IN THIS ISSUE
BusinessLexington MARCH 2021 | VOL. 17 ISSUE 3
CraveWorthy: Local producers growing microgreens and unusual vegetables help customers add healthful color to their meals PAGE 8
Trevor Claiborn and Ashley C. Smith, co-founders of Black Soil: Our Better Nature. PHOTO FURNISHED
Independent Business: Love of collecting leads Lexington native to open Jimmy’s Kentucky Roadshow Shop PAGE 10
A Growing Network Black Soil: Our Better Nature sows seeds of connection between African-American farmers and the community
Q&A with Ouita Michel: The celebrated Kentucky chef on her new cookbook and the resiliency of the restaurant industry PAGE 21
PAGE 14
BizLists Colleges and Universities
PAGE 18
| MBA Programs
PAGE 19
| Private Schools
PAGE 20
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*Transaction completed by Fifth Third Securities. Fifth Third Capital Markets is the marketing name under which Fifth Third Bank, National Association, and its subsidiary, Fifth Third Securities, Inc., provide certain securities and investment banking products and services. Fifth Third Capital Markets offers investment banking††, debt capital markets†, bond capital markets†, equity capital markets††, financial risk management†, and fixed income sales and trading††. Fifth Third Bank, National Association, provides access to investments and investment services through various subsidiaries, including Fifth Third Securities. Coker Capital Advisors is a division of Fifth Third Securities. Fifth Third Securities is the trade name used by Fifth Third Securities, Inc., member FINRA / SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and registered investment advisor registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training.
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Securities and investments offered through Fifth Third Securities, Inc.: Are Not FDIC Insured | Offer No Bank Guarantee | May Lose Value | Are not Insured by any Federal Government Agency | Are Not a Deposit †Services and activities offered through Fifth Third Bank, National Association. ††Services and activities offered through Fifth Third Securities, Inc. Deposit and credit products offered by Fifth Third Bank, National Association. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender. Credit products are subject to credit approval and mutually acceptable documentation.
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BusinessLexington Chuck Creacy PUBLISHER
chuck@bizlex.com Chris Eddie PUBLISHER
chris@bizlex.com Tom Wilmes EDITOR
tomw@bizlex.com Drew Purcell ART DIRECTOR
drew@bizlex.com Rena Baer COPY EDITOR
Sharon Metz BIZLISTS EDITOR
sharon.metz66@gmail.com Donna Hodsdon ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER
donna@bizlex.com Theresa Stanley DIRECTOR OF EVENTS AND PROMOTIONS
theresa@smileypete.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES
Amy Eddie
amy@bizlex.com Ann Staton
ann@bizlex.com
CONTENTS EconomicAnalysis
A monthly look at economic indicators compiled by the Center for Business and Economic Research (CBER) at the University of Kentucky PAGE 5
GrammarGourmet
No magic bullets: The do’s and don’ts when firing off bullet points PAGE 5
3
Artistic Endeavors: A look at the impact of COVID on local performing arts organizations PAGE 12
PVAStatistics
The latest statistics on local commercial and residential properties PAGE 6
BizIQ
Grant writing know-how: Make sure it’s a good fit and play to your strengths PAGE 7
CraveWorthy
Local producers growing microgreens and unusual vegetables help customers add healthful color to their meals PAGE 8
QuickBites
Spring brings a variety of new dining options PAGE 9
G
BL
Love of collecting leads Lexington native to open Jimmy’s Kentucky Roadshow Shop PAGE 10
BizList
IS HI
N
P
U
Y ILE PE
TE
SM
IndependentBusiness
P.O. Box 22731 Lexington, KY 40522 P: (859) 266-6537 F: (859) 255-0672 www.smileypete.com
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Colleges and Universities PAGE 18 MBA Programs PAGE 19 Private Schools PAGE 20
Who’sWho
Employment updates from around the Bluegrass PAGE 22
A Growing Network: Black Soil: Our Better Nature sows seeds of connection between African-American farmers and the community PAGE 14
Work To Be Done: Central Kentucky’s workforce on the mend from COVID, but challenges and disparities persist PAGE 16
Q&A with Ouita Michel: The celebrated Kentucky chef on her new cookbook and the resiliency of the restaurant industry PAGE 21
Menu
Family Meals SERVES FOUR
Grilled Filet Mignon $75 Grilled Atlantic Salmon $75 Mini Cheeseburgers $49 Malone’s Buttermilk Fried Chicken Tenders $59 Grilled Filet Mignon & Fried Chicken Tenders $65 Grilled Filet Mignon & Grilled Salmon $75 Mini Cheeseburgers & Fried Chicken Tenders $55 Family meals include salad, bread and two sides. Available for carry-out and delivery.* *Carry-out only available from OBC Kitchen/Malone’s Prime Events & Receptions, 3373 Tates Creek Road, by calling 859-977-2600. Delivery available via DoorDash, Grubhub and Uber Eats. Delivery fees may apply.
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Creating a Culture of Caring Distance Education Programs to Become a Nurse-Midwife or Nurse Practitioner. We’re excited to welcome students to our Versailles, KY campus in 2021!
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BusinessBriefs AppHarvest Becomes a Publicly Traded Company Specialties Offered: • Certified Nurse-Midwife • Family Nurse Practitioner • Women’s Health Care Nurse Practitioner • Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
AppHarvest, an ag-tech company operating one of the world’s largest controlled environment agriculture facilities in Morehead, Kentucky, with additional facilities planned in the state, has become a publicly traded company. AppHarvest recently completed a business combination with Novus Capital Corp., which focuses on specialized acquisitions. The transaction provides AppHarvest with more than $435 million of unrestricted cash, which will primarily be used to fund operations, including building additional high-tech controlled environment indoor farms, to support growth and for other general corporate purposes. AppHarvest is now one of about 50 publicly traded companies with headquarters in Kentucky. “It’s a great opportunity but one that comes with great responsibility. We’re now a fiduciary of public stakeholder dollars,” said AppHarvest founder and CEO Jonathan Webb. “With cash in the bank, we have a plan in front of us, and now it’s down to executing and trying to speed up all those timelines.”
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In addition to building new growing facilities and getting its crops in major grocers across the country, AppHarvest is also working with schools, universities, government and private businesses to build an infrastructure for increased ag-tech research and development in Kentucky, and to educate students about opportunities in the industry. During a tour of the Morehead facility, which primarily grows beefsteak tomatoes, in February, Gov. Andy Beshear compared the potential regional impact of AppHarvest to that of Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky when it located to the state in the mid ’80s. Webb “is providing the vision and the know-how that’s redefining how we feed a growing world, but I think he’s also creating what will be the anchor for so much economic development, for so many jobs of the future, right here and right now,” Beshear said.
Town Branch Park Hits Fundraising Milestone, Hires Lead Design Firm Representatives of Town Branch Park, a multi-use community facility proposed for downtown Lexington, announced that the project has so far raised $25.4 million dollars, which is more than 80 percent of the campaign’s initial goal. As a result, the project is moving to the final design and engineering phase. The park has an overall goal of $31 million in private funds to create a signature downtown park on more than nine acres located behind Rupp Arena and the Central Bank Center, which is currently undergoing a multi-year renovation project. The park will also function as the trailhead connecting 22-miles of paved trails leading from downtown to into Lexington’s rural landscape.
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“We cannot be more excited about the community embracing the positive impact Town Branch Park will have on Lexington,” said Ann Bakhaus, chair of the Town Branch Park board of advisors. “Even in the midst of a pandemic, we have exceeded $25 million, which demonstrates the strong support for building the world-class park we promised from day one.” Town Branch Park Executive Director Allison Lankford added, “We know that well-planned urban parks work as catalysts that spur and support private investment — both residential and commercial. During COVID-19, our parks have become even more highly valued assets — providing a sense of community, connection and recreation. As we look to safely reopen our community, Town Branch Park can play a critical role in the economic recovery.” Each year, Town Branch Park reports to the community on significant milestones and accomplishments. In addition to reaching its fundraising target, the Town Branch Park Board also selected a design consultant. Following a unanimous choice of the selection committee and the full board, Boston-based Sasaki will be the lead designer, supported by a team of local firms — EHI, Strand, and CARMAN — as well as Atlantabased Rabun. Dean Builds will serve as the local construction manager. “Sasaki is a world-class design firm that has extensive experience working with nonprofits such as Town Branch Park, which is a crucial factor to ensuring a successful design and implementation,” Bakhaus said. “It has a long track record of creating imaginative, inclusive public spaces that stand the test of time. With its expertise and celebrated interdisciplinary approach, Sasaki is best positioned to build off of the foundational Town Branch Park master plan and concept design from SCAPE to craft a design that will serve all of Lexington.” Sasaki has led the design of civic open spaces across the country, including award-winning projects such as Cincinnati’s Smale Riverfront Park, the Chicago Riverwalk, Boston City Hall Plaza and Moore Square in Raleigh, North Carolina. “Sasaki shares our commitment to advancing an engaged and inclusive process,” Lankford said. “We are confident that Sasaki is the best choice to take the community’s vision and turn it into reality with input from the community and a talented team of local experts. Dean Builds, a commercial and industrial construction company licensed in seven states, has expertise locally working with a variety of businesses, schools and universities. It will work alongside Sasaki during the design phase to evaluate costs and budget and will subsequently oversee construction. Design work will begin immediately. There will also be several additional opportunities for continued community input throughout the process, including a community engagement session with representatives from Sasaki held by early spring. BL
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EconomicAnalysis A monthly look at economic indicators compiled by the Center for Business and Economic Research (CBER) at the University of Kentucky. For more on CBER, visit www.cber.uky.edu.
