Southeast Kentucky Chamber of Commerce’s
BUSINESS CALL May 2015
Newsletter brought to you by
CELEBRATING THE REGION’S YOUTH One East Kentucky Launches | Glenn Shepard Seminar | PLI’s Energy Session
May 2015 - Volume VIII, Issue XI
INSIDE THIS ISSUE Inside the Chamber Chamber Encourages Business to Use KY Small Business Tax Credit Program........................................................................................................ 3 Local Leaders attend Chamber’s Glenn Shepherd Seminar...................... 3 PLI Hosts Session on Natural Gas and Energy............................................ 4 Work Ethic Awards Banquet........................................................................ 5 SEKC Board of Director Appointments........................................................ 6
Chamber Connections SBA Offers Disaster Assistance To Residents of Kentucky Affected by the Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides and Mudslides ..................................................................................................... 7 KCTCS Names New President of Big Sandy Community and Technical College............................................ 8 Roasted Coffee & Café joins the Chamber.................................................. 8 New “One East Kentucky” Group to Launch Job Growth Initiative........... 9
Your Government
May Primary Results................................................................................... 10
Events Calendar............................................................................................. 12
2014-2015 Officers & Executive Board Members Chairman: John Blackburn First Commonwealth Bank Chairman Elect: Shadd Walters US Bank Vice Chairman: Rick Newsom Community Trust Bank Treasurer: Lynette Schindler Lynette Schindler, CPA Secretary: Sam Carter TECO Immediate Past Chairman: Tracy Syck Shred All Documents Brad Hall AEP-Kentucky Power Jennifer Brown Redd, Brown, & Williams James D. England Peoples Insurance Agency Joel Thornbury Care More Pharmacy
Board of Directors Brad Hall AEP - Kentucky Power Bruce Walters Bruce Walters Ford David Baird Baird & Baird David Stratton Stratton Law Firm J.R. Blackburn Merrill Lynch James D. England Peoples Insurance Agency Jeff Vanderbeck Appalachian News-Express Jennifer Brown Redd, Brown, & Williams Jim Hobbs Citizens National Bank Jim Workman Community Trust Bank Joe Adams Pikeville Coca-Cola Joel Thornbury Care More Pharmacy Howard Roberts University of Pikeville Laura Damron Pikeville Medical Center Mike Harris Pepsi Mike McCoy MCNB Neil Middleton WYMT-TV Paul David Slater SNF-Flomin Coal Philip Elswick Summit Engineering Rick Newsom Community Trust Bank Russ Barker Appalachian Regional Healthcare Shannon Wright Wright Concrete W. Allen Gillum Appalachian Wireless
Chamber Staff Jacob Colley: President/CEO Pam Mullins: Accounting Manager Kelly Rowe: Events & Programs Manager Abigail Gibson: Communications Manager
Charter Members, thank you for your continuous support! Chairman’s Circle
INSIDE THE CHAMBER
Chamber Encourages Businesses to Use KY Small Business Tax Credit Program The Kentucky Small Business Tax Credit (KSBTC) program is designed to encourage small business growth and job creation. Most for-profit businesses with 50 or fewer full-time employees are eligible. The KSBTC eligibility requirements are simple. The program has been expanded and simplified. If a small business creates at least one new qualifying job and invests $5,000 or more in equipment or technology, that business may be eligible to receive an income tax credit of up to $25,000 a year. Tax credits range between $3,500 and $25,000 and require creating and sustaining at least one new full-time job and purchasing at least $5,000 of qualifying equipment or technology. This program could help many small businesses in the community. Last year, businesses received less than a tenth of the money allotted for the credit because very few businesses applied. Several businesses aren’t aware of this opportunity. When you talk to small business owners, you can let them know what the Kentucky Small Business Tax Credit can do for them. If you have questions or would like additional information, please contact the Office of Entrepreneurship in the Cabinet for Economic Development at cedsbsd@ ky.gov or call 800.626.2250.
