BUSINESS FOCUS \\\ OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF COMMERCE LEXINGTON INC. | DECEMBER 2018 | VOLUME XXVI, ISSUE XII Raleigh, LNEoADrtEhR SCHaIPr VoIlSiInT a May 8-10, 2019 Registration Available Now! See Page 7 Photo courtesy of visitRaleigh. INSIDE THIS ISSUE: @330 Series: Contracts for People Who Know What They Want International Trip is to Egypt: September 21-30, 2019 KEMI Presents 2019 Annual Dinner on January 24th Kentucky Regional Tour Recap www.CommerceLexington.com BUSINESS FOCUS December 2018: Volume XXVI, Issue XII INSIDE THIS ISSUE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives 4-5 SPARK Celebrates Entrepreneurial Community 2016 Chamber AgTech Scientific Holds Groundbreaking in Paris of the Year Bluegrass Alliance Hosts Consultant Event in Atlanta Global Entrepreneurship Week Showcases Entrepreneurs Business Focus is published once a month for a Commerce Lexington E.D. Team Attends KAED total of 12 issues per year by Commerce Lexington Inc., 330 East Main Street, Suite 100, Lexington, KY 40507. Phone: (859) 226-1600 EVENTS: 2018 Chair of the Board: INTERNATIONAL TRIP: Egypt, Sept. 21-30, 2019 Karen Hill 6-10 Chief Operating Officer/Chief Nursing Officer Register Now for 2019 Leadership Visit to Raleigh Baptist Health Lexington @330 Series Presents Getting the Edge With Contracts Kentucky Eagle Hosts Holiday Business Link Dec. 6th Publisher: KEMI Presents 2019 Annual Dinner on January 24th Robert L. Quick, CCE, President & CEO Commerce Lexington Inc. Ky. Regional Tour Group Visits, Studies Bowling Green Editor: Mark E. Turner Communications Specialist: Elizabeth Bennett Personnel Announcements Compiled by: CONNECT: Anna Bingham, University of Kentucky 11-15 Winner’s Circle Campaign Nearing Finish Line Printing: Post Printing Leadership Development Program Session Recaps Mail Service: SouthEast Printing & Mailing Service, LLC (2610 Palumbo Drive) AMBASSADOR SPOTLIGHT: Crystal Newton Welcome New Commerce Lexington Inc. Members Subscriptions are available for $12 and are in - Member Personnel Announcements & Awards cluded as a direct benefit of Commerce Lexing - ton Inc. membership. Business Focus (USPS 012-337) periodical postage paid at Lexington, Kentucky. COMING IN JANUARY ISSUE: 2019 Commerce Lexington Inc. Public Policy Statements POSTMASTER : Send address corrections to Business Focus, Commerce Lexington Inc., P.O. Box 1968, Lexington, KY 40588-1968. Past Chamber Chairman Jake Graves Dies at 92 Display Rates For DISPLAY RATES in Business Focus, con - Past Board Chairman of the house Association, Spindletop tact Dana Zinger at (859) 226-1607 or Lexington Chamber of Commerce, Foundation, Bluegrass Foundation, [email protected], and an Jake Graves, passed away in early University of Kentucky, Transylva - account executive will contact you . October at the age of 92. For many nia University, Midway College, years, Mr. Graves was very involved Sayre School, Junior Achievement, in the community and served in a the Kentucky State Fair, and more. Personnel Updates Submit your company’s awards and mile - number of roles on the board of He was also a loyal Shriner for 69 stones or personnel changes and additions to the Chamber, including as Chair - years and a devoted supporter of [email protected]. Person - man in 1969. Shriners Hospital for Children. He nel news might include promotions, additions, A longtime banker, Mr. Graves was also a member of the Lexing - JAKE GRAVES awards and milestones, recognitions and cer - was the first chairman of the Lex - ton Rotary Club, Lexington Country tifications and/or appointments. Information ington Civic Center board during a Club, and The Lexington Club. is published only as space permits. time when Rupp Arena and the Lexington A member of U.S. Marine Corps who Convention Center were built. His other local served in World War II, Mr. Graves was a board service included the Kentucky Hemp strong advocate for legalized hemp as a sixth Growers Association, Burley Auction Ware - generation hemp farmer. 2 BUSINESS FOCUS DECEMBER 2018 \\\ Message from the Chair: Collaboration is Key to Our Success While my time as Com - merce Lexington Inc. Board Chair is coming to an end, I’d like to reflect on what has been a fantastic year and a wonderful experience for me. As many of you al - ready know, Commerce Lex - ington Inc. is one of the most engaged chambers in the country – whether it’s KAREN HILL advancing a policy issue at 2018 CHAIR OF the local, state or national THE BOARD levels of government, part - BAPTIST HEALTH nering with other organiza - LEXINGTON tions to solve a problem in our community, or working with so many of you throughout our region to help companies relocate or expand here. The mission of Commerce Lexington Inc. is “to represent our members, creating the environment and opportunity for economic prosperity