Planting RedNatural sorghum for RedLeaf Biologics.
BusinessLexington
PVAStatistics
The latest statistics on local residential properties PAGE 4
EconomicAnalysis
A monthly look at economic indicators compiled by the Center for Business and Economic Research (CBER) at the University of Kentucky PAGE 5
WriteStu
Avoid “that could have been an email” with actionable meeting notes PAGE 5
QuickBytes
Sweetgrass Granola opens storefront in NoLi PAGE 7
IndependentBusiness
A kindred spirit: The Bluegrass Death Doula aims to provide comfort and guidance for the dying and their loved ones PAGE 8
BizLists
Information Technology Firms PAGE 12
Manufacturing Employers PAGE 14
Intellectual Property Law Firms PAGE 16
Who’s Who Employment updates and notable achievements from around the Bluegrass PAGE 18
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 Sept. 2024
Payroll emp. MSA****
Manufacturing Employment Durable Goods (KY) ****
Manufacturing: Lexington-Fayette MSA Total Employees**** Unemployment Rate MSA****
Payroll Employment, US
Manufacturing Payroll Employment US Unemployment Rate, US
Consumer Price Index, Southern Region Consumer Price Index, US Producer Price Index, US
Index of Leading Indicators** Fed’s Index of Industrial Production**
Note: In some cases 1 mo. And 1 yr. changes are based on revised data from previous mo./yr/
* Source: The Conference Board Research Group; http://www.conference-board.org/
** Source: Federal Reserve Statistical Release, http://www.federalreserve.gov/releases/G17/
*** Source: Federal Reserve Statistical Release; https://www.federalreserve.gov/releases/h15/
**** Source: St. Louis Federal Reserve; https://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/
***** GDP is reported as Real Gross Domestic Product, Chained Dollars [Millions of chained (2012) dollars] Seasonally adjusted at annual rates (Updated numbers as of Jan. 27, 2023); https://apps.bea.gov/histdata/histChildLevels.cfm?HMI=7
WriteStu
Avoid “That
By Karen Langer Little
Could have been an Email” with Actionable Meeting Notes
For meetings to have maximum impact— and not feel like they could have been an email—they must follow an agenda, capture the information and ideas shared, and conclude with assigned action items to move the topic at hand forward. This is especially important for brainstorming meetings where it is easy to stray from the stated purpose and even easier to leave wondering if the group’s ideas will translate into anything concrete.
Using a shared spreadsheet platform like Google Sheets can help. First, note-takers can record the discussion of each agenda item in real time. The sheet functions like a whiteboard but with the added benefits of permanence, tidiness, and the freedom for any meeting participant to contribute at any time. A participant struggling to get a word in might simply share their thoughts in the sheet, or someone who hears a great idea but doesn’t see it recorded can add it.
At the conclusion of the brainstorming phase, participants may immediately revisit the notes to identify the most promising ideas, or they may take time to consider the information.
Regardless, for the meeting to feel purposeful, it must produce at least one clear next step. That action item could be for each participant to choose one idea from the notes to discuss at the next meeting and add that idea to its agenda.
If the meeting’s purpose is to develop and implement a plan immediately, the team may choose one idea from the brainstorm to explore further. Each step of the chosen plan or component of the planned product would then be assigned to a specific person or team with a due date.
To keep a coherent record of a project from brainstorming to completion, each meeting may have its own dated page within the Google Sheet. Action items from one meeting become agenda items for the next, helping team members stay accountable and focused.
Crowdsourcing the agenda—with each team member invited to add topics for problem-solving or gathering information or feedback—ensures that the meeting remains focused on addressing needs and increases its collaborative value beyond, say, an email chain. BL
Karen Langer Little is class coordinator for the Carnegie Center for Literacy & Learning. The Carnegie Center, 251 W. Second St., is a nonprofit educational center o ering seasonal writing, publishing and language classes, among other community programming. For more information, visit CarnegieCenterLex.org.
CraveWorthy
BY SHANNON CLINTON CONTRIBUTING WRITER
The city of Versailles’ new entertainment district is in full swing with a newly unveiled gathering space, bringing “that festival feeling” to its historic downtown corridor just in time for fall, Mayor Brian Traugott said.
The city passed an Entertainment Destination Center (EDC) ordinance in 2019, Traugott said, and then began the process of securing licensure from Kentucky’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Board. The entertainment district designation enables Versailles and other cities that pass similar measures to allow patrons who purchase alcoholic beverages in to-go cups from licensed establishments to consume those beverages within the EDC’s boundaries during designated hours.
For instance, Frankfort has an Entertainment Destination Center called The MIX, established in June 2021. Elizabethtown’s The HUB was established in June 2023, and Fountain Row in Bowling Green launched in 2022. Paducah, Ashland, Danville, and other cities have also established entertainment districts.
downtown, people have enjoyed strolling with an alcoholic beverage without concern, and he feels it “adds to the fun nature of our city.”
“I’ve also noticed that husbands will take advantage of it while they’re waiting for their wives to finish shopping, and sometimes the other way around,” he said. “It benefits our restaurants and creates a great vibe during events or even on a regular evening. I compare it to the vibe you get in other ‘hip’ cities that have similar laws.”
Adding to the momentum of Versailles’ EDC, a $3.68 million downtown revitalization project has been completed. It has been a cooperative e ort between city and county governments, private partnerships, and the farmers’ market board.
New permanent signage proclaiming the area “Versailles Downtown Market & Entertainment District” has been erected, complete with stonework and horse racing graphics.
Beyond this is a spacious gathering space for people frequenting the downtown area to enjoy, which was unveiled in recent months. There’s a stage for music, space for farmers’ markets, and more.
Ken Kerkho , a member of the Versailles City Council and chair of the downtown revitalization committee, said the primary objective of the downtown revitalization effort was to support significant recent private capital investments downtown.
“The objective was to create a firstclass, inclusive, public gathering place for residents of and visitors to Versailles and Woodford County that will include an event stage and a separate covered pavilion for a farmers’ market, concerts, and other events, a water feature celebrating bourbon history, and an ADA-compliant walkway providing access to Big Spring Park,” he said.
The e ort was substantially complete late this summer, he added, with the exception of a few punch-list items, giving people a place to “celebrate, socialize, and share our history and arts while enjoying local food and entertainment.”
