​Commerce Lexington is proud to announce that Brett Bibb, director of marketing, was named to the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives' (ACCE) 40 Under 40 list, which showcases 40 of the chamber industry's top emerging leaders who have demonstrated success in their careers and made significant contributions to the communities they serve. Their creativity, dedication and commitment to identifying innovative solutions will help shape the future of the chamber profession.
 
In his role, Brett is a catalytic leader, driving marketing and communication innovation within the chamber and sharing the organization’s “Impact story” with key stakeholders, elevating the chamber’s brand and value proposition to investors. He has also created more efficiency within the organization, leveraging a variety of resources to maximize marketing efforts, while educating staff members on ways to better promote themselves and the organization using social media and other digital platforms. 

Written By: Eric Del Valle

Commerce Lexington is pleased to announce that Kristie Woodrum has been promoted to Senior Manager of Investor Development. In her new role, she will continue to focus on investor and member engagement, new membership acquisition, renewals, advertising, and sponsorship sales. She will also expand her leadership in managing key initiatives, including the Ambassador Program and additional non-dues revenue opportunities that enhance member involvement and return-on-investment (ROI). As of early December, Woodrum will have logged ten years of service with Commerce Lexington.

Commerce Lexington’s Chief of Staff and Executive Vice President of Membership & Engagement, Lynda Bebrowsky, said, “Kristie has been a valued member of our team for ten years, demonstrating consistent dedication to our mission and our members. Throughout that time, she has played an instrumental role in strengthening investor relationships and has successfully taken on the management of the Ambassador Program, leading its continued growth and impact. Her passion for building relationships and her dedication to our members have made a lasting impact on Commerce Lexington. Her leadership, creativity, and commitment to excellence make her the perfect fit for this expanded role.”
 
A native of Maysville and graduate of Morehead State University, Kristie is an active member of Rotary Club of Lexington and is committed to supporting initiatives that make Central Kentucky a thriving place to live and do business.

In today’s rapidly evolving economic landscape, it has become clear that a more unified, strategic approach is essential to keeping our region competitive on a national and global scale. That’s why, alongside regional leaders, Commerce Lexington has led the charge to develop a  bold and forward-thinking roadmap designed to increase more jobs and attract more workers to the nine-county region.

Public and private sector leaders are working together on key initiatives to grow the economy and elevate all communities across the region.

To move the region forward, leaders established clear, measurable goals and action items focused on three pillars: economic development, workforce, and policy.

Early successes include the creation of a regional brand — Greater Lex — and the launch of a new talent attraction website featuring more than 30 pages of “live, work, play” messaging. The site increases awareness among key audiences and offers tools such as an interactive community quiz, regional map, cost of living calculator and detailed county pages to help users discover what makes each area unique.

The 2025 Greater LEX Regional Summit presented by Community Trust Bank brought together 320-plus influential business, community and government leaders from across the Greater LEX region.  This year’s Summit was the largest gathering to date, signaling the continued momentum and commitment to regional collaboration.  The annual event provided a valuable opportunity for economic benchmarking and a progress report on the implementation of the Regional Competitiveness Plan action items.  Attendees were also able to connect, share ideas, and explore strategies to make the nine-county region more competitive for jobs and talent.