May/June 2024 Chamber Current

FROM THE CHAMBER

Dear Chamber Members,

It’s a time each year when we thank our Members who make our community and our economy move forward. Happy Member Appreciation!

You have done your part to move Greater Owensboro forward throughout this last year. Whether you have kept your operations afloat amongst adversity or worked around the clock to meet growing demands for products and services – you have done your part. We are humbled by how you have adapted and innovated; and we have been truly inspired –but not at all surprised – by your incredible work.

Every day we hear from members with new ideas, new ventures or better ways of doing business. We love your passion for always wanting more for your business, organization and our community.

Thank you. Thank you for your continued investment. Thank you for making Greater Owensboro greater every day.

We are so proud to serve you. -The Chamber Staff

MAY CALENDAR

2 ROOSTER BOOSTER, SPONSORED BY NEW BEGINNINGS 7:30 a.m.

Owensboro Convention Center

3 RIBBON CUTTING: SHELTER INSURANCE, KRYSTAL CAUDILL 12:15 p.m.

2600 Veach Road

8 LEADERSHIP OWENSBORO ALUMNI COFFEE SOCIAL

7:30 a.m.

Red Swing Coffee

8 RIBBON CUTTING: BOLDAGE PACE 12:15 p.m.

2050 East Parrish Avenue

8 CHAMBER YOUNG PROFESSIONALS PROJECT EMPOWER: GIRLS & GOALS 4:15 p.m.

15 CHAMBER AMBASSADOR FORMAL MEETING 12:00 p.m.

Chamber of Commerce

Third Floor Conference Room

RSVP required to Shelly Nichols at shelly@owensboro.com

6 ROOSTER BOOSTER SPONSORED BY WKU-O 7:30 a.m.

16 LEADERSHIP OWENSBORO CHANGING YOUR COMMUNITY DAY

21 CHAMBER YOUNG PROFESSIONALS COFFEE & CONVERSATIONS 7:30 a.m.

22 CHAMBER YOUNG PROFESSIONALS FORMAL MEETING 11:30 a.m.

Chamber of Commerce

Third Floor Conference Rooms

RSVP required to Ashtin Warren at awarren@owensboro.com

24 RIBBON CUTTING: STRETCH ZONE 12:15 p.m. 2065 East Parrish Avenue

28 CHAMBER YOUNG PROFESSIONALS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT 11:30 a.m.

31 RIBBON CUTTING: UNITED AUTOGLASS 12:15 p.m. 901 W. 3rd St.

JUNE CALENDAR

Owensboro Convention Center

6 LEADERSHIP OWENSBORO GRADUATION 4:30 p.m.

Chamber of Commerce Lobby

12 CHAMBER YOUNG PROFESSIONALS PROJECT EMPOWER: GIRLS & GOALS

18 CHAMBER YOUNG PROFESSIONALS COFFEE & CONVERSATIONS 7:30 a.m.

18 CHAMBER AMBASSADOR SOCIAL 12:00 p.m.

RSVP required to Shelly Nichols at shelly@owensboro.com

25 CHAMBER YOUNG PROFESSIONALS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT MEETING 11:30 a.m.

26 CHAMBER YOUNG PROFESSIONALS SOCIAL MEETING 11:30 a.m.

NEW MEMBERS

A+ Derr Heating and Cooling

BoldAge Pace

Bone Dry Roofing

Cheetah Clean Auto Wash- Frederica

Commonwealth Ag Service

Greater Owensboro Realty Company

Keller Williams Elite Realty

Mary Kendall Campus, Kentucky United Methodist Children’s Homes

Owensboro Regional Suicide Prevention Coalition

Slim Chickens

Stretch Zone

Texas Roadhouse

The BHG Realty, Jordan Boswell

Top Notch Events LLC

United Auto Glass

Wingate Inn

RENEWALS

Acme Plumbing & Heating

Air Evac Lifeteam

Allergy and Asthma Specialists, PSC

Amvets # 119

Atmos Energy Corporation

Audubon Area Community Care Clinic

Autry’s Septic Tank Service, Inc.