During a recent outdoor event, this area and downtown’s sidewalks bustled with activity, many stores stayed open and displayed merchandise on tables outside, and food trucks and vendors gathered.
“Any business with an alcohol license that is within or adjacent to the district boundaries can sell alcoholic beverages that can leave their facility,” Traugott said, referring to an area that encompasses most of downtown Versailles.
Midway is another local town with its own EDC. Mayor Grayson Vandegrift said its ordinance passed shortly after Versailles’, using the Versailles ordinance as a guide, though the two are not identical.
As with Versailles, Traugott said he’s heard “nothing but success stories” from cities that have enacted their own EDC ordinances, adding that state law provides for private entities to establish their own EDCs under certain circumstances.
“Ours operates all the time, and we have our boundaries marked by signage,” Vandegrift said. “Anyone can purchase a drink from a licensed restaurant downtown or from an approved vendor during festivals — the drink just needs to be in an opaque cup.”
Vandegrift said with such a walkable
“We were one of the first few municipalities to do it, and I got advice from the city of Maysville about how theirs had worked,” Traugott said. “We wanted to make it easier for people to come to downtown events and patronize multiple businesses without the anchor of an expensive beverage tying them down to just one place.”
PHOTO BY SHANNON CLINTON
Sweetgrass Granola Opens Storefront in NoLi QuickBites
BY SHANNON CLINTON CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Asmall batch granola shop that uses locally sourced sorghum cane syrup, Appalachian salt and Kentucky-grown hemp hearts in its blends is opening a Lexington storefront in October at 808 N. Limestone St.
Sweetgrass Granola was founded by Jacob and Carolyn Gahn on their Berea homestead in 2011. Kyle Ayres was one of Sweetgrass’ earliest employees and later became manager.
The business moved to Lexington in 2018, and Kyle and his wife, Samantha Ayres, became co-owners in early 2023. Until now, the granola was sold in retail grocery stores and shops in the area, online at www.sweetgrassgranola.com and at the Saturday Lexington Farmers’ Market.
It’s first brick-and-mortar retail location represents another milestone for the growing company and its three employees.
“We wanted to find a spot that was close to our home for convenience reasons and could house all our ingredients, inventory, and kitchen equipment under one roof,” Samantha said. “It’s been a slow work in progress, but we’re getting closer to having a space where customers can come buy granola where it’s manufactured, along with other local items.”
Sweetgrass granola currently o ers four di erent varieties, each made from sustainably sourced ingredients. Samantha said the best seller is its original flagship variety Kentucky Harvest, which includes organic oats, Kentucky-grown hemp hearts, sorghum syrup, millet, pumpkin seeds, brown rice and Appalachian sea salt.
“Our granola is essentially made to order,” she said. “We don’t keep a large inventory in stock because we want it to be as fresh as possible for consumers.”
In other local food and beverage industry news: Saga Spirits Group, led by Angel’s Envy co-founder Wes Henderson, plans to develop a $92.5 million whiskey distillery, interactive visitor center, tasting room, lodging, restaurant, retail and event space at the 150-acre Edgewood site in Versailles, with groundbreaking set for this fall. The group will also be making improvements to The Kentucky Castle.
“It has been a huge blessing to be members of the Kentucky bourbon industry for many generations,” Henderson said in a press statement. “To begin this next chapter for the Henderson family, we have chosen Versailles and Woodford County. We are humbled and honored by the support we are receiving from government o cials, tourism development and residents.”
He added that his team includes experts in distilling and distilling finance, supply chain and logistics, marketing, packaging, and hospitality.
In all, 46 full-time jobs are to be created for this project, the release said. The group received $4.192 million in Kentucky Tourism Development Finance Authority incentives based on $35.4 million in tourism investments.
Bourbon n’ Toulouse is closing its South Broadway location and relocating to Leestown Road, just inside of New Circle
The Lexington-based granola company Sweetgrass Granola will open its first brickand-mortar storefront this month at 808 N. Limestone.
Road at Townley Center. Its original Euclid Avenue location remains open.
The new location will open this fall and the South Broadway location will close by year’s end when the lease runs out.
Umami Ramen & Grill
the co-owner of Omakase to open this fall at 836 Euclid Ave. in Chevy Chase Plaza.
After some additional fundraising, nonprofit Food Chain
2,600-square-foot grocery store at its 501 W. Sixth St. location in the Smithtown neighborhood, with a projected opening time frame of 2026, multiple media outlets have reported.
A relocated, renovated and reopened Tolly Ho is once again welcoming diners to its new location at 350 Foreman Ave.
Belle’s Cocktail House, which opened in 2013 by Justin Thompson, Seth Thompson and Larry Redman at the corner of Market and Church streets, is under a new ownership group, which includes its current general manager, Jason Curtsinger.
Hello Falafel has opened at 3120 Pimlico Parkway with chicken and beef shawarma, kebabs, lamb dishes, vegan bowls, platters, baba ghanoush, and, of course, falafel.
Zundo Izakaya & Ramen is adding a revolving sushi restaurant nearby, Toku Revolving Sushi, at 127 W. Tiverton Way.
Billing itself as the “Home of the Best Chili Dog Ever,” Mr. Clay’s Sloppy Dogs has opened at 573 Elm Tree Ln.
Purple Yum Asian Bakery is coming soon on East New Circle Road near Pho Saigon.
Wingstop is coming soon to 3080 Richmond Rd., according to the company’s website. A second local location is headed to 4101 Tates Creek Centre Dr. Other Kentucky locations can be found in Bowling Green, Florence, Louisville and Paducah.
Watan Mediterranean Grill has opened at 3344 Partner Place.
Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen is coming soon to Fayette Mall’s food court.
UK Dining released its list of food vendors for the new school year, including: Fresh Food Co., Chick-Fil-A (2 locations), Wildcat Pantry (3 locations), Zen Sushi, Blue Agave Grill, Starbucks ( 3 locations), Champions Kitchen, Freshii, One Cafe, Han Woo Ri, Blenz Bowls, Health Hub, Panda Express, Subway (2 locations), Auntie Anne’s PJ’s Co ee, and Einstein Bros. Bagels
The 1483 Boardwalk location of Taco Tico has closed, though the Pimlico Parkway site is still up and running. BL
PHOTO BY EMILY GIANCARLO
IndependentBusiness
A Kindred Spirit
The Bluegrass Death Doula aims to provide comfort and guidance for the dying and their loved ones
BY TANZI MERRITT CONTRIBUTING WRITER
While it has become common to hear about people hiring a doula to help guide them through the birthing process, the option of having a professional to guide a person through the end-of-life is novel. But an increasing number of end-of-life doulas, or death doulas, have been emerging in recent years. Their goal is to provide emotional and practical support for people who are dying as well as their families and loved ones.
