IN THIS ISSUE
BusinessLexington MARCH 2022 | VOL. 18 ISSUE 3
BizLexQ Q&A
Devine Carama
A bright idea: The Bright Spot Learning Lab offers opportunities for kids to create, learn and explore various interests PAGE 6
The director of One Lexington on promoting community and the power of connection Four ideas for attracting and retaining talent from leadership consultant Vitale Buford Hardin
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PAGE 7
Informing the Lawmakers: The Council of State Governments promotes a reasoned approach to policymaking
PHOTO BY BRANDON S. TURNER
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BizLists Colleges and Universities
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| MBA Degrees
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| Private Schools
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CELEBRATING 20 YEARS
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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
CONTENTS EconomicAnalysis
A monthly look at economic indicators compiled by the Center for Business and Economic Research (CBER) at the University of Kentucky
GrammarGourmet PAGE 5
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
PAGE 8
PAGE 5
Breaking up ‘soul mate’ is hard to do
Donna Hodsdon
Buc-ee’s is set to make a sizable impression when travel center chain opens first Kentucky location
The latest statistics on local residential properties PAGE 4
BIZLISTS EDITOR
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER
CraveWorthy
PVAStatistics
Sharon Metz
sharon.metz66@gmail.com
3
IndependentBusiness
A bright idea: The Bright Spot Learning Lab offers opportunities for kids to create, learn and explore various interests PAGE 6
BizIQ
Four ideas for attracting and retaining talent from leadership consultant Vitale Buford Hardin PAGE 7
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IS HI
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Y ILE PE
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QuickBites
(859) 266-6537 www.smileypete.com advertise@smileypete.com info@smileypete.com
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Level up at Tilty Bob’s, Nic & Norman’s new spot and more restaurant news PAGE 9
PHOTOS BY MARY HELEN NUNN
BizList
Colleges and universities PAGE 14 MBA programs PAGE 15 Private schools PAGE 16
Who’sWho
Employment updates from around the Bluegrass PAGE 18
Gun Interactive brings fright to game night: Video game company is known for creating playable versions of popular horror-film franchises
Informing the Lawmakers: The Council of State Governments promotes a reasoned approach to policymaking
Q&A Devine Carama: The director of One Lexington on promoting community and the power of connection
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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 2022 SALE DATE
ADDRESS
PRICE
OWNER
1/19/22
3099 Kirklevington Drive
$18,500,000
Cyclone Thirty99 174 LLC
1/20/22
440 W. New Circle Road
$2,450,177**
Broadstone ZCW Portfolio LLC
1/14/22
432 S. Broadway
$845,000
Fouzbox Development LLC
1/5/22
1678 Alexandria Drive
$800,000
Taylor Made Properties LLC
1/5/22
1674 Alexandria Drive
$800,000
Taylor Made Properties LLC
1/12/22
209-213 N. Upper St.
$800,000*
Wilkins House LLC
1/12/22
201-203 W. Second St.
1/3/22
365 Aylesford Place
$605,000
MJH Properties LLC
1/27/22
204 Southland Drive
$554,000**
Brown, Gregory TTEE
1/5/22
283 Gold Rush Road
$400,000
Rowe, Donald E. & Jennie A.
1/6/22
424 Transylvania Park
$395,000
Chesney, Timothy D. & Kelly M.
1/13/22
2053 Coburn Blvd.
$387,000
West 5th Properties LLC
1/13/22
2053 Coburn Blvd.
$380,000
CW Investments LLC
1/24/22
1145 Kees Road
$330,000
Property Relief Team LLC
1/28/22
141 Prosperous Place Unit 23A
$275,000*
Benezet Rentals II LLC
1/28/22
141 Prosperous Place Unit 23B
1/24/22
1864 Oxford Circle
$150,000
Mendoza, Frans Munoz & Kevin Gabriel
1/24/22
1408-1414 N. Limestone
$120,000
JBL Holdings LLC
Residential Sales Data for January 2022 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
2021 RESIDENTIAL SALES
2020 RESIDENTIAL SALES
800 700 600 500 400
* Sale price based on a multiple-parcel transaction ** Parcel includes multiple improvement
300 200 100
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC
-1%
4%
2%
33%
18%
20%
-8%
-4%
-5%
-7%
-1%
-7%
MONTHLY PERCENTAGE CHANGE OVER PREVIOUS YEAR For more local residential and commercial real estate information, visit the website of the Fayette County Property Valuation Administrator at www.fayettepva.com.
Generations Serving Generations Generations Serving Generations We understand the importance of consistent advice over time, Generations Serving Generations
Betsy Brooks Bulleit The Brooks Bulleit Group George Brooks 300 Brooks W. VineBulleit St., Suite 1100 Betsy Brooks Bulleit The Group We understand importance offamily. consistent advice over time, especially whenthe it comes to your Our multigenerational Blair Coff man Martin Lexington, KY 40507 George Brooks 300 W. Vine St., Suite 1100 Betsy Brooks Bulleit The Brooks Bulleit Group especially when the itensures comes to yourwill family. Ourbemultigenerational team of advisors there always someone to care We understand importance of consistent advice over time, John Brooks, CPA, CFP® 859-514-0183 Blair Coff man Martin Lexington, KY 40507 George Brooks 300 W. Vine St., Suite 1100 team of advisors willfamily. alwaysOur be someone to care for your legacy. especially when ensures it comesthere to your multigenerational Lauralea Pfendler 800-944-2663 John Brooks, CPA, CFP® 859-514-0183 Blair Coffman Martin Lexington, KY 40507 for your team of legacy. advisors ensures there will always be someone to care Lauralea Pfendler 800-944-2663 John Brooks, CPA, CFP® 859-514-0183 for your legacy. Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and federally registered in the U.S., which it awards to Lauralea Pfendler 800-944-2663 individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certifi cation requirement. ©2022 Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated. Member SIPC. MC-745800. Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and federally registered in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirement. ©2022 Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated. Member SIPC. MC-745800. Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and federally registered in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirement. ©2022 Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated. Member SIPC. MC-745800.
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EconomicAnalysis
GrammarGourmet
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.
Breaking up ‘soul mate’ is hard to do
Recent Data Feb. 2022
1-Month 1-Year Change Change
Payroll emp. MSA**** Manufacturing Employment Durable Goods (KY) **** Manufacturing: Lexington-Fayette MSA Total Employees**** Unemployment Rate MSA****
270,500 Dec. 161,500 Dec. 28,296 Dec. 2.60% Dec.
0.30% 0.56%
2.38% 4.19%
-0.03% 0.20%
0.38% -2.10%
Payroll Employment, US Manufacturing Payroll Employment US Unemployment Rate, US
149,629 Jan. 12,559 Jan. 4.00% Jan.
0.31% 0.10% 0.10%
4.62% 3.08% -2.40%
Consumer Price Index, Southern Region Consumer Price Index, US Producer Price Index, US
271,634 Jan. 281.148 Jan. 231.1 Dec.
0.90% 0.80% -0.49%
7.80% 7.50% 11.98%
Index of Leading Indicators** Fed’s Index of Industrial Production**
120.8 Dec. 101.9 Dec.
0.80% -0.10%
N/A -3.60%
3-Month Treasury Yield*** 10-Year Treasury Yield***
0.15% Jan. 1.76% Jan.