Azzip Pizza

B&M Service Company BCS

Becca Bakes, LLC

Bell Bank Mortgage

Berry Home Solutions, LLC

Bickett Tiling

Brad Youngman, Daviess County Sheriff

Brescia University

Byrider Owensboro Auto Sales Care Net Owensboro

CherriCare Medical Equipment & Supply

CJ Kassinger Properties, LLC

Clark Distributing Co

Cliff Hagan Boys & Girls Club, Inc.

Commonwealth Title and Mortgage Services, Inc.

Contour Fabrication & Mechanical, Inc.

Dart Polymers

Daviess County Lions Club Fair, Inc.

Daviess County Property Valuation Administrator’s Office

Days Inn

Dismas Charities of Owensboro

Domtar Converting & Distribution

E M Ford

Ebelhar Whitehead PLLC

En Vogue

Escape Today

Evansville Zoological Society

Evergreen Lawn Care Inc./Weed Man

Farm Credit Mid-America, ACA

First United Bank

Five Guys Burgers and Fries

Flamingos For Amber, Inc.

FLEX Wealth Management

Fraternal Order of Police, Owensboro Lodge #16

Glenmore Distillery

Great Harvest Bread Co.

Greater Owensboro Realtor Association

H & R Agri-Power

Hand Therapy Plus Total Body Rehab

HawesWay, Inc.

Hayden Precision Welding, LLC

Hobgood Landscaping, LLC

Holiday Inn - Owensboro Riverfront

Houchens Insurance Group

i3 Commerce Technology

Independence Bank

Issac Sterett Adventure Foundation

Jagoe Homes, Inc.

Key Oil Company

Kidstop Children’s Boutique, LLC

Koger Properties, LLC

Koorsen Fire & Security

L. Steve Castlen Realtors

L. Steve Castlen Realtors, Tyler Shookman

Lark Electric, LLC

Leisure Hut of Owensboro, LLC

Liberty Federal Credit Union

Marilyn and William Young Charitable Foundation

Marks CO., Inc.

Martin & Bayley, Inc. dba Huck’s Market

Massie-Clarke Development Co.

McCarty’s Auto & Truck Repair

Mellow Mushroom Owensboro

Milliken & Company Owensboro Specialty Polymers

Mint & Ivory Dentistry, Brittany Winn McKinley, DMD

Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn, Inc.

Murphy Excavating, LLC

New Beginnings Sexual Assault Support Services

NextEra Energy Resources

Nomad Technology Group of Owensboro

Owensboro Brew Bridge

Owensboro Convention Center

Owensboro Dance Theatre, Inc.

Owensboro Grain Company, LLC

Owensboro Warehouse Leasing, LLC

Paul Martin Builders, Inc.

Progressive Rehab, Sports Therapy and Aesthetics

Puzzle Pieces, Inc.

RE/MAX Professional Realty Group, Rick Cummins

Red Wing Shoes

Rhoads & Rhoads, PSC Owensboro

RiverPark Center

RiverValley Behavioral Health

Robin’s Resale and Boutique

Shady Green Farms, Inc.

Shiloh’s Lounge

Smith & Butterfield Office Products

Society of St. Vincent de Paul - Diocesan Council of Western Kentucky, Inc.

St. Mary of the Woods Parish

Stonebridge Insurance Services, Inc.

Subway - Hwy 60 West

Sullivan Mountjoy, PSC

Super 8

The Empowerment Academy, Inc

Tony Clark Realtors, LLC

Triple Crown Realty Group

TrueNorth Treatment Center, LLC

Truist

United Way of the Ohio Valley

Velotta Design

Veterans Empowered Together

Volunteers of America Mid-States

Ward Family Dentistry, PSC.

Wax Works, LLC

WEHT ABC 25/WTVW Local 7

Welborn Floral Company

Wendell Foster

Wendell H. Ford Government Education Center

Western Kentucky Distilling Co

Western Kentucky Regional Blood Center

Wethington Family Practice

WFIE TV 14

Willow and Pine Market, LLC

Wingate Inn

Wright Implement

Yager Materials - Owensboro, KY

YellowBanks Lawn and Landscape, LLC

ROOSTER BOOSTER RECAP

Sponsor:

TMARCH 7

he first of two March Rooster Boosters featured guest speaker Russell Hoyt, President and CEO of The Hoyt Foundation.