Recent Data Feb. 2021
1-Month 1-Year Change Change
Payroll emp. MSA**** Manufacturing Employment Durable Goods (KY) **** Manufacturing: Lexington-Fayette MSA Total Employees**** Unemployment Rate MSA****
263,400 Dec. 157,400 Dec.
-0.68% 1.03%
-4.39% -3.38%
28,371 Dec. 5.40% Dec.
0.02% 1.00%
-4.47% 2.00%
Payroll Employment, US Manufacturing Payroll Employment US Unemployment Rate, US
142,631,000 Jan. 12,217,000 Jan. 6.80% Jan.
-0.03% -0.08% 0.30%
-6.31% -4.49% 2.80%
Consumer Price Index, Southern Region Consumer Price Index, US Producer Price Index, US
252.067 Jan. 261.582 Jan. 206.4 Dec.
0.50% 0.40% 0.88%
1.60% 1.40% -0.77%
Index of Leading Indicators** Fed’s Index of Industrial Production**
109.5 Dec. 105.7 Dec.
0.30% 1.63%
NA -3.38%
3-Month Treasury Yield*** 10-Year Treasury Yield***
0.05% Feb.11 1.15% Feb. 11
-0.04% 0.11%
-1.53% -0.41%
Real GDP (millions $)
4th Qtr. 2020 $21,479,529.00
1-Month 1-Year Change Change -1.23% 1.46%
MSA: Lexington-Fayette Metropolitan Statistical Area; (p)=preliminary; NA=not available * Source: http://www.conference-board.org ** Source: Federal Reserve Statistical Release — http://www.federalreserve.gov/releases/G17/ *** Source: Federal Reserve Statistical Release — http://www.federalreserve.gov/Releases/H15/data.htm **** Source: St. Louis Federal Reserve — https://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/ Note: In some cases 1 mo. and 1 yr. changes are based on revised data from previous mo./yr. GDP is reported in current dollars.
GrammarGourmet
By Neil Chethik
No Magic Bullets Bullet points whiz by us every day in the business world. I happen to like them when they’re used to shorten a piece of writing or make it easier to absorb a list. But if you’re going to use bullets in your memos and other communications, keep these rules in mind: • End your introductory sentence (the last one above) with a colon. • Put a period at the end of a bulleted item if the item is a full sentence. • Make sure that all the items on your list are grammatically parallel. (On this list, for example, all begin with verbs and are full sentences.) • Capitalize the first letter of each bulleted item even if the item is not a full sentence. • Use bold, italics or underlining on the first word(s) of each bullet point if you want to make the list especially easy to skim. • Avoid long bullet points; one to three lines are about right. Some people wonder under what circumstances they should dodge a bullet and employ a numbered list. Numbered lists are best under the following conditions: 1) Your list is very long. 2) You are suggesting a series of steps.
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IMAGE FURNISHED
3) You are including your list within a paragraph. 4) You want to communicate that the items at the top of the list are more important than those at the bottom. Since none of these four conditions have been met, it would be best to replace the numbers in this list with bullets. While they’re not magic, bullets have their place. BL Neil Chethik, aka the Grammar Gourmet, is executive director at the Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning (www.carnegieliteracy.org) and author of “FatherLoss” and “VoiceMale.” The Carnegie Center offers writing classes and seminars for businesses and individuals. Contact Neil at neil@carnegieliteracy.org or (859) 254-4175.
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PVAStatistics These statistics on local residential and commercial property are compiled by the office of the Fayette County Property Valuation Administrator. The data reflect the most up-todate information available at the time of printing for this publication, but monthly figures may be revised as additional public records of property transactions are submitted and become available.
Top Commercial Transactions for January 2021
The chart below shows the monthly residential sales activity in Fayette County for the previous 24 months. The data for the most recent month reflect a projected estimate from the office of the Fayette County Property Valuation Administrator and are subject to change. 2021 RESIDENTIAL SALES
2020 RESIDENTIAL SALES
2019 RESIDENTIAL SALES
800
SALE DATE ADDRESS
PRICE
1/21/21
3765 Winthrop Drive
$7,281,543
Stables & Woods Apartment Partners LLC
1/21/21
1850 Old Higbee Mill Road
$3,563,456
Stables & Woods Apartment Partners LLC
1/8/21
649 Bizzell Drive
$2,080,000**
Innovative Holdings LLC
1/15/21
1344 Royalty Court
$840,000*
Bluegrass Rental Homes LLC
1/15/21
1352 Royalty Court
1/15/21
917 Georgetown Street
$690,000
KYOZ LLC
1/19/21
3320 Clays Mill Road, Ste. 209
$325,000*
Evan Family Matters LLC
500
1/19/21
3320 Clays Mill Road, Ste. 109
1/21/21
904 Liberty Road
$320,000
Stuart, Dane
400
1/25/21
1636 Alexandria Drive
$238,000
Barn Homes LLC
Top Seller: 3765 Winthrop Drive - $7,281,543
OWNER
Residential Sales Data for January 2021
700 600
300 200 100
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC
-19%
6%
3%
-19%
-21%
-6%
19%
4%
15%
21%
14%
16%
MONTHLY PERCENTAGE CHANGE OVER PREVIOUS YEAR * Sale price based on a multiple-parcel transaction ** Parcel includes multiple improvement
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For more local residential and commercial real estate information, visit the website of the Fayette County Property Valuation Administrator at www.fayettepva.com.
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BizIQ
A MONTHLY COLUMN OF BUSINESS INSIGHTS FROM CENTRAL KENTUCKY PROFESSIONALS
Grant writing know-how: Make sure it’s a good fit and play to your strengths BY STEPHANIE SPIRES AND SHAWN BUMPASE CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
T
7
he Plantory is a collaborative working community that provides services to strengthen, support and grow the capacity of Central Kentucky nonprofits. One impactful way for nonprofits to grow capacity and become sustainable is by accessing and writing grants. While this process can be overwhelming for nonprofits, there are a few steps to keep in mind to help ease the process and put your organization’s best foot forward. The Plantory also offers workshops to assist along these lines. These are among the steps: 1. Create an annual budget and identify the organization’s funding needs. 2. Choose the right grant that fits the program, event or funding need. Make sure that the organization meets all the qualifications and that the constraints of the grant work with the organization’s fundraising plan. 3. Be creative! Tell the organization’s story. Grant writing is an opportunity for the writer to celebrate the past success of the organization, as well as discuss the community’s needs and the organization’s ideas. Be specific and
detailed when writing about how the funding would support the organization’s efforts. 4. Have other people review and edit the grant application to ensure the data is accurate and there are no typos or grammatical mistakes. 5. Once the grant has been approved and funds have been dispersed, make sure the organization completes all required reports and documents the program. Don’t forget to thank the grantor for their funding, both privately and publicly. A common mistake that nonprofits make is chasing funds because they are available. This is why identifying the organization’s funding needs is important. Instead of creating a program to receive funding, seek funding to create or expand a program that aligns with the organization’s strategic plan. Also, remember the most successful grants are often written by a team. The applicant’s board of directors, staff and volunteers should work together to ensure the best grant application is submitted that aligns with and supports the mission of the organization. To learn more about grant writing or upcoming classes at The Plantory, please stop by 110 W. Vine Street, Suite #415, Lexington, KY 40507 or email Info@Plantory.org. BL
BusinessLexington
Stephanie Spires, pictured, owner of Stephanie Spires Strategies, LLC, and a Fayette County School Board member, is interim director of The Plantory. Shawn Bumpase, a University of Kentucky graduate with a background in business management and family consumer science, is program director of The Plantory’s AmeriCorps VISTA Network.
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CraveWorthy
A Colorful Bounty Local producers growing microgreens and unusual vegetables help customers add healthful color to their meals BY SHANNON CLINTON CONTRIBUTING WRITER
D
uring the past year, many of us cooked more meals at home, learned to cook for the first time or became more adventurous in the kitchen with more time on our hands. As we found out, it’s easy to become bored with the usual home menu rotation and crave something new. And how long ago was it we promised ourselves to eat healthier in the New Year after a year of comfort food indulgences? As spring approaches, farmers markets will soon be getting into full swing, and two local farming operations — one urban and one rural — have some unusual produce offerings you might want to try that can help add variety to meals and help with healthier eating. Ryan Sipes is owner of Simply Seedlings, an indoor microgreens growing operation he started in a spare bedroom in downtown Lexington in May 2019, along with his girlfriend, Raelyn Nickerson. It’s licensed as a food growing facility, with industrial shelving, mounted lights and rows of verdant, sprouting microgreens. Sipes sells directly to consumers who contact him via text, phone or social media and to local restaurants, including Minton’s, Corto Lima, ItalX and Ranada’s Kitchen. “Growing up, all of my grandparents, pretty much, were doing some type of agriculture, whether commercial or for their own consumption,” Sipes said.
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While a student at Transylvania University, Sipes interned at Food Chain, a Lexington nonprofit that works to demonstrate and educate about sustainable food systems. He became interested in microgreens and decided to try his hand at growing not only common ones like sunflower, pea, broccoli and radish shoots but also less-common varieties like micro-sized basil, cilantro, parsley, arugula, chervil and dill. He said the microgreens are easy to throw into salads, wraps or even into smoothies for tastiness and “anytime you just want a nice pop of color.” Grown year-round, the microgreens are sold in half ounce to ounce containers and cost between $3 and $7. Some customers like to mix and match varieties in their orders, he said. Pre-COVID 19, Sipes got started by showing up at restaurants with samples of his microgreens and making a personal introduction. Now he makes scheduled visits to prospective new clients. Chefs often share photos of their signature dishes artfully adorned with the microgreens, and Sipes said Nickerson is also a great cook/baker who photographs her own dishes with microgreen accoutrements for social media posts that help promote Simply Seedlings’ harvests. Sipes is working to streamline the ordering process and participate in local farmers markets this year. Currently, Simply Seedlings offers free delivery on Tuesdays and Fridays. Once the pandemic wanes, he hopes to move operations to a stand-alone facility.