0.09% 0.29%
0.07% 0.68%
Real GDP (millions $)
1-Month 1-Year 4th Qtr. Change Change 2021 23,992,355.00 Jan. 27 5.50% 11.71%
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.
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By Neil Chethik
Words matter, not only in literature but in love. That’s why, as we pass by Valentine’s Day and move toward the annual wedding season, I am calling for a divorce — or at least a trial separation — between the words “soul” and “mate.” Who hasn’t heard an excited person say, after several weeks of dating: “I’ve found my soul mate!” The person really means to say: “I am utterly infatuated with this stranger.” But too often, infatuated people believe they have found the one person in the world whom they were meant to be with, and they apply the phrase soul mate to this inspired connection. Reality check: According to all available evidence, a soul-mate relationship is not something you find in a moment or even develop over a few months. Quick marriages usually end quickly. A soul mate is someone you gain over years of being in a not-always-soul-stirring relationship. Yes, soul mates share chemistry and eye contact. But they also persist through money woes and parenting problems and global pandemics. They outlive tragedy together. They go seasons without sex. Some even fall out of love for a while. The smartest thing I ever heard about relationships came from a woman who had lasted 30 years with her quirky husband. She
PHOTO FURNISHED
recalled that on the eve of her wedding, she decided to make a list of 10 of her fiancé’s faults that, for the sake of their marriage, she would always overlook. When the woman was asked which of her husband’s faults she had listed, she replied, “You know, I never did get around to listing them. Instead, every time he does something that makes me mad, I simply say to myself, ‘Lucky for him, that’s one of the 10!’” 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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IndependentBusiness
PHOTO FURNISHED
Angie Madden works with a student in a home setting. Madden offers a variety of classes, clubs and camps through The Bright Spot Learning Lab, located on Patchen Drive.
A Bright Idea The Bright Spot Learning Lab offers opportunities for kids to create, learn and explore various interests BY KATHIE STAMPS CONTRIBUTING WRITER
I
n the early days of the pandemic, Angie Madden, Ph.D., was teaching gifted and talented students at Cassidy Elementary. Overwhelmed with all the negative news in the world, she did some soul searching “to shift the focus back to things that were good,” she said. Madden identified three areas that bring her intense joy: learning new things, teaching, and reading and writing literature, she said. She brainstormed how to bring these interests together. In August 2021, she opened The Bright Spot MADDEN Learning Lab in Patchen Village. “The Bright Spot was born to provide a little sunshine and be a bright spot in the day for everyone who walks in the door,” Madden said. “I made the space colorful, cozy and welcoming to reflect what The Bright Spot is all about.”
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Madden has two goals for the business — to help people build community around things they love and to give people a space to learn and try new things. “I do this by providing a variety of clubs and classes for children and adults that offer something unique from what you would get in a school setting,” she said. After starting off with classes focused on reading and writing, Madden soon added art classes for children and adults. There are also monthly clubs for K-12, including a book club for kids, crafting club, LEGO club and the School of Rock, where the kids learn about songwriting, the types of instruments used in rock music and how to DJ. “I place a big emphasis on fostering fun, literacy, creativity, communication, collaboration and resilience in what is offered,” she said. Stephanie Parker, a local artist and librarian, teaches art classes at The Bright Spot. Parker facilitated a journaling workshop for kids in February and has a watercolor art class for adults in March. “Her approach is so unique, in that she does a perfect blend of weaving together mental health practices with art and making it all about relaxing, enjoying
yourself, learning new art techniques and making beautiful things,” Madden said. Before opening the doors last summer, Madden worked with the Small Business Development Center to solidify her ideas and put together a business plan. “They also provided a variety of classes and one-on-one coaching to help me learn the steps to setting up and running a business,” she said. “I am so thankful to them as an organization and to my coach for helping me learn the ropes. I go back to them often to get help with next steps.” Her mom, dad and father-in-law also all own their own businesses, so she had great support in getting started. Madden is relying on her own creativity and listening to the kids and families she works with to provide offerings that are interesting to them. Originally from Russell, Kentucky, Madden earned a degree in elementary education with a minor in music (she is a flautist) at Transylvania University. “I fell in love with Lexington and the people I met there and decided to make it my home,” she said. Over the past two decades, she has taught elementary school in Frankfort and Lexington, completed her master’s degree in elementary education, earned an endorsement for teaching reading and writing at the University of Kentucky and completed her doctorate in literacy education at UK. She was a professor at Eastern Kentucky University, where she taught graduate and undergraduate literacy education courses for practicing and preservice teachers. At UK, she completed the Kentucky Read-
ing Project and the Bluegrass Writing Project, two intensive professional development programs for teachers, and “fell head-over-heels in love with writing and teaching writing and reading,” she said, “and that passion continues to fuel my work to this day.” Madden still teaches on an adjunct basis at EKU in the graduate gifted and literacy programs. She is also a consultant for Hart Education, which provides professional development for teachers. At The Bright Spot Learning Lab, Madden teaches classes on comic book writing and a class she calls Literartsy, combining art and literature. She also has an ongoing homeschool group on Mondays offering literacy, social and STEM enrichment activities. In addition to classes and clubs, Madden provides one-on-one coaching “to help kids accomplish their goals as readers and writers, which includes everything from fostering a love for reading and writing to writing their own series of novels.” Her plans include offerings in drama and filmmaking, fantasy writing and more art, as well as author events by Kentucky children’s authors and summer camps. “The support of the families that have attended classes at The Bright Spot has been amazing and warms my heart daily,” Madden said. “They keep coming back and spreading the word. They are the reason I love what I do and want to keep The Bright Spot glowing and growing.” Learn more about The Bright Spot at www.thebrightspotky.com. BL
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BizIQ
7
A MONTHLY COLUMN OF BUSINESS INSIGHTS FROM CENTRAL KENTUCKY PROFESSIONALS
Four ideas for attracting and retaining talent BY VITALE BUFORD HARDIN LEADERSHIP CONSULTANT
P
izza, Ping-Pong tables, happy hours, gym memberships — companies invest in all these shiny external objects in an effort to attract and retain talent. While these perks may look attractive on paper, they aren’t the real difference makers. In a sea of companies struggling with talent attraction and retention, you’ve got to stand out. You’ve got to offer a meaningful difference. It’s not the external benefits that set you apart — anyone can coordinate a pizza party — it’s the internal DNA of the company and what it stands for that will be your most significant attraction point. It’s the internal shifts that are going to lead the market. It’s the companies that decide to take a risk, be innovative and do things differently. It’s the companies that understand what attracts and retains talent and then actually makes the culture and policy shifts to support it. What could this look like?
“It’s not the external benefits that set you apart ... it’s the internal DNA of the company and what it stands for that will be your most significant attraction point.” Implement a four-day workweek. Research has shown that four-day workweeks can be successful and can actually help improve productivity. Often, the amount of time we have in a day or week is how long it will take to accomplish our tasks. I’m not just suggesting having Fridays off, however, but rather scheduling two half days — on Tuesdays and Fridays. Having a break early in the week helps people recover from their Monday and get recentered to finish the week strong. And half days on Friday offers an extended weekend and additional opportunity to recharge. A four-day work schedule also appeals to people’s desire for autonomy and flexibility. Seek employees’ input on decisionmaking process. Companies have committees and they have employee resource groups, but many times these roles lack any agency. Employees may serve on committees and in decision-making roles but still lack any real influence in the final outcome. And it does more harm than good. Employees appreciate opportunities to lead and influence — this gives their role more meaning, encourages loyalty and leads to more effective workplace policies. Make diversity, equity and inclusion central to your operation. I’m talking
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about diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) for real, not just for show. This means more than hiring and promoting diverse candidates to meet a certain quota; this means more than holding a few DEI training sessions; this means more than filling seats on a committee. It means making DEI a part of your corporate fabric at a cultural and cellular level. This requires having difficult conversations and getting uncomfortable. It requires behavioral change and identifying the actions that create equity and psychological safety and then taking those actions consistently. You must identify and create the behaviors associated with a DEI 2.0 workplace culture and then be bold and live and breathe this culture. Offer opportunities and a clear career path. People are drawn to opportunity. They want to know what’s available to them to lead and advance and grow. Companies that can envision and clearly communicate a path to advancement thrive. This isn’t exclusive to promotions and higher salaries; it’s about getting creative. How can you add more meaning and opportunity to your employees’ experience? Maybe it’s opportunities to advance their skills through participation in leadership development programs or maybe it’s opening a seat on a committee so they can have a voice and practice having influence. There are many ways to attract and retain talent — but really standing out will require making bold moves and taking risks. What got you where you are today won’t get you where you want to go. You’ve got to elevate your thinking. And then it’s time to get uncomfortable and act. Start with your team. What do you have to lose? BL
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PHOTO BY MARY HELEN NUNN
Buc-ee’s travel centers are known for offering dozens of gas pumps, spacious restrooms, and aisle-upon-aisle of foods and merchandise. A Kentucky location is set to open off I-75 in Richmond.
Buc-ee’s is set to make a sizable impression when travel center chain opens first Kentucky location BY SHANNON CLINTON CONTRIBUTING WRITER
I
’ve never personally had the opportunity to visit a Buc-ee’s travel center, but noticing the widespread excitement generated by the announcement of a Richmond location — Kentucky’s first — I had to investigate. What’s all the fuss about a gas station? The Texas-based chain of outsized travel centers has a cult following — one that leads some road-trippers to put nature’s call on hold until they reach a Buc-ee’s, which touts its spacious, clean and award-winning restrooms. The opportunity to visit Kentucky’s Buc-ee’s will finally present itself this spring. Located off I-75 at exit 83, the 53,000-squarefoot travel center will include 120 gas pumps, according to Jeff Nadalo, Buc-ee’s Ltd. general counsel and spokesperson. Buc-ee’s currently operates 43 locations, with 38 stores in Texas, two in Alabama, two
in Florida and one in Georgia, he said. “The official opening date for Richmond has not been announced, though we hope to open in the second quarter of this year,” he said. For many, a trip to Buc-ee’s is a destination unto itself, not just an interstate pit stop. News coverage praises the Texas-based company’s perpetually pristine restrooms, its gigantic selection of beef jerky and candies, and prepared foods like breakfast tacos, pastries, brisket sandwiches, pastrami Reuben sandwiches and fudge. Buc-ee’s even offers an exclusive line of deer feeders. Its toothy mascot, Bucky the Beaver, adorns numerous branded items. As further testament to the fan base’s loyalty, in 2019 a group of Texas teens made news for having their prom photos taken at a Buc-ee’s. There are Facebook groups for “Buc-ee’s Lovers,” “Buc-ee’s Convenience Store Fanatics” and “Everything Buc-ee’s”,
where devotees discuss everything from beaver nuggets (the store’s brand of crunchy corn snacks) to new product unveilings and sought-after logo merchandise. Rumors swirl about where and when new locations are expected to open. There are YouTube videos galore with fan reviews, construction updates at new sites and in-store tours. Buc-ee’s in New Braunfels, Texas, holds the title of the largest gas station in the world, at 67,000 square feet, although Eater reports that a Buc-ee’s planned for Sevierville, Tennessee, is set to surpass it at 74,000 square feet. The Buc-ee’s location in Katy, Texas, holds a Guinness World Record for longest car wash. Buc-ee’s has also been christened “Best Gas Station in America” by Gas Buddy. Nadalo said Richmond’s Buc-ee’s will employ about 200 people. The location was selected for the large number of families and travelers passing through the region, a strong
labor market and because “local leaders have welcomed our unique vision for providing a world-class experience,” he said. He added that employees can expect competitive wages, three weeks of paid time off, and 5 percent matching 401K and medical/ dental insurance. Lori Murphy Tatum is executive director of Visit Richmond. While she’s yet to visit a Buc-ee’s, she’s aware of its reputation and excited for the new site to be completed. “My husband has been several times, and we had our videographer with tourism film a YouTube video [at a Buc-ee’s] while he was on vacation,” she said. “Everything I saw looks amazing. I’m most excited for the food! The new Buc-ee’s is less than two miles from my house, and I see lots of cinnamon rolls in my future.” She said the 200 new good-paying jobs will benefit the local economy, and the new Buc-ee’s will undoubtedly bring more people to town. “From a tourism perspective, we think Buc-ee’s will bring a whole new set of eyes on Richmond,” she said. “Buc-ee’s fans plan their vacations around where stores are located. We are thrilled to be on that list.” BL
Buc-ee’s CEO Arch Aplin III founded the chain of megasized travel centers in Texas. He’s shown here with Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear at the Richmond location groundbreaking and speaking at the right. PHOTOS BY MARY HELEN NUNN
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QuickBites Level up at Tilty Bob’s, Nic & Norman’s new spot and more restaurant news BY SHANNON CLINTON CONTRIBUTING WRITER
A