In 1977, the legacy of the Hoyt family began when Rick Hoyt asked his father, Dick, to run together in a charity race benefiting a local lacrosse player who had become paralyzed. Rick experienced difficulties at birth, causing brain damage leading to cerebral palsy. He could not walk, talk, dress, or feed himself and utilized a wheelchair. Dick, who was not trained in endurance running, pushed his son in his wheelchair for the 5-mile race and finished second to last. After this race, Rick told his father, “Dad, when I’m running, it feels like I’m not handicapped.” Dick and Rick would eventually complete over 1,000 endurance events, including 72 marathons, 32 Boston Marathons, and six Ironman Triathlons before their deaths in 2021 and 2022. The Hoyt Foundation was founded in 1989 to build the individual character, self-confidence, and self-esteem of America’s young people with disabilities through inclusion in all facets of daily life; including in family and community activities, especially sports, at home, in schools, and in the workplace.

Russell Hoyt is the President & CEO of The Hoyt Foundation. Russ is the youngest son of Dick and Judy Hoyt and the younger brother of Rick and Rob Hoyt.

The program was sponsored by Wendell Foster, a staple of the Owensboro community for over 76 years. Spanning six city blocks and providing 65,000 services to children and adults each year, our mission is to empower people with disabilities to realize their dreams and potential. Services include on-site and community-based residential housing and supportive programs; physical, occupational, and speech therapy; assistive technology; a transportation program; day training; community programs; and more. With nearly 365 “Difference Makers” on their staff, Wendell Foster is proud to be one of the largest employers in the Daviess County area.

In 2023, Wendell Foster announced the need for a new Aquatic Therapy Center. Aquatic Therapy is an essential form of therapy for people with disabilities, and has many benefits, including pain relief and increased mobility. Our current therapy pool is nearly 40 years old and has several maintenance limitations that prevent crucial aquatic therapy appointments from taking place. The new Aquatic Therapy Center, located in the Latham Outpatient Therapy Facility, will be a state-of-the-art, sustainable space, providing aquatic therapy for years to come.

At Rooster Booster, Wendell Foster kicked off the Steps Division of the Wendell Foster Half Marathon. It was an honor to witness the first steps of the participants in the Steps Division as they walk the half marathon throughout the year.

The second of two March Rooster Boosters featured a Mayoral Forum featuring each of the Owensboro Mayoral Candidates for the upcoming Kentucky Primary Election on Tuesday, May 21. The panel was moderated by Owensboro Public Schools Public Information Officer Jared Revlett.

“A primary goal of our Chamber is to be a catalyst for economic growth. Civic engagement is a key component of strong and bustling communities,” said Candance Castlen Brake, President and CEO of the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce. “The May primary election will decide which two of the candidates will be on the ballot in November. The Mayor’s race is extremely important to the community’s future. While the Mayor is more of a figure head in the city manager form of government, the occupant of the office sets the tone for our community and can guide many important discussions,” said Castlen Brake.

The program was sponsored by Oddball Creative, an advertising agency that specializes in digital marketing, web design, and branding. Recognized by Clutch, The Telly Awards, and The American Association of Political Consultants, their precision-driven approach blends creativity with data insights, empowering clients to focus on core strengths while achieving exceptional growth.

Sponsor:

SHARON CASTLE FORMER

TITUS WILLIS

CHAMBER MEMBERS OF THE WEEK

The Chamber Member of the Week program is a Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce membership benefit. Founded in 1913, the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce has worked to provide valuable benefits and services to member businesses and individuals for over a century.

Today, with a membership base of nearly 1,000, the Chamber is a guiding force in community and business development initiatives, serving as the center of business advocacy for the Greater Owensboro region.

