Business Lexington December 2021

IN THIS ISSUE

BusinessLexington DECEMBER 2021 | VOL. 17 ISSUE 12

BizLexQ&A

Independent Business: Ruth Hunt Candies celebrates 100 years creating Kentucky-made confections

Vince Gabbert

PAGE 10

Local leader and Lexington Pro Soccer president on plans for the team PAGE 21

Recipe for Success: With its acquisition of Merrick Inn, One Holland restaurant group expands its presence in the Lexington market PAGE 12

Turn of Events: Studio46 Media expands its services as a stand-alone agency; opens new production facility PAGE 14

PHOTO BY BILL STRAUS

BizLists Employment Law Firms

PAGE 16

| Advertising Agencies

PAGE 18

| Staffing Agencies

PAGE 20

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OPENING TWO—NO, THREE—NEW LOCATIONS

TURNING MY HOBBY INTO MY LIVELIHOOD EXPANDING INTO THAT SPACE NEXT DOOR

MAKING MY DAUGHTER A PARTNER

MOVING FROM THE GARAGE TO A PLACE ON VINE

PUTTING A THIRD SHIFT ON THE CLOCK

A real-worldBACK solution BRINGING PRODUCTION FROM OVERSEAS for every dream.

SHOUTING “YES” WHEN OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS

PUNCHING THE TIMECLOCK FOR THE LAST TIME

CRUSHING THOSE SALES PROJECTIONS

CLOSING MY FOOD TRUCK, OPENING MY RESTAURANT

SEEING HOW FAR I CAN TAKE THIS CRAZY IDEA

HANGING OUT MY OWN SHINGLE AT LAST

BUYING OUT MY PARTNER AND FLYING SOLO

MAKING A LIVING FROM WHAT I LOVE TO DO

GOING FROM “& SONS” TO “INC”

HATCHING MY NEXT BIG IDEA We’re the community bank run by entrepreneurs from right here in the community. We deliver the responsive financing, innovative business services and personal attention that help makers make, builders build and dreamers dream.

WWW.HSLC.BANK | (859) 440-1008

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DECEMBER 2021

WWW.BUSINESSLEXINGTON.COM

BusinessLexington Chuck Creacy PUBLISHER

chuck@bizlex.com Chris Eddie PUBLISHER

chris@bizlex.com Tom Wilmes EDITOR

CONTENTS

IndependentBusiness Sweet Centennial: Ruth Hunt Candies celebrates 100 years creating Kentucky-made confections

BusinessBriefs

FAT Brands to acquire Fazoli’s restaurant chain PAGE 4 HSLC opens Lexington branch PAGE 4 Kentucky’s largest energy companies join Electric Highway Coalition PAGE 5

PAGE 10

tomw@bizlex.com Drew Purcell ART DIRECTOR

drew@bizlex.com Rena Baer

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PVAStatistics

The latest statistics on local commercial and residential properties PAGE 6

COPY EDITOR

Sharon Metz BIZLISTS EDITOR

sharon.metz66@gmail.com Donna Hodsdon ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

donna@bizlex.com

EconomicAnalysis

A monthly look at economic indicators compiled by the Center for Business and Economic Research (CBER) at the University of Kentucky PAGE 7

Theresa Stanley DIRECTOR OF EVENTS AND PROMOTIONS

theresa@smileypete.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Amy Eddie

amy@bizlex.com Ann Staton

ann@bizlex.com

GrammarGourmet

Breaking the spell: The treacherous words that continue to baffle writers PAGE 7

CraveWorthy

Distinctive Yule log cakes are a popular holiday tradition PAGE 8

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BL

IS HI

N

P

U

Y ILE PE

TE

SM

QuickBites

(859) 266-6537 www.smileypete.com advertise@smileypete.com info@smileypete.com

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Chicago-style specialties, Tilty Bob’s Arcade, Battle Axes on the move and more PAGE 9 PHOTO FURNISHED

BizList

Employment Law Firms PAGE 16 Advertising and Creative Agencies PAGE 18 Staffing Agencies PAGE 20

Who’sWho

Employment updates from around the Bluegrass PAGE 22

Recipe for Success: With its acquisition of Merrick Inn, One Holland restaurant group expands its presence in the Lexington market PAGE 12

Turn of Events: Studio46 Media expands its services as a stand-alone agency; opens new production facility PAGE 14

Q&A with Vince Gabbert: Local leader and Lexington Pro Soccer president on plans for the team PAGE 21

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DECEMBER 2021

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BusinessBriefs FAT Brands to Acquire Fazoli’s Restaurant Chain FAT Brands Inc. announced that it has agreed to acquire Fazoli’s restaurant chain for $130 million. The acquisition brings the largest premium quick-service Italian chain in the United States to the FAT Brands’ portfolio.

FAT Brands (Fresh. Authentic. Tasty.), based in Los Angeles, is a leading global franchising company that strategically acquires, markets and develops fast casual and casual dining restaurant concepts worldwide. The company currently owns 15 restaurant brands: Round Table Pizza, Fatburger, Marble Slab Creamery, Johnny Rockets, Twin Peaks, Great American Cookies, Hot Dog on a Stick, Bualo’s Cafe & Express, Hurricane Grill & Wings, Pretzelmaker, Elevation Burger, Yalla Mediterranean, and Ponderosa and Bonanza Steakhouses, and franchises more than 2,100 units worldwide.

The Fazoli’s transaction, funded with cash from the issuance of new notes from the company’s securitization facilities, is expected to close by mid-December.

Founded in Lexington in 1988, Fazoli’s owns and operates nearly 220 restaurants in 28 states. Following years of decline, Fazoli’s unit sales and profits have risen steadily over the past several years as the company raised food quality and reinvested in its system.

The addition of Fazoli’s existing locations, as well as a development pipeline of 100 new stores due to open or under development over the next several years, is expected to increase the FAT Brand’s post-COVID normalized EBITDA by approximately $14.5

million to $15 million in 2022, company officials said.

“Fazoli’s has a great growth story, in particular, over the last year. They continue to surpass sales expectations across the board,” said FAT Brands CEO Andy Wiederhorn. “We have been eyeing this category for some time; however, we were waiting for the right brand — one that is high-growth, with almost all restaurants having drive-through access, in addition to, the synergies that we will achieve adding Fazoli’s to our portfolio of brands.”

“We have had an outstanding year, and we couldn’t be more pleased to join forces with FAT Brands, a company that has the same growth-oriented mentality as us at Fazoli’s,” said Carl Howard, CEO of Fazoli’s.

“From co-branding to virtual kitchens to menu development opportunities, we see great value in being a part of FAT Brands.”

HSLC Opens Lexington Branch Home Savings and Loan Company (HSLC) held a grand opening on Nov. 1 for its Wellington branch, located at 345 Ruccio Way in Lexington.

Headquartered in Kenton, Ohio, HSLC purchased two branches in Lexington from German American Bank and is expanding its footprint in the region.

“We’re delighted to be expanding into Kentucky and, particularly, into the Wellington and Hamburg areas,” said bank President Christopher Jones. “We feel our values match, and we look forward to supporting Lexington and surrounding communities.”

PHOTO BY THERESA STANLEY

Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton, HSLC President Christopher Jones (left center) and representatives help open HSLC’s new branch on Ruccio Way.

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DECEMBER 2021

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THINK LOCAL. GROW LOCAL. BANK LOCAL.

BusinessBriefs PROMOTIONAL CONTENT

LG&E and KU recently joined the Electric Highway Coalition, which will broaden the U.S. network of rapid electric vehicle charging stations.

PHOTO FURNISHED

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12 Lexington Locations 859-253-6222 centralbank.com

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The utilities currently operate nearly two dozen publicly available EV charging stations and plan to deploy additional fastcharging stations along major Kentucky

PHOTO FURNISHED

CENTRAL TO YOU.

M U N I T M Y

N C E S I

Here in Kentucky, LG&E and KU support EV drivers through programs that improve accessibility to charging infrastructure and connect customers with tools and information to make informed choices.

One of two dozen publicly available EV charging stations, this one is located in downtown Lexington.

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Programs and resources for Kentucky drivers

Along with PPL Corporation, LG&E and KU adopted a goal to reduce CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions across its business operations to net zero by 2050 with interim targets of 70 percent reduction from 2010 levels by 2035 and an 80 percent reduction by 2040. BL

T H E

Formed in March 2021, Electric Highway Coalition members work together to implement effective fast-charger deployment plans.