Ryan Sipes and Raelyn Nickerson founded Simply Seedlings, an indoor microgreens growing operation, from a spare bedroom in their downtown Lexington home. They sell microgreens to area restaurants and directly to consumers, and plan to sell at local farmers markets later this year. PHOTOS FURNISHED
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At Salad Days Farm in Versailles, Kentucky, Maggie and Jarrod Dungan grow a variety of certified organic produce for sale in the farm’s store on Craig’s Creek Road, as well as at the Franklin Farmers Market, Lexington Farmers Market downtown on Sundays, and in season April through October at the Southland Drive market. The farm yielded 28,151 pounds of produce last year, Maggie Dungan said. While the farm produces year-round, the warmer months are busiest, she said. The farm launched in 2015, after Dungan was studying to be a holistic nutritionist and became interested in eating healthy, locally-produced food. That journey led her and Jarrod, who grew up in a farming family, to move from Paris, Kentucky, to Versailles to start a fledgling farming operation. “I’m very much a do-it-yourself type of person and I wanted to grow my own food,” she said. While the farm grows traditional produce, some unusual offerings pique customers’ interest, such as black and watermelon radishes and dried green tomatoes. “It certainly brings [people] over, and they ask about it and they may buy something else that they’re more familiar with” even if they don’t yet venture into trying exotic-looking produce, Dungan said. She said people also like to show off dishes made with the ingredients she sells on social media, including colorful hot peppers, pea shoots, microgreens, pickled okra and cucumbers and homemade jams. While she’s no stranger to growing multicolored carrots, white eggplants and purple bell peppers, Dungan has to make a judgment call based on how much these varieties will yield compared to traditional types, and how well they’ll likely sell, before deciding on what to plant. She is, however, toying with the idea of growing purple and orange cauliflower. As Dungan gets requests for unusual vegetables to grow or pickling projects to try, “I certainly take it into account, but some things are just harder than others and not worth the time,” she said. When asked for her take on people’s attraction to out-of-the-ordinary produce, she said people become bored of buying the same fruits and vegetables and like trying new things. And with the help of the internet, they won’t be at a loss for what to do with them once they get home. “It’s a lot easier these days to find out about different produce and how to use it,” she said. Especially when it comes to adding some variety to meal plans this spring. BL
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QuickBites Spring brings a variety of new dining options BY SHANNON CLINTON CONTRIBUTING WRITER
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Maggie Dungan, above, harvests leafy greens from a greenhouse at Salad Days Farm in Versailles. Dungan and her husband, Jarrod, grow a variety of certified organic produce on the farm, which they founded in 2015. PHOTOS FURNISHED
ven in the midst of a pandemic, new restaurants are popping up all over this spring, with local Mexican food lovers having extra reason to rejoice. In late January, Dayton-based Hot Head Burritos announced a Lexington location would open in April. According to the company’s website, the new location will be at 1445 Newtown Center Way. The site listed a variety of burritos, tacos, quesadillas, bowls and nachos that can be ordered off the “mild” or “wild” menus or customized to diners’ tastes. A new arrival to the Papi’s Mexican Restaurant family is Papi’s at Palomar, located at the new Fountains at Palomar development on Harrodsburg Road. Papi’s Facebook page said in January that the new location will be “opening soon.” Other locations are on Euclid Avenue and South Broadway. El Taquero opened at 1395 W. Main St. in late January, with menu highlights including tacos, barbacoa, taco salads and fajitas. Traditional Mexican soups Menudo and caldo de res are served on weekends. The location was formerly, albeit briefly, Chatino Buffet Chinese & Mexican Food. Greyline Station continues to be a draw for food and beverage entrepreneurs, including the forthcoming B’Juiced, which sells juices, smoothies and herbal teas, and Social Vegan, both announced online. Social Vegan’s business development manager said the vegan restaurant will open the first week of March with veggie skewers, Thai tacos and dumplings among menu highlights. She said the vegan charcuterie board is one of her personal favorites at the restaurant, which will offer dine-in and takeout options. Corto Lima and Athenian Grill are recently announced new participants in the Delivery Co-op employee and restaurant-owned food delivery service, the co-op’s Facebook page notes. Boonedogs has opened at 5902 Old Richmond Road, with all-beef hot dogs that can be dressed up with toppings like bacon jam, chili or horseradish mayo; sausages including chorizo, bratwurst and Beyond plant-based sausage; burgers, salads, sides, and fountain drinks; and a wide variety of bourbons and cocktails. The Saucy Crab seafood restaurant is coming to Lexington later this year, according to an article in the Hamburg Journal published in late January. The restaurant will be located in the former Texas Roadhouse building on Richmond Road and is a project of the same players in Koi Express restaurants, the article said. BL Have a food- or beverage-related update to share with readers? Please email info@smileypete.com.
CORTO LIMA | FILE PHOTO
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Jimmy’s Kentucky Roadshow Shop opened in November on Romany Road. The shop buys and sells a variety of collectible cards and features an impressive collection of sports-related memorabilia.
In the Cards Love of collecting leads Lexington native to open Jimmy’s Kentucky Roadshow Shop BY KATHIE STAMPS CONTRIBUTING WRITER
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ollecting and trading sports cards has been a hobby of Jimmy Mahan’s since childhood. And, since opening Jimmy’s Kentucky Roadshow Shop on Romany Road in November, it’s his livelihood. “We have $5 cards and $10,000 cards,” Mahan said. “Basketball cards are by far the most popular. They have the greatest capacity for high prices, because basketball is such a global sport.” Those who visit the Chevy Chase shop in person are literally stepping onto a piece of University of Kentucky basketball history. “The original baseline from Rupp Arena is the floor of the shop when you walk in,” Mahan said. “People come in and take pictures of it all the time.” Some of the items on display include game-worn jerseys and shoes by players such as Tyler Herro and Karl Anthony Towns, and sports memorabilia dating back to the 195758 University of Kentucky NCAA championship team. “It’s half card shop, half museum; all hang out. We want folks of all ages to come enjoy it,” Mahan said. “We are teachers to the people who are getting back in the hobby during this boom, and we are experts for the old pros who come to us looking for specific and high-end cards.”
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While the days of buying a pack of baseball cards for 50 cents are long gone, Mahan does stock some more affordable options, as well as a selection of single cards priced with younger collectors in mind. Most collectible sports cards are produced in limited editions these days and command higher prices based on rarity and desirability. During the collecting boom of the 1980s and into the early ’90s, manufacturers mass-produced cards, largely negating their value. “The baseball card market tanked in early ’90s when the internet came along,” Mahan said. Now the cards are produced in numbered, limited editions. There might be only 100 of a certain athlete’s card and 25 of another’s. A more common price for a pack of cards these days is about $45, while an entire case (10 to 12 boxes) can cost upward of $12,000. Sellers like Jimmy’s Kentucky Roadshow Shop will “break” the case for a collector to buy only the Cincinnati Reds or just the New York Yankees, for example. Prior to online access, card collectors had to find a specific card to buy or trade by attending card shows or through magazine notices. Online sales account for about 60 percent of the shop’s business, Mahan said. He has shipped products to customers in England, France, Switzerland, China, Japan and Australia. Interest in card collecting has increased during the pandemic, Mahan said.
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Shop manager Trey Huntsman and owner Jimmy Mahan bonded over a shared love of sports and collecting. Above, Huntsman displays Antoine Walker’s signed, game-worn jersey from the 1996 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.
The crew from Jimmy’s Kentucky Roadshow Shop took a cross-country road trip of their own in February. Mahan rented an RV and drove from Kentucky to California, buying and trading cards along the way. In all his haul included six figures’ worth of sports cards, he said, including a 1986-87 Fleer rookie card of Michael Jordan. The same card, one graded a perfect Gem Mint 10 by PSA Authentication and Grading Services, sold for $150,000 at auction this past December. While the occasional high-value card generates excitement and makes headlines, most collectors are driven by a joy for the hobby that was kindled during childhood. That’s how Mahan, who grew up in Lexington and played Eastern Little League baseball and other sports, got started. He went to college in Lexington, Virginia, earning a bachelor’s degree in history at Washington and Lee University. He pursued a master’s in history at the University of Kentucky, where Mahan was a grad assistant with the men’s basketball program under Coach Tubby Smith. He completed his master’s degree in secondary school administration at North Carolina State in 2006. Mahan stayed in North Carolina, and over the next 14 years he worked as a teacher, high school principal, camp director and
aftercare coordinator for a foster group home, all the while sharing his enthusiasm and compassion for kids and with kids in academic and athletic settings. At one point he worked in marketing at his dad’s bank in Wilmington, North Carolina, “because if I had done loans, I would have approved everyone,” he said with a grin. Mahan and his wife, Cathy, moved back to the Bluegrass this past June. “Kentucky was always the goal, but I didn’t want to come home until I was ready to do something special that filled my days and heart with an authentic joy,” he said. “Lexington is the perfect place for sports cards and a shop that wants to engage.” Community means everything to Mahan and his four employees. They have created a Women of Sports Cards club and have clubs for kids in the works, as well as plans for events and a partnership with the Lexington Legends involving special jerseys, cards and autographs. “We want to do it all and use cards as a vehicle for helping people, having a good time, engaging the community and elevating the hobby,” Mahan said. “I also believe in being as much of a force for good in the community and as locally as possible. It’s not always about profit; it can’t be. So, we distribute joy as much as we can while making enough to treat my great staff well.” BL
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Like many performing arts organizations, the Lexington Philharmonic has shifted from in-person concerts to virtual events, airing educational videos and recordings of current and past performances on its website.