MARCH

Tina Kasinger launched SerenDipity, a commercial chocolate fountain service, in October 2023. She attributes the business’s success to the continuous outpouring of support from the community. SerenDipity has accompanied events such as women’s conferences, holiday parties, teacher and staff appreciation parties, daddy-daughter dances, wedding receptions, bridal showers, and several nonprofit events, just to name a few.

Berry Home Solutions a licensed and insured home remodeling company dedicated to delivering high-quality services to their clients. Since opening our doors, they have specialized in kitchen and bathroom renovations, siding installation, and flooring services, ensuring exceptional craftsmanship and customer satisfaction. Discover how custom remodeling with Berry Home Solutions can transform your home.

Baird – an employee-owned wealth management, capital markets, asset management, and private equity firm – first came to Owensboro in 2019. The company purchased Hillard Lyons, which opened its doors in 1945.

CALUMET TRACE SENIOR LIVING

Calumet Trace Senior Living opened in January at 3050 Calumet Trace, just off of Hayden Road near The Downs subdivision and Gateway Commons. It offers independent living, personal care, and memory care services in a new state-of-the-art facility. The 115-apartment facility features on-site therapy, a beauty salon, a movie theatre, an activity room, and more.

Perry County Memorial Hospital (PCMH) has offered critical access care to southern Indiana and beyond since 1950. The Deaconess Health affiliate boasts a 25-bed acute care facility, emergency department, surgery center, and full range of outpatient services. The hospital and its 4 off-campus clinics employ over 375 people, including board-certified physicians, registered nurses, and other specialists.

MANDIE HICKS

Mandie Hicks is an insurance agent for Kentucky Farm Bureau. She has been in the insurance industry for nearly 20 years. Mandie helps families with home, auto, life, business and health insurance at the Kentucky Farm Bureau location on Frederica St. Mandie is very involved in the community, devoting a lot of time to the Chamber, the Home Builders Association, PTO, and St. Joseph’s Peace Mission for Children as a board member, just to name a few. In her free time, she loves spending time with her husband, Adam and their four children. Mandie is proud to serve Daviess County families as they are the backbone of our community.

MARCH

Maddy Nanney launched Confetti Boutique online in February 2020. Later that summer, she expanded to offer a mobile boutique, steadily growing her local and online customer base. After more exponential growth, she opened a storefront at 201 East 18th Street in March.

Sunrise Children’s Services provides care and hope for hurting families and children through Christcentered ministries. Sunrise Children’s Services , Inc. is a historic 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Since 1869, this nonprofit ministry has continuously affiliated with Kentucky Baptists. Today, Sunrise provides therapeutic foster care, residential therapeutic treatment, and community-based services statewide; and its family services program is licensed by the Commonwealth of Kentucky as a Behavioral Health Services Organization.

APRIL

VINCENT ELECTRIC

Vincent Electric, based in Owensboro, is a trusted electrical services provider known for its reliability and expertise. With a commitment to quality craftsmanship and customer satisfaction, Vincent Electric ensures that homes and businesses receive top-notch electrical solutions.

The nonprofit Melanin Children Matter is committed to providing comprehensive support services for children with rare diseases and autism, raising awareness, and promoting understanding within society. Founded in honor of King’Nazir Gates, whose resilience and courage inspired the nonprofit’s mission, they strive to ensure no child or family faces their battle alone. CEO and Founder Lakeia Nard’s personal journey as a single mother of five, combined with her youngest’s rare disease diagnosis, fuels her dedication to advocating for children’s health and amplifying the voices of marginalized communities.

To learn more about becoming the Chamber Member of the Week or inquire about Chamber membership, contact Shelly Nichols, Chamber Vice President, at 270-926-1860 or shelly@owensboro.com.

APRIL

TINA WRIGHT

Tina Wright joined Timesavers Caregiving and Concierge in 2017 when the company expanded its senior care services into Owensboro. As the Owensboro area Care Coordinator, she works with families to help customize a care solution that works for their unique situation. She helps coordinate the Proactive Aging Series of workshops providing free aging-related community education sessions in partnership with the Daviess County Public Library. Tina serves on the Senior Community Center board and is active in several community organizations. She loves spending time with family, friends, and pets, and traveling at any opportunity!