This enables long distance EV travel along highways stretching from the Atlantic Coast through the Midwest and South and into the Gulf and Central Plains regions. The coalition’s focus includes optimizing infrastructure placement and complementing existing fast-charging sites along travel corridors.

Choosing a banking partner for your business has never been more important. At Central Bank, we’re right here – with local, personalized service and real solutions to help with your particular situation.

We’ve been helping businesses for 75 years.

Let us know how we can help yours now.

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“Joining the Electric Highway Coalition is part of our commitment to advance a cleaner energy future and drive innovation that, collectively, enables us to achieve netzero emissions,” said Vince Sorgi, president and CEO of PPL Corporation. “We are proud to be part of this united effort to support electric transportation in a collaborative and intelligent way that is beneficial for our customers and the environment.”

An estimated 18 million EVs will be on U.S. roads by 2030, according to the Edison Electric Institute. The progress made by the Electric Highway Coalition, which represents 29 states and the District of Columbia and serves more than 60 million customers, demonstrates to customers that industry leaders are united in a commitment to ensuring accessibility and convenience for rapid-charging stations across an expanded network of major highways while helping further climate and zero-emission vehicle goals and improve air quality in their regions.

S E R V

LG&E and KU and other utilities under its parent company, PPL Corporation, will collaborate with coalition members to provide drivers access to efficient, fast electric vehicle-charging stations that broaden the network of charging infrastructure and create convenient options for long distance EV travel.

LG&E and KU are also taking steps to electrify the utilities’ fleet vehicles and reduce their overall transportation environmental footprint. LG&E and KU have committed to electrifying 10 percent of the corporate fleet by 2030 and have already begun incorporating EVs, including bucket trucks that operate by battery as crews complete line work in the field.

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Add Kentucky to the growing list of states with utilities stepping up to help support electric vehicle drivers. The commonwealth’s two largest energy companies, Louisville Gas and Electric Company and Kentucky Utilities Company recently joined the Electric Highway Coalition. The group is a partnership of 17 U.S. utilities established to support the development of a seamless network of rapid electric vehicle-charging stations connecting major highway systems.

highway corridors. Business customers can also host charging stations on their own property through the utilities’ programs.

For those considering making the switch to electric, LG&E and KU’s online Marketplace allows site visitors to shop and save by comparing more than 2,300 conventional, hybrid and all-electric vehicle models.

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Kentucky’s largest energy companies join Electric Highway Coalition

Member FDIC

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o r Protection against n ation o ong er i e nterest ate

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DECEMBER 2021

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PVAStatistics These statistics on local residential and commercial property are compiled by the office of the Fayette County Property Valuation Administrator. The data reflect the most up-todate information available at the time of printing for this publication, but monthly figures may be revised as additional public records of property transactions are submitted and become available.

Top Commercial Transactions for October 2021

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Creating a Culture of Caring Distance Education Programs to Become a Nurse-Midwife or Nurse Practitioner.

We’re excited to welcome students to our Versailles, KY campus in 2021!

SALE DATE

ADDRESS

PRICE

ENTITY

10/18/21

1592 Meade Court

$7,600,000*

Double Tree 2021 LLC

10/18/21

1584 Meade Court

10/18/21

1576 Meade Court

10/18/21

1568 Meade Court

10/18/21

1560 Meade Court

10/18/21

1544 Meade Court

10/18/21

1552 Meade Court

10/1/21

2770 Palumbo Drive

10/22/21

255 E. Main St.

$5,400,000*

Cole Colby Station LLC

10/22/21

263 E. Main St.

10/22/21

238-244 E. Short St.

10/22/21

249-253 E. Short St.

10/22/21

243-247 E. Short St.

10/8/21

3060 Fieldstone Way

$3,750,000

Blue City Lex LLC

10/1/21

519 Robertson St.

$1,550,000**

Robertson Project LLC

10/1/21

519 Robertson St.

$1,550,000**

Robertson Project LLC

10/1/21

519 Robertson St.

$1,550,000**

Robertson Project LLC

10/1/21

4013 Expo Court

$1,080,000*

O C Property Company LLC

10/1/21

4000 Expo Court

10/1/21

4044 Expo Court Waller Properties LLC

10/14/21

1033 Trotwood Drive

$950,000

10/13/21

377 E. Main St.

$920,000

HH Estate LLC

10/15/21

580 Eureka Springs Drive

$900,000

Shree, Radhe LLC

10/1/21

227 E. High St.

$595,000

PS Tate Realty LLC

10/8/21

1209 Winchester Road

$550,000

LTZ Properties LLC

10/14/21

235 S. Limestone

$520,000

JJ Bunnjamin LLC

10/15/21

2133 Will Fant Drive

$470,000

Blu Heron Property LLC

10/13/21

1917 Oxford Circle

$350,000

MJH Holdings LLC

10/15/21

2017 Cornerstone Drive

$278,000

First Choice Holdings LLC

10/1/21

5450 Briar Hill Road

$275,000*

Lopez, Martin

* Sale price based on a multiple-parcel transaction ** Parcel includes multiple improvement

Residential Sales Data for October 2021 The chart below shows the monthly residential sales activity in Fayette County for the previous 24 months. The data for the most recent month reflect a projected estimate from the office of the Fayette County Property Valuation Administrator and are subject to change.

Specialties Offered: • Certified Nurse-Midwife • Family Nurse Practitioner • Women’s Health Care Nurse Practitioner • Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

2021 RESIDENTIAL SALES

2020 RESIDENTIAL SALES

2019 RESIDENTIAL SALES

800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100

JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

MAY

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

DEC

8%

4%

2%

34%

18%

20%

-8%

-4%

-8%

-8%

15%

18%

MONTHLY PERCENTAGE CHANGE OVER PREVIOUS YEAR

Proud to call Kentucky home. l Learn more at Frontier.edu

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For more local residential and commercial real estate information, visit the website of the Fayette County Property Valuation Administrator at www.fayettepva.com.

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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 March 2021

1-Month 1-Year Change Change

Payroll emp. MSA**** Manufacturing Employment Durable Goods (KY) **** Manufacturing: Lexington-Fayette MSA Total Employees**** Unemployment Rate MSA****

266,000 Sept.

161,000 Sept.

-0.52% -0.98%

0.72% 5.30%

28,205 Sept.

3.50% Sept.

-0.52% -0.10%

-0.79% -1.40%

Payroll Employment, US Manufacturing Payroll Employment US Unemployment Rate, US

148,319,000 Oct. 12,259,000 Oct. 4.60% Oct.

0.36% 0.48% -0.20%

4.05% 3.08% -2.30%

Consumer Price Index, Southern Region Consumer Price Index, US Producer Price Index, US

264.593 Sept.

274.31 Sept.

226.6 Sept.

0.30% 0.30% 1.52%

5.80% 5.40% 11.63%

Index of Leading Indicators** Fed’s Index of Industrial Production**

117.5 Sept.

100.0 Sept.

0.20% -1.28%

NA -1.48%

3-Month Treasury Yield*** 10-Year Treasury Yield***

0.05% Oct. 1.58% Oct.

0.01% 0.21%

-0.05% 0.79%

Real GDP (millions $)

4th Qtr. 2020 $22,740,959.00

1-Month 1-Year Change Change 3.19% 5.86%

MSA: Lexington-Fayette Metropolitan Statistical Area; (p)=preliminary; NA=not available * Source: http://www.conference-board.org ** Source: Federal Reserve Statistical Release — http://www.federalreserve.gov/releases/G17/ *** Source: Federal Reserve Statistical Release — http://www.federalreserve.gov/Releases/H15/data.htm **** Source: St. Louis Federal Reserve — https://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/ Note: In some cases 1 mo. and 1 yr. changes are based on revised data from previous mo./yr. GDP is reported in current dollars.

GrammarGourmet Breaking the Spell I am a spell-check snob. I think you ought to learn how to spell without the help of a red squiggly line on a computer screen.

What if you had to handwrite a ransom note one day?

In this spirit, as we begin the holidays and our turn toward 2022, I am resolving to learn how to spell — finally — the following treacherous words: Memento – I often try to spell it momento because a memento is something you keep to remind you of a certain moment. But memento — something you remember — is correct.