Artistic Endeavors A look at the impact of COVID on local performing arts organizations BY TANZI MERRITT CONTRIBUTING WRITER
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uring the COVID-19 pandemic, performing arts organizations around the country have struggled to stay afloat while creatively finding ways to bring their work to people needing a temporary escape from the stress of a locked-down world. Locally, organizations have shifted the way they deliver performances while modifying operations, as much as possible, to survive decreased revenue. While hard decisions have had to be made, these measures are necessary to help ensure a resilient future for the performing arts in Lexington, administrators say. Economically, the pandemic impacted the arts in Lexington greatly due to a 50 percent reduction in Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government’s allocation for LexArts — the
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area arts council and united arts fund — in the city’s revised 2020 budget. “While we were pleased to have been included in the mayor’s budget, the allocation was decreased … from $415,000 to $200,000,” said LexArts Communications Director Maury Sparrow. “This $200,000 was also stipulated as a match, and the resulting $400,000 was to be dedicated to regranting. In the past, the LFUCG allocation was provided as general operating support, which paid for programming initiatives, salaries, overhead, maintenance, etc.” Sparrow explains: “As a direct result of the lowered allocation, four of our six general operating support [GOS] partners saw significant decreases in funding ... In addition to the decreases to GOS partners, our Community Arts Development grants pool was significantly affected.” One of the six organizations affected is the Lexington Philharmonic. Executive Director Allison Kaiser said: “The 46 percent reduction LexPhil received from this year’s LexArts grant … significantly impacted our operating budget, because LexArts funding is provided for general operating purposes, which includes staff salaries and overhead costs. These are expenses that program grants and sponsorships don’t normally
cover, yet these expenses are critical to our ability to produce programs. As a result, this fiscal year we have been operating from a budget that is less than half our pre-COVID operating budget.” Adding to this decrease is the loss of revenue from ticket sales and sponsorships for live, in-person performances, and the situation is difficult, particularly for the performers. “The hardest part of all of this is that we haven’t been able to employ our musicians for full or even chamber-size orchestra concerts. Our artistic and administrative staff have been furloughed a few different times this season and are on 50 percent reduced hours and compensation for most of the season,” Kaiser said. “Our musicians have lost income, and opportunity to share their talents and passion with our audiences. Many have had to collect unemployment. So there has been psychic as well as financial hardship.” For AthensWest Theater Company, things haven’t been quite as difficult. Producing Artistic Director Bo List explains: “Fortunately, we are a small organization with low administrative overhead. We have one part-time business manager and other than that no paid staff outside of the artists and technicians we hire for productions. Likewise, we neither own nor lease property. Pre-pandemic, these were all
cause for frustration, since we lack permanent facilities to rely on or full-time employees to carry out our mission and get things done. However, that has become an asset at a time when theatres everywhere struggle to pay rent and employees.” As a result, AthensWest hasn’t applied for PPE loans or other resources — assistance that both LexArts and the Lexington Philharmonic have relied on to continue to forward their missions. Despite these difficulties, all three organizations have not wavered from their commitment to bring art to the citizens of Lexington. Modification has become the name of the game this past year. The Lexington Philharmonic, for example, has focused on educational opportunities, community engagement and virtual performances. Short performances and messages from musicians are shared via a LexPhilLivingRoom hashtag, which also post to a dedicated space on the orchestra’s website. The website also features educational videos geared toward young children and families, as well as ‘Encore’ broadcasts of past performances in partnership with WEKU 88.9. This past fall, ensembles performed two LexPhil at the Loudoun House concerts, video recordings of which were shared with the community. The orchestra is also working to present more live performances later this spring and summer through its LexPhil in Your Neighborhood series, Kaiser said.
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Being a small organization with low overhead and no permanent facilities has helped AthensWest Theater Company weather the pandemic, said Artisitic Director Bo List. AthensWest is currently producing a series of radio productions.
For the popular LexArts HOP, consistency has been tough, Sparrow said. “There have been months when we’ve canceled HOP altogether and months when we have had a Virtual HOP or a HOP Out. The challenge is that many HOP venues have been shuttered and most often, and understandably, those sites don’t mount exhibitions.” But shows have been able to go on. Sparrow said the organization’s PNC presents the LexArts Gallery series have been popular. Limited hours are available for in-person viewing by appointment, and short videos of the exhibition are also available for virtual viewing and even for making purchases. “The videos have been very wellreceived, so much so that we intend to continue them even after we can gather in person,” Sparrow said. AthensWest, however, has eschewed the internet in favor of one of the oldest virtual platforms — radio. In partnership with WUKY 91.3, the theater company has presented a radio revival of its production of ‘The Importance of Being Earnest.’ An upcoming original production called ‘Limestone: 1833’ was written specifically for radio by area playwrights Adanma Onyedike Barton, Margo Buchanan and Kevin Lane Dearinger, with sound design by Samuel Lockridge. Its setting is Lexington in 1833 during the height of a cholera pandemic. “Nothing replaces live theater, so we’re not trying,” List said. “Instead, we’re leaning on a medium that has been bringing quality entertainment to audiences for over a century — and trying to innovate as we go!”
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All agree that with the introduction of a vaccine, the future of live performances looks hopeful, but there is still uncertainty as to when some semblance of normality will return. LexPhil, for one, is planning to bring the popular outdoor Picnic with the Pops back this August while hoping for smaller chamber programs in late 2021 and full orchestra performances in early 2022. Said Kaiser, “We are planning for every contingency possible, including learning from our industry peers about which health and safety practices might need to be considered even once we’re able to perform in a pre-pandemic manner again.” All also credit their ability to maintain a level of service to the community and to donors who have continued to support their organizations. As Kaiser said: “Gifts at any level can add up quickly and enable us to keep working to meet this moment and then build back for a post-pandemic world.” Though some speculate that the pandemic will irrevocably stifle the arts, List is optimistic. “We won’t lose the performing arts. They’re resilient, and they will bounce back — hopefully sooner than later. I don’t worry about losing them. I do worry about underfunding, under-resourcing, underattending and under-marketing them. To borrow a metaphor: These trees, in the absence of anyone to hear them, are silent as they fall in the forest. Fortunately, Lexington has a long history of seeing, or in this case hearing, the forest for the trees,” he said. BL
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A Growing Network Black Soil: Our Better Nature sows seeds of connection between African-American farmers and the community BY LISA A. BROWN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
“I
f Mother Nature can’t see who puts the seed in the ground, then why do we have such enormous disparities in agriculture?” asks Lexington native Ashley C. Smith. This lack of equity in agriculture, coupled with food insecurity and lack of access to freshly grown produce among many populations of color, prompted Smith and partner Trevor Claiborn to co-found Black Soil: Our Better Nature. The Lexington-based agritourism business’ mission, Smith said, is “to reconnect Black Kentuckians to their heritage and legacy in agriculture.” Partnering with Black farmers across the Commonwealth, Black Soil organizes farm tours, farmto-table dinners, off-season workshops and educational outreach programs. Black SMITH Soil also operates a shop and produce stand, called The Recipe, at Julietta Market in Greyline Station. It has also turned a nearby building most recently home to Cosmic Charlie’s music club into an urban warehouse where farmers can store their fresh goods before they go on sale at the market. CLAIBORN In February, Black Soil was awarded a one-year fellowship with the University of Kentucky. The fellowship includes a dedicated space in UK’s new Cornerstone Exchange facility to host programming for students and the general public. Black Soil will also partner with several colleges on campus and work closely with students to educate about its mission and develop new initiatives. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, out of 3.4 million farmers in the nation, only 45,508 — less than 2 percent — are African Americans. It’s a stark contrast from 1920, when there were nearly 1 million U.S. Black farmers. The Center for American Progress released a report in 2019 attributing
“Our vision is to help foster a greater market share for Black farmers and producers as they provide healthy food options to a larger consumer base.” ASHLEY SMITH, CO-FOUNDER, BLACK SOIL: OUR BETTER NATURE
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a century of structural racism to the declining number of Black farmers. “The USDA has a long and well-documented history of discrimination against Black farmers,” it said. “The unequal administration of government farm support programs, crucial to protecting farmers from an inherently risky enterprise, has had a profound impact on rural communities of color.” In Kentucky, only 600 farms out of 76,000 are operated by Black farmers. “Oftentimes, Kentucky gets forgotten on a national scale when it comes to African Americans in agriculture and their lived experience and quality of life in the state,” Smith said. To help raise awareness, Black Soil organizes farm tours and dinners April through October. The partnering farmer sets the menu, and ingredients are sourced from the host farm or another Black-owned farm or business. Meals are prepared by an AfricanAmerican Kentucky chef. As a child, Lillian Bland, who lives in Versailles, often visited her aunt and uncle’s Franklin County farm, which they eventually sold. When she heard about the farm-to-table event at Cleave’s Family Farm in LaRue County sponsored by Black Soil, she purchased a ticket. “It reminded me of my childhood; it took me back to my roots,” Bland said. She has attended two other events and said it is important to support Black farmers because their numbers are dwindling. Smith and Claiborn had to cancel last season’s in-person programming due to COVID-19 restrictions, but were able to introduce new efforts. “What is really helping us make our mark with more entities, households, institutions and small, locally owned businesses is our strategic sourcing — our produce with a purpose,” Smith said. In the midst of the pandemic, Black Soil has helped connect small-scale farms with farm-to-table restaurants; partnered with AppHarvest, a sustainable agriculture technology company dedicated to growing food in the heart of Appalachia; and assisted producers, farmers and chefs in extending the life of their produce and meats to help minimize waste. Black Soil also partnered with Community Farm Alliance, a nonprofit advocacy agency, to create the Kentucky Black Farmer Fund. Through joint efforts, they identified 51 Blackowned Kentucky farms to receive a one-time COVID-19 relief grant of up to $750 per farm. Smith says strategic sourcing coupled with community supported agriculture (CSA) has also expanded Black Soil’s reach. CSA is a food distribution system that connects members of the community directly with local farmers. Individuals purchase a share of the farm’s produce, dairy, eggs or meat and have it delivered weekly to their homes or for pick up. CSAs provide consumers with nutritional, locally grown foods while helping to support farmers.