Local Leaders attend Chamber’s Glenn Shepard Seminar
Founder’s Circle AAA Real Estate Busy Bee Septic Systems Economy Drug Pamela C. Howard, PT Lynette Schindler CPA, PSC ShredAll Documents Vantage Point, Inc. Peoples Insurance
The Southeast Kentucky Chamber of Commerce hosted their annual Glenn Shepard seminar on Tuesday, May 5, 2015 from 8:30 a.m. – noon on the 7th Floor Mountain View Conference Room at the Hampton Inn of Pikeville, located at 831 Hambley Boulevard, Pikeville, Ky. 41501. Leaders across the region attended the seminar “Be the Manager Other Managers Envy and Bosses Can’t Wait to Reward,’ with Glenn Shepard. Glenn Shepard is president of Glenn Shepard Seminars, a management training firm in Nashville, Tennessee. He teaches thousands of managers how to be the best they can be through seminars held in conjunction with over 100 colleges and universities in 26 states, keynote speeches, and corporate training. Glenn is passionate about enhancing the work ethic and combating the entitlement mentality. He works with management and employees to boost performance in the work place. Shepard is a dynamic, energetic, and entertaining speaker. He spoke with individuals after the seminar and answered many questions. “We were excited to have Glenn coming into the region,” said Jacob S. Colley, SEK Chamber President/CEO. “Management speakers of Glenn’s caliber are typically only available at a national or state-wide conference. For our local business owners and managers to have this opportunity in their backyard was amazing. I have attended his seminars twice and no attendee’s leaves dissatisfied.” BUSINESS CALL | 3
INSIDE THE CHAMBER
PLI Hosts Session on Natural Gas and Energy Patton Leadership Institute’s seventh session was held on May 14, 2015 at the AEP-Kentucky Power’s Big Sandy Power Plant in Louisa, Ky. The day was filled with discussions and presentations on the state of energy and natural gas in the region. The group was welcomed by Energy Production Superintendent at Big Sandy Plant, David Mell. The class heard from Nathan Wright, Kentucky Power, Kristopher A Coombs, AEP Gas Conversion Project Manager, and Rusty Justice, Jigsaw Enterprises, LLC. AEP Kentucky Power Representatives led the group on a tour of the facility and gave an overview of Kentucky Power’s Big Sandy Power Plant. The group was able to see how energy is produced through the burning of coal and how the plant will change in the upcoming years. The Big Sandy Power Plant hosts two units that burn coal to create energy for their customers. Because of new EPA regulations, one of the units will be shut down and the other will be converted to natural gas. With the rising concern for the region’s economy due to the downturn of coal, the group discussed what the future holds for our region. After understanding where our region has been and where it can go, Reverend Dr. Kossuth Mitchell discussed building a foundation for the “House of Leadership.” The day ended with closing comments and questions. “This session was an eye-opening experience for our group,” said Jacob S. Colley, CEO and President of the Southeast Kentucky Chamber of Commerce. “Touring this facility and hearing about its downsizing helped us to realize that we are at a crossroads in our region. It takes leaders, to adapt and work towards developing our economy in other areas for us to succeed.” PLI’s next session will be on June 4, 2015 visiting reclaimed mine sites within the region that have been repurposed to such uses as a reforestation research facility and cattle ranch. Patton Leadership Institute began last year as a restructure of the Chamber’s leadership program with an updated curricu4 | BUSINESS CALL
lum and mission. The program was named after Gov. Paul and Judi Patton to recognize their leadership and impact in not only our region but the entire state of Kentucky. It is designed to find, develop and educate emerging talent from throughout the Chamber’s 8-county footprint about regional differences, opportunities and challenges. The program hosts nine sessions between October and July with each session focusing on the different resources eastern Kentucky possesses and how each community contributes to the whole of the region. Alongside the each session’s focal topic, PLI’s curriculum focuses on leadership professional development topics specific to emerging leaders seeking meaningful growth needed to advance both professionally and personally. They meet and network with current regional community and business leaders, who discuss topics specific to PLI’s curriculum. PLI is sponsored by Appalachian Wireless, Food City, and the University of Pikeville. For more information on the Patton Leadership Institute, visit www.pattonli.org.