ttention pinball wizards and gaming gurus — Tilty Bob’s is planning a March opening at 319 Cedar St. in Lexington. “Tilty Bob’s is going to be an arcade bar and restaurant that features around 30 classic arcade games and 30 or so pinball machines,” co-owner Corey Sims said. “We will offer three floors of entertainment. The first floor features a large bar and our dining room with a few games. The second floor features another full bar and games. The third floor will be a smaller bar and more games.” Sims said the name is a play on a component of the pinball machine known as a “tilt bob” or a “plumb bob,” the mechanism that causes a player to tilt and lose the ball if the game’s cabinet is excessively jarred. He added that though it’ll have more of a pub vibe, Tilty Bob’s is similar to another of his arcade bars, Recbar, which has locations in Louisville and New Albany. The food menu will have “fun, unique pub grub,” Sims said, with appetizers featuring unique spins on classic apps, including loaded tater tot dishes known as Tilty Tots. Mains include burgers, toasted subs and loaded mac and cheese. As for drinks, “the bar will focus on craft beer and, of course, good ol’ bourbon,” Sims said. “The first and second floor will feature 16 taps, and we will have a selection of local and regional craft beer in bottles and cans.” Games include pinball machines from different eras like Addams Family, Godzilla, Led Zeppelin, South Park, Spider-Man, Terminator 2, Taxi and Theatre of Magic, along with classic arcade games such as Ms. Pac-Man, Galaga, Donkey Kong and Frogger. International Flipper Pinball Association leagues and tournaments will be held onsite, with world rankings and different prizes at stake for competitors. In other food and beverage news: Nic & Norman’s is opening a Lexington location, Kentucky’s first. The restaurant is a collaboration between “The Walking Dead” director and special makeup effects artist Greg Nicotero and actor Norman Reedus. The first location opened a few years ago in Senoia, Georgia, where much of the series has been filmed. Its creators opened a second location in Chattanooga and now, in downtown Lexington. “When the opportunity came to open a restaurant in Senoia, we knew it was a natural extension of our passion,” the restaurant’s website said. “We hope you capture a few of those special moments here.” The Senoia location is filled with photographs taken by Reedus, and its menu includes hints of what Lexington’s location may offer. The menu includes a variety of soups and salads, starters like crab cakes and brisket nachos, gourmet burgers, sides and entrees including BBQ cedar plank salmon and gourmet chicken pot pie. It has a signature cocktail list along with wine, beer, spirits and non-alcoholic beverages. Fuku began delivery in Lexington via
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digital restaurant growth network Franklin Station in late January. The restaurant started with a menu item from the original Momofuku noodle bar in New York City — a chicken sandwich — and became a stand-alone venture with a menu including chicken sandos, chicken fingers and waffle fries, among other fried-chicken offerings and sides. “We couldn’t be more excited to introduce Fuku to Lexington and to join its vibrant culinary scene,” Fuku CEO Alex Munoz-Suarez said in a statement. A new Jimmy John’s is opening in the second quarter of 2022 at 3636 Boston Road, according to its leasing company’s Instagram post. At press time, construction of a new Andy’s Frozen Custard was underway on South Broadway. Biscuit Belly has opened its first Lexington location at 652 E. Main St. The menu features biscuit sandwiches, several versions of biscuits and gravy, breakfast items, and a variety of cocktails and nonalcoholic drinks. Drake’s marketing director Leela Atchison says of the restaurant’s forthcoming Leestown Road location: “It will be new construction. As far as the location, we love bringing our brands to great sites and believe this will be another great area for BHG to continue to grow in the Lexington area and beyond.” In doughnut news, a Best Donut location is set to open in Versailles on North Main Street, and Parlor Doughnut opened in early February at 630 Euclid Ave. Gibson’s Midway is open at 131 E. Main St., Midway. Its menu includes appetizers like shrimp cocktail and crab cakes, salads, sides, desserts, sandwiches including a steakhouse burger and roasted red pepper aioli chicken sandwich, and a variety of chicken, steaks, chops and seafood entrees. Omakase Sushi & Sake Bar’s new website is up, and it was listed in February as coming soon to 848 E. High St., in the former Tomo location. Its menu features a variety of sushi rolls and combos, salads, a la carte options including bluefin tuna, eel, Scottish or New Zealand king salmon, among others. Mochi ice cream and crepes round out the dessert menu. Honeysuckle Dining & Bourbon House has opened in the former Churchill Weavers loom house at 100 Churchill St., Berea. Along with salads and a variety of small plates — including frog legs — the restaurant has main plates including trout, “mozz chicken,” a coffee-crusted Berkshire pork chop and filet. Bayleaf Diaspora Kitchen announced its closure, as chef/owner Etel Wagner has taken another opportunity cooking in a private kitchen. Still, she hints that she may one day offer a subscription service for fans of her food. “It has been lots of fun creating new menu items weekly, and I really appreciated all your wonderful feedback and support,” she said on the restaurant’s Facebook page. BL Have a food- or beverage-related update to share with readers? Please email info@smileypete.com.
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Gun Interactive brings fright to game night Video game company is known for creating playable versions of popular horror-film franchises
BY MATT WICKSTROM CONTRIBUTING WRITER
F
ounded in 2011, Lexington-based Gun Interactive has quickly grown to be the most prominent video game developer in Kentucky — and one of the most recognizable indie studios anywhere — thanks to its spooktacular games. Known for nightmarish horror titles like “Layers of Fear 2” and “Friday the 13th: The Game,” Gun is set to supply even more scares on its next video-game project, which is modeled after the iconic 1974 movie “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.” A longtime video game and horror film aficionado, Gun Interactive CEO Wes Keltner says he was just going through the motions as a sociology major at the University of Kentucky in the early 2000s when he visited one of his professor’s offices to discuss a class project. While there he noticed a pile of video games on the table and learned that his professor ran a website that reviewed them. After writing for the site for a short time, he was assigned to cover the Electronic Entertainment Expo, better known as E3, in Los Angeles. Being on the conference floor captivated Keltner, who likened the experience to being a kid in a candy store. However, Keltner quickly realized he liked playing games far more than writing about them, eventually leading him to found Gun Interactive a few years later. Keltner launched his first entrepreneurial venture during his time at UK, when he worked with American Apparel to open a virtual store in the online world of the game “Second Life.” Players could purchase clothes for their in-game avatar, as well as make purchases in real life. It was one of the first brands to appear in “Second Life,” and the idea took off.
PHOTO FURNISHED
Gun Interactive CEO Wes Keltner records ambient sounds for a project. Attention to detail and realistically rendered environments help distinguish the game developer’s titles from the competition.
“Before I knew it, I was consulting with Ford Motor Company, Samsung, Procter & Gamble, Unilever, Intel and several other big companies,” Keltner said. “For Ford, we partnered with Apple to release a photo-editing app on the iPhone, which was brand new at the time, to showcase Ford’s newly launched Ford Flex.” A partnership with Clear Channel to bring interactive video games to their video boards in New York City’s Times Square followed, along with working with companies like Ubisoft, Electronic Arts, Microsoft and Sony.