Broccoli – Half the time, I spell this with one c and two l’s. Perhaps it would help me to recall the last four letters are the same as the last four in E. coli, a nasty bacterium occasionally found in broccoli.

Vacuum – It sucks, but I often spell this with two c’s.

Weird – It’s strange, but with this word, I never know whether the e comes before the i or vice versa.

Embarrass – I’m red-faced that I sometimes spell this word with one r.

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By Neil Chethik

Twelfth – I still can’t figure out why that dang f is in there.

Lightning – Another word with four straight consonants (see twelfth), lightning refers to the meteorological phenomenon that is followed by thunder.

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Lightening, on the other hand — with that e in the middle — is the opposite of darkening.

Pronunciation – This word starts with the verb pronounce; then, in its transition to a noun, an o mysteriously disappears from the middle. O, where art thou?

Pharaoh – This word is so hard to spell that the owners of the 2015 Kentucky Derby winner, American Pharoah, accidentally got it wrong in the horse’s legal documents.

Admittedly, few English words put an a and o together in that order.

Finally, Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa – No they’re not spelled Channukkah, Xmas and Kwaanza.

Happy New Year! BL Neil Chethik, aka the Grammar Gourmet, is executive director at the Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning (www.carnegieliteracy.org) and author of “FatherLoss” and “VoiceMale.” The Carnegie Center offers writing classes and seminars for businesses and individuals. Contact Neil at neil@carnegieliteracy.org or (859) 254-4175.

Apply Online www.midway.edu

11/8/21 3:07 PM

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CraveWorthy Yule log cakes, such as these examples from European Delights, left, and Martine’s Pastries, below, are a favorite French holiday dessert. Bakers typically put their own spin on the tradition with uniquely decorated cakes.

PHOTO FURNISHED

Distinctive Yule Log Cakes Are a Popular Holiday Tradition

BY SHANNON CLINTON CONTRIBUTING WRITER

W

hile studying three years of high school French, I listened with interest to the traditional French holiday dessert Bûche de Noël, or

Yule log cake.

It’s made to look like an actual log rolled up with filling, iced with gnarled chocolate to resemble bark, and adorned with edible poinsettia or holly and wee meringue mushrooms dusted with cocoa powder — très charmante (how charming)!

Never the French scholar, I’ve long forgotten most everything except that particular cake and wondered if any Lexington-area bakeries offered them during the holidays.

I quickly found two — Martine’s Pastries in Lexington and European Delights Gourmet Bakery in Nicholasville.

Elena Maydanovich is the owner of European Delights, specializing in pastries, croissants, strudels, cookies and cakes. She’s originally from Ukraine, but she’s lived in this area for 14 years, baked at various establishments for about 25 years, and made Yule log cakes for many years as a baker.

Upon opening her bakery 11 years ago, she made a point to offer them during the holidays. She started out selling about 30 annually, but as their popularity has spread, she

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now sells about 200, both by reservation and walk-ins who see them on display in her cake case and can’t resist taking one home.

“I’ve noticed every year more and more people getting it as a tradition,” she said. “Every year you see those same customers come back.”

Maydanovich said her Yule log cake is chiffon, baked like a sheet cake and filled with either chocolate mousse and raspberry or praline cream and apricot before being rolled up. Then the chocolate bark is added to the exterior, along with the meringue mushrooms and other edible decorations. In all, her cakes take about six hours to complete from start to finish. They are available in sizes of either a dozen or two dozen servings.

The cakes take some patience and skill to make, she said.

“It’s a very light cake,” she said. “You kind of have to be familiar with baking cakes to make the chiffon cake, because you can overbake it and it’s not going to come out right. … It is a very sensitive cake.”

Another local baker with the chops to tackle the annual Yule log cake challenge is Martine Holzman, who grew up in a small French village. From an early age, she remembers baking with her grandmother at a wood-fired stove and making Yule log lakes each Christmas with her mother, a chef.

Holzman has owned and operated Mar-

PHOTO FURNSIHED

tine’s Pastries for about 22 years, and said she’s offered the holiday Yule log cakes for seven or eight seasons now.

The bakery, which has an onsite café, offers French pastries, cookies, desserts and custom cakes. Holzman’s Yule log cakes come in chocolate/amaretto and vanilla/Grand Marnier varieties, both iced with French buttercream.

In France, “everyone had their own recipe, usually like a chiffon cake is the base and after that people would flavor them with what they would like” such as rum or her family’s favorite, cognac.

She said she opens a preordering period for the cakes each fall, and she’ll have made hundreds by Christmas.

Sometimes she jazzes up the designs, adding edible pine boughs, edible glitter in the chocolate, dusting powdered sugar “snow” or

playing with different color schemes.

“We kind of change it a little bit every year,” Holzman said. “No year is the same. But they are very labor-intensive, so that is why we do it only once a year.”

Holzman said her cakes, which serve about eight, take roughly four hours to complete. By early December, her workspace starts to look “like Santa’s shop” with different stations for different stages of the cakes’ transformation, she said.

She said most people buy them for their families’ festivities, but some local professionals also buy them as unique gifts for their clients; some even order 40 to 50 cakes at once.

Traditionally the cake is eaten on Christmas Day, or sometimes Christmas Eve, whenever families’ celebrations are held, Holzman said.

“That’s kind of the thing that you expect to eat, that you look forward to sharing with your family,” she said.

And though the cakes started as a humble pastry — as far back as Medieval times according to some sources — they’ve evolved in France to be highly elaborate, with novel accessories and exotic fillings.

“People go way out in the designs, and everyone kind of makes it a specialty of their stores, their signature kind of thing,” Holzman said.

Maydanovich said while the Yule log cake tradition has its roots in France, it’s become a part of many American households’ festivities over the years.

“It’s the best cake for Christmastime, a traditional Christmas cake,” she said. “It’s different. It’s unique.” BL

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QuickBites Chicago-style specialties, Tilty Bob’s Arcade, Battle Axes on the move and more

BY SHANNON CLINTON CONTRIBUTING WRITER

F

ittingly, the idea for a new Chicago-style hot dog restaurant came about among friends sitting around a campfire.

South of Wrigley is set to debut in early 2022 at 472 Southland Drive, depending on how construction progresses, owner Randal Jacobs said.

Jacobs, who’s worked in the culinary field for about 25 years, moved to Lexington from Chicago in 2020.

“I was laid off at my job; and I was just sitting around a campfire with a bunch of friends before we were about to leave for Lexington and the idea came up,” he said.

Jacobs had been a part of launching five restaurants before but never one wholly his own. Once relocated to Lexington, he began making friends and found that people appreciated the iconic foods of Chicago, including Italian beef sandwiches, polish sausages, roasted pork sandwiches and Chicago-style hot dogs.

He decided his new restaurant would feature these Chicago staples, as well as rotating sandwich specials, hand-cut French fries and, in warmer months, Italian ices.

He began writing a business plan, sought guidance on small business development and forged ahead with his idea, finding the ideal location at a former Southland Drive coffee shop. It’s being renovated to have an industrial feel, including an open kitchen so he can chat with guests awaiting their orders as he prepares food.

The fries will be made fresh onsite; the beef will be cooked and sliced there too; and a purveyor of Chicago goods will supply him with authentic breads, a relish of pickled vegetables called giardiniera and hot dog toppings like sport peppers.

“Being new to Lexington and being immersed in the business community, I’ve met some great people, and I’m very fortunate to make some great relationships along the way.”

posted to social media. “We hope that is the legacy we leave with you — lifelong friendships and a lasting love of wine.”

Zuckerman’s Deli has opened at 384 Woodland Ave., inside Lynagh’s Irish Pub, with kugel, matzo ball soup, latkes and other Jewish comfort food, per a recent announcement.

Mediterranean bakery Al Taj Bakery has opened at 4097 Nichols Park Drive, according to its Facebook page.

Battle Axes Lexington announced the business is planning on moving to a new entertainment complex in February — a 28-acre development off Leestown Road called Turner Commons. The complex will

have a zipline, bowling, “Footbowl,” highspeed competitive go-kart racing, a kids’ area, SnookBall and other attractions.

After a brief closure, Georgetown Café announced on its Facebook page that it will be reopening at a new location in Lexington.

Lexington gourmet hot dog purveyor Boonedogs has added a new food truck to its operations, available to serve at events, businesses and parties.