PRESENTED BY
Chamber Awards Students at Work Ethic Awards Reception
INSIDE THE CHAMBER
On Thursday, May 21, the Southeast Kentucky Chamber of Commerce hosted the 2015 Work Ethic Award Reception to honor high school seniors whom completed the Chamber’s Work Ethic Program. The reception was held by Citizens National Bank and several other sponsors including Big Sandy Community and Technical College. Over 90 students from 7 high schools in the region completed the rigorous program and were invited to the reception to celebrate their accomplishments. The Work Ethic Award is presented to those high school seniors who excel in areas of attendance, punctuality, self-discipline, academics, dependability, respectfulness, cooperation, and community service. Students have a full school year to complete the program. Upon completion of the Work Ethic Program, those seniors are eligible to submit an essay for a chance to win a $500 scholarship compliments of our scholarship sponsor companies, Citizens National Bank, Coca-Cola, Kellogg’s, and Wal-Mart. The winners of the 2015 Work Ethic Award Scholarships are: Tasha Chapman and Riley Banks from Belfry High School; Carla Mullins (not pictured) from Sheldon Clark High School; and Kaitlyn Howell from East Ridge High School. “I would like to congratulate our scholarship winners and all of the students who completed the Work Ethic Program,” said Jacob S. Colley, President/CEO of the Southeast Kentucky Chamber of Commerce. “I was extremely pleased with the amount of high school seniors that took part in the program and how many guests and students were present at the reception.”
Presenting Sponsor
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Scholarship Sponsors
BUSINESS CALL | 5
INSIDE THE CHAMBER
IMPORTANT NOTICE: New Appointments to SEKC Board of Directors May 2015 Dear Chamber Members, In accordance with the Southeast Kentucky Chamber of Commerce bylaws, the nominating committee and election committee are here by publishing the following slate of Board of Directors through the year of 2018 to all Chamber Members. If no petition is filed against any nominee, the nominated candidates shall be declared elected at the next regular monthly board meeting. For the Board of Directors through 2018, in accordance with the Southeast Kentucky Chamber of Commerce bylaws, five members were selected by the nominating and election committees and three appointed by the incoming Chairman, Shadd Walters, US Bank. Those selected by the committees are: 1. Dr. G. Devin Stevensen – Big Sandy 2. Tracy Syck – Shred-All 3. Kevin Elam – Food City 4. Mike Alexander – Hilton Garden Inn 5. Randy Walters – Walters Auto Group Those appointed by the Chairman are: 1. Barry Clark – Transamerica Agency Network 2. Sam Carter – TECO Coal 3. Tony Mullins – BT Media **These Directors will assume duties on July 1, 2015** In accordance with Article V, Section II, Paragraph B of the bylaws, a petition for additional names of candidates for the nomination slate may be filed within ten (10) days of the date of this letter. A valid petition for a candidate for the Board of Directors must bear ten (10) genuine signatures of qualified members of the Chamber. Any petitions should be mailed to the Chamber. Any petitions should be mailed to the Chamber at 178 College Street, Pikeville, Ky 41502 or faxed to (606) 432-5504. Sincerely,
Jacob Colley, President/CEO Southeast Kentucky Chamber of Commerce
6 | BUSINESS CALL
CHAMBER CONNECTIONS
SBA Offers Disaster Assistance To Residents of Kentucky Affected by the Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides and Mudslides U.S. Small Business Administration’s Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet issued the following statement after the announcement of the Presidential disaster declaration for several counties in Kentucky affected by severe storms, tornadoes, flooding, landslides and mudslides on April 2-17, 2015. “The U.S. Small Business Administration is strongly committed to providing the people of Kentucky with the most effective and customer-focused response possible to assist businesses, homeowners, and renters with federal disaster loans. Getting businesses and communities up and running after a disaster is our highest priority at SBA.” The disaster declaration covers the counties of Bath, Bourbon, Carter, Elliott, Franklin, Jefferson, Lawrence, Madison, Rowan and Scott in Kentucky which are eligible for both Physical and Economic Injury Disaster Loans from the SBA. Small businesses and most private nonprofit organizations in the following adjacent counties are eligible