Lauren Hunter-Smith, founder and owner of the Lexington-based business Bluegrass Death Doula, says she has found death to be a topic people shy away from. Even though it’s one of life’s universal experiences, people often find it uncomfortable to talk about or even consider.
She feels di erently.
“I’ve always been death curious,” HunterSmith said. “When I was looking at colleges, I was drawn to mortuary school, but at that time funeral homes were still mainly family businesses.”
Instead, Hunter-Smith studied biology and painting at the University of Kentucky, then joined the Peace Corps and served in Benin, West Africa, as a women’s health advocate. That experience helped cement a longstanding interest and passion in how we understand and approach death.
“I learned a lot about life and death while I was there, because they are so much closer to it than us,” she said, recalling a story about a particularly revelatory experience.
“One day, a colleague and I were riding our bikes, and we saw two men o in the distance next to a huge fire,” she said. “We got closer, and they o ered us a drink. While standing there, my colleague grabbed my arm and said, ‘Lauren, that’s an arm!’ That’s when we realized this was a funeral pyre, and these men were just hanging out, having a drink and disposing of a friend. It was just part of their day.”
During her time in Benin, Hunter-Smith was also struck by the strong reverence for life that she encountered in that community.
“An elderly woman passed away in my con-
cession and they played drums for 90 days non-stop in her honor,” she recalled.
After her Peace Corps experience, Hunter-Smith went on to work in higher education, museum education, and other service industries. But during the pandemic, after losing her job, she seized an opportunity to pursue her interest in end-of life care. She signed up for an online death doula training program that was o ering scholarships specifically for people who had been laid o .
“That made it possible for me to pursue this,” she said.
The mission of Bluegrass Death Doula is to o er comprehensive death education and planning services that support and enrich the end-of-life experience. Hunter-Smith is trained in aromatherapy and sound therapy, which can provide comfort to a dying person, and is an ordained celebrant, which allows her to act as an o ciant. Most importantly, her mission is to normalize conversations about death and help people become educated about and more comfortable with death.
Hunter-Smith said her clients, who are typically in their 30s and 40s, often approach her initially for their own advanced care directives. That conversation often turns into a catalyst for her clients to have a conversation with their aging parents about funeral planning together.
“There’s a generational di erence in how we talk about these subjects,” she said. “The older generation is not as comfortable talking about death and dying, so their adult children are often the ones broaching the subject and encouraging conversation.”
Other services she o ers include assisting with legacy projects, comfort therapy, and home funeral education, where she teaches how to care for a loved one’s body at home.
“I encourage people to do legacy projects where they create something by which others can remember them. It gives people time to create thoughtful memories,” she said.
Comfort therapy is the act of comforting dying people. It also entails educating fami-
lies on what to expect in those final moments and steps they should take after a family member dies.
“People tend to shy away because they are uncomfortable or don’t know how to interact with a person who is actively dying,” she said.
Another passion of Hunter-Smith’s is educating people about options for a natural burial. With natural burials, the body is not embalmed and is buried at a shallow depth for oxygen to aid decomposition. Natural burials also require a biodegradable container such as a cotton shroud, a cardboard cremation box, or a wooden box made without metal fixtures or fasteners.
“A big part of it is not leaving a lasting impact on the environment. But there’s also a spiritual component where you are literally rejoining the earth,” she said.
Not all cemeteries allow for natural burials, but Hunter-Smith noted four natural burial grounds in the region that she’s familiar with. While some, including Pisgah Presbyterian Church, Walnut Hill Church and the Nature Preserve at the Loretto Motherhouse, are reserved only for church members or those who have a specific connection to the community, Lawrenceburg’s Windy Knoll Memorial Sanctuary is one that’s open to the public. Windy Knoll is the natural burial ground that Hunter-Smith has worked with most closely. It allows for natural burials or scattering of ashes for both human and animal remains.
Hunter-Smith sees an important part of her job as helping people understand the full picture when it comes to end-of-life options. But ultimately, she views her job as a way to help people grieve and say goodbye to a person in a way that feels right.
“I can tell when I’ve helped a family. It makes a big di erence and people have a better experience,” she said. “When people have these conversations and have support to get through the process, it makes a huge impact on the experience for both the dying person and their loved ones. BL
PHOTO BY EMILY GIANCARLO
Educating families about non-traditional funeral and burial options — including home funerals and nautral cemeteries — is part of Hunter-Smith’s o erings through Bluegrass Death Doula.
PHOTO BY EMILY GIANCARLO
Through her business Bluegrass Death Doula, Lauren Hunter-Smith provides practical and emotional end-of-life support.
Line Extensions
How the Davis H. Elliot Company grew from one truck into an employee-owned suite of services
BY DAN DICKSON CONTRIBUTING WRITER
In 2000, the Davis H. Elliot Company was at a crossroads. The 54-year-old electrical contracting business, founded in Roanoke, Virginia, with headquarters today on Blue Sky Parkway in Lexington, had no clear succession plan. Bill Elliot owned 100 percent of the company’s stock, but no one in his family was interested in running the business.
There were numerous offers to buy the company, but Elliot thought about his employees.
“He said it wouldn’t feel right selling the company to a strategic buyer,” said Keith Simpson, now senior vice president at Elliot. “Yes, he would have gotten a big check, but the first thing that [likely] would happen is that the people who had worked so hard to build the business would stop getting profitsharing and the benefits they had enjoyed.”
Instead, Elliot sold the company to its employees through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). Twenty-four years later, Elliot is 100 percent employee-owned. The company had taken on ten years of debt to make this happen, but it was paid off ahead of schedule.