and qual - ity living in Central Kentucky.” We live and breathe it each day. Our organization is constantly working to provide businesses with the tools they need to succeed through access to financing for small busi - nesses, educational and networking events, lead - ership development opportunities, marketing and sponsorship options, business expansion and re - tention services, minority business development, entrepreneurial support, and much more. Among my favorite events to attend throughout the year are the many ribbon cuttings, ground - breakings and grand openings. I love seeing the excitement and pride that people have for their business. There’s a lot that goes into building a business, and Commerce Lexington Inc. is pleased to be there every step of the way to assist in any way that we can. In March, I had the opportunity to present a session on career sculpting during the annual EMERGE Conference, which saw a record atten - dance of more than 450 people. It was an honor to be able to talk about my experiences and lessons learned throughout my career to so many emerg - ing professionals and entrepreneurs. I was amazed at the energy and enthusiasm at that con - ference, and I am confident that Lexington and Central Kentucky are in good hands for future gen - erations. During our Leadership Visit to Boise, Idaho in May, a delegation of about 180 people looked at how that city has overcome its isolated location and turned it into a competitive advantage for busi - ness and industry. I was impressed by how Boise SEE “ BOARD CHAIR ” ON PAGE 11 DECEMBER 2018 BUSINESS FOCUS 3 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT /// A C OLLABORATIVE EFFORT OF THE BLUEGRASS BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP (BBDP) SUBMITTED BY CLX E CONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIVISION : G INA GREATHOUSE , H ANNAH CRUMRINE , K IMBERLY ROSSETTI & R YAN KAFFENBERGER 2018 eAchievers: Central Kentucky recognized its top performing startups during SPARK’s annual entrepreneurial celebration. SPARK Celebrates Entrepreneurial Community, Announces RISE Proposal In early November, SPARK - a Bluegrass Business Development Part - under the Regional Innovation for Startups and Entrepreneurs (RISE) ini - nership (BBDP) initiative - held its annual entrepreneurial celebration and tiative. ACE was chosen to lead central Kentucky’s efforts to serve, attract, announced that the Central Kentucky entrepreneurial community created and develop more innovation and high-growth startups. 287 new jobs and raised $107.5 million in capital funds in Fiscal Year 2018. “With our highly educate workforce and assets like the University of We also announced 29 eAchievers, which are our top performing startups Kentucky, Lexington’s entrepreneurial ecosystem is a catalyst for the re - in Central Kentucky, and recognized MakeTime, VeBridge, and NX Devel - gion,” said Bob Quick, CCE, the President and CEO of Commerce Lexing - opment Corp. for being acquired in 2018. ton Inc. “The BBDP enjoys celebrating our entrepreneurs’ success every The Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development (CED) also an - year. With the RISE initiative, we are excited to see the impact it has on nounced the selection of the Awesome Center for Entrepreneurship (ACE), Kentucky’s entrepreneurs and our economy.” a division of Awesome Inc, to lead a Lexington consortium in an award AgTech Scientific Holds Groundbreaking in Paris In mid-October, AgTech Scientific, a new hemp- products development and manufacturing center, broke ground on its new facility in Paris, Kentucky. The company anticipates creating over 270 new jobs and investing over $5 million in the new facil - ity. This lead initially came through our economic development partners at the University of Kentucky. The Commerce Lexington Economic Development team worked with AgTech Scientific on their re - gional site selection process until they narrowed down their location to Bourbon County. We are ex - Congressman Andy Barr and Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles recently joined the AgTech Sci - cited to welcome them to Central Kentucky! entific team in breaking ground on its new facility in Paris, Kentucky. 4 BUSINESS FOCUS DECEMBER 2018 \\\ ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT E.D. Team Attends KAED Bluegrass Alliance Group Travels to Atlanta, Ga. The economic development team traveled to Cov - The Bluegrass Alliance hosted a successful ington in mid-November for the annual confer - site selection consultant luncheon in Atlanta ence for the Kentucky Association for Economic in mid-November. Our regional group, con - Developers (KAED). KAED is a membership or - sisting of Lexington, the surrounding coun - ganization for economic development groups, ties plus Frankfort and Mt. Sterling, met with utilities,