to apply only for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans: Anderson, Boyd, Bullitt, Clark, Estill, Fayette, Fleming, Garrard, Grant, Greenup, Hardin, Harrison, Henry, Jackson, Jessamine, Johnson, Lewis, Martin, Menifee, Montgomery, Morgan, Nicholas, Oldham, Owen, Rockcastle, Shelby, Spencer and Woodford in Kentucky; Clark, Floyd and Harrison in Indiana, and Wayne in West Virginia. Businesses and private nonprofit organizations of any size may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets. The SBA may increase a loan up to 20 percent of the total amount of disaster damage to real estate and/or leasehold improvements, as verified by SBA, to make improvements that lessen the risk of property damage by future disasters of the same kind. For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small
businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations of all sizes, the SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any physical property damage. Disaster loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace disaster damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible up to $40,000 to repair or replace disaster damaged or destroyed personal property. Interest rates are as low as 2.625 percent for nonprofit organizations and 4 percent for businesses and 1.813 percent for homeowners and renters with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by the SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition. Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/. To be considered for all forms of disaster assistance, applicants should register online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by mobile device at m.fema.gov. If online or mobile access is unavailable, applicants should call the FEMA toll-free Helpline at 800-621-3362. Those who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services should call 800-621-3362. Additional details on the locations of Disaster Recovery Centers and the loan application process can be obtained by calling the SBA Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (800-8778339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing) or by sending an e-mail to
[email protected]. The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is June 30, 2015. The deadline to return economic injury applications is February 1, 2016.
BUSINESS CALL | 7
CHAMBER CONNECTIONS
KCTCS Names New President of Big Sandy Community and Technical College G. Devin Stephenson, Ed. D. chose to lead BSCTC
Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) President Jay Box has announced the appointment of G. Devin Stephenson, Ed.D. as the next president of Big Sandy Community and Technical College (BSCTC). Stephenson has nearly 40 years of higher education experience and recently served as president/CEO of Three Rivers College of Missouri from 2009-2014. He has previously held a number of leadership positions within the Alabama Community College System including vice president of external affairs and dean of students at Bevill State Community College, CEO of Snead State Community College and dean of students at Walker State Technical College. “Dr. Stephenson has a long history of community college leadership and demonstrated success within a statewide system,” said President Box. “We are excited to welcome him to Big Sandy and KCTCS.” After consideration of four candidates, the BSCTC Board of Directors unanimously recommended Stephenson for the posi-
tion. Board Chair Karen Sellers said, “We are pleased to recommend Dr. Devin Stephenson as the next president of BSCTC. We would like to commend the presidential search committee for identifying and bringing in four outstanding candidates for our consideration.” Stephenson is a community college graduate. He earned an associate degree in science from Walker Junior College, followed by a bachelor of arts degree in business administration from Birmingham-Southern College and both master’s and doctoral degrees in the administration of higher education from the University of Alabama. “The on-campus interview process confirmed my belief that Big Sandy Community and Technical College is an outstanding community of learners focused on meeting the community, workforce, and economic development needs of rural eastern Kentucky. I am enthused about becoming a member of the BSCTC team and working with the faculty, staff, Board, and community to lead the college into a bright and prosperous future. ” Stephenson has a wife, Judy, and children, Jon, and JuliAnne. Stephenson will began his appointment on June 1, 2015.