Black Soil organizes tours and farm-to-table dinners at AfricanAmerican owned farms throughout the region, and also helps connect customers with farmers and their produce through communitysupported agriculture. PHOTOS FURNISHED
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While CSAs gained widespread recognition in the U.S. in the mid 1980s, Booker T. Whatley, Ph.D., an African-American horticulturist and farmer from Alabama, first introduced the concept in the 1960s. In what he termed Clientele Membership Clubs, members paid an advance fee that allowed them to select their own produce from local farms. Farmers benefited by using the membership fees to buy seed and equipment. “Booker T. Whatley created this technique that encouraged farmers to rally community support around their small-scale farms,” Smith said. “We can think of it as cooperative economics, collective responsibility and looking at the farmer as the anchor of the community.” Black Soil purchases food items wholesale from partnering farms and retails them via subscription at www.shopblacksoilky.com. Orders may be home delivered or picked up at a designated location. In December they opened The Recipe, a year-round, indoor, Kentucky Proud, farmers market located at the Julietta Market. Some of the featured items include seasonal produce, bundled meats, spices, honey, Kenyan roasted coffee, candles and farm-to-table meal prep kits. “Our vision is to help foster a greater market share for Black farmers and producers as they provide healthy food options to a larger consumer base,” Smith said. Tiffany El-Amin, owner of Ballew Estates in Madison County and co-owner of Alfalfa restaurant, says that Black Soil has already made an impact in reaching out to Black farmers, establishing relationships and connecting them to the community. “Ashley and Trevor have constantly said, ‘We see you; we hear you; we are you,’” she said. BL
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Less than 2 percent of America’s 3.4 million farmers are African American. Black Soil seeks to raise awareness of this community and its heritage through education, events and sales. PHOTO FURNISHED
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Work to be Done Central Kentucky’s workforce on the mend from COVID, but challenges and disparities persist BY LIZ CAREY CONTRIBUTING WRITER
T
he COVID-19 pandemic will have farreaching consequences for Kentucky’s workforce and economy, experts say, and those hit hardest will be the industries that take the longest to recover. Within a month of the first responses to the coronavirus, Kentucky’s workforce buckled. More than 325,100 jobs were gone in April 2020, compared with January, said Michael Clark, director of the University of Kentucky’s Gatton College of Business and Economics Center for Business and Economic Research (CBER). By October, he said, the state had recovered 67 percent of those jobs, but employment was still down 107,600 jobs. Still, we’re a long way from a full recovery, he said. “Although the aggregate impact on Kentucky’s economy mirrors the national impact, several of Kentucky’s industries were hit harder. Unfortunately, there is still a great deal that is not known about how the pandemic has affected the nation and Kentucky,” he wrote in the Kentucky Annual Economic Report released in early February. Getting the jobs back will depend on how long it takes to get the vaccine distributed, how long it takes to open up schools and daycares, and how long it takes for consumer confidence to rise again, he said. But uncertainty in the recovery remains, he said because economic conditions are changing so rapidly. What is known, however, is who the pandemic most impacted. Statistics from the state’s Workforce Overview for Kentucky Regions show that Eastern Kentucky has suffered far more than Central Kentucky. Last October, Central Kentucky’s unemployment rate was 6.5 percent, compared to 6.7 percent for both the southern and western regions. The eastern region’s unemployment rate was 9.1 percent that same month. Compared with the previous year, unemployment rates have almost doubled. In October 2019, Central Kentucky’s unemployment rate was 3.4 percent, while the southern region’s was 4.1; the western region’s was 4.2, and the eastern region was 5.9. Nationally, the unemployment rate in
October 2020 was 6.9 percent. But in terms of workforce participation, Kentucky is at the bottom of the barrel, said Beth Davisson, vice president of Workforce Development with the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce. “We are 46th in the nation for workforce participation,” she said. “We were as low as 50th recently, and it is impacting our economy pretty greatly. Kentucky has been hit pretty bad.” Close to 250,000 workers have left the workforce and stopped looking for work, she said. Disproportionately, the people who’ve left the workforce the most have been women. “We’ve had almost 100,000 women in Kentucky leave the workforce due to childcare issues and school closures,” she said. “We haven’t seen this few women in the workforce since 1998. It’s unprecedented. “ Currently, about 63,000 jobs still have not come back online, she said, and most of those are in sectors that employ predominantly women. “Leisure and hospitality have accounted for most of those job losses. Unfortunately, our manufacturing did also lose some jobs, but we’re starting to see those come back,” she said. “Conversely, when you look at some of our other super sectors in Kentucky, like transportation, warehousing and utilities, they’ve been relatively insulated from the pandemic. Actually, those industries saw a bit of growth in our economy from where they were pre-pandemic,” she said. “In those industries though, when you look at the demographics of who are in those jobs, it’s mostly men.” As the economy strengthens, and people feel safe again, she said she anticipates those jobs will come back. But others might take a long time to come back, if they do at all. According to a national study by McKenzie and Company, in a muted recovery scenario, it could take as long as five years for industries like arts and entertainment, leisure and hospitality, and education to come back to pre-pandemic levels. “They also looked at what states were hit the hardest, and Kentucky was ranked as a top five state,” she said. “When it comes to our people in our jobs, what they found was we were top five in the nation for most unem-
ployment claims and jobs that might not be coming back due to things like technology disruption.” Employers who may have been putting off technology changes in their business — like robots, artificial intelligence and other upgrades — put them in place much sooner to cut costs and adhere better to COVID-19 social-distancing requirements, she said. For Kentuckians, Davisson said, that means whatever jobs come back, Kentuckians may not be prepared for. “If those jobs go away because they get replaced by technology, what will come to replace them is higher skilled jobs that require more education,” she said. “In Kentucky, you know, we’re not getting the post-secondary education that we really need for our citizens. We need more of our citizens getting an education and earning post-secondary credentials, degrees and certifications.” A line item in this year’s state budget called for more resources to support efforts to increase opportunities and access for education, Davisson said. Betsy Dexter, executive director of the business and education network at Commerce Lexington, said the chamber was working to find out what needs to happen to increase the workforce and workforce participation. “What we’re doing right now is trying to understand the landscape — what are the trends out there? What jobs are available? What kind of skills do they require, and how do we communicate that?” she said. “What does the workforce look like moving forward and what kind of skills do you need moving forward?” she added. “What does the world look like in six to 12 months, or the next five years, or whatever it may be, and try to work from there.” Once they’ve identified the issues, the chamber will work with various stakeholders to try and address those issues, she said. The workforce and economy in 2021 will continue to be impacted by COVID-19, CBER’s Clark said. “Coronavirus was certainly the main economic story of 2020 and will continue to affect the economy for some time. However, Kentucky continues to face many of same challenges that existed prior to the pandemic including workforce development, labor force participation and racial disparities. In many ways, the pandemic has magnified these challenges,” Clark wrote. “We consistently note the importance of education to address these issues and shape Kentucky’s long-term economic and social well-being. This has never been truer. Investing in education and training increases productivity, raises wages, improves health and reduces economic insecurity.” BL