Looking back at the company’s early years, Davis Elliot started working with Appalachian Power Company in Virginia in 1946 with one crew and one truck. Two years later, he got his first job in Kentucky, stringing electrical lines across a river near Maysville. By 1950, there was an office in Lexington, and Elliot received substantial work from Kentucky Utilities, LG&E, and
cooperatives like East Kentucky Power, performing infrastructure work on electrical transmission, distribution, and substations.
Elliot’s expansion evolved in relation to its customers’ needs. An example is the 1998 Nashville tornado. “When there are storms, we’re one of the first calls for most utilities,” Simpson said. Elliot still works in Nashville, 26 years after the disaster. Today, Elliot’s footprint ranges from Corpus Christi, Texas, to Oklahoma City to Baltimore.
The company continues to grow through a family of related brands.
Elliot Services, a Kentucky-based contractor, was created to meet the demand for residential and commercial electrical services. Today, the contractor specializes in all types of residential work, commercial and industrial projects, and voice and data communications.
The company 46 Solutions emerged from the need to deliver safety information and training to Elliot crews in the field. With more than a thousand employees spread across a wide area, Elliot stopped mailing materials and instead shipped every crew member an iPad for training and communication. These services have since expanded to serve dispersed teams in other fields.
Another service line, Studio 46, came about in a similar way. Its teams create and send leadership and safety videos, including in on-demand scenarios. For example, a recall for a specific nut and bolt used in crane trucks that lift heavy power poles prompted the creation of a customized safety video. The video was quickly sent to hundreds of crew members in 17 states, enabling them to identify affected trucks and take them out of service.
More recently, Elliot acquired Wells Engineering, based in Florence, Kentucky, to form Elliot Engineering, which offers procurement and delivery services.
With career paths in utility work, IT, video production and other areas, employees are encouraged to develop their skills and advance their careers.
UDP, which stands for utility damage protection, is a locating service offered by Elliot. It responds to 811 calls from homeowners and businesses needing underground utility lines marked before excavation.
Elliot also contracts out traffic controllers — the people in the yellow vests with flags and signs who set up construction barrels and manage traffic around work sites — to other entities in the construction industry.
Expanding and diversifying Elliot’s service lines also helps with recruiting, training, and retaining employees, Simpson said.
“What we look for are people who want to invest in their future. That’s what we want to provide. They can own the business while building their careers.”
KEITH
Interest in skilled trades is declining, according to experts. Gen Z, typically defined as those born between 1997 and 2012, is on track to become the most educated generation in history. Yet, fewer young people are opting to pursue traditional hands-on jobs in skilled trades and technical fields.
The recruiting platform Handshake reported that applications for jobs in construction, plumbing, and electrical work dropped by 49 percent in 2022, compared to 2020.
Many of the current technicians who currently work in the skilled trade have either retired or will be retiring soon, and there’s widespread concern that there are not enough qualified applicants to replace them.
However, experts emphasize that many skilled trade jobs offer competitive pay, especially compared to other positions available to those without a college degree.
Simpson acknowledges that it is harder to find skilled tradespeople today. Unlike in the past, many prefer not to stay with one company long-term. By offering various career paths — including IT, video production, and outdoor utility work — employees can develop their skills through apprenticeships and are encouraged to advance in their careers.
“What we look for are people who want to invest in their future,” Simpson said. “That’s what we want to provide. They can own the business while building their careers.” BL
PHOTO FURNISHED
PHOTOS FURNISHED
Founded as an electrical contractor in 1946, the Davis H. Elliot Company has grown into an employee-owned business, now offering a wide range of services.
SIMPSON
SIMPSON, ELLIOT SERVICES’ SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, ON HIRING SKILLED TRADESPEOPLE
Seeding the Future
Bluegrass AgTech Development Corp announces its first round of grant recipients
BY WARREN PARISH CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Innovative, sustainable economic development stems from farms and fields as readily as from any o ce or factory.
That proposition has driven Bluegrass AgTech Development Corp, a public-private initiative formed in 2022, to roll out its first challenge grant recipients in a bid to further establish Lexington and Kentucky as the premier hub for agriculture technology (AgTech) companies.
“The horse capital of the world is on its way to a second title: the AgTech capital of the country,” Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton told an audience during a recent event honoring seven start-up AgTech companies that received a combined $625,000 in grants.
Bluegrass AgTech Executive Director Bob Helton puts it more simply: “A good job is a good job,” he said. “And if we’re creating healthy food, that’s even better.”
Bluegrass AgTech is a partnership between the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government, the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, the University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, and the multinational animal health conglomerate Alltech. Their goal is to connect innovative agri-
cultural start-ups and early-stage businesses with in-state expertise and capital to grow jobs along with local healthy, environmentally sustainable food. To date, the Kentucky Agriculture Development Fund and the city of Lexington have each committed $1 million to the initiative.
If all goes well, new agri-food and related agri-business companies will both grow from within and locate in Kentucky. Consumers will enjoy a more robust food chain, benefiting from a ordable, healthy, and more secure supplies of locally produced, sustainable food.
The architects behind Bluegrass AgTech believe Kentucky is well-positioned to be a hub for future AgTech businesses. So why not help small innovators with big ideas grow?
“They have huge potential to be big players in the future,” Helton said.
The state university system and private sector already represent a sizable body of agricultural expertise upon which to draw. In terms of jobs, Fayette County alone can credit agriculture and the businesses supporting it for one out of every 12 jobs and $2.3 billion
in annual output, according to a 2017 study conducted by the University of Kentucky’s Community and Economic Development Initiative of Kentucky.
Detailing exact numbers for where AgTech stands and its future projections is more di cult. Still a new field in the industry, it’s loosely defined and not as well tracked.
While the data may be lacking for precise AgTech employment projections, Jordan Wood, CEO of grant recipient RedLeaf Biologics, is an early adopter. In 2017, he
traded a newly minted law partnership at an established Alabama firm to help build the Lexington-based agribusiness founded a couple of years earlier.
Wood chuckles as he recalls telling his legal colleagues that he was going to work for a pre-revenue startup. “I got some hairy eyeballs as I walked out the door,” he said.
RedLeaf is a biotechnology company using proprietary plant genetics and extraction processes to develop a range of phytochemical extracts with applications in health, cosmetics, wellness, and nutrition.
HELTON
PHOTO FURNISHED Workers at RedLeaf Biologics plant RedNatural sorghum, a non-GMO row crop that produces high-value compounds.