Roasted Coffee & Café Joins the Chamber Roasted Coffee and Café opened on July 4, 2014. The café specializes in handcrafted specialty coffees. Roasted also sells soups, salads, sandwiches and sweets. Everything is made-to-order, handmade and fresh. Roasted is the only coffee and café shop is Pikeville, Ky. to grind their own coffee beans and sell handcrafted drinks. James and Michelle Sword started as vendors in local festivals, selling German-roasted nuts. Soon they began to add coffees and frappes to their menu. Several people told the Sword’s that they should open a café. “When people told us that we should open a café, that kind of put a bug into our ear,” said Michelle Sword, Owner of Roasted. After four years of looking for the perfect place, they finally found 787 Hambley Boulevard. “The name Roasted came about because it has a double meaning. We first started selling German Roasted Nuts and then roasted coffee, so we chose to name our café Roasted,” said Michelle Sword, Owner of Roasted. Roasted is a small, cozy, and inviting café, where you are able to have a quiet lunch, and visit with friends or colleagues. When you walk into the quaint café, you have an immediate feel of old time splendor. “My favorite thing about working at Roasted is that all of our drinks are handcrafted,” said Michelle Sword, Owner of Roasted. Roasted plans on opening another location in Pikeville, Ky. with a drive thru, as well as, opening a Roasted Coffee and Café in Prestonsburg and Paintsville. If you’re looking for a great cup of coffee and a wonderful meal, Roasted is the place to go. Roasted is located at 787 Hambley Boulevard, Pikeville, Ky. 41501. There hours are Mon. – Fri. 7 a.m. until 7 p.m., Sat. 8 a.m. until 7 p.m., and Sun. 12:30 p.m. until 5 p.m. Follow Roasted Coffee and Café on Facebook. If you have any questions, feel free to call 606.253.3035 or e-mail roastedllc@ gmail.com. 8 | BUSINESS CALL
New “One East Kentucky” group to launch job growth initiative
CHAMBER CONNECTIONS
Consultant’s report says widespread support and funding is apparent A group of some 50 business and professional executives representing nine Eastern Kentucky counties met early today at the headquarters of Appalachian Wireless to hear a report by a national consulting firm on whether a new regional strategy to attract jobs to the region will gain widespread support. National Community Development Services, Inc., headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia has conducted a feasibility study of a proposed strategy called “One East Kentucky,” the product of the group’s deliberations at an October 2, 2014 meeting at Appalachian Wireless co-chaired by University of Pikeville Chancellor, Paul E. Patton, and Appalachian Wireless CEO/ General Manager, W. Allen Gillum. The “One East Kentucky” five-year strategy calls for the creation of a minimum of 2,500 primary jobs that meet or exceed the state average of $42,000 annually, and generating a minimum of $30 million in capital investment in the region. The “One East Kentucky” strategy carries a proposed budget of $2.7 million, or just under $600,000 per year. The creators of the strategy proposed that the funds would be raised from the private sector, and once those funds are committed, that the public sector would be urged to provide support by creating local infrastructure and industrial site improvements as their part in the five-year plan. The study by NCDS was commissioned in late 2014 to test the likelihood of private businesses, corporations, and professional firms being willing to provide the initial $2.7 million to fund the core elements of the five-year strategy. The CEO of National Community Development Services (NCDS), Howard
Benson, presented his firm’s findings in a 31 page Report & Recommendations. Benson told the group there was broad agreement in the region on the underlying economic issues of unemployment, low wages, and the fact that no aggressive, cooperative effort was in place to take action on economic development. Further, he reported that the proposal to establish “One East Kentucky” as a fiveyear strategy met with overwhelmingly positive response, including indications of the kinds of financial commitments that would be needed to underwrite the $2.7 million proposed budget. “What we heard from those we interviewed amounted to a virtual mandate for such an initiative,” said Benson “One East Kentucky” calls for aggressive marketing and recruitment efforts to be carried out by a limited, but highly experienced professional staff with a proven track record in attracting corporate investment and jobs. Those providing the funding would oversee the strategy’s execution. During the meeting, the co-chairs announced that a fortunate set of circumstances had led to a 15 member sub-committee of the group taking the initiative when they learned that a potential candidate to lead “One East Kentucky” might be available as a result of the national search to fill the President’s job of the Southeast Kentucky Chamber of Commerce. The position had been vacant since Jared Arnett stepped down last November to become the Executive Director of SOAR. According to Chancellor Patton, “Many good candidates were discovered when the Chamber undertook its search, but one, in particular, Charles Sexton, seemed a far more likely candidate for the purely economic development tasks we envisioned for our ‘One East Kentucky’ strategy. The Chamber requires a President who is more of a generalist, and they made a wise decision in asking Jacob Colley to accept
that job. We pulled together as many of our group as possible on short notice and invited Chuck Sexton to come for a personal interview. He was very impressive, and we believed it would be worthwhile to do a thorough reference and background check, which we did, and he checked out on every count.” According to Co-Chair, Allen Gillum, “Chuck’s experience impressed us. He’s a seasoned economic developer who has worked with many companies to relocate them to Kentucky, and he knows all the people at the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development, who will be important to helping us succeed here. He’s familiar with the site selection professionals who guide companies in choosing communities, and he’s traveled all over the country selling Kentucky. We think we’ve made a great hire in bringing Chuck aboard to help get One East Kentucky up and running well ahead of what we first thought we could accomplish.” In relation to how One East KY will work with SOAR, Jared Arnett, Executive Director of SOAR stated, “the One East KY initiative falls directly in line with a recommendation of SOAR’s working group on Business Incubation regarding the need for increasing Regional Capacity for Economic Development. The unified effort will fill a gap identified by the working group in a distressed section of our region. We commend the local businesses for their leadership and look forward to working with them as we all work to create a brighter future for all of Appalachian Kentucky.” The Strategy Development Committee voted to accept the recommendations of NCDS to move ahead to implement the “One East Kentucky” strategy. They further agreed to mount a campaign to raise the funding to underwrite it. BUSINESS CALL | 9
YOUR GOVERNMENT
May Primary Results Bevin squeaks out GOP primary, Conway wins Democrat Primary With four Republicans running for governor and three of them virtually tied in the most recent Bluegrass Poll, it was Louisville businessman Matt Bevin holding an 83 vote lead over Agriculture Commissioner James Comer in the Republican race for Kentucky governor, prompting Comer to request a recanvass. With 100 percent of the vote counted, unofficial results from the Associated Press and the Kentucky Board of Elections showed Bevin leading Comer 70,479 to 70,396. Heading into the final week of the campaign, Bevin, Comer and Heiner polled at 27, 26, and 25 points respectively. With all precincts reporting, Bevin has declared victory with 32.9% of the vote. Comer was just 83 votes shy of the Bevin total. Heiner took in 27% and Scott earned a modest 7%. Bevin now faces Democratic Attorney General Jack Conway in the general election, setting up the largest divide in ideology amongst all the possible matchups. Additionally, at the May 4th reporting deadline, Conway had raised $2.3 million and has $1.4 million on hand. Bevin raised $1.8 million - mostly personal money - and finished the reporting period with $61,000 on hand. Contribution limits reset with the conclusion of the primary election cycle. Democratic Gubernatorial Primary Democratic Attorney General Jack Conway of Louisville established a much easier path to his party’s nomination than his Republican counterparts, drawing only token opposition in the Democratic primary. As expected, he soundly defeated Geoff Young (D-Lexington) by a 79 to 21 percent margin. Conway is 2 for 3 in statewide campaigns, winning both bids for Attorney General, while losing to Rand Paul in the 2010 U.S. Senate race. Prior to that, Conway was a chief aide to former Democratic Governor Paul Patton. Conway’s wife, Elizabeth, is an executive at Brown-Forman, one of the largest American-owned spirits and wine companies. Conway’s running mate is state Rep. Sannie Overly of Paris, Kentucky. Overly has served in the state House for six years, and, as House Majority Caucus Chair, she is the first ever female member of House Leadership. She is an attorney and civil engineer. As with all incumbent legislators seeking statewide office, she will only need to relinquish her current positions if she wins. Down ballot races set, several legislators seek statewide office In addition to the gubernatorial slates, there will be five other constitutional offices up for grabs on the November ballot. 10 | BUSINESS CALL