By the Numbers
1,953,500 Number of Kentuckians in the labor force
2,075,032 Number of Kentuckians in the labor force in 2019
81,780 Number of Kentuckians who are unemployed
44,868 Number of Kentuckians unemployed in 2019
$290 Average weekly unemployment claim benefit
208,283 Number of Kentuckians who have drawn their last available unemployment check
10% Number of Central Kentuckians in the workforce with no high school diploma
37% Number of Central Kentuckians in the workforce with an associate degree or better
66% Central Kentucky’s workforce participation rate
2,498,930 Number of projected Kentucky job openings between 2018 and 2028 Source – Workforce Overview Report for Kentucky Regions from the Kentucky Center for Statistics
During the pandemic, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky has also shifted to producing medical equipment such as respirators. PHOTO FURNISHED
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Colleges and Universities Public and independent institutions ranked by total number of bachelor’s degrees conferred 2019-2020
Rank
Institution Name Address, Phone Website
Total Number of Bachelor’s Degrees Conferred 2019-2020
Total Number of STEM+H Degrees STEM+H Conferred Percentage 2019-2020
15
Asbury University 1 Macklem Drive Wilmore, KY 40390 (859) 858-3511 www.asbury.edu
360
29
8%
Kevin J. Brown (President)
16
Spalding University 851 S. Fourth St. Louisville, KY 40203 (502) 585-9911 www.spalding.edu
193
96
50%
Tori Murden McClure (President)
17
Transylvania University 300 North Broadway Lexington, KY 40508 (859) 233-8300 www.transy.edu
178
53
30%
Brien Lewis (President)
18
Kentucky State University 400 E. Main St. Frankfort, KY 40601 (502) 597-6000 www.kysu.edu
137
24
18%
M. Christopher Brown, II (President)
19
Georgetown College 400 E. College St. Georgetown, KY 40324 (502) 863-8000 www.georgetowncollege.edu
177
52
29%
William A. Jones (President)
20
University of Pikeville 147 Sycamore St. Pikeville, KY 41501 (606) 218-5250 www.pc.edu
188
54
29%
Burton Webb (President)
21
Brescia University 717 Frederica St. Owensboro, KY 42301 (270) 685-3131 www.brescia.edu
149
18
12%
Rev. Larry Hostetter (President)
22
Midway University 512 E. Stephens St. Midway, KY 40347 (859) 846-4421 www.midway.edu
149
31
21%
John P. Marsden (President)
23
Kentucky Wesleyan College 3000 Frederica St. Owensboro, KY 42302 (270) 926-3111 www.kwc.edu
157
43
27%
Thomas Mitzel (President)
24
Union College 310 College St. Barbourville, KY 40906 (606) 546-4151 www.unionky.edu
106
40
38%
David R. Harris (President)
25
Alice Lloyd College 100 Purpose Road Pippa Passes, KY 41844 (606) 368-2101 www.alc.edu
91
20
22%
Joe Alan Stepp (President)
26
Kentucky Christian University 100 Academic Pkwy. Grayson, KY 41143 (606) 474-3000 www.kcu.edu
98
22
22%
Terry Allcorn (President)
Master and Doctoral Enrollment
Programs
Top Official
Master of Science in Nursing degree; Doctor of Nursing Practice degree; Post-Graduate Certificates
Joan Slager, CNM, DNP, FACNM, FAAN (Dean of Nursing)
5,202
2,022
31%
Eli Capilouto (President)
2
University of Louisville 102 Grawemeyer Hall Office of the President Louisville, KY 40292 (502) 852-5555 www.louisville.edu
3,112
1,095
35%
Neeli Bendapudi (President)
Western Kentucky University 1 Big Red Way St. Bowling Green, KY 42101 (270) 745-0111 www.wku.edu
3,042
Eastern Kentucky University 521 Lancaster Ave. Richmond, KY 40475 (859) 622-1000 www.eku.edu
2,634
Northern Kentucky University Nunn Drive Highland Heights, KY 41099 (859) 572-5100 www.nku.edu
2,222
Murray State University PO Box 9 Murray, KY 42071 (270) 809-3011 www.murraystate.edu
1,659
Morehead State University 201 Howell-McDowell Administration Building University Boulevard Morehead, KY 40351 (606) 783-2221 www.moreheadstate.edu
1,139
8
Bellarmine University 2001 Newburg Road Louisville, KY 40205 (502) 452-8000 www.bellarmine.edu
620
9
University of the Cumberlands 6191 College Station Drive Williamsburg, KY 40769 (606) 549-2200 www.ucumberlands.edu
548
10
Lindsey Wilson College 210 Lindsey Wilson St. Columbia, KY 42728 (270) 384-2126 www.lindsey.edu
339
11
Campbellsville University 1 University Drive Campbellsville, KY 42718 (270) 789-5000 www.campbellsville.edu
423
12
Centre College 600 W. Walnut St. Danville, KY 40422 (859) 238-5200 www.centre.edu
354
97
27%
Milton C. Moreland (President)
13
Berea College CPO 2182 Berea, KY 40404 (859) 985-1000 www.berea.edu
335
108
32%
Lyle Roelofs (President)
14
Thomas More University 333 Thomas More Pkwy. Crestview Hills, KY 41017 (859) 341-5800 www.thomasmore.edu
331
4 5 6 7
819
796
623
336
275
190
38
62
91
31%
31%
36%
38%
30%
44%
35%
11%
15%
27%
Total Number of STEM+H Degrees Conferred STEM+H 2019-2020 Percentage
Rank
University of Kentucky 101 Gillis Building Central Administration Lexington, KY 40506 (859) 257-9000 www.uky.ed
928
Total Number of Bachelor’s Degrees Conferred 2019-2020
Top Official
1
3
Institution Name Address, Phone Website
Timothy C. Caboni (President)
David McFaddin (President)
Ashish Vaidya (President)
Robert Jackson (Interim)
Joseph A. (Jay) Morgan, (President)
Susan M. Donovan (President)
Larry L. Cockrum (President)
William T. Luckey Jr. (President)
H. Keith Spears (Acting President)
Joseph L. Chillo (President)
Rank
NA
Institution Name Address, Phone Website Frontier Nursing University * 2050 Lexington Road Versailles, KY 40383 (859) 251-4700 www.frontier.edu
2,400+
Top Official
Source: Kentucky Council on Post secondary Education. Footnote: STEM+H refers to majors in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Health. Key: * Frontier Nursing University only offers master’s and doctoral degrees in nursing
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MBA Programs Ranked by MBA program enrollment Rank
Institution Name Address, Phone Website
MBA Program Enrollment
Please email questions regarding our BizLists to Sharon Metz at sharon.metz66@gmail.com
2020
Dean/Director
Application Deadline
Evening Classes
Weekend Classes
Online Classes
Accredited by AACSB ***
1
Campbellsville University 1 University Drive Campbellsville, KY 42718 (270) 789-5000 www.campbellsville.edu
2,801*
Pat Cowherd (Dean/Director)
2 weeks prior to start of terms (6 starts thoughout academic year
Y
N
Y
N
2
University of the Cumberlands Hutton School of Business 6984 College Station Drive Williamsburg, KY 40769 (800) 343-1609 www.ucumberlands.edu
971
Daniel A. Kanyam (Dean/Director)
Applications accepted continuously
N
Y
Y
N
3
Northern Kentucky University Haile/US Bank College of Business 100 Nunn Drive Highland Heights, KY 41099 (859) 572-6657 www.nku.edu
500
Hassan Hassabelnaby (Dean), Sandra Spataro (Director)
Starts a year rolling admissions
Y
N
Y
Y
4
University of Louisville College of Business MBA Graduate Programs 074 Louisville, KY 40292 (859) 852-7257 www.business.louisville.edu/uoflmba
379
Todd Mooradian (Dean)
Deadline June 1 (annually)
Y
N
Y
Y
5
University of Kentucky Gatton MBA Programs 359 Gatton, College of Business & Economics Lexington, KY 40506 (859) 257-1306 www.Gatton.uky.edu/programs/MBA
279
Simon J. Sheather (Dean), Karl Gustafson (Academic Director)
One-year domestic summer start date: May 11; one-year international summer start date: Jan. 15; professional evening fall start date domestic: July 1; professional evening fall start date international: Mar. 15; professional evening spring start date domestic: Dec. 7; professional evening spring start date international: Aug. 15; EMBA date: July 1
Y
Y (only in the EMBA program)
Y (professional evening)
Y
6
Murray State University Arthur J. Bauernfiend MBA Program 109 Business Building Murray, KY 42071 (270) 809-4259 www.murraystate.edu/mba
183
Joy Roach Hymphreys (Associate Dean and MBA Director)
Applications accepted continuously
Y
N
Y
Y
7
Bellarmine University Rubel School of Business 2001 Newburg Road Louisville, KY 40205 (502) 272-8240 www.bellarmine.edu/mba
150
Frank Raymond (MBA Director)
Application deadline: rolling with flexible cohort structure
Y
Y
N
Y
8
Midway University 512 E. Stephens St. Midway, KY 40347 (859) 846-4421 www.midway.edu
149
Dr. Mark Gill (Dean School of Business, Equine and Sports Studies
Applications accepted continuously
Y
N
Y
N
9
Western Kentucky University Gordon Ford College of Business 1906 College Heights Blvd. Bowling Green, KY 42101 (270) 745-5458 www.wku.edu/mba
183
Dana Cosby (Dean and Director)
Rolling admissions: start date bi-term
Y
N
Y
Y
10
Morehead State University 110E Bert T. Combs Building 150 University Blvd. Morehead, KY 40351 (606) 783-2770 www.moreheadstate.edu/mba
87
Sam Stapleton (MBA Director)
Applications accepted continuously, rolling admissions
N
N
Y
Y
Source: Business Lexington MBA questionnaire, individuals, institutions representatives and websites. Footnote: * Campbellsville University figures include PMBA and MBA enrollments.
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Private Schools Central Kentucky institutions ranked by total enrollment
Rank
Institution Name Address, Phone Website
2020-21
Enrollment
Grades
Religious or Other Affiliation
Top Administrator
Tuition
Average Class Size
Before School Care/ After School Care
1
Lexington Christian Academy 450 W. Reynolds Road Lexington, KY 40503 (859) 422-5700 www.lexingtonchristian.org
1,200
Preschool-Grade 12
Christian
Scott Wells (Head of School)
$1,700-$12,898
16
Yes/Yes Preschool through 5th Grade
2
Lexington Catholic High School 2250 Clays Mill Road Lexington, KY 40503 (859) 277-7183 www.lexingtoncatholic.com
760
Grades 9-12
Catholic
Mathew George (Principal)
$9,800-$12,400
24
Yes/Yes
3
The Lexington School 1050 Lane Allen Road Lexington, KY 40504 (859) 278-0501 www.thelexingtonschool.org
600*
Preschool-Grade 8
None
Una MacCarthy (Head of School)
$3,760-$23,470 depending on schedule and grade level
14
Yes/Yes
4
Sayre School 194 N. Limestone St. Lexington, KY 40507 (859) 254-1361 www.sayreschool.org
587
Preschool age 2-Grade 12
None
Stephen Manella (Head of School)
Preschool: $6,580-$13,645 (3- or 5-day option, half or full day option); Kindergarten: $17,240; Grades 1-4: $20,990; Grades 5-8: $24,130; Grades 9-12: $25,300 (Lunch and fees for other services included)
13
Yes/Yes
5
Sts. Peter and Paul Regional Catholic School Main Campus 423 W. Short St. Early Childhood 133 Barr St. Lexington, KY 40507 (859) 233-0921 www.stspeterandpaulschool.org
516*
Infant-Grade 8
Catholic
John Pica (President), Jamie Burch (Principal)
Contact school for tuition rates
16/16
Yes/Yes
6
Christ the King School 412 Cochran Road Lexington, KY 40502 (859) 255-5641 www.christtheking.cdlex.org
479
Infant-Grade 8
Catholic
Paula Smith, (Principal)
$6,220
16
Yes/Yes
7
Trinity Christian Academy 3900 Rapid Run Drive Lexington, KY 40515 (859) 271-0079 www.trinitylex.org
450
PreK-Grade 12
Christian
Peter Hansen (Head of School)
$2,750-$10,600
14
Yes/Yes
7
Mary Queen of the Holy Rosary School 605 Hill n Dale Drive Lexington, KY 40503 (859) 277-3030 www.maryqueenschool.cdlex.org
398
Preschool-Grade 8
Catholic
Rebecca Brown
$6,340
16
Yes/Yes
9
Lexington Latin School Ashland Baptist Church 483 West Reynolds Road Lexington, KY 40503 (859) 940-7485 www.thelexingtonlatinschool.com
301
Jr. Kindergarten-Grade 12
Christian
Jeannie Davis (Headmistress) Paula May (Upper School Dean)
Lower school: $3,045-$5,480; Upper school: $5,745
9
Yes/Yes
Providence Montessori School 1209 Texaco Road Lexington, KY 40508 (859) 255-7330 www.providencemontessori.org
291*
18 mos.-Grade 8
None
Joan Young (Head of School) Joellen Kuhn (Chief Administrative Officer)
Tuition varies by level
25
Yes/Yes
11
Seton Catholic School 1740 Summerhill Drive Lexington, KY 40515 (859) 273-7827 www.setonstars.com
290
PK2-Grade 8
Catholic
Amy Brown (Interim Principal)
Tuition varies by level
16
No/Yes
12
St. Leo School 255 Huntertown Road Versailles, KY 40383 (859) 873-4591 www.saintleoky.org
209
Preschool-Grade 8
Catholic
Leo Labrillazo
Tuition varies by level
14
No/Yes
13
Lexington Universal Academy 4580 Nicholasville Road Lexington, KY 40515 (859) 272-3360 www.luaky.org
157
PK3-Grade 8
Islamic
Haitham Issa
$5,250 per year
15
No/No
14
Community Montessori School 725 Stone Road Lexington, KY 40503 859-277-4805 Montessori Middle School 725 Stone Road (859) 277-1169 www.crmmontessori.org
142
Toddler 18 mos.-Grade 8
None
E. Nelson Griffin (Head of School)
Tuition varies by schedule and levels
24
Yes/Yes
15
St. John School 106 Military St. Georgetown, KY 40324 (502) 863-2607 www.stjohnschoolonline.org
138
Preschool-Grade 8
Catholic
Brent Mayer
K-8 parishioner: $4,673; K-8 non-parishioner: $6,596; preschool rates vary, call for information; New families 50% off 1st year K-7
15
Yes/Yes
16
Good Shepherd Day School 544 Sayre Ave. Lexington, KY 40508 (859) 255-9734 www.goodshepherddayschool.org
125*
20 mos.-Kindergarten
Episcopal
Rhonda May (Director)
Tuition varies by schedule
15
Yes from 7:30-5:30
TIE
TIE
10
Source: Business Lexington survey to all listed schools and the enrollment figures and other criteria was obtained from the schools directly. Footnote: * Listing indicates information from previous year.
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BizLexQ&A
Ouita Michel
The celebrated Kentucky chef on her new cookbook and the resiliency of the restaurant industry Seafood — she got really sick very suddenly with cancer and then died very suddenly — and I just couldn’t be intentional for a while. I’m kind of coming out of that now and it feels great, to be honest. It feels really good.
BY TOM WILMES BUSINESS LEXINGTON
“M
y husband [Chris] and I are chefs who worked our way into business, not the other way around,” Ouita Michel replied when asked about the strategy behind her family of restaurants. “I can’t say it was part of a grand plan from the very beginning.” What began 20 years ago with fine-dining destination Holly Hill Inn and country deli Wallace Station has grown to include Windy Corner Market, Honeywood at the Summit at Fritz Farm, Smithtown Seafood, Zim’s Café and the Midway Bakery & Café, as well as a burgeoning events business. Michel has grown the business and built a capable team over the years and has become a champion of Kentucky farmers and Kentucky cuisine. Her first cookbook, “Just a Few Miles South: Timeless Recipes From Our Favorite Places,” publishes in late April. We visited with Michel about the book, operating restaurants through the pandemic, and the resiliency that challenges can inspire. Congratulations on the new cookbook. The obvious questions is, what took so long? [Laughs] People often ask, ‘Why don’t you write a book? Why don’t you have a TV show?’ but that’s a very different career path than running restaurants. That said, a lot of things fell into place to make this book happen. I have two co-authors, including Sara Gibbs, who used to work for our company and is an expert at recipe testing and editing. It was a lot of scaling and testing to get the recipes just right for home chefs, and we feel like we’re able to offer people something that they can go back to over and over again. If your kid wants to make a scone, for example, my hope is that you’ll open this cookbook and that’ll be their favorite scone recipe, and then that page will become all splattery and dog-eared. And when you make pimento cheese, this will become your favorite pimento cheese recipe, or a Benedictine sandwich with bacon. The book is filled with Kentucky flavors. There are also stories about the restaurants and the people behind different recipes. The other thing I like about our book is that it’s clear, it’s concise and the recipes are simple and easy to follow. They work out and they’re tasty. I loved to cook when I was a kid, and I feel like you don’t have to have a special cookbook for kids with little smiley faces and things like that. By the time a child gets to be in the fifth or sixth grade, they should be able to open up a cookbook and make breakfast for their family, or lunch or make a soup, or bake something. I think that this book is going to be great for that, as well. You are often called upon to represent Kentucky cuisine, including on the national stage, is that a fair assessment? I think as I’ve gotten older, yes, I’m becoming a spokeswoman for Kentucky food. Although it’s so exciting to see so many young people
BLX_Mar21_converted_new.indd 21
PHOTO BY SARAH JANE SANDERS
involved in our food culture and young food entrepreneurs and brewers and distillers. It’s a huge industry, so I can’t say I’m the spokesperson, but I do a fair amount of talking about Kentucky food and promoting Kentucky farmers — at least my own philosophy of what that food should be and look like, and thinking about food access issues. Have local restaurant owners supported one another over the course of this pandemic? We have been a support to one another, and our community has really supported us as well. We’re all kind of isolated because obviously we can’t do the big restaurant celebrations that we used to do in our community right now, like Taste of the Bluegrass and big events like Crave. One thing that’s an outgrowth of the current situation is a monthly Zoom call with women business owners in the hospitality industry throughout the state, and that’s really helped. There has been a lot of grief and a lot of loss among business owners, but I also feel like there’s been a lot of silver linings. I feel like we’re sticking it out together and that’s been very inspiring. I’m also happy to see that a lot of the newer restaurants that opened just before the COVID crisis hit are still with us and still plugging away. I think we’re going to have a good finish to 2021, and then I think we’ll have an excellent 2022 with the Breeders’ Cup coming. One of the things we’ve learned in the restaurant industry is that you can’t always predict the future, and you have to be able to pivot hard and fast. Through tough times, you develop those characteristics that keep you afloat and then you have them in your toolbox for the rest of your life. I feel like the resilience that we’ve developed this year will be with us for years to come. Within the Ouita Michael Family of restaurants, how far off have things
been? It’s always tough in January, but it’s tougher this year because sales are already down. We’re probably at 50 percent of where we normally are in January. Overall, I think we ended 2020 at around 60 percent of our revenue from the year before. We’ve made a big investment in catering over the past couple of years. We manage the Fasig-Tipton events property, so we do the horse sales and all of the private events that book at Fasig-Tipton. Our book was full in 2020 and we were looking at 2020 being our first big year of events. We probably lost about $2 million worth of event business in 2020 there. We do see that business rebooking and coming back in the latter part of the second quarter of 2021 and through the third and fourth quarters. Our group comprises different kinds of restaurants in very diverse locations. Our big restaurants like Honeywood and Zim’s are about 35 percent of their typical revenue most weeks. Our places located out in the country with big yard spaces, like Wallace Station, are doing closer to 80 percent of its revenue. It just depends. What adjustments have you made? I definitely feel like that was one of the things that 2020 taught me, is like, ‘OK, I need to be a lot more intentional about what I’m doing.’ I’m 56 years old and [my husband] Chris and I have been in business for 20 years. We don’t need to be floundering around. We need to be homing in on what we do, and we need to continue to do it better and better, and that’s what we’ve tried to impart to our staff. Our theme has been ‘come back better.’ Right now, I’m going through a process where we’re talking to every manager in our company one-on-one to check in and see what we need to be doing better as employers, what systems we need to be improving and setting the stage for spring. My mom passed away shortly after we opened Smithtown
It also sounds like you’ve built a reliable team. Oh, completely. That was one thing I learned from that experience. We had a terrible year in business the year my mom was sick, and both Chris and I realized that this can’t be up to just us anymore. At that point we just had four places — we didn’t have Zim’s or Honeywood, and we hadn’t started the events business — but we realized that we have a lot of people we’re responsible for and it can’t all be on our shoulders. So, we got some consulting help and some business coaching and we hired a director of operations, Doug Mullins. He is now our chief operating officer and we have a new director of operations in Leslee Macpherson, and Tyler McNabb has been promoted to culinary director. Sharing that creative wealth is great, and it’s wonderful to have talented younger people coming up in your company and bringing all their new ideas, enthusiasm and energy. Do you have a sense of what types of restaurants — from more casual to fine dining — will fare well in the future? I think people are going to be looking for really great experiences, so we’re trying to focus on each restaurant’s core identity and how to improve the customer experience at that restaurant. I do think we’ll see a significant upturn in restaurant business this spring, even if capacities remain at 50 percent, as increasing numbers of people get vaccinated and folks feel more comfortable getting out. At Holly Hill Inn we’re adding an art gallery upstairs. Art has always been part of our story, but we haven’t told it as well as we could. Chef Tyler McNabb has worked hard on the menu as well as the gardens at Holly Hill, and we’re going to host more themed meals and things like that. I also think people will be really happy to get back into taprooms and share a beer with friends and play some board games and have some fish and chips. I think it’s going to be really good for both ends of our group. I think people will be happy to have their weddings again — we had so many brides who had to cancel their weddings in 2020. I think we’ll be ready to celebrate, hopefully. BL
“Just a Few Miles South: Timeless Recipes From Our Favorite Places” By Ouita Michel, Sara Gibbs and Genie Graf, Available in late April; pre-orders through ouitamichel.com include invitation to launch party at FasigTipton and other perks.