PHOTO FURNISHED
Bluegrass AgTech Development Corp, a public-private partnership, was founded to support innovative agricultural start-ups and early-stage businesses poised to advance AgTech in Kentucky.
from a proprietary
The “red leaf” referred to in its corporate name is a naturally mutated variety of sorghum plant discovered during field experiments by his brother-in-law, University of Kentucky professor Seth DeBolt, who is also director of the James B. Beam Institute for Kentucky Spirits.
What started in 2009 as a single anomalous plant out of 2 million has been developed into a distinct varietal of the ancient crop, with promising anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
“It just kind of went haywire — in a good way — expressing valuable red compounds throughout the entire leaf,” Wood said.
From this discovery, the company has developed the RedNatural sorghum varietal, a non-GMO row crop that produces high-value compounds throughout the leaf biomass.
A small startup in a multi-billion-dollar industry, RedLeaf currently has 12 full-time employees, a research lab in Lexington, a processing facility in Georgetown, and several hundred acres of red-hued cropland in Central Kentucky.
The main cash product is a powder derived from a proprietary liquid extraction process that’s “counterintuitive to what most of the industry is doing,” Wood said. The powder can be used in a variety of food and beverage formulations, including gummies, pills, and baked goods. It can also serve as a natural coloring dye.
Receiving the AgTech grant accelerates RedLeaf’s latest move into human health and nutrition, Wood said, paving the way for University of Kentucky clinical trials of promising new exercise recovery and cognition products.
The company’s greater goal is to o er a proprietary, branded ingredient at scale. In prospering, Wood said, RedLeaf’s story can also be a Kentucky story. “This thing could be big.”
The next call for grant applications is expected to be announced this November. In the meantime, Helton says Bluegrass AgTech will work on expanding its partnerships. “I see vendors and service entities joining in the future,” he said.
Aside from a second year of seed money, Helton promises future programming, whether it’s research assistance from universities, connecting start-ups with established businesses, or help with grant writing.
Long-term ambitions include better integrating Kentucky agriculture into the farm-to-store process, which would help retain more profits in-state.
“We’re producing all of these products, but we’re not benefiting from the next level of production — be they processors, packagers, wholesalers, or retailers,” Helton said. “The big win is raising the level of Kentucky’s involvement, so we’re creating high-level companies and jobs that reverse the outmigration of our brain trust.” BL
Bluegrass
PHOTO FURNISHED
AgTech Development Corp Grant Recipients:
• Parasight Systems, Inc.
O ers a push-button fecal egg count system for veterinary clinics, providing instant imaged results that can be emailed along with recommended treatment protocols.
• RedLeaf Biologics
Combines proprietary plant genetics and extraction processes to develop phytochemical extracts for applications in health, cosmetics, wellness, and nutrition.
• Hempwood
Provides environmentally friendly, healthy building materials using a patented process that mimics nature to transform hemp fibers and protein-based bonding agents into a viable substitute for solid oak.
• Iristrac / eyeD
O ers horse owners a painless, non-invasive identification method along with a web platform and database for storing and accessing horse IDs and records. The company’s primary product is a patented equine iris scanner.
• Lepidext, Inc.
Develops safe and e ective bioinsecticides to control lepidopteran pests in food and fiber crops. Its technology enhances sustainable food production and has a positive impact on environmental health by reducing the need for synthetic insecticides.
• Sunflower Fuels
Provides bio-based feedstocks to the power and refining industries. The company’s mission is to harness the untapped potential of rural areas by growing energy crops that extract carbon from the atmosphere and help power the national economy.
• Spirited Biomaterials
Creates Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), a biodegradable alternative to petroleum-based plastics. This naturally occurring sugar polymer is easily broken down by microorganisms in soil, o ering a pollution-free solution.
COMING IN NOVEMBER
The November issue of Business Lexington will focus the business and legal issues of the healthcare industry, and will feature the following BizLists: Hospitals, Nursing and Personal Care Facilities, and Healthcare Law Firms.
Ad Space Deadline: Oct. 23
Ad Materials Deadline: Oct. 25
For advertising info call (859) 266-6537 or email advertise@smileypete.com.
RedLeaf Biologics’ primary product is a powder made
sorghum strain, with applications in health, cosmetics, wellness, and nutrition.
Information Technology Firms
Ranked by total number of Lexington market employees Oct. 2024
Information security, network security, backup and disaster recovery, managed IT, managed security, healthcare IT, cloud consulting, software development, ERP, strategic planning, IT support, IT sta ng
Managed IT services, cybersecurity services and solutions, data center infrastructure solutions (cloud, compute, network, and storage)
Managed IT, cybersecurity, data center infrastructure, cloud hosting solutions, network support, help desk support, backups and disaster recovery, VoIP phone systems
Security awareness training, phishing simulation
Managed IT services, cybersecurity, local help desk, network services and support, cloud services, backup and disaster recovery, outsourced IT for small and medium businesses
Managed IT services, managed cybersecurity, hourly IT support, network support, hardware sales, hosted VoIP telephone solutions and consulting in all of these areas with a focus on IT security
Mobile app development, web development, cloud hosting, application support, systems integration, technical sta ng
Managed IT and support, cybersecurity protection, business continuity and disaster recovery, infrastructure implementation and support, information security services for financial institutions, vCIO services, VoIP platform installation and support, supplemental IT services
Managed IT and support including companies with existing IT sta , cybersecurity services including pentests, Microsoft 365 Security, vulnerability scans, compliance challenges such as HIPAA/bank/FTC, phones, servers, virtualization, disaster recovery planning, 24/7 support
No-contract managed IT services, cybersecurity-as-aservice, co-managed IT, vCIO, compliance consulting (CMMC, HIPAA, FTC), cloud services, IT projects and consulting for construction, engineering, CPA, financial, healthcare, non-profit, and startup organizations
Banking, finance, healthcare, manufacturing, engineering, construction, government, legal, nonprofit, utilities, small and medium businesses
Accounting, banking, finance, healthcare, manufacturing, engineering, legal services, small business
Triton Airways, Commonwealth Pediatrics, Bluegrass Contracting Corporation, Bluegrass Care Navigators
State and local government, K-12, higher education, manufacturing, healthcare, public utilities, finance, and retail
NATO, United Rentals, NCR, ZipRecruiter, SANS Institute
Community banks and financial services, manufacturing, engineering, professional services, healthcare
Banking, healthcare, manufacturing, legal, small to medium businesses
Bradley Thoroughbreds, Clay Ward Agency, Ruggles Signs, Bluegrass Care Navigators, Lexington Medical Society, Cumberland Surety
Banking/finance, healthcare, dental, legal, service organizations of all sizes
Lextran, American Health Management, Meridian Wealth Management, WLJC-TV, Everburn Manufacturing, Jarboe Construction
Grayhawk, Denham-Blythe, Davis & Plomin Mechanical, Associated General Contractors of Kentucky, Blue Grass Community Action Partnership, Members Heritage Credit Union, Expree Credit Union, Harrod and Associates PSC, Sizemore Tucker PLLC
Hank Dallam (CEO)
Wil Winstead (Director)
Phil Miller (Regional Manager), Daniel Terrell (Service Manager)
Marshall Butler (President)
Andrew Chiles (CEO)
Chris Thomson (VP, Sales)
Thomas Chase Cullett (CEO)
Kevin Hale (President & CEO)
Russ Hensley, CISSP (CEO)
Ganesh Sivagurunathan (President)
Je Propps (CEO)
Tracy Hardin (President)
Craig Willard (CEO)
BizTechnology
IT Solutions For Your Business
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Smart, Efficient Tech Businesses
Companies with cloud-based operations and minimal equipment still require robust security and effective IT management. Many of these businesses come to us after feeling overlooked or overcharged by smaller IT rms. We’ve aligned our security toolset with industry best practices and standards to provide the right level of support and security—tailored to the unique challenges your business faces.