Bourbon 30 is moving from Georgetown to Frankfort, according to an article in The State-Journal newspaper.

A new adult arcade called Tilty Bob’s Arcade Bar + Restaurant is being planned

by owners of Recbar in Louisville, according to an announcement. It will be located at 319 Cedar St. near the University of Kentucky campus. The bar/arcade, according to its website, will feature pinball machines, arcade games, “lots of bourbon” and craft beer.

With the slogan, “Ice cream worth squealing for,” local Frankfort ice cream shop Hoggy’s is bringing a new location to Georgetown in early 2022 at the corner of East Main and Broadway. BL Have a food- or beverage-related update to share with readers? Please email info@smileypete.com.

T

rravelers rav a eler at Blue Grass Airport take to the skies daily for so ma many reasons. The airport’s growth has provided Lexington’s blue chip companies with access to the Lexingt ˚˟ˢ˕˔˟ ˡ˘˧˪ˢ˥˞ ˔ˡ˗ ˜ˡ˧˘˥ˡ˔˧˜ˢˡ˔˟ ˕˨ˬ˘˥˦ ˧ˢ Ђˬ ˜ˡ ˧ˢ purchase highly regarded Thoroughbred bloodstock. ˂˥˚˔ˡ ˧˥˔ˡ˦ˣˢ˥˧ Ђ˜˚˛˧˦ ˠ˔˞˘ ˦˔˩˜ˡ˚ ˟˜˩˘˦ ˣˢ˦˦˜˕˟˘ ˔ˡ˗ Ђ˜˚˛˧ ˦˖˛ˢˢ˟˦ ˧˘˔˖˛ ˢ˨˥ ˙˨˧˨˥˘ ˔˩˜˔˧ˢ˥˦ ˛ˢ˪ ˧ˢ reach for the skies.

This year, we celebrate Blue Grass Airport’s remarkable aviation history. ˇ˛˔ˡ˞ ˬˢ˨ ˧ˢ ˔˟˟ ˪˛ˢ Ђˬ ˪˜˧˛ ˨˦ʟ ˪ˢ˥˞ with us and help us continue to soar!

SOUTH OF WRIGLEY OWNER, RANDAL JACOBS

With just 1,200 square feet, there will be seating for 25 to 30 people inside, with additional outdoor seating. Takeout and catering services will also be available, he said.

Jacobs said he’s happy to have made so many new friends and passionate believers in his new venture.

“Being new to Lexington and being immersed in the business community, I’ve met some great people, and I’m very fortunate to make some great relationships along the way,” he said.

In other local food and beverage industry news: Cork & Barrel wine and bourbon bar and retail shop announced plans to close its Nicholasville Road location, though its location at Blue Grass Airport will remain open.

“When we began this endeavor in 2008, we envisioned a friendly, low-key setting to help others learn about and love wine as much as we do,” owners Jim and Bev Taylor

BLX_Dec21_24.indd 9

Photos courtesy of Bill Straus Photography.

11/8/21 3:07 PM

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DECEMBER 2021

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IndependentBusiness Sweet Centennial Ruth Hunt Candies celebrates 100 years creating Kentucky-made confections

BY KATHIE STAMPS CONTRIBUTING WRITER

I

n 1921 there was radio but no television; the NCAA but no SEC; the Red Mile, but not Keeneland. An annual newspaper subscription to the Mt. Sterling Advocate was two dollars. And, from her home on Richmond Street in Mt. Sterling, Ruth Tharpe Hunt was busy making pulled cream candy.

The candies were so good that her family, friends and members of her bridge club encouraged Hunt to start selling her confections, which she did. The Hunt Candy Co. outgrew the founder’s kitchen, so she built a factory on Main Street in Mt. Sterling. Hunt ran the company with her daughter, Emily Peck, until her death in 1966. Peck retired in 1988 and sold the business to Larry Kezele.

“She was an amazing, well-read, welltraveled person,” Kezele said of Peck. “She was an excellent cook and loved to entertain.”

Peck died in 2009 at the age of 90.

Along the way, the Hunt Candy Co. became Ruth Hunt Candies, with two company-owned stores: the manufacturing factory and its outlet store in Mt. Sterling and a retail store on Walton Avenue in Lexington, purchased in 2012.

In Mt. Sterling, 30 employees make almost 70 types of candy, including Ruth Hunt’s original Kentucky Pulled Cream Candy, caramels, pecan rolls, cream centers, toffee, cinnamon suckers and nut clusters. And, of course, the popular Blue Monday candy bar.

Mallow caramels and suckers are still hand-wrapped, but equipment now wraps the cream candy. Every product is made in the Mt. Sterling factory, using locally sourced cream and butter, Elliot pecans from Georgia and bulk chocolate from Pennsylvania. At the turn of the millennium, the original factory on Main Street moved to a large factory complex on Maysville Road. “If we continue to grow, we will need to think about a larger facility at some point,” Kezele said.

When he purchased the business in 1988, there were no computers in the building.

“Everything was hand-typed; orders came in the mail in bundles,” he said. “Tobby moved us into the 20th century with computers and a website shortly after we purchased the business.”

Tobby Moore is a lifelong resident of Mt. Sterling and 1992 graduate of Morehead State University, with a degree in business administration. He developed Ruth Hunt Candies’ first website and today manages the company’s IT, point-of-purchase systems and most of the business’s accounting functions.

Moore, a co-owner, and Kezele both tend to daily operations and share management of employees and maintenance of the facilities.

“Ruth Hunt was a teetotaler. She did not use alcohol, nor did she make products with alcohol,” Kezele said. “Emily Peck, her

BLX_Dec21_24.indd 10

Ruth Hunt Candies, founded in 1921 in Mt. Sterling, Kentucky, continues to make its popular confections by hand. Today, a total of 30 employees work in the company’s manufacturing facility.

A retail store is located on Walton Avenue in Lexington.

PHOTOS FURNISHED

11/8/21 3:07 PM

DECEMBER 2021

WWW.BUSINESSLEXINGTON.COM

daughter, realized the special relationship of bourbon in Kentucky with various food products, so at some point, she developed a recipe for bourbon balls, which we still use today.”

After the Christmas season, the Kentucky Derby is the biggest holiday for the company.

In the early 1990s, Ruth Hunt Candies developed relationships with Churchill Downs, the Kentucky Derby and Woodford Reserve.

In addition to Peck’s recipe for bourbon balls, Ruth Hunt Candies created bourbon-based recipes featuring Woodford Reserve for bourbon caramels in dark chocolate with sea salt, mint julep bourbon balls and bourbon butter crunch. “Woodford Reserve is a serious partner to our success,” Kezele said.

A more recent product group developed by Ruth Hunt Candies is a line of meltaway candies. “These are trufflelike chocolates, smooth and rich,” Kezele said. Flavors include toffee, peanut butter, raspberry, mint and a matcha tea meltaway made with Danville-based Elmwood Inn tea and dark chocolate.

Wholesale sales account for approximately 60 percent of revenue and are mostly in Kentucky, at Kroger, Liquor Barn, state parks, drugstores and upscale gift shops. Retail sales at both stores bring in about 30 percent of total revenues and web sales about 10 percent.

“We think that Central Kentucky is a great place to do business,” Kezele said. “We receive support from local and state government offices. The Buy Local mantra has especially benefited small businesses.”

Kezele has a degree in sociology from Kent State University in his native Ohio in 1975. A couple of years later he moved to Kentucky, working in Lexington as an administrative assistant to the Commissioner of Public Works and then as the director of fleet management.

11

Staff members gather outside Ruth Hunt Candies’ manufacturing facility in Mt. Sterling.

The company is celebrating its 100th anniversary.

PHOTO FURNISHED

In May 2021, Gov. Andy Beshear presented the company with an official 100th anniversary proclamation. Mayor Linda Gorton declared Aug. 5 as Ruth Hunt Day in Lexington. Al Botts, mayor of Mt. Sterling, presented another plaque and a key to the city. Congressman Andy Barr had the milestone celebration officially read into the 117th Congressional Record. “My goodness, the recognitions have taken us off guard. We have been humbled and honored with each and

every recognition,” Kezele said.

Steve Middleton, a film professor at Morehead State, created a documentary of the 100-year journey. It has aired several times on KET across the state. “We showed this documentary at the local drive-in theater for our employees and the community,” Kezele said.

The company has been using special centennial marketing this year on candy tins and boxes, as well as promotional mugs, bourbon tea and bourbon coffee.

“I think that a big part of our success comes from giving back to the community, and I don’t think that this can be overestimated,” Kezele said.

Ruth Hunt Candies took a leading role in helping to create and promote the Gateway Regional Art Center in Mt. Sterling, and the company donates to numerous community causes and organizations. “It seems the more we are involved in the community, the better the support of our business.” BL

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Recipe for Success With its acquisition of Merrick Inn, One Holland restaurant group expands its presence in the Lexington market

BY SHANNON CLINTON CONTRIBUTING WRITER

O

ne Holland Corp. has expanded its presence in Lexington in recent years, bringing locations of LaRosa’s Pizzeria, Dunkin, First Watch and Skyline Chili to town. And now, with the recent purchase of the Merrick Inn, the restaurant group is set to carry on the legacy of a local fine dining staple.

One Holland was founded in 1995 in Northern Kentucky by Gary Holland. Then just 24, what Holland lacked in funds — he had $100 to his name — he made up for in ambition and the confidence of youth. He HOLLAND talked a good game and secured a loan for $12,000, buying his first restaurant, a Snappy Tomato Pizza location with five employees.

“In the beginning, I had to do everything, and it’s a miracle that I didn’t lose my mind because I didn’t make very much money, and I had to do every single thing that there was,” from marketing to human resources and recruitment, he said.

To pay the bills, he worked 25 hours a week as a lawyer and another 30 growing his restaurants without taking a paycheck for six years, “just to keep it alive,” he said.

“Over the years, I just kept building a good team, and as time went on, we started becoming more and more profitable, and I leveraged those profits, reinvesting them into the company and growing the company,” he said.

Based in Taylor Mill in Kenton County, One Holland today owns multiple LaRosa’s Pizzeria, Dunkin, First Watch and Skyline Chili locations in Northern Kentucky, Lexington, Louisville and greater Cincinnati markets.

In 2020, the company purchased the Greyhound Tavern in Ft. Mitchell, which turns 100 this year. One Holland also announced plans to bring Roy Rogers restaurants to the Cincinnati area, and more LaRosa’s and First Watch locations are in the works. Merrick Inn will be One Holland’s 35th property. The company employs about 1,800 people in all.

While eight years ago his properties were primarily Northern Kentucky based, now more than half are in Lexington and Louisville.

Holland hints at the possibility of a future headquarters relocation, as he expects Louisville and Lexington to comprise two-thirds of the company’s portfolio over the next decade.

Holland said his business philosophy has been to work hard and treat people well. Having a good reputation in the restaurant group industry has also helped, he said.

“We have a lot of growth on the horizon, and we’re expanding every brand that we have.”

DYLAN ADAMS, PRESIDENT, ONE HOLLAND CORP.

BLX_Dec21_24.indd 12

For example, Merrick Inn was founded in 1976 by Bob and Libby Murray and was most recently owned by Jennifer and Bobby Murray.

Jennifer Murray’s parents owned the Greyhound Tavern, where Holland had eaten since he was a kid. They reached out to Holland about buying the historic property.

“They called me because they heard that we were an excellent restaurant operator, and they said, ‘you know, this isn’t officially for sale, but if you’d like to buy it, we’d sell it to you,’” Holland said. “I was trying to control my emotions when they told me that.”

That sale went through in 2020, and that connection ultimately led Jennifer and Bobby Murray to contact him about buying Merrick Inn, as well.

“I love Merrick Inn,” Holland said. “I fell in love with it a few years ago, so when they approached me, it was easy.”

Holland said his strategy has always been to buy places where he enjoys eating.

He recalls the first time he dined at Merrick Inn, after a business colleague recommended it. After that, as a University of Kentucky season ticket holder, Holland made it a point to dine at Merrick Inn whenever he was in town for a game.

The Merrick Inn has earned numerous accolades over the years, including being named to the Top 50 Southern Restaurants in the country, Top 100 Bourbon Bars, and consistently recognized for its expansive patio and fried chicken.

Holland said his company will take care of the restaurant, carrying on its traditions and making the Murrays proud.

“I don’t want to change that. I love the place the way it is,” he said, adding that the pork tenderloin and steaks rank among his favorites.

The pandemic has tried the finances and staying power of many a restauranteur, but Holland said he’s careful about where he locates, choosing areas where his company already has a sizeable labor pool, such as Lexington.

“I would be much more concerned about going into an area where I don’t’ have such a strong presence with my staffing,” he said. “I don’t want to open a restaurant unless I think we can do it well, and the only way you can do it well is if you have enough people.”

Dylan Adams, president of One Holland, has been with the company for 14 years and oversees operations for the restaurant group.

“We’re a very people-oriented organization; people always come first for us and we’re very picky who we allow to be on our team,” Adams said. “We want our people to be surrounded by good people while they’re working, and we also want our customers to be served by great people. The No. 1 thing that we do is hire well.”

Adams said the Merrick Inn is a special place, and under new ownership it will continue to exemplify the excellent service and food that people have come to expect.

Overall, he said the future looks bright for One Holland Corp. as it continues its strategic expansion.

“We have a lot of growth on the horizon, and we’re expanding every brand that we have,” he said. BL

One Holland Corp. purchased the Merrick Inn in October, with plans to carry on the legacy of one of Lexington’s fine dining mainstays, said CEO Gary Holland.

PHOTOS FURNISHED

11/8/21 3:07 PM

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Turn of Events Studio46 Media expands its services as a stand-alone agency; opens new production facility

BY LIZ CAREY CONTRIBUTING WRITER

M

arketing, event and communications company Studio46 Media is set to open its new 22,000-squarefoot space in Lexington in the coming months.

Studio46 Media, a division of Davis H. Elliot, Inc., started out as the marketing and communications department for the electrical company. Now, with clients across the country, the production company is bringing all 17 of its employees under one roof to provide event production and video production to businesses across Central Kentucky and beyond.

“The one thing that sets us apart from other production companies in our market is we offer businesses both video and event production services all under the same roof,” Nicole Corbin, Studio46 marketing and business operations manager said. “[Our employees] range from videographers to drone pilots to video editors, to event specialists, and much more. With the main focus on production services; both video and events, we can offer businesses an amazing product.”

Studio46 Media started out, however, handling video production for Elliott. Headquartered in Roanoke, Virginia, Elliott is a full-service electrical contractor specializing in overhead and underground distribution, transmission, substations, lighting, traffic signaling, utility locating and industrial/commercial services.

With offices across the eastern side of the country, Elliot needed a way to streamline communication with its employees, Corbin said.

“We needed a way to reach all employees and make sure that they heard the message,” she said. “We were doing not just corporate communication and leadership videos but also training videos because being in the electrical industry, safety is a huge factor. So whether it’s training on working in underground enclosures or how to properly climb a ladder, we

implemented the training through video.”

Initially, the department was a cost center, she said.

“We realized, if we hired the right people and purchased the right equipment, that we could turn the marketing and communications department into a profit center,” she said.

Now Studio46 Media produces video content and event production services for Elliot, as well as for other clients all over the United States, marketing itself through digital marketing, print publications and sponsorships.

The company is also an active member of several chambers of commerce and nonprofit organizations where it networks to build its client base.

“We’re primarily based here in Lexington, but, yes, we do travel and Studio46 Media is a national brand,” Corbin said. “We recently worked with Toyota’s Lexus Collision Center, Tractor Supply, Target and Keeneland.”

And coming soon, the company will have a new facility where all of its employees can come together to work their marketing and video magic.

The new building at 605 Blue Sky Parkway offers more than 4,000 square feet of studio space, green rooms, editing suites, and a warehouse.

“We came together as a team, put our dreams to paper and developed a state-ofthe-art building for our clients to enjoy just as much as we will working in,” she said. “We’ve been working in a small studio and a virtual event stage. With hiring individuals with decades of experience and purchasing stateof-the-art equipment, we are more than ready for the future of Studio46 Media.”

The new building will also provide space to expand their association with CreativeMornings.