FARM CITY BREAKFAST

The Chamber and Daviess County Farm Bureau hosted the 44th Annual Farm City Breakfast on Saturday, February 24. Attendees had the opportunity to hear from Congressman Brett Guthrie and Kentucky Community and Technical College System President, Dr. Ryan Quarles.

Ina Bratcher was awarded the 2024 Humanitarian Award recognizing her for her leadership and community and civic service throughout her life.

A big thanks to each of the sponsors for the event and all those who attended!

YIELD CONTEST AWARD WINNERS

2023 Daviess County King Corn Production Contest Winner SCOTT ZOGLMANN

322.3 bushels per acre

2023 Daviess County Boss Bean Production Contest Winner O’BRYAN GRAIN FARMS

100.8 bushels per acre

2023 Daviess County Elite Wheat Production Contest Winner

TANNER STROUP

127.61 bushels per acre

INA BRATCHER RECIEVES HUMANITARIAN AWARD

Ina Bratcher is 94 years old and was the second child of four kids of the Estill Tucker family. She was born on the Tucker farm in Seree, Kentucky. She spent her early years around Seree, Mook, and Westview in Breckenridge County. When she was 16, her parents sold the family farm and moved down another farm at Hites Run below Hardinsburg. She graduated from Breckenridge County High School in 1950.

She moved to Owensboro and started working for the General Electric company in 1951. She retired in 1990. She was a member of the Old Walnut Street Baptist where she worked and taught Sunday school in the children’s department. After the church burned, she and her husband moved their membership to Bellevue Baptist Church, most Wednesday nights were spent working in the kitchen.

She is a long-time member of the Western Kentucky Friendship Force. She has traveled to all 50 states, all 7 continents, and over 90 foreign countries.

She has been on mission trips to Niger, Mali, Balivia, Haiti, and Ukraine twice.

Upon returning from Niger, she, friends,

church members and a sister church helped the missionaries there start a “Goat Project.” These goats supplied a source of nutrition to many of the young children.

She is the founder of the Bellevue Quilt Ministry. The Ukraine mission trips included working in an orphanage. When she realized how bad the orphans needed help, she persuaded a group of women from Bellevue to make quilts for Ukrainian children which grew to be knows as the Bellevue Quilt Ministry. The ministry is still going strong and continues to this day under younger leadership.

Since 1994 she has volunteered every Wednesday morning at the Owensboro Health Regional Hospital.

In 2012, she became a regular at the Owensboro Regional Farmers Market. There she can be found selling her baked goods, her homemade jams and jellies, and blackberries that she grows in her backyard. She also helps her son with the garden. She is in charge of weeding and harvesting the green beans for the market, which up until the last years, she would not let anyone else help with.

MOVING OUR COMMUNITY FORWARD

MARK

YOUR CALENDARS FOR

JUNE’S ROOSTER BOOSTER TO LEARN MORE ABOUT

OUR

COMMUNITY REPORT FROM THE HARWOOD INSTITUTE

Rich Harwood, President and Founder of The Harwood Institute for Public Innovation, has devoted his career revitalizing communities.

The Harwood approach is rooted in a practical philosophy of Civic Faith, which holds that placing people, community, and shared responsibility at the center of our shared lives will create a more just, fair, inclusive and hopeful society for all. Collaborating with the Greater Owensboro Leadership Institute, Rich and his teamed hosted a series of community leader roundtables and community conversations for citizens in Fall 2023 to learn about our community’s concerns and aspirations.

At the June Rooster Booster, Rich will share our community report and how citizens can get involved. The Harwood Institute will not tell us what to do as a community; their focus is to help us catalyze actions, build local capacity and work together better. They’ll support us in a variety of ways, including holding Public Innovators Labs, providing coaching, holding workspaces, and helping us forge stronger

networks for learning and innovation. This work is underwritten by the Hager Educational Foundation.