2/16/21 2:20 PM
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Who’sWho
EMPLOYMENT NEWS AND AWARDS IN OUR COMMUNITY
MCINDOO
MATTHEWS
MULKINS
STEPHENSON
JANUSKI
WORTHEN
LANGDON
HOOTEN
SCHWENDEMEN
BETO
LOWRY
HOWARD
SWEETALL
LATTA
WILLIAMS
FAWBRUSH
HAKE
GROSSMAN
CORCORAN
BELL
BEDWELL
R. JOHNSON
TURNER
J. SMITH
CECIL
CHILDERS
CHOPRA
DAVENPORT
HEATH
J. JOHNSON
BLANTON
CALDWELL
SCULLY
A. SMITH
SPEARS
THIEL
VOSS
BORDEN
TAYLOR
MARTIN
TUNIS
New Hires & Promotions Field & Main Bank recently appointed Bob McIndoo to its board of directors. The University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment has named James Matthews as the new assistant dean for research. Sherry Mulkins has been named president of World Trade Center Kentucky. Tammy Stephenson has been named chair of the University of Kentucky Department of Dietetics and Human Nutrition. Michael S. Januski, CPA, has joined the Baldwin CPAs team as a manager in the Lexington office. The Thoroughbred Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America has announced its 2021 board of directors. Officers include president: Ryan Worthen, Kentucky Employers’ Mutual Insurance; president elect: Bethany Langdon, New Vista; past president: Natalie Wilks, Cornett; secretary: Brittney Edwards Kinison, Frontier Nursing University; treasurer: Ashley Tabb, UK HealthCare. The Webb Companies announced the addition of Chris Hooten to its asset management team, and the retirement of Nick Schwendeman, CPM Emeritus as executive vice president of asset management. Schwendeman is one of the company’s longest-serving employees with 35 years of service.
BLX_Mar21_converted_new.indd 22
McBrayer recently added new attorneys Alexandra Beto, Addison Lowry and Cary Howard to its Lexington office. LexArts has named Ame Sweetall as new president and CEO. LexArts also announces the election of eight new members to its board of directors: Jessica Berry, YMCA of Central Kentucky; Lauren Case, Fayette County Public Schools; Michelle Deans, MCM CPA; Bill Farmer, Jr., Farmer’s Jewelry; Maeve Goodman, Mt. Brilliant Farm; Stefan Hendrickson, Dean Dorton; Kathy Plomin, LexingtonFayette Urban County Council; and Rachel Ray, Lexington Children’s Theatre. Evelyn Latta has been hired as an associate attorney at Garmer & Prather, PLLC. She joins in the firm’s practice of representing plaintiffs in personal injury cases. Central Bank has announced the promotions of Betsy Williams to assistant BSA officer, Elaine Fawbush to retail banking officer, vice president, and David Hake to director of information security, senior vice president Field & Main Bank has named Connie Grossman as senior mortgage loan officer, FVP. The Lexington Philharmonic has announced the appointment of Kelly Corcoran as interim artistic advisor. Keeneland has named prominent Central Kentucky horseman and noted bloodstock adviser
Gatewood Bell as its new vice president Community Action Council announced that David Neil Bedwell has joined the anti-poverty organization’s leadership team as chief financial officer. Russell Johnson, creative director, Shelby Turner, manager of post production, and Jeb Smith, manager of aerial services have joined Studio46 Media – a video production and live/virtual event services company serving Central Kentucky and beyond. The Junior League of Lexington has announced its new board of directors for 2021. The new officers include: president – Jessica Stigall, president-elect – Erin Jones Roth, marketing/public relations – Christie Workman, recording secretary – Sarah Robinson, secretary – Betsy Davies, treasurer – Janet Luo, membership chair – Amanda Black, headquarters chair – Vanessa Grossl, horse show chair – Pamela Felts, Holly Day Market chair – Mallory Wood, and sponsorship chair – Kimberly McCay. Lexington Clinic announces its board members for the year: president – Michael T. Cecil, M.D.; vice-president – Kyle J. Childers, M.D.; Secretary – Shailendra Chopra, M.D.; treasurer – Robert A. Davenport, M.D. Other members of the board include Haider Abbas, M.D., David Alexander, M.D., An-Yu Chen, M.D., Jamil Farooqui, M.D., Tharun Karthikeyan, M.D., Jordan Prendergast,
M.D., Nick Rowe and Alan Stein. The YMCA of Central Kentucky has elected Leslie Flynn, private banker at Central Bank & Trust Co. as new board chair. The following two advisory chairs for the 202123 were nominated: C.M. Gatton Beaumont YMCA Advisory Board Chair – Mike Heath; and YMCA Black Achievers Program Advisory board chair – Johnnie Johnson. Others elected to serve on the board of directors for 2021-23 term are Carla Blanton, Jonathan Caldwell, Miranda M. Scully, Andrew Smith, Billy Spears and Delaine Thiel.
Kudos Natalie Voss, writer for both The Paulick Report and Business Lexington, recenty swept both writing divisions of the 2020 Media Eclipse
Awards, the highest year-end honor for horse racing journalism. Voss is the first woman to achieve this feat and only the second person to do so in the history of the awards. The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International has selected VisitLex vice president of marketing Gathan Borden as one of the “The HSMAI Top 25: Extraordinary Minds in Hospitality Sales, Marketing, Revenue Optimization” for 2020. The annual list recognizes the “best of the best” in the hospitality, travel, and tourism industries. The seventh Lexi Music Awards have announced those honored for this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Recipients include Les Taylor, Wallace “Gator” Harrison, Tom Martin and Walter Tunis. BL
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THANK YOU FROM THE
CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE FUND
A Caring Place • Amen House • American Red Cross – Bluegrass Area Chapter • Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bluegrass • Blue Grass Farms Charities, Inc. • Bluegrass Council of the Blind • Bluegrass Families First • Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning • Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Lexington Inc. • Child Care Council of Kentucky Inc. • Chrysalis House • Clark County Community Services • Common Good Community Development Corporation • Community MORE THAN $1.1 MILLION Action Council • Community Response Coalition of Kentucky, Inc. • RAISED AND GRANTED Emergency Community Food Pantry of Franklin County Inc. • First ACROSS THE BLUEGRASS! Baptist Church • Food Pantry for Woodford County Inc. • FoodChain, Inc. • GleanKY • God’s Outreach Madison County Food Bank • God’s Pantry Food Bank • GreenHouse17 • Harrison Memorial Hospital • Hope’s Helping Hands Food Bank • ITN Bluegrass • Jubilee Jobs of Lexington • Kentucky Refugee Ministries • Lamp and Light Ministries, Inc. • Lee Initiative • LexCare, Inc. • Lexington Leadership Foundation • Lexington Public Library Foundation • Lexington Rescue Mission • Liberty Place/Kentucky River Foothills Development Council • Lighthouse Ministries, Inc. • Mentors & Meals • Mission Health Lexington • Morehead Gateway Helping Hands • One Parent Scholar House • Paris-Bourbon County YMCA • Porter Memorial Baptist Church • RADIOLEX • River of Life Ministries • Rowland Arts Center – Mentors & Meals Winchester • Salvation Army Frankfort • SHARE Lexington • Simon House • Step By Step, Inc. • Sterling Community Food Coalition • The Nest – Center for Women, Children & Families • The Nourish Fund • Urban League of Lexington-Fayette County • Visiting Angels Ministry • YMCA of Central Kentucky
THE NEED PERSISTS. JOIN US TODAY AND GIVE NOW!
bgcf.org/coronavirus
bgcf.org
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499 East High Street • Suite 112 • Lexington, KY 40507 / 859.225.3343
2/16/21 2:20 PM
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2/16/21 2:20 PM