CreativeMornings is a free-of-charge, monthly meeting for the creative community

“We came together as a team, put our dreams to paper, and developed a state-of-the-art building for our clients to enjoy just as much as we will working in. ” NICOLE CORBIN, STUDIO 46 MARKETING AND BUSINESS OPERATIONS MANAGER

PHOTO BY THERESA STANLEY

Studio46 Media, a division of Davis H. Elliot, Inc., is moving into a new facility on Blue Sky Parkway. The 22,000-square-foot building includes offices, production facilities, editing suites and a warehouse.

to come together. Started in New York in 2008

by Tina Roth Eisenberg, the meetings serve as a way to build local, face-to-face communities of creatives through a breakfast lecture series.

Now global, there are more than 200 chapters around the world with one in Lexington.

Past lectures have included discussions with Geof Rochester and Ramel Bradley of AppHarvest on how creatives can connect with and work with AppHarvest, as well as a presentation from Twyman Clements, cofounder and CEO of Space Tango, a company that creates automated products to operate in the microgravity environment of lowEarth orbit.

“Studio46 Media partnered with CreativeMornings during the heat of the pandemic to assist CreativeMornings with streaming their monthly events virtually,” Corbin said. “Since then, we have taken their events from a virtual format to a hybrid live/ virtual format, to back to in-person events.”

Like most companies, Studio46 Media had to pivot to accommodate changes made necessary because of the pandemic. The company built a virtual event stage when most of their clients were forced to cancel their events. This allowed them to still offer their event just in a different way: virtually.

“During the pandemic, we noticed a lot of people had to move their events to being virtual, but they really needed that video aspect too,” she said. “We could take care of their event production needs and also offer them the option of incorporating the video aspect.”

In some cases, that meant taking control of the virtual event, she said. With so many clients using Zoom to have virtual events, Studio46 Media in some cases plays the role of Zoom host, where they can flip back and forth between speakers, as well as provide breakout rooms for the event. In some cases, clients want hybrid events, where Studio46 Media will go out and film testimonials or other shorts that will be presented live to a small gathering of people.

Since summer, however, she said the company has seen its clients cautiously return to the world of live events.

As details come together for the new facility, Studio46 Media will be planning its own live event to celebrate the grand opening of the space. Currently though, they’re waiting on finishing touches to be finalized before scheduling the event.

“We plan to have a big celebration in the early weeks of 2022,” she said. BL

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BizList

Please email questions regarding our BizLists to Sharon Metz at sharon.metz66@gmail.com.

Employment Law Firms Ranked by total number of local employment attorneys

2021

Firm Name Address, Phone Website

Number of Employment Attorneys in Local Office

Total Attorneys in Local Office

1

Sturgill, Turner, Barker & Moloney, PLLC 333 W. Vine St., Ste. 1500 Lexington, KY 40507 (859) 255-8581 www.sturgillturner.com

10

10

2

Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs, LLP 250 W. Vine St., Ste. 1600 Lexington, KY 40507 (859) 233-2012 www.wyattfirm.com

8

3

McBrayer, PLLC 201 E. Main St., Ste. 900 Lexington, KY 40507 (859) 231-8780 www.mcbrayerfirm.com

6

4

Littler Mendelson, PSC 333 W. Vine St., Ste. 1720 Lexington, KY 40507 (859) 317-7970 www.littler.com

5

5

Discrimination and harassment, diversity, equity, and inclusion, wage and hour, workplace safety, labor relations, employee enefits, unfair competition, whistleblower and retaliation.

Note: 1,500+ attorneys practicing 100% management-side labor and employment law exclusively, with over 90 offices globally.

LaToi Mayo (Shareholder), Jay Inman (Shareholder), John Michael Carter (Associate), Jessica Wimsatt (Associate), Michael LaCourse (Associate, in Lexington Office)

1

5

Fowler Bell PLLC 300 W. Vine St., Ste. 600 Lexington, KY 40507 (859) 252-6700 Www.Fowlerlaw.com

3

3

Discrimination and harassment, diversity, equity, and inclusion, wage and hour, unfair competition, whistleblower and retaliation

Matt Ellison

1

Landrum & Shouse LLP 106 West Vine St., Ste. 800 Lexington, KY 40507 (859) 255-2424 www.landrumshouse.com

3

3

Discrimination and harassment, diversity, equity, and inclusion, wage and hour, workplace safety, labor relations, employee benefits, unfair competition, whistleblower and retaliation

Leslie Vose

1

Lockaby PLLC 476 E. High St. Ste. 200 Lexington, KY 40507 (859) 263-7884 www.lockabylaw.com

2

2

Discrimination and harassment, diversity, equity, and inclusion, wage and hour, workplace safety, employee benefits, unfair competition. Other: day-to-day human resources advice and counsel; internal and governmental investigations; employmentrelated contracts (employment agreements, independent contractor agreements, retainer/retention agreements, restrictive covenants, severance/separation agreements, etc.)

Mathew Lockaby

1

Rank

TIE

5 TIE

7

Employment Law Firm Top Official

Number of Employment Law Offices

Discrimination and harassment, diversity, equity, and inclusion, wage and hour , workplace safety, labor relations, employee benefits, unfair competition, whistleblower and retaliation.

Other: workers compensation (employers)

Bryan Beauman

1

21

Discrimination and harassment, diversity, equity, and inclusion, wage and hour, workplace safety, labor relations, employee benefits, unfair competition, whistleblower and retaliation.

Other: employment litigation agency practice class action defense counseling and training

Sharon Gold, Doug McSwain, Emily Cowles, Glen Krebs, George Miller, Courtney Samford, Tom Travis, Lexi Gross Holland, Lexington Office

2

11

Discrimination and harassment, diversity, equity, and inclusion, wage and hour, workplace safety, labor relations, employee benefits, unfair competition, whistleblower and retaliation.

Other: human resources and policy training, employee manual creation, employment contracts, employment litigation, non-compete agreements, human resources investigations, US Department of Labor investigations

Employment Law Main Practice Areas

2 Jaron Blandford

Source: Information was obtained from Business Lexington questionnaire, company representations and websites. There may have been more companies eligible but they did not respond by given deadlines.

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Please email questions regarding our BizLists to Sharon Metz at sharon.metz66@gmail.com.

Advertising & Creative Agencies Ranked by total number of local employees

Rank

Agency Name Address, Phone Website

Number of Local Employees

Active Clients

2021

Key Services

Top Local Official

Top Local Official

Year Founded Locally

1

Cornett 249 E. Main St., Ste. 400 Lexington, KY 40507 (859) 281-5104 www.teamcornett.com

50

13

Brand strategy: brand positioning, market evaluation, consumer research, cultural insights; brand management: account management, workflow management, product launch planning; brand creative: brand identity and packaging, campaign concepting, creative direction and production, content strategy, video production and editing, sales materials; brand connections: integrated media strategy, organic and paid social media, digital and traditional media buying, SEO/SEM, influencer partnerships, analytics and reporting

Whit Hiler (Executive Creative Director)

Kip Cornett (Chairman Emeritus), Christy Hiler (Owner/President)

1985

2

Right Place Media 437 Lewis Hargert Circle, Ste. 130 Lexington, KY 40503 (859) 685-3800 www.rightplacemedia.com

19

28

Traditional/digital media strategy, planning and buying

Joel Rapp

Joel Rapp (President/CEO)

2001

3

Bullhorn Creative 109 E. Loudon Ave. Lexington KY 40505 (859) 258-2244 www.bullhorncreative.com

13

40

Building impact brands with language and design

Adam Kuhn and Chris Jackson

Brad Flowers (Founding Partner)

2008

4

Brand Advertising Group 128 E. Reynolds Road, Ste. 250 Lexington, KY 40517 (859) 293-5760 www.baglex.com

10

40+

Specializing in digital marketing including branding, social media marketing and digital consulting. Full service traditional advertising — broadcast, print, outdoor and direct mail, creative services, web design, video production and event management. A certified Disadvantaged Business Enterprise — woman owned.

Susie Merida

Susie Merida (President/Owner)

2003

5

Williams McBride P.O. Box 910433 Lexington, KY 40591 (859) 253-9319 www.williamsmcbride.com

7

15

Branding strategy, graphic design, publication design and management, event and trade shows branding, content development, website design and development

Melissa Weber

Tim Smith (President)

1988

6

Trifecta!