The cost to attend is $15 for Chamber Members with reservations, $20 for Members with no reservations and $25 for non-members. Reservations include breakfast, which will be served buffet style at the beginning of the event. Make reservations to attend at chamber.owensboro.com/calendar or by calling the Chamber office at 270.926.1860. by 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 5.

"I'm excited to be in Owensboro this June to discuss what we heard from residents and leaders during these past months of deep engagement. This initiative is all about tapping into the clear desire in the community to better come together and figure out a more productive way forward."

-

RICH HARWOOD

CAPITOL CONVERSATIONS

A recap of the Greater Owensboro Chamber Day in Frankfort

Greater Owensboro showed out in Frankfort in February! Attendees to the Greater Owensboro Chamber Day in Frankfort had the opportunity to sit in on Legislative Sessions of both the House of Representatives and the Senate where our very own Chris Joslin opened up the session with the Star Spangled Banner played on the banjo!

Attendees also had the opportunity to meet with Kentucky Secretary of State, Michael Adams and Kentucky Auditor of Public Accounts, Allison Ball.

West Kentucky Night Reception, hosted by 25 Chambers across West Kentucky featured remarks from Governor Andy Beshear and Caucus Chairs Senator Robby Mills and Representative Chris Freeland.

Thanks to every person who joined us on the trip to Frankfort and devoted their day to making Greater Owensboro Greater!

EDUCATORS IN THE WORKPLACE

The Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce’s Educators in the Workplace program provides teachers with deeper exposure to the career and workplace opportunities available in our community through on-site visits and discussions. Teachers and faculty members from local middle schools, high schools, and post-secondary institutions meet local employers and learn about the day-to-day operations, expectations, and internship or career opportunities available for their students.

The program features four sessions that focus on a variety of professional fields: Manufacturing, IT and STEM, Healthcare, and Transportation/Logistics. These sessions provide a unique perspective outside the typical classroom setting to ultimately give their students a better understanding about workforce programs and opportunities available in the Greater Owensboro region.

The 2024 Manufacturing session took educators to Metalsa and Owensboro Community and Technical College for a firsthand view of the college’s Workforce Solutions programs GOFAME and GOCAREERS. In October, the cohort visited OMU and Southern Star for a glimpse of the professional application of IT/STEM pathway careers. For the session on Transportation and Logistics, participants toured UniFirst, the Owensboro Riverport Authority, and Kimberly-Clark and witnessed just how far Owensboro’s production and distribution reach is due to our geographic position on the Ohio River. The final session of the program year covered Healthcare, which included visits to RiverValley Behavioral Health at The Crowne and Owensboro Health Regional Hospital.

The tours provided by host employers allowed educators to learn about the industry, levels of proficiency required for employees, and any other topics employers wish to cover. Connecting high school, middle school and post-secondary educators with area business leaders builds a much-needed bridge between education and profession to help well-educated, welltrained, and employees to build a stronger workforce for tomorrow.

SEAN JACKSON

JOEY LANHAM SHAWN KUESTER ANNA KUTHY

ERICA CRABTREE

MARY LOUIS ANDERSON GINNY COOMES

EMILY RAYMER

MYLES WALKER MANDY ROBERTS PHILLIP VOEGEL

TAYLOR WASHUM

CALLI YOUNG MISTY WESTERFIELD DANIELLE WOODWARD

JAIME MAIN

STACY PEDLEY CURTIS MARTINSON TIFFANY METZGER

CRISTY DAME

DR. ASHLEY HOLLAND MELISSA EMBRY ZACH ERWIN

RIBBON CUTTINGS

A TIME-HONORED TRADITION

Ribbon Cuttings are so special to local businesses and organizations. The tradition of a Ribbon Cutting is most commonly known to celebrate a grand opening, but Chamber Members also use a Ribbon Cutting to celebrate renovations, anniversaries, new locations and joining the Chamber.

HERITAGE FEDERAL CREDIT UNION

HUB INTERNATIONAL

CONFETTI BOUTIQUE

JAGOE MODEL HOME - THE ENCLAVE AT HEATHERSTONE

THE FUNCTIONAL FAMILY