Currently, Democrats hold four out of five of those offices. Note: All finance reports reflect numbers based on the 15-day, pre-primary election reports that reflects money raised through May 4th, 2015. Attorney General The son of current Governor Steve Beshear, Andy Beshear (D-Louisville), is set to face off against current state Senator Whitney Westerfield (R-Hopkinsville). Both men are young attorneys. Beshear currently practices with the law firm of Stites & Harbison. He has been campaigning for the race since the fall of 2013 and has an impressive war chest on hand. He has raised just under $2 million and has $1.5 million on hand for the general election. Westerfield is the chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee having served in that role since joining the Senate in 2012. Prior to his legislative service, Westerfield was an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney. Westerfield will start will a fundraising disadvantage; he has raised $65,000 but spent much of that on his primary race. The current Attorney General is Jack Conway (D), who is term limited from running again and won the Democratic gubernatorial nomination today. Secretary of State Incumbent Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes (D-Lexington)is seeking re-election to her current post and will face Stephen Knipper (R-Independence ) in November. Grimes, an attorney, is coming off a grueling loss to U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell in November 2014. She has raised $256,000 for her Secretary of State re-election effort. Knipper is a former Erlanger City Councilman and a business professional who is relatively unknown in statewide political circles. He is a father of six. He only raised $13,000 thus far in his bid. Auditor of Public Accounts Incumbent Auditor Adam Edelen (D-Lexington) will face current State Representative Mike Harmon (R-Danville) in the general election. Edelen’s first race for statewide office was his successful bid for Auditor in 2011. Edelen refers to himself as the “taxpayer watchdog” in his role as Auditor and is the former chief of staff to Governor Steve Beshear. Edelen has a substantial fundraising lead, having raised $486,000 and still having $355,000 on hand. Harmon, a former candidate for Lt. Governor on a Tea Party
YOUR GOVERNMENT
ticket, raised only $10,000 through the most recent reporting period. Commissioner of Agriculture Jean-Marie Lawson Spann (D-Union) will run against state Representative Ryan Quarles (R-Georgetown). Lawson Spann is a marketing professional whose family is in the farm equipment business. She has raised $134,000. Quarles defeated fellow state Representative Richard Heath to earn the Republican Party spot on the ticket. Quarles is a lawyer and farmer who was first elected to the state House in 2010. He has raised $119,000. This race is expected to be competitive, although how each of the party’s candidates perform at the top of the ticket will likely have a large influence on this race. The current Commissioner of Agriculture is James Comer (R) who opted not to run for re-election when he filed to run for Governor.
tee. He only raised $4,100. Allison Ball is an attorney from Prestonsburg and was the first candidate to file for this primary. Ball raised $50,000 for the race and has $23,000 on hand going into the general. The current Treasurer is Todd Hollenbach (D) who is term limited and cannot run again.
State Treasurer The race for State Treasurer was the most crowded race on the Democratic side with five candidates facing off on the Democratic slate and three on the GOP ballot. State representative Rick Nelson (D-Middlesboro) came out the winner and will face Alison Ball (R-Prestonsburg) in the November election. Rick Nelson has served in the state House since 2000 and serves as Chairman of the House Labor and Industry Commit-
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BUSINESS CALL | 11
PRST STD US Postage Paid Pikeville, KY Permit No. 20
Southeast Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Calendar of Events June 2015 4 Patton Leadership Institute - 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. 11 Kiwanis Club of Pikeville Meet & Greet Lunch, Garfield Community Room
23 Executive Committee Meeting, Chamber Office 11:30 a.m.
25 Board Meeting - 11:30 a.m. July 2015 3 Independence Day Observed - Chamber Office CLOSED
9 Patton Leadership Institute 14 My Sweet Treats & More, LLC Business After Hours 5171 N. Mayo Trail Pikeville, KY
21 Annual Business Meeting, Garfield Community Room
178 College Street | Pikeville, KY 41501 www.sekchamber.com Phone: (606) 432-5504 FAX: (606) 432-7295
