Leadership Central KY’s Woodford County Day on March 18 began at The Kentucky Castle, where participants were welcomed with a panel led by Emily Downey of the Woodