An Evening With Commerce Lex

An Evening With Commerce Lexington

PRESENTED BY:

A crowd of about 900 people braved bitter cold and snowy conditions to attend An Evening With Commerce Lexington presented by Fifth Third on January 29. This year’s event took place in the exhibit hall area of the convention center, as participants celebrated the success of the previous year and set the stage for moving forward during the 144th annual gathering of the area’s business community.

The program featured annual awards recognizing community impact and volunteerism, which highlighted individuals and organizations that have had a significant impact on our organization and the community. Debbie Smith, Lexington Market Leader for Cherry Bekaert LLP, was the recipient of the Volunteer of the Year Award for her efforts in strengthening Commerce Lexington’s financial position through her role as treasurer on the Executive Board.

The Community Impact Award was presented to the partners of the Central Kentucky Business Park Authority which is addressing a need for more shovel-ready land to attract and retain jobs across our nine-county region. The recipients of this award include Scott County Judge-Executive Joe Pat Covington, Madison County Judge-Executive Reagan Taylor, Berea Mayor Bruce Fraley, and Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton.

2026 Board Chair Nick Nicholson from Stoll Keenon Ogden PLLC said, “This past year, we made great progress in improving the quality of Lexington, but we can’t rest on past successes and declare victory. We all have to be asking - How can we do better? What’s next? We can and should be proud of our past, but we should never be content with our present.”