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Manufacturing Employers
Ranked by number of employees Oct. 2024
Toyota Kentucky 1001 Cherry Blosson Way Georgetown, KY 40324 (502) 868-2000 tourtoyota.com/kentucky
Lexmark International Inc. 740 W. New Circle Road Lexington, KY 40550 (859) 232-2000 lexmark.com
Lockheed Martin 5749 Briar Hill Road Lexington, KY 40516 (859) 566-4778 lockheedmartin.com
Hitachi Automotive Systems Americas, Inc. 1150 Mayde Road Berea, KY 40403 (859) 734-6630 hitachi.us
Hyster-Yale Group, Inc. 220 Menelaus Road Berea, KY 40403 (859) 986-9304 hyster-yale.com
Toyota Production, Engineering & Manufacturing Center 151 Engineering Way Georgetown, KY 40324 (502) 868-2000 toyota.com/usa/operations/ map/pemc
Montaplast of North America 2011 Hoover Blvd. Frankfort, KY 40601 (502) 695-7766 montaplast.com
Adient USA, LCC 824 Lemons Mill Road Georgetown, KY 40324 (502) 863-0400 adient.com
Central Motor Wheel of America 150 Wheat Dr. Paris, KY 40361 (859) 987-0500 cmwa.com
Bu alo Trace Distillery 113 Great Bu alo Trace Frankfort, KY 40601 (502) 695-5903 bu alotrace.com
Schneider Electric 1601 Mercer Road Lexington, KY 40511 (859) 243-8000 schneider-electric.com
Catalent Pharma Solutions 1100 Enterprise Dr. Winchester, KY 40391 (859) 745-2200 catalent.com
Automobiles: Avalon, Avalonhybrid, Camry, Camry-hybrid, and the Lexus ES350; engines, axles, steering components, blocks/cylinder heads/ crankshafts, dies and North American Production Support Center (NAPSC) Training Facility
Development, marketing and sales of printers and related supplies and software; corporate headquarters
Contractor logistics support – Department Of Defense contract
Electric motor components and suspension systems, machining, plating, welding, painting, and assembly. Shocks, struts, compressors. Electric motor components
Lift trucks and component parts
Production engineering for Toyota vehicles built in the company’s 14 plants across North America
Kerry Creech (President)/ 1988 Allen Waugerman (President & CEO)/ 1991
James D. Taiclet (Chairman, President/ CEO)/ 1995
Billy Combs (Senior Director of Production)/ 1986
Russ Asher (Plant Manager)/ 1973
Takefumi Shiga (Executive Vice President, Production Engineering and Manufacturing Toyota Motor North America/ 2017
Supplier of plastic injection molding automotive exterior trim parts, center caps, cloth interior trim parts, and air intake manifolds
Automotive seats and interior components; foam pads for automotive industry
Automotive sunroofs
and steel automotive wheels
Distiller of world-class and award-winning bourbons and American whiskies
Christian A. Stulz (President)/ 1993
Todd Bruno (Executive Director of Operations)/ 1993
Je Cruse (Logistics Group Leader)/ 1998
Koichi Hayashi (President & CEO)/ 1986
Jake Wenz (CEO & President)/ 1775
Aamir Paul (Executive Vice President of North American Operations)/ 1955
Chris Rosenbaum (General Manager)/ 1992
Toyota Tsusho America, Inc. 700 Triport Road Georgetown, KY 40324 (502) 868-3355 taiamerica.com
EnerSys 761 Eastern Bypass Richmond, KY 40475 (859) 624-7358 enersys.com
Ranked by number of IP lawyers in central o ce Oct. 2024
Firm
Stites & Harbison, PLLC
250 W. Main St., Ste. 2300 Lexington, KY 40507 (859) 226-2300 stites.com
Stoll Keenon Ogden LLP
300 W. Vine St., Ste. 2100 Lexington, KY 40507 (859) 231-3000 skofirm.com
Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs LLP
250 W. Main St., Ste. 1600 Lexington, KY 40507 (859) 233-2012 wyattfirm.com
Dentons
300 W. Vine St., Ste. 1300 Lexington, KY 40507 (859) 231-8500 dentons.com
Dinsmore & Shohl
100 W. Main St., Ste. 900 Lexington, KY 40507 (859) 425-1000 dinslaw.com
McBrayer PLLC
201 E. Main St., Ste. 900 Lexington, KY 40507 (859) 231-8780 mcbrayerfirm.com
Dickinson Wright PLLC
300 W. Vine St., Ste. 1700 Lexington, KY 40507 (859) 899-8700 dickinson-wright.com
Frost Brown Todd
250 W. Main St., Ste. 2800 Lexington, KY 40507 (859) 231-0000 frostbrowntodd.com
Montague Law PLLC 110 W. Vine St., Ste. 300 Lexington, KY 40507 (859) 423-1100 wmlex.com
Stockwell and Smedley PSC 861 Coporate Dr., Ste. 200 Lexington, KY 40503 (859) 233-3400 stockwell.us
Michael Coblenz 4071 Tates Creek Centre Dr., Ste. 304 Lexington, KY 40517 (859) 321-6206 coblenzlaw.com
Francis Law Firm PLLC 4071 Tates Creek Centre Dr., Ste. 304 Lexington, KY 40517 (859) 286-4500 francis-law.com
Landrum & Shouse LLP
300 W. Vine St., Ste. 1100 Lexington, KY 40507 (859) 554-4038 landrumshouse.com
Wolfe & Houlehan PLLC
226 N. Upper St. Lexington, KY 40507 (859) 444-4695 lexingtonkylaw.com
Patent/trademark/copyright registration service; IP litigation; software/information technology agreements and litigation; privacy and data security agreements and litigation; biotechnology/life sciences; clinical research/trials; franchise o erings; franchise litigation; Name Image Likeness (NIL)
Copyright; trade secrets; domain names; entertainment law; licensing law; patents; trademarks and copyright; Name Image Likeness (NIL)
Copyright; trade secrets; domain names; entertainment law; licensing law
Copyright; trade secrets; domain names; entertainment law; licensing law ; patents; post-grant trademark; Name Image Likeness (NIL); due diligence; IP litigation; privacy and data security
Copyright; intellectual property litigation; trade secrets, patent/trademark procurement and management; entertainment law; intellectual property acquisitions; privacy, data protection and internet technologies; domain names; licensing law
Licensing law; copyright; trade secrets; domain names; entertainment law; trademark clearance; trademark registration; trademark infringement; copyright and patent infringement and other IP litigation