A zombie-fied illustration of Wes Keltner, founder of video game developer Gun Interactive IMAGE FURNISHED
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As Keltner’s confidence and professional network grew, so did his ambitions. He secured about $900,000 in angel investor funds from the Bluegrass Angel Fund and launched Gun Interactive with a fourperson team. The company’s first game, “Breach & Clear,” debuted on PC and Apple devices in 2014. It was “Friday the 13th: The Game,” launched in 2017, that gained the indie studio notoriety — and some unforeseen backlash. The game received rave reviews and accumulated 14 million players. Soon after, however, the studio was forced by a court order to cease the creation of any new content for the game as a lawsuit played out between Victor Miller, the movie’s original screenwriter, and Sean Cunningham, producer of several films in the series. The sudden stop in post-release development angered many of the game’s fans, some of whom began harassing Keltner and other studio employees online and even sent death threats. Keltner remains assured that the IP issues that plagued “Friday the 13th,” albeit out of Gun’s control, won’t come up again with its current project. “The problem with ‘Friday the 13th’ was that [Miller] filed to regain his copyright, setting off the whole legal battle between the two parties,” Keltner said. “In the case of ‘The Texas Chain Saw Massacre,’ it’s just [Legendary Entertainment] who’s the rights holder. It’s his team who came to us about making the game, so I’m not concerned about a similar scenario playing out.” Legal hurdles aside, what’s set apart Gun’s video game horror from other developers has undoubtedly been Keltner and his team’s — now a dozen strong — attention to
detail when replicating the IPs they’re teaming up with. “We studied all the ‘Friday the 13th’ films inside and out so that the floors, the curtains, the rugs, the sofas — every single thing you see in the game you can go find it in the movie,” Keltner said. “We also have a cool virtual cabin in the game where you can walk around, look at and hold a bunch of different props from the movies, and even have Jason [the film’s antagonist] chase after you. The fans really appreciate that attention to detail and authenticity. We’re doing the same with ‘The Texas Chain Saw Massacre,’ which we plan to share bits of in the coming month as we continue working through early development.” Much like “Friday the 13th: The Game,” “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” is expected to allow players to play as multiple different characters, along with single and multiplayer game modes. According to Keltner, crafting scary scenarios and environments in multiplayer games is a unique challenge, as music and other cues don’t prove quite as effective as single-player games. “In multiplayer, it doesn’t work like that because everyone in the space is a human,” Keltner said. “So, to create those moments, you instead have to give the player all the tools in the sandbox, and they create their own moments. Sometimes you may play a match where you don’t ever get that moment, but then it’ll be constant tension in the next one. “That’s what gets people hooked. We’re all used to talking with our friends about what we would have done if we were in ‘Friday the 13th’ or another horror movie. In our games. You get to put your money where your mouth is and try it.” BL
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Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles addresses the attendees of the 2021 CSG National Conference in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Quarles spoke as part of a panel in the session “What the Next Farm Bill Could Mean for States.” PHOTO FURNISHED
Informing the Lawmakers The Council of State Governments promotes a reasoned approach to policymaking
BY LIZ CAREY CONTRIBUTING WRITER
F
or more than 50 years, a Lexingtonbased organization has been quietly working to strengthen the bonds between American states. Since the Great Depression, The Council of State Governments (CSG) has worked to “create more harmony between states,” said David Adkins, executive director and CEO of the nonprofit. The goal of CSG, he said, is to foster cooperation and education between states while providing states with the information their
elected officials need to make more informed policy decisions. “How do we, in a non-partisan environment, bring state officials together to learn from each other and how can we provide those state officials in all three branches of government with actionable data?” Adkins asked. “We see ourselves as a research-driven, consensus-based forum in which state officials are convened to learn more about public policy.” How the organization landed in Lexington is another story. CSG started in 1925 as the American Legislator’s Association (ALA). The brainchild
MBA Program at EKU
of Henry Wolcott Toll, a Colorado state senator, the ALA provided legislators with information and the opportunity to connect with their cohorts in other states. Toll believed that interstate cooperation was fundamental for ADKINS states to maintain control over state issues. In 1933, the ALA created the Council of State Governments as a national organization that would serve all three branches of state government. Within five years, it had moved into its new home in Chicago. “CSG took from its early origins this idea that states working together actually could accomplish a great deal that did not require a federal government to intervene,” Adkins said. “In 1933, a long-distance phone call would have been very expensive. There
weren’t interstate highways. There wasn’t much of a chance for state officials to have an opportunity to meet. And so, here came this idea for inter-governmental and state cooperation that we could be better and do better as a nation by having stronger states that learned from each other.” In 1967, however, the leadership of CSG decided it was time for a move. “The leadership of CSG said, ‘Let’s see if somebody else wants to host the headquarters and a number of states submitted proposals,” Adkins said. “Kentucky’s was accepted. It agreed to build a building that was opened in 1969, which is still the headquarters that we occupy today. That’s how we came to Kentucky. It’s the first question I always get from people. ‘Why is The Council of State Governments headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky?’ Basically, because Kentucky was kind enough to build us a building.”
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From its headquarters off Iron Works Pike and across from the Kentucky Horse Park Campground, the organization’s more than 50 employees work to provide elected officials with leadership training, provide data and information on policy issues facing states, and work with states on topics ranging from justice and incarceration to innovation to implementation and investment of COVID-19 pandemic relief funds. CSG has four regional offices located throughout the country, as well as a Justice Center in New York City. The Justice Center brings together state officials from all three branches of government to drive the conversation about criminal justice based on objective research. “Mass incarceration is a huge problem for states — as a result of three-strikes-and-you’reout laws; as a result of criminalization of substance abuse disorders; as a result of the ways in which behaviors that are symptoms of mental illness have placed people in correctional facilities,” said Adkins, who is also a former Kansas state senator. “We are able to go into a state and evaluate their state-specific data … and give their policymakers options based on the data as to how they may restructure their sentencing laws to both protect public safety and reduce costs of building more prisons.”
13
Several recipients of the CSG’s annual 20 Under 40 Leadership Award celebrate on stage at the 2021 CSG National Conference in Santa Fe. From left to right: Arkansas state Rep. Jamie Scott, Maryland state Sen. Cory McCray, Oklahoma state Rep. Ajay Pittman, Alabama state Rep. Jeremy Gray, and Tennessee state Rep. London Lamar. PHOTO FURNISHED
“We see ourselves as a research-driven, consensusbased forum in which state officials are convened to learn more about public policy.” DAVID ADKINS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND CEO, COUNCIL OF STATE GOVERNMENTS