149 Jefferson St. Lexington, KY 40508 (859) 303-4663 www.trifectaky.com

6

120

Web and print design, branding, digital marketing, hosting

Kevin O’Dea

Jonathan Moore (Partner), Kevin O’Dea (Partner)

2009

7

Balance Creative 250 Walton Ave. Lexington, KY 40502 (859) 381-9510 www.balancecreative.net

3

20

Advertising, design, digital marketing

David Caldwell

David Caldwell (Principal)

2012

7

Cre8tive Group 304 E. Main St. Wilmore, KY 40390 (859) 858-9054 www.cre8tivegroup.com

3

8

Helping clients attract more customers, improve communications, and strengthen brands

David Merrell

Chad Crouch (President)

1995

7

Hall Media, Inc. 710 E. Main St., Ste. 175 Lexington, KY 40507 (859) 27-7753 www.hallmediainc.com

3

16

Brand strategy, media planning, creative production and design, traditional and digital marketing services

Debbie Gilligan

Larry Hall (President)

1995

7

Stablemate Creative LLC * 465 E. High St., Ste. 105 Lexington, KY 40507 (859) 277-0715 www.stablematecreative.com

3

27

Advertising strategy, media placement, creative services and graphic design, custom publishing, branding and corporate identity, website design and development

Kelly M. Johns (Partner)

W. Grady Walter II and Kelly M. Johns (Member/Partners)

2011

11

Big Echo Creative 400 W. Short St., Ste. 311 Lexington, KY 40507 (859) 309-5454 www.bigechocreative.com

2

30

Brand development, production/video editing, creative development, graphic design, social media, web design, copywriting, presentation development, media planning, art direction

Kevin Wathen

Emily Conley

2014

Group CJ * 341 Old Vine St. Lexington,KY 40507 (859) 338-1883 www.groupcj.com

NA

NA

Public awareness campaigns, full service marketing firm

Connie Jo Miller (Creative Director)

Connie Jo Miller

1987

TIE

TIE

TIE

TIE

Source: Information was obtained from Business Lexington questionnaire, company representations and websites. There may have been more companies eligible but they did not respond by given deadlines. Do to spacing, some information obtained may have been shorten.

Key: WND=Would Not Disclose; NA=Not Applicable, or Not Available Footnotes: * These are previous figures, did not respond by deadlines.

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BusinessLexington’s WeeklyWire

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DECEMBER 2021

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BizList

Please email questions regarding our BizLists to Sharon Metz at sharon.metz66@gmail.com.

Staffing Agencies Central Kentucky agencies ranked by number of placements 2020

Rank

Agency Name Address Phone Website

Number of Placements (Full-time & Part-time) in 2020

Disciplines, Skills Placed

Specific Services Provided

Locally Owned/ Franchised

Top Local Executive/ Headquarters/ Year Established

1

Alliance Medical & Home Care 3716 Willow Ridge Road Lexington, KY 40514 (859) 296-9525 www.alliancelexington.com

12,274

PC (patient caregiver), CAN, LPN, RN

Medical, industrial, seasonal, etc.

Yes/No

Jackie A. Howard (owner)/ Lexington, KY/ 2007

2

Kelly Services 2358 Nicholasville Road, Ste. 165 Lexington, KY 40503 (859) 373-0422 www.kellyservices.com

7,700 (USA)

Office, professional, call center, finance, light industrial, warehouse, manufacturing, customer service, fork lift, material handling, production

Direct hire, temp-to-hire, temp, seasonal, project-based direct hire, payroll services, RPO, BPO, medical, industrial, seasonal, etc.

No/No

Nancy Ganote (Regional Sales Manager)/ Troy, MI/ 1959

3

Remedy Intelligent Staffing 1030 Monarch St., Ste. 300 Lexington, KY 40513 (859) 224-4455 www.remedystaff.com

4,302

Sales, management; production; assembly; warehouse; forklift; customer service

Manufacturing, logistics, call center, agriculture, tourism

Yes/Yes

Lynn and Tom Braker (owners)/ Atlanta, GA/ 1994

4

Staffmark 1510 Newtown Pike, Ste. 134 Lexington, KY 40511 (859) 254-4011 www.staffmark.com

1,000+

Light industrial (assembly, picking, packing, shipping/ receiving, forklift, machine operators, quality, maintenance) administrative (data entry, accounting, project coordinators, customer service, special projects)

Light industrial, administrative (short term, long term, direct hire)

No/No

Jaime Shutt, CSP (Regional Vice President)/ Cincinnati, OH/ 1995

5

People Plus, Inc. 2551 Richmond Road, Ste. 8 Lexington, KY 40509 (859) 246-1400 www.peopleplusinc.com

600

Administrative, financial, light industrial (manufacturing/ warehouse)

Full-service staffing agency providing workforce solutions to all business and industry for temporary, temp-to-hire, direct hire needs, pre-screening and PEO services.

No/No

Amanda Huddleston, EVP/ Madisonville, KY/ 2004

Precision Staffing, Inc. 2350 Sterlington Road Lexington, KY 40517 (859) 272-2030 www.precisionstaffing.net

NA **

Light industrial (e.g. warehouse, assembly) clerical (e.g. administrative assistants, call center) professional (e.g. accounting, legal) IT skilled industrial (e.g. maintenance, engineering, quality)

Direct hire/recruitment, temp-to-hire, staffing, temporary staffing, seasonal staffing, payroll, resume services, testing, training, strategic workforce analysis, pre-employment services, payroll services, remote workforce

Yes/No

Kathy O’Daniel/ Lexington, KY/ 1981

Manpower of Central Kentucky 162 Old Todds Road, Ste. 280 Lexington, KY 40509 (859) 268-1331 www.manpowerlexington.com

NA *

Manufacturing, picking/packing, call center, forklift, warehouse

Seasonal, industrial, office

No/Yes

Lynn Rothermund (Local Branch Manager), Tom Meher (Owner)/ Dayton, OH/ 1975

Metro Staffing Services 851 Corporate Drive, Ste. 122 Lexington, KY 40503 (859) 296-0180

NA *

Skilled, semi-skilled, management, engineers

Manufacturing services, temp to full time, direct placement

No/No

Gregory S. Pierson/ Galena, OH/ 2013 /

Snelling Staffing Services 1025 Dove Run Road, Ste. 310 Lexington, KY 40502 (859) 233-0583 www.snelling.com

NA *

Administrative, warehouse, production

Industrial, professional

Yes/Yes

Leela Von Behren, (President)/ Dallas, TX/ 1964

TEKsystems – Lexington 1792 Alysheba Way, Ste. 370 Lexington, KY 40509 (859) 519-2300 www.TEKsystems.com

NA *

Information technology jobs. Applications: Application architects and developers, business intelligence analysts, reporting analysts, data architects, ERO analysts and developers, project managers, business analysts, QA testers, etc. Network: Cloud engineers, virtualization engineers, cabling technicians, network architects, network engineers and administrators, system/server engineers and administrators, network and security monitors, storage administrators, etc. IT support: Desktop and helpdesk support, it technician, asset inventory specialists, IT trainers, technical writers, etc.

IT staffing, managed/co-managed services and complete outsourced solutions across all industries including state/local government, health care, financial services, higher education, retail, technology

Yes/WND

Morgan Newton, Lexington; Travis Rickards, Louisville/ Baltimore, MD/ 2013

Source: Business Lexington questionnaire, representatives and websites of named agencies. Other agencies were qualified but did not response by stated deadlines. Key: NA=Not Available, WND=Would Not Disclose. Footnote: *=Not updated information, **=Not available

COMING IN JANUARY

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DECEMBER 2021

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BizLexQ&A

Vince Gabbert

Local leader and Lexington Pro Soccer president on plans for the team

BY CAMPBELL WOOD CONTRIBUTING WRITER

W

hen the United Soccer League (USL) identified Lexington as a potential market for a pro team, league officials contacted Vince Gabbert. They were looking for a business leader who could help form a soccer club that would

PHOTO BY BILL STRAUS

include a League One professional men’s soccer team and a Super League professional women’s team. The soccer club will also serve the Lexington community with various soccer leagues and programs for different age groups.

Raised in Northern Kentucky, Gabbert graduated from the University of Louisville and the Brandies School of Law. He worked in politics for a time, becoming deputy chief of staff for Gov. Steve Beshear. He joined Keeneland in 2009 as vice president of strategic initiatives and legislative affairs and serves on the boards of several organizations, including Commerce Lexington, the Thoroughbred Club of America and the Bluegrass Sports Commission.