Advertising; entertainment and media; copyright; IP litigation; patents; trademarks
Copyright; patents; trademark
Stephen C. Hall/
Brian W. Chellgren, Ph.D./
BizLexQ&A
Opa Owiye Johnson
The new executive director of Women Leading Kentucky on the importance of a supportive professional network
BY LIZ CAREY CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Opa Owiye Johnson, the new executive director for Women Leading Kentucky, has long made an impact on the world around her. As a consultant for social-impact organizations focusing on strategic planning and internal operations, Owiye has helped organizations grow and e ect change in their communities. Almost all of her career has been spent in the nonprofit sector, she said. Prior to joining Women Leading Kentucky, Johnson was the chief of sta for GirlTrek, the largest health organization and U.S.-based nonprofit focused on improving the health outcomes of Black women and girls. Johnson moved to Lexington five years ago when her husband, Timothy Johnson, was recruited to lead United Way of the Bluegrass as president and CEO. Since moving to Central Kentucky, she said, they have found a home here and developed lasting friendships and relationships. Her new role, she said, allows her to continue making an impact on the women and communities around her.
What is the focus and goal of Women Leading Kentucky?
Women Leading Kentucky is, at its core, an organization that engages women across Kentucky to develop and advance leadership excellence. Women can be leaders wherever they are in life, and over its 25-year history, Women Leading Kentucky has built a statewide network of business professionals who help women learn to exhibit leadership at all stages of their careers.
What is the importance of networking, especially for women? What we know is that networking is critical for women’s careers. We find that building a network really allows women to grow and advance in their careers. It gives them opportunities to be mentored by more senior women who have walked the path they’re now on, or to mentor others coming up behind them. Women find that when they build their networks, they become
better leaders because they’re exposed to new thoughts and ideas.
A 2023 report by Chief, a network of senior executive women, found that networking plays a critical role in women’s career advancement. Not only did 94 percent of women above management level feel confident in the power of their network to support or advance their career, but over 80 percent of the women surveyed use networking to secure board seats, seniorlevel positions, and negotiate for higher pay.
Do you have an example of how networking helped you in your career? I have been a member of the Junior League for 20 years, and that network has been amazing for me. The Junior League helped me develop personally and as a leader. I know the power women hold when they come together to support and lift one another.
How can civic engagement help women in their careers? Civic engagement is important in two ways. First, while you’re giving to others, you’re also receiving from the community. As you work to help individuals and communities, that same community is pouring back into you, building you up and making you better. Personally, when I’m involved in civic activities and volunteering, I learn about my community and its needs, which I can then apply in my work.
Second, for many women, civic spaces provide opportunities to thrive and develop leadership skills. While you’re giving back, you’re also gaining valuable experience that can be used in your career. There have been times in my career when I wanted to make a move but didn’t have the experience. By taking on a volunteer position, I was able to gain that experience.
What advice would you give to a woman wanting to advance in her career? Outside of attending Women Leading Kentucky events and networking with women from di erent stages of their careers and industries, I’d tell women to not be afraid to reach out to someone who is where they want to be. Send them an email, introduce yourself, and ask for help.
We all have big dreams and goals, but we shouldn’t keep them a secret. We should share them. I believe people want to help, but they may not know how to help or even that you need help unless you ask. Women should also be intentional about building relationships — with coworkers, with people outside their workplace, and with people in and out of their industry. You never know where your next opportunity will come from.
What was the biggest challenge in your career, and how did you overcome it? The biggest hurdle was myself. I’m an introvert and naturally quiet. In one of my jobs as a fundraiser for the Washington-area Women’s Foundation, I was serving as their development associate. At my first donor event, my role was to handle logistics and act as hostess, which kept me in the background.
During the event, the founding executive director came up to me and said, “I need you to stop hiding in the background. You’re not serving anyone by playing small. Get out there and start talking to these women — they need to know who you are. Take up space.”
That was a pivotal moment for me because I’m more comfortable in the background. I’ve had to be reminded of that several times — the importance of using my voice and taking up space. Women need to be willing to speak up and claim their space.
Who’sWho
New Hires & Board Selections
Attorney Sarah C. Clark has joined the firm of Piper & Bowers, P.S.C.
Thoroughbred Charities of America recently appointed Brook Smith and Carrie Brogden to its board of directors. Current directors Marette Farrell and Marshall Gramm were named secretary and treasurer, respectively.