The biggest issue facing states right now, Adkins said, is what to do with funding from legislation like the American Rescue Plan and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, now sometimes referred to as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The states have had an unprecedented infusion of resources from the federal government,” Adkins said. “Many of those resources will be one-time dollars and some states are very reticent to create programs that will require them, at some point, to step in and sustain those programs, but they also see that there is tremendous need.” And, as a historic amount of funding for infrastructure comes to states, the question arises of balancing the needs and allocating resources and creating revenue streams that will support that infrastructure. “We hope to bring people together to discuss things like, for example, the complexity facing states that generally fund infrastructure with gas taxes,” he said. “In a world in which we’re quickly moving to electric vehicles, … those taxation systems, which essentially are paid for when you buy a gallon of gas, are going to become obsolete. So we help states understand what the options are for replacing those revenues.” For Lexington, being home to CSG means having a nationally significant policy institute located in the city and a partner that shows off the city to the rest of the country. “We’re sort of a hidden jewel in that, we’re very externally focused, but we have a commitment to be good corporate citizens,” Adkins said. “Every year, we have 48 state officials from around the nation come together for an intense leadership boot camp here in Lexington … so we expose people from all over the country to Lexington, Kentucky, and that helps, I think, create ambassadors of these folks who have been here and who come here for meetings.” BL
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Colleges and Universities Public and independent institutions ranked by total number of bachelor’s degrees conferred 2020-21
Rank
Institution Name Address, Phone Website
Total Number of Bachelor’s Degrees Conferred 2020-21
Total Number of STEM+H Degrees STEM+H Conferred Percentage 2020-21
15
Spalding University 851 S. Fourth St. Louisville, KY 40203 (502) 585-9911 www.spalding.edu
295
173
59%
Tori Murden McClure (President)
16
Thomas More University 333 Thomas More Pkwy. Crestview Hills, KY 41017 (859) 341-5800 www.thomasmore.edu
293
72
25%
Joseph L. Chillo (President)
17
Transylvania University 300 North Broadway Lexington, KY 40508 (859) 233-8300 www.transy.edu
207
49
24%
Brien Lewis (President)
18
Union College 310 College St. Barbourville, KY 40906 (606) 546-4151 www.unionky.edu
179
60
34%
David R. Harris (President)
19
Georgetown College 400 E. College St. Georgetown, KY 40324 (502) 863-8000 www.georgetowncollege.edu
176
55
31%
Rosemary Allen, Ph.D. (President)
20
University of Pikeville 147 Sycamore St. Pikeville, KY 41501 (606) 218-5250 www.pc.edu
168
54
32%
Burton Webb (President)
21
Midway University 512 E. Stephens St. Midway, KY 40347 (859) 846-4421 www.midway.edu
157
27
17%
John P. Marsden (President)
22
Kentucky Wesleyan College 3000 Frederica St. Owensboro, KY 42302 (270) 926-3111 www.kwc.edu
156
31
20%
Thomas Mitzel (President)
23
Kentucky State University 400 E. Main St. Frankfort, KY 40601 (502) 597-6000 www.kysu.edu
154
30
19%
Clara Ross Stamps (Acting President)
24
Brescia College 717 Frederica St. Owensboro, KY 42301 (270) 685-3131 www.brescia.edu
128
16
13%
Rev. Larry Hostetter (President)
25
Kentucky Christian University 100 Academic Pkwy. Grayson, KY 41143 (606) 474-3000 www.kcu.edu
87
24
28%
Terry Allcorn (President)
26
Alice Lloyd College 100 Purpose Road Pippa Passes, KY 41844 (606) 368-2101 www.alc.edu
74
17
23%
Joe Alan Stepp (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)
5,011
1,931
39%
Eli Capilouto (President)
2
University of Louisville 102 Grawemeyer Hall Office of the President Louisville, KY 40292 (502) 852-5555 www.louisville.edu
2,991
1,085
36%
Lori Stewart Gonzalez (President)
Western Kentucky University 1 Big Red Way St. Bowling Green, KY 42101 (270) 745-0111 www.wku.edu
2,843
Eastern Kentucky University 521 Lancaster Ave. Richmond, KY 40475 (859) 622-1000 www.eku.edu
2,406
Northern Kentucky University Nunn Drive Highland Heights, KY 41099 (859) 572-5100 www.nku.edu
2,223
Murray State University PO Box 9 Murray, KY 42071 (270) 809-3011 www.murraystate.edu
1,614
Morehead State University 201 Howell-McDowell Administration Building University Boulevard Morehead, KY 40351 (606) 783-2221 www.moreheadstate.edu
1,153
8
University of the Cumberlands 6191 College Station Drive Williamsburg, KY 40769 (606) 549-2200 www.ucumberlands.edu
697
9
Bellarmine University 2001 Newburg Road Louisville, KY 40205 (502) 452-8000 www.bellarmine.edu
625
10
Campbellsville University 1 University Drive Campbellsville, KY 42718 (270) 789-5000 www.campbellsville.edu
446
11
Lindsey Wilson College 210 Lindsey Wilson St. Columbia, KY 42728 (270) 384-2126 www.lindsey.edu
363
12
Centre College 600 W. Walnut St. Danville, KY 40422 (859) 238-5200 www.centre.edu
339
111
33%
Milton C. Moreland (President)
13
Asbury University 1 Macklem Drive Wilmore, KY 40390 (859) 858-3511 www.asbury.edu
335
26
8%
Kevin J. Brown (President)
14
Berea College CPO 2182 Berea, KY 40404 (859) 985-1000 www.berea.edu
300
4 5 6 7
744
814
649
366
210
274
48
49
90
30%
31%
37%
40%
32%
30%
44%
11%
14%
33%
Total Number of STEM+H Degrees Conferred STEM+H 2020-21 Percentage
Rank
University of Kentucky 101 Gillis Building Central Administration Lexington, KY 40506 (859) 257-9000 www.uky.ed
843
Total Number of Bachelor’s Degrees Conferred 2020-2021
Top Official
1
3
Institution Name Address, Phone Website
Timothy C. Caboni (President)
David McFaddin (President)
James C. Votruba, (President)
Robert Jackson (President)
Joseph A. (Jay) Morgan, (President)
Larry L. Cockrum (President)
Susan M. Donovan (President)
Joseph Hopkins (President)
William T. Luckey Jr. (President)
Lyle Roelofs (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
2021
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
1,872*
Pat Cowherd (Dean/Director)
2 weeks prior to start of terms (6 starts thoughout academic year)
Y
Y
Y
N
2
Northern Kentucky University The Haile College of Business 100 Nunn Drive Highland Heights, KY 41099 (859) 572-6657 www.nku.edu
1,400
Hassan Hassabelnaby (Dean), Sandra Spataro (Director)
Applications accepted continuously
Y
N
Y
Y
3
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
4
University of Louisville College of Business MBA Graduate Programs 074 Louisville, KY 40292 (859) 852-7257 www.business.louisville.edu/uoflmba
564
Todd Mooradian (College of Business Dean), Melanie Higgs (Director of Admission)
Application Deadline – June 1st, Dec. 1st
Y
N
Y
Y
5
Murray State University Arthur J. Bauernfiend MBA Program 109 Business Building Murray, KY 42071 (270) 809-4259 www.murraystate.edu/mba
398
Joy Roach Hymphreys (Associate Dean and MBA Director)
Rolling admissions (6 entry points per year)
Y
N
Y 100% online
Y
University of Kentucky Gatton MBA Programs 359 Gatton, College of Business & Economics Lexington, KY 40506 (859) 257-1306 www.Gatton.uky.edu/programs/MBA
267
Simon J. Sheather (Dean), Paul Childs (Associate Dean for MBA and Online Programs), Nancy Johnson (Associate Dean of International and Graduate Programs and Kalam Professor of Management), Karl Gustafson (MBA Academic Director), Lorna Patches (Executive Director Professional Resource Center)
One-year domestic start date: May 11; one-year international start date: Jan. 15; professional evening Fall domestic: July 1; professional evening Fall international: Mar. 15; professional evening Spring domestic: Dec. 7; professional evening Spring international: Aug. 15
Y
N
Y professional evening
Y
7
Western Kentucky University Gordon Ford College of Business 1906 College Heights Blvd. Bowling Green, KY 42101 (270) 745-5458 www.wku.edu/mba
205
Dana Cosby (Dean and Director)
Rolling admissions
N
N
Y
Y
8
Midway University 512 E. Stephens St. Midway, KY 40347 (859) 846-4421 www.midway.edu
Y
N
Y
N
153
Mark Gill (Dean School of Business, Equine and Sports Studies
Applications accepted continuously
9
Morehead State University 110E Bert T. Combs Building 150 University Blvd. Morehead, KY 40351 (606) 783-2770 www.moreheadstate.edu/mba
88
Sam Stapleton (MBA Director)
Applications accepted continuously; rolling admissions
N
N
Y
Y
10
Eastern Kentucky University 521 Lancaster Ave. Richmond, KY 40475 (859) 622-1000 www.eku.edu
71
Trish Isaacs (MBA Director)
Applications accepted continuously
Y
N
Y
Y
11
Asbury University One Macklem Drive Wilmore, KY 40383 (859) 858-3511 www.asbury.edu/MBA
50
Mike Yoder (Interim Dean)
Rolling admissions; July 15 for Fall semester; Dec. 15 for Spring semester; May 1 for Summer semester
Y
N
Y
N
12
Sullivan University Lexington Campus 355 Harrodsburg Rd. Lexington, KY 40504 (859) 276-4357 www.sullivan.edu
14
Tim Swenson (Associate Provost and Executive Dean of he College of Business and Technology)
Continuous enrollment (quarter system)
Y
Y
Y
N
6
Source: Business Lexington MBA questionnaire, individuals, institution representatives and websites. Footnote: * Campbellsville University figures include PMBA and MBA enrollments. ** Previous figures and information.
