New Hires & Promotions
Following a national search, the Kentucky Community and Technical College System board of regents chose Ryan Quarles, a former community college student, as its fourth president. Quarles now serves as Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture.
Commerce Lexington Inc. announced the promotion of Falon McFarland to project manager, economic development.
Lexington construction company Dean Builds has promoted two key employees. Current vice president of operations, Jeff England, and senior project manager, Jeremy Walker, were named as owners of the company.
Wrigley Media Group has expanded its executive ranks with the appointment of Joe Livecchi as the company’s new CEO.
Alicia Cox has joined the teams at Stock Yards Bank as a private banking relationship manager.
Central Bank announced the promotion of Matt Frank to vice president, wealth management development officer.
Local agents Jennifer Helton and Fred Woosley have joined F.C. Tucker Bluegrass Realtors.
Zach Miller recently joined the brokerage Haymaker Company as a leasing/sales associate.
CHI Saint Joseph Medical Group – Behavioral Health in Lexington has welcomed Sean T. Butterbaugh, MD.
CHI Saint Joseph Medical Group – Primary Care in Lexington recently welcomed Alicia Alvarado, APRN.
The Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning recently named Jennifer Hester Mattox as its executive director. Mattox is Carnegie Center’s fifth executive director, and the fourth woman to lead the agency in its 31-year history.
Daniel Toffey has joined the stallion sales team at Spendthrift as the leading stallion farm readies for the 2024 breeding season.
Kudos
Music journalist Walter Tunis has won the media award in the Governor’s Awards in the Arts, presented by the Kentucky Arts Council. Tunis has been a music critic contributor to the Lexington Herald-Leader for nearly 43 years.
Frost Brown Todd has reelected chairman Robert Sartin and chief executive officer Adam Hall for another three-year term, effective Jan. 1, 2024.
Wyatt attorney Lexy Gross Holland was recognized by Legal Aid of the Bluegrass as Pro Bono Attorney of the Year for her work advocating for those in need of record expungement, eviction defense, and domestic violence protection.
Candace McGraw, CEO of the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, has been elected to serve as chair of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce for the 2024 term.
Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government (LFUCG) recently honored the following 13 Green Check members for demonstrating a commitment to increased sustainability within their facilities and operations:
- Creative Yoga (Silver)
- FoodChain (Silver)
- McConnell Springs (Silver)
- Poppy & Pomelo (Silver)
- Raven Run (Silver)
- Van Meter Holdings (Silver)
- Lucia’s World Emporium (Bronze)
- Lussi Brown Coffee Bar (Bronze)
- LEX Center for Creative ReUse (Member)
Recertifying honorees include:
- Klausing Group (Gold)
- Mediocre Creative (Silver)
- VisitLEX (Silver)
- Bluegrass United Church of Christ (Bronze)
God’s Pantry Food Bank has announced its new officers and board of directors members. The officers are Andrew Henderson, president; Paul Mulhollem, first vice president; Melissa Wilson, second vice president; Gregory Kasten, treasurer; and Nancy Barnett, secretary. The new members are Bishop E. Carter, IV, James (Jim) R. Coleman, Bethany Denning, Catherine Hines, Phillip Hoffman, Steve Jennings, Marty Lautner, and Sharon Saladin.
Town Branch Commons Trail has won a national 2023 Honor Award from the American Society of Landscape Architects. The award recognizes SCAPE, a landscape architecture firm based in New York, and Gresham Smith, local architects. The trail, completed in Oct. 2022, was a 10-year project built through downtown along the path of the city’s original water source, Town Branch.
McBrayer PLLC announced that it has achieved Mansfield Certification Plus. Mansfield Certification Plus, awarded by Diversity Lab, measures the structural changes and steps the firm has taken over the past year and a half to ensure internal paths to leadership — including lateral hiring, client pitch teams, promotions, appointments, and more — are open to all qualified lawyers.
The Lindsey Wilson College Alumni Council has named Lexington photographer Bill Straus as its Distinguished Alumnus of 2023.
Kentucky American Water recently awarded $8,000 to 16 central Kentucky fire departments through its 2023 Firefighting Support Grant Program.
Lexington Christian Academy senior Kathryn Sandford, a Cadet Major in the Kentucky Wing of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) was recently promoted to Cadet Lieutenant Colonel. With this promotion, Cadet Lieutenant Colonel Sandford will be the only female high school cadet in the Commonwealth of Kentucky to hold this distinction. Additionally, Sandford will receive the Eaker Award which marks completion of Phase IV of the CAP Cadet Program, recognizing sustained excellence in all four areas of cadet life: leadership, aerospace, fitness, and character. Fewer than two percent of cadets receive this award and the accompanying promotion to Cadet Lieutenant Colonel.
Lexington native and Air Force veteran Joe Bennett has introduced a new disaster response resource to the community called Lightspeed Restoration. The focus is on 24/7 disaster response for common emergencies caused by flooding, fire, and more.
CASA of Lexington won two statewide awards at the annual Kentucky CASA Conference. The nonprofit serving abused and neglected children in seven central Kentucky counties won Core Model Program of the Year and was one of two programs spotlighted for their work on diversity, equity, and inclusion.