richmond; and Leslye Jones has joined Jessamine Medical and Diagnostics Center.
Frontier Nursing University announced that Khara’ Jefferson, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, will be the new director of the university’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program. Jefferson replaces Jane Houston, DNP CNM FACNM, who has served as the DNP director since 2019.
The Blue Grass Trust for Historic Preservation has named Jonathan Coleman as its executive director.
Stock Yards Bank & Trust has hired Alicia Jordan, a seasoned Lexington-region banker, to manage its central and eastern Kentucky private banking division.
Kudos
Fayette County Family Court Judge Lucinda Masterton has been named Judge of the Year by the Kentucky CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) Network.
Paul Miller Ford has announced a newly formed NIL (name, image, likeness) partnership agreement with University of Kentucky football junior and former local Frankfort native Wan’Dale Robinson in conjunction with sports management company the Virtus Brand.
The Kentucky District Judges Association has named District Judge Vanessa Dickson (ret.) as the 2021 recipient of the Judge Robert W. Heaton Award. The award, named for late Nelson County District Judge Robert W. Heaton, is presented to a sitting or retired district judge who has demonstrated enduring friendship and esprit among colleagues and judicial leadership.
The Fayette County Bar Association has recognized Stites & Harbison, PLLC, attorney Rebecca M.W. Sherman with its Outstanding Young Lawyer Award for 2021. The award honors one member of the Fayette County Bar Association who has practiced fewer than 10 years, successfully fulfilled all duties of an attorney and demonstrated dedication to the justice system through involvement and enhancement of community life.
National Association of Water Companies has announced that Susan Lancho, senior manager of external communications for Kentucky American Water, has received the September Positive Wave Award, an award that recognizes the individual efforts of water professionals that have had a positive impact and whose actions creates a “wave” that inspires others.
Lexington-based Omni Architects recently received an unprecedented four awards for design excellence from the American Institute of Architects. The awards recognize and applaud works of architecture exhibiting design excellence and promoting public awareness and appreciation of Kentucky architecture’s diversity, quality and scope. Of the nine AIA awards presented, Omni Architects was recognized for the following four projects: University of Kentucky Gatton Student Center, Honor Award; Eastern Kentucky University New Science Building, Merit Award; Council of State Governments Headquarters Building Renovation, Citation Award; and Centenary United Methodist Church, 25-Year Award.
Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government (LFUCG) recently honored 20 Green Check members. These businesses all demonstrate a commitment to increased sustainability within their facilities and operations. Example initiatives from the businesses include installation of rain gardens, upgrades to energy efficient lighting, office compost programs and promotion of alternative transportation. New honorees include: Blake Eames Design (silver); Kentucky American Water (silver); Pivot Brewing (silver); CivicLex (silver); Wild Birds Unlimited (bronze); Black Soil: Our Better Nature (bronze); Lyric Theatre & Cultural Arts Center (bronze); John’s Run/ Walk Shop (bronze); Doodles Breakfast & Lunch (bronze); Kentucky for Kentucky (member); Hera BioLabs (member); and Wellward Regenerative Medicine (member). Businesses that were recertified include Unitarian Universalist Church of Lexington (gold), Living Arts & Science Center (gold), Town Branch Tree Experts (silver), Lextran (silver), 24HR Meadowthorpe Coin Laundry (silver), Meg C Jewelry Gallery (bronze), Minglewood (bronze), and A Cup of Common Wealth (bronze). Businesses must recertify every three years.
The 2022 edition of Benchmark Litigation has named Stites & Harbison, PLLC Lexington attorneys Daniel Danford, William Gorton III, Gregory Parsons, and Ashley Ward as “Litigation Stars” and Cassidy Rosenthal as a “Future Star” in Kentucky. The guide honors the firms and attorneys who have demonstrated the ability to consistently handle complex, high-stakes cases in multiple jurisdictions.