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Private Schools
Central Kentucky institutions ranked by total enrollment
Rank
TIE
Institution Name Address, Phone Website
Enrollment
Grades
2021-2022
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
1,300
Preschool-grade 12
Nondenominational Christian
Scott Wells (Head of School)
$1,698-$13,164
16
Yes/Yes
2
Lexington Catholic High School 2250 Clays Mill Road Lexington, KY 40503 (859) 277-7183 www.lexingtoncatholic.com
730
Grades 9-grade 12
Catholic
Mathew George (Principal)
Contact school for tuition rates
20
No/No
3
Sayre School 194 N. Limestone St. Lexington, KY 40507 (859) 254-1361 www.sayreschool.org
610
Preschool age 2-grade 12
None
Stephen Manella
Preschool: $6,820-$14,145 (3- or 5-day option, half or full day option); kindergarten: $17,740; grades 1-4: $21,490; grades 5-8: $24,630; grades 9-12: $25,800 (lunch and fees for other services included)
14
Yes/Yes
4
The Lexington School 1050 Lane Allen Road Lexington, KY 40504 (859) 278-0501 www.thelexingtonschool.org
604
Preschool-grade 8
None
Una MacCarthy (Head of School)
$3,760-$23,470 depending on schedule and grade level
14
Yes/Yes
5
Trinity Christian Academy 3900 Rapid Run Drive Lexington, KY 40515 (859) 271-0079 www.trinitylex.org
485
PreK-grade 12
Christian
Peter Hansen (Head of School)
$2,499-$11,899
14
Yes/Yes
6
Christ the King School 412 Cochran Road Lexington, KY 40502 (859) 255-5641 www.CTKSchool.net
474
Infant-grade 8
Catholic
Ann Bruggeman
$6,530
18
No/Yes
7
Mary Queen of the Holy Rosary School 605 Hill n Dale Drive Lexington, KY 40503 (859) 277-3030 www.maryqueenschool.cdlex.org
425*
Preschool-grade 8
Catholic
Rebecca Brown
Tuition varies by level
18
Yes/Yes
8
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
400
Infant-grade 8
Catholic
John Pica (President), Jamie Burch (Principal)
Contact school for tuition rates
16/12
No/No
9
Seton Catholic School 1740 Summerhill Drive Lexington, KY 40515 (859) 273-7827 www.setonstars.com
300
6 weeks-grade 8
Catholic
Kyle Lee (Principal)
Tuition varies by level
16
No/Yes
10
Lexington Latin School Ashland Baptist Church 483 West Reynolds Road Lexington, KY 40503 (859) 940-7485 www.thelexingtonlatinschool.com
292*
Jr. Kindergarden-grade 12
Christian
Jeannie Davis (Headmistress)
$2,895-$5,500
12
No/No
11
Providence Montessori School 1209 Texaco Road Lexington, KY 40508 (859) 255-7330 www.providencemontessori.org
264
18 mos.-grade 8
None
Joan Young (Head of School), Joellen Kuhn (Administration Officer)
Tuition varies by level
Varies by levels
Yes/Yes
12
St. Leo School 255 Huntertown Road Versailles, KY 40383 (859) 873-4591 www.saintleoky.org
220
PK3-grade 8
Catholic
Leo Labrillazo (Principal)
Tuition varies by level
18
Yes/Yes
13
Lexington Universal Academy 4580 Nicholasville Road Lexington, KY 40515 (859) 272-3360 www.luaky.org
180
PK3-8th
Islam
Haitham Issa
$5,250 per year
17
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
165
Toddler, 18 mos.-grade 8
None
E. Nelson Griffin (Head of School)
Tuition varies by schedule and level
NA
Yes/Yes additional charge
15
Good Shepherd Day School 544 Sayre Ave. Lexington, KY 40508 (859) 255-9734 www.goodshepherddayschool.org
145
20 mos.-kindergarten
Episcopal
Rhonda May (Director)
Tuition varies by schedule
10
Yes/Yes
16
St. John School 106 Military St. Georgetown, KY 40324 (502) 863-2607 www.stjohnschoolonline.org
144
Preschool-grade 8
Catholic
Brent Mayer
Tuition varies. See website.
15
Yes/Yes
TIE
Source: Business Lexington surveyed all listed schools. Enrollment figures and other criteria were obtained from the schools directly. Footnote: * Listing indicates information from previous year.
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17
MARCH 2022
WWW.BUSINESSLEXINGTON.COM
BizLexQ&A
Devine Carama The director of One Lexington on promoting community and the power of connection
brain that will change the world.” I think that encapsulates my view of the work I’m doing now.
BY MATT WICKSTROM CONTRIBUTING WRITER
T
hrough his music, mentorship programs and social justice initiatives, Devine Carama has excelled at facilitating connections that build community, so it was no surprise when he was tapped by Mayor Linda Gorton last May to be the director of One Lexington. The program was created to coordinate, leverage and mobilize city government and community resources to enhance safety and quality of life in neighborhoods experiencing violent crime. Gorton recently credited Carama during her 2022 State of The City-County Address about doing a lot of the upstream work with youth to combat violence before irrevocable actions are taken. “Devine and his volunteers mentor youth, mediate disputes, connect with gunshot victims and their families, make sure young people in high-risk neighborhoods have safe passage home from school, partner with Galls and Central Bank to create the ‘Be the Change’ scholarship, and engage AfricanAmerican men to stand in solidarity against youth gun violence and to become involved as volunteers,” said Gorton during her Jan. 18 address. Now 10 months into the job, Carama is enjoying the new challenge of continuing the work he started years ago through his grassroots organization, Believing in Forever, from the other side of the aisle as a member of the mayor’s administration. How has your approach to social activism and youth mentoring shifted since taking the position with One Lexington? Before this job, when I was the director of my own organization, I was able to operate in more of an isolated, rogue way. I could see what needed to be done and, with limited red tape and bureaucracy, I could go out and attempt to be that change. But the thing is, the job of keeping our community safe is not a one-man job. Although there’s more red tape and I can’t be quite as reactionary, this job has slowed me down and taught me the values in making connections and bringing more people into the fight so we’re able to get more done. My background is as an artist, and as an artist, you have one mic, one stage to do your thing. I’m used to being independent, but I now understand more than ever before the power of connection and being a bridge between organizations and pockets of our community who otherwise may not connect. It’s those kinds of changes that need to be made in order for Lexington to become the best city it can be. It’s not about what I can run around and do, but how I can inspire others to be the best versions of themselves and to live their life’s purpose. Tupac has one of my favorite quotes. He says: “I’m not saying I’m gonna change the world, but I guarantee that I will spark the
BLX_Mar22_20.indd 17
How have you been able to find so much success with your mentoring and making an impact in the lives of local youth? It’s important to meet young people where they are, which is something that comes naturally for some and is difficult for others. I feel like everybody has something to offer young people, but for me it’s a calling and a gift. It’s often easier for me to speak with teenagers than it is with adults. Mentorship and guidance are also a growing need among our young people. Teachers are a shrinking industry, especially among people of color. I’ve been talking with Ciera Bowman, Youth Services Center Coordinator at Henry Clay High School, about bringing our mentoring program over there after they recently surveyed 400 students and had 60 percent respond saying that they wanted mentoring as part of their engagement. That’s not parents or a think tank of outsiders, but the students themselves telling us they want that help. That’s a powerful statement. It takes everyone actively listening and contributing to make real change happen. That’s why we adopted the “it takes a village” mantra for our programming, because it literally takes a village. It’s not just one person, one organization or one mayor. All of us have a part to play. What’s the next step for you when it comes to pushing for more equity in our communities? I want to continue inspiring other people from grassroots backgrounds like myself to get more involved, but the city of Lexington has just as much of a responsibility in that as well. I hope that me taking the job will inspire others to get more involved as well. In addition to getting more grassroots people involved in government, I’d love to see our government normalize working more with those grassroots organizations that are truly on the ground doing the dirty work.