Central Bank announced the promotion of Diana Webster to senior vice president, retail development o cer.
Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital, a Lifepoint Health hospital, has named Carolyn Sparks as its new chief executive o cer.
Attorney Lillie Stivers recently joined Wyatt’s Lexington o ce.
Ashleigh Dunsmoor brings her years of experience in government and nonprofit public a airs to The Kentucky Nonprofit Network, which has appointed Dunsmoor as its new Lexington-based director of regional advocacy and engagement. She will soon lead its Lexington Nonprofit Coalition, where she will support local advocacy e orts of nonprofits in Lexington and the eastern regions of the state
Landrum & Shouse announced the addition of Cameron D. Allen to its legal team.
Life Adventure Center has named Rachel Rubino as its new philanthropy and engagement manager.
Shana Savard-Hogge of Maysville Community and Technical College has been elected as the new sta regent for the Kentucky Community and Technical College.
Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorney Elizabeth
“Betsy” Johnson has been appointed to the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Human Rights Commission.
The Hope Center has named Chris Reams as assistant director of development and Brittney Snedegar as community and donor engagement coordinator.
Kudos
Ko C. Akakpo was inaugurated as the 19th president of Kentucky State University.
LEXPARK executive director Laura Boison has received the Catalyst Award, and LEXPARK board chair James Frazier has received the Ally Award at the 25th Women Leading Kentucky Silver Soiree.
The Kentucky Foundation for Women proudly announced that Charity Gilbert, Beaux Hardin, Ella Webster and Liliana Mora are the recipients of the 2024 Firestarter Award. The Firestarter award honors artists ages 18 to 25 who are taking risks in the creation of new art, are involved in social justice/community engagement, and demonstrate a developing feminist voice, including new insights and visions and/or fresh approaches to feminist topics or art for social change.
Landrum & Shouse LLP announced that 17 of its lawyers have been recognized in the 2025 Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America Awards by Best Lawyers. Those mentioned from their Lexington o ce are: Bennett E. Bayer Elizabeth A. Deener, Larry C. Deener, J. Lacey Fiorella, Pierce Willard Hamblin Michael Hammond
Bradley C. Hooks, Erin C.S. Izzo, John G. McNeill Daniel E. Murner William C. Shouse
Leslie P. Vose, and Elizabeth Winchell. In other news, attorney Larry C. Deener was rec-
ognized by Best Lawyers as the 2025 “Lawyer of the Year” for Railroad Law in Lexington, and attorney William C. Shouse was recognized by Best Lawyers as the 2025 “Lawyer of the Year” for Litigation - Insurance in Lexington.
Lexington Clinic congratulates Haider Abbas MD, and Erin Moore, MD, for graduating from the Kentucky Medical Association’s award-winning Kentucky Physicians Leadership Institute.
Current University of Kentucky graduate research assistant Travis Banet in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences at the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment was recently selected as research ambassador by the National Corn Growers Association.
Kentucky Christian University celebrated two members of its board of trustees, Barry M. Taylor and Shon B. Myers, for their recent honors in their respective professional fields. Taylor, an attorney at Jenkins Fenstermaker, PLLC, was recently named one of the Best Lawyers in America in the latest national directory. Similarly, Myers, president and CEO of Farmers & Merchants Bank, was recognized by American Banker for leading one of the top-performing banks in the country.
Ob Hospitalist Group (OBHG) and Frontier Nursing University (FNU) are pleased to announce a strategic partnership to expand clinical opportunities for nurse-midwifery students nationwide. The partnership builds on the robust relationship between OBHG and FNU, which includes the current placement of 22 students in OBHG programs.
The Lexington Tool Library has received a $15,000 grant from the Self-development of People program to launch its highly anticipated ToolMobile. This mobile extension of the Tool Library will soon bring tools directly
to residents across Lexington-Fayette County, making it easier for community members to access equipment needed for home projects, repairs, and more.
Lexington Habitat for Humanity announced that this fall the organization begins work on a townhome for its 500th homebuyer household and celebrating a 40-year history of providing safe, a ordable, decent housing for homebuyers in Lexington.
Thoroughbred Charities of America announced it has awarded over $1 million in grants this year. Eighty-six organizations were approved for grants, including 45 aftercare organizations, 20 backstretch and farm worker programs, six equine-assisted therapy organizations, three Thoroughbred incentive programs, and one research organization.
Lexington has welcomed 12 new businesses to Green Check, a green business sustainability certification program. An additional nine businesses are recertifying as Green Check members, solidifying their commitment to the program for another three years. New honorees include: Floracli Nature Sanctuary (Gold), Artworks at the Carver School (Silver), Central Bank Center/Rupp Arena (Silver), Kenwick Community Center (Silver), Lisa Chi olo, REALTOR (Silver), Paladin (Silver), Big Ass Fans (Bronze), Centered Holistic Health (Bronze), Lexington Salt Cave (Bronze), Lexington Tool Library (Bronze), Savané Silver (Bronze) and The Junkluggers of Kentucky (Bronze). Recertifying honorees include: CivicLex (Gold), Living Arts & Science Center (Gold), John’s Run/Walk Shop (Silver), Lextran (Silver), Lyric Theatre & Cultural Arts Center (Silver), Unitarian Universalist Church of Lexington (Silver), Wild Birds Unlimited (Silver), Boone Creek Outdoors (Bronze) and Doodles Breakfast & Lunch (Bronze). BL
SAVARD-HOGGE JOHNSON AKAKPO
CLARK SMITH
RUBINO BROGDEN SPARKS DUNSMOOR STIVERS ALLEN
BOISON FRAZIER
TAYLOR DEENER SHOUSE MOORE ABBAS BANET
MYERS
Enjoy this 10-day toast to Lexington’s local bourbon culture. Renowned restaurants and bars will serve two unique, o -menu bourbon cocktails: their take on the classic Old Fashioned, and an exclusive specialty cocktail using a partnering bourbon.
Sponsorships and spots for participating restaurant/bars are still available. For more information contact Smiley Pete Publishing at 859.266.6537 or advertise@smileypete.com. OURPARTNERS
Fund for Greater Lexington co-chairs (from left) Wes and Anne Murry, Noa Gimelli and Headley Butler