Gabbert will continue his work with Keeneland while launching Lexington’s team as president of Lexington Pro Soccer. We spoke with Gabbert about what to expect.

What is the vision of the USL, and how does Lexington fit that vision?

With the game’s growth from a global standpoint, there’s been a void in the U.S. market. Young talent doesn’t have a clear path to move forward and play overseas or in Major League Soccer [the top U.S. and Canadian professional soccer league].

The USL helps fill that void with their professional League One and Championship teams. With the success of USL in Louisville, Chattanooga, Greenville and Madison — all of them good, strong sports towns — and growth that’s happened in the region, from Cincinnati to Columbus to Mobile, Indianapolis and Nashville, Lexington is a natural fit for the USL expansion.

“I’ve been blown away at the reaction from the community and how excited folks are, and we want to build on that excitement. ...

This is going to be the community’s team.”

VINCE GABBERT , PRESIDENT OF LEXINGTON PRO SOCCER

How did this get started for Lexington? It started in February 2019. The league reached out to me seeking someone who might have a connection to potential investors. They did a visit and we looked at sites for a stadium. About a year ago, the league said that they felt this market was ready and let’s see if we can find an investor and make this a reality. I had initial conversations with Bill Shively [owner of Dixiana Horse Farm and founder of Tower Hill Sports in Lexington]. He was extremely excited about it. So, he and Stephen Dawahare will be our primary investors. We signed the franchise agreement about a month ago.

What is the status of the proposed stadium site along High Street across from Rupp Arena? Several weeks ago, the Lexington Center board and the Central Bank Center board released an RFP, inviting people to propose developments for the land. There’s a tax increment financing (TIF) district that’s been created, which includes that area. Part of that TIF is to determine, essentially, the highest and best use of that land from a city standpoint. The deadline for submissions is Dec. 10. So, we will submit a competitive bid with a complete development plan

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that will meet the RFP specifications. I believe the deadline that the Convention Center board has set for itself is to decide

by Jan. 21. We hope to win that development project and to be moving ahead on that site by late spring.

Can you share some details about the stadium? We’re currently going through a feasibility analysis of our site and our stadium to ensure we’re putting together the product that people want.

We’re looking at this as a multifunction use stadium. We want this to be a community resource, whether it’s hosting the high school Final Four for soccer, lacrosse, concerts, festivals or dance.

We also want to find the sweet spot in size — something Lexington doesn’t already have in the market — maybe 6,000 or 8,000 seats or somewhere around there. There’ll be four or five different tiers of seating. We’ve worked through all our designs, and we’ll have something that appeals to everybody. We’ll have a family section, areas that are more socially engaging, areas with a more relaxed, party atmosphere, and club seating.

When do you expect to start play at the new stadium? The inaugural season for our professional team, League One, starts in spring 2023. We don’t expect to be at the stadium until 2024. We’ve had very positive conversations with the University of Kentucky about hosting our first season at the Bell Soccer Complex.

What kind of reaction are you getting from the Lexington community? I have been blown away at the reaction from the community and how excited folks are, and we want to build on that excitement.

The mayor has been absolutely supportive of these efforts. She was instrumental in helping us convey how welcoming Lexington is as a city to this project. This is going to be the community’s team.

What can you say about the academy and youth leagues that will be part of the club? Over the past year, I’ve participated in weekly Zoom meetings with Sam Stockley, who’s coming in from England as our sporting director. He’s got expertise from playing professionally on teams in different countries, including here. Sam is probably better to talk to about the academy. I do know that academy teams will begin play next fall.

What can you say about broadcasting of the games? The league has an excellent deal in place through ESPN, and games will be broadcast through their streaming services across all levels. Greenville, South Carolina, has provided a pretty good model. They broadcast all their games on a local TV station and also stream them online. We hope to mirror that. BL

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Who’sWho

EMPLOYMENT NEWS AND AWARDS IN OUR COMMUNITY

J. SMITH

JOHNSON

J. COX

JONES

WILSON

HILL

FLUKE

LAWRENCE

RICHARDSON

HARTEN

PAVEY

EAST

COMBS

TIMONEY

GALLAGHER

SHOUSE

R. COX

CLARK

PETTIGREW

ROELOFS

CIRCEO

DURYEA

CHESLER

O’REILLY

MEYER

GABBARD

MIRACLE

New Hires & Promotions John Smith has joined the WealthSouth Lexington office as vice president, commercial relationship manager.

Larry Johnson, a veteran city employee whose career has been focused on working with at-risk youth and helping people caught in the web of substance use disorder, has joined Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton’s staff.

vice president, business banking officer; Tim Richardson, vice president, business banking officer; Lucas Harten, business relationship specialist; and Zach Pavey, business relationship specialist.

Kimberly East, APRN, has joined the Baptist Health OB/GYN team at 1780 Nicholasville Road, Suite 101.

Wrigley Media Group has announced the promotion of Elizabeth A. Combs to the dual position of chief of staff and general counsel.

The Kentucky Chamber of Commerce has promoted John Cox to director of public affairs.

Neurosurgeon Nessa Timoney has joined the staff of Lexington Clinic.

Home Savings and Loan Company (HSLC) has announced the following new hires: Chris Jones, president, CEO and director; Brad Wilson, executive vice president, sales operations; Amanda Hill, vice president, residential lending manager; Lesley Fluke, senior vice president, commercial lending manager; Lance Lawrence, senior

The Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) Board of Regents recently welcomed three new regents. Brooke K. Gallagher from Jefferson Community and Technical College (Jefferson) and Andrea Shouse from Bluegrass Community and Technical College (BCTC) were selected by student leaders from the 16 colleges

that make up the KCTCS. Additionally, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear appointed Norton Healthcare President/CEO Russell F. Cox to fill an open position.

Oak View Group Facilities, operators of Central Bank Center, has named Madison Duryea as event and booking manager, and Trevor Chesler as director of booking.

Lexington Christian Academy has announced the promotion of two longtime educators to the position of assistant principal. Lea Clark has been named sixth- through eighthgrade principal and will continue to serve at LCA’s Rose Campus.

Melinda Pettigrew has been named preschool-elementary principal and will continue to serve at the school’s Immanuel Baptist Church Campus.

NAI Isaac, commercial real estate brokerage and property management services firm, has named Eric O’Reilly, CPA, as the newest accountancy member of its finance team, and Sara Meyer as the newest member of its operations team.

Berea College president Lyle Roelofs announced his retirement, effective June 30, 2023. Roelofs has served as the institution’s ninth president since 2012.

Lisa Circeo, founding partner of Lexington-based Circeo Law Firm, has been elected to the 2022 Kentucky Justice Association Board of Governors.

Kudos In recognition of extraordinary dedication, excellence and willingness to serve Fayette County Public Schools, Kentucky American Water has received the 2021 Outstanding Service Award from the Fayette County Association of School Administrators.

Debra Gabbard has been honored

by CASA of Lexington as the 2021 CASA Volunteer of the Year. Gab-

bard, a Lexmark employee, has been advocating for abused and neglected children since early 2018.

She has advocated for 13 children across four cases during her more than three and half years as a courtappointed special advocate (CASA) volunteer.

Local brewer Stephanie Miracle of Country Boy Brewing has been awarded the Yuengling Women in Brewing Scholarship from D.G. Yuengling & Son and the Pink Boots Society. The Pink Boots Society, which Miracle has been an active member for more than three years, was created to empower women beer professionals and advance their careers in the beer industry through education.

Frontier Nursing University recently received the 2021 Health Professions Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education. BL

WHO’S WHO FOR YOU? Submit your company’s recent hirings, promotions, and awards for listing in the Who’s Who section of Business Lexington. Email a press release and photo to info@bizlex.com.

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BusinessLexington 11/8/21 3:07 PM

Nov. 30-DEC 6 Nov. 30-DEC 6

SAVE the DATE SAVE the DATE

Nov. 30-DEC 6

1 7 9 N O N P R O F I TS

179 NON PROFITS

you should you should

A SS H H A LL O O

R R V V

SUPPORT!

SUPPORT!

E E E E

the the

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B GG GG II VV EE SS .. OO RRGG B

BEGINS on GIVING TUESDAY BEGINS TUESDAY

on

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11/8/21 3:07 PM

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