PHOTO BY BRANDON S. TURNER
“My background is as an artist, and as an artist, you have one mic, one stage to do your thing. I’m used to being independent, but I now understand more than ever before the power of connection and being a bridge between organizations and pockets of our community who otherwise may not connect.”
You mentioned earlier how your background as an artist ties in with your mentoring and work in the community. Do you have anything new in the works on that front? My producer JK 47 [J.K. Wyche] and I have made an intentional decision to pause things this year. Instead what we’d like to do this year is continue the work we were doing through the University of Kentucky and its Agents of Change series and through the Black Girl Project. What we want to do is connect some elders, emcees and the community with some of our local, up-and-coming artists to create some projects under a new initiative called Bridging the Gap. We’ll be partnering with the Northside Public Library on it with JK producing. I’ll likely record a few lines for the project, but it will mostly be for those upand-coming artists to shine. BL
2/14/22 6:12 PM
18
MARCH 2022
WWW.BUSINESSLEXINGTON.COM
Who’sWho
EMPLOYMENT NEWS AND AWARDS IN OUR COMMUNITY
BALL
SHAHAN
MANNING
AARON
ROTY
JACOBS
MATHEWS
WILSON
SINGER
LANTER
ATWATER
WALKER
WELLS
BULLARD
LASNEK
RICHARDSON
BRIN
GARDNER
ROSENTHAL
LUNA
STAPLES
DUNNIGAN
CECIL
CHILDERS
CHOPRA
DAVENPORT
GUARD
GILLISPIE
BOTTOMS
MOODY
WILLIS
CROWE
New Hires & Promotions Rose Grasch Camenisch Mains, PLLC, has welcomed to the firm Howard Ball and Laura Shahan as new associates. The PGA TOUR Barbasol Championship has named longtime golf event professional Darren Nelson as tournament director. Davis H. Elliot Company, Inc. (Elliot), a full-service electrical contractor headquartered in Lexington, has promoted Billy Manning to vice president, finance. Lexington Public Library has made the following personnel and leadership announcements: Kevin Imai, SHRM-SCP, has been named human resources director and also will chair the library’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force; Ashley Sipple-McGraw rejoins the library as the eastside branch manager; Lori Davis, J.D., will serve as workforce development manager. The library also announced the following promotions: AnnaMarie Cornett to chief of staff; Jonathan Francis to marketing manager; and Jamie West to learning and development manager. Stephanie Nallia was appointed to the board of trustees, where she serves as a member of the budget and finance committee. Michael W. Jacobs, FAIA, president of Omni Architects, has retired after
an incredible career as one of Kentucky’s preeminent architects. Fasig-Tipton Company, Inc., announced the hiring of Leif Aaron as its director of digital sales. Chris Roty has been named president at Baptist Health Lexington. He succeeds Bill Sisson, who died Dec. 26, 2021, after more than 31 years as the hospital’s president. The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Airport Board has welcomed Marc A. Mathews, C.P.A., as a new board member. Lexington Christian Academy has named Morgan Wilson as the school’s new director of finance. Brown-Forman Corporation announced that Jan Singer has been elected to the company’s board of directors. Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton has named Charlie Lanter the city’s first commissioner of housing advocacy and community development. The new department combines six different city divisions under the housing umbrella. The Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky has announced three new team members. Chloe Atwater and Katy Walker join the health advocacy organization as policy associates. Ally Wells joins as communications associate.
CLARK Material Handling Company has appointed Brandon Bullard as director of sales and marketing, and David Lasnek and Justin Richardson as regional sales managers. The Child Neurology Foundation has announced the appointment of executive director and CEO, Amy Brin, MSN, MA, PCNS-BC, to the National Health Institute’s National Advisory Neurological Disorders and Stroke Council (NANDSC). The Lexington Legends, in connection with the Louisville Slugger Hitting Science Center, announced that Lindsay Gardner will join the organization in a coaching role. Gardner’s hire will make her the first female coach in Atlantic League history. Commerce Lexington has appointed Stites & Harbison, PLLC, attorney Cassidy Rosenthal as chair-elect of its board of directors for 2022. Rosenthal previously served as a member of the board of directors and has been the organization’s general counsel since 2018. Stites & Harbison has also welcomed Shea Luna to the firm’s health care practice, Drake Staples to its construction services group, and Brady Dunnigan to its real estate and banking service group. Lexington Clinic’s board of directors has elected the following officers to
serve for the year: Michael T. Cecil, M.D., president; Kyle J. Childers, M.D., vice-president; Shailendra Chopra, M.D., secretary; Robert A. Davenport, M.D., treasurer. 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. Lexington Clinic also announced two key executive leadership positions: L. Ranee Guard, Ph.D., and S. Craig Gillispie, MHS, FACMPE, have joined Lexington Clinic as chief operations officer — surgical and technical services and chief operations officer — medicine services respectively. Shrout Tate Wilson Mechanical and Electrical Engineers has named Robbie Bottoms, PE, as principal. WLEX has announced that Kentucky native Sean Moody is returning home to the Bluegrass as an anchor/reporter for LEX18 News. AppHarvest has appointed Kevin Willis as a director of the company, as chair of the board’s audit committee and as a member of the nominating and corporate governance committee.
Kudos The Academy of Country Music announced the nominations for the
57th Academy of Country Music Awards, honoring country music’s biggest stars and emerging talent, and celebrating the year’s top hits, most successful collaborations, and thrilling performances. Rupp Arena in Lexington, has been nominated for Arena of the Year by the Academy of Country Music. Frontier Nursing University, located in Versailles, Kentucky, has the third-best Online Family Nurse Practitioner master’s program according to rankings compiled and released by U.S. News and World Report on January 25, 2022. The Whisky Magazine Icons of Whisky awards announced the Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience as Visitor Attraction of the Year and Jeff Crowe as Visitor Attraction Manager of the Year. Unveiled on June 14, 2021, as the Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience, the expansion and renovation of Heaven Hill Distillery’s visitor center in Bardstown are the culmination of a multi-year $125 million investment in Kentucky’s signature industry and model for the future of tourism since 2018. Community Trust Bank, Inc. was recently honored for the 13th consecutive year with the “Gold Lender Award” from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) as Kentucky’s top volume SBA 7a Community Bank lender in federal fiscal year 2020-21. BL
WHO’S WHO FOR YOU?
Submit your company’s recent hirings, promotions, and awards for listing in the Who’s Who section of Business Lexington. Email a press release and photo to info@bizlex.com.
BLX_Mar22_20.indd 18
2/14/22 6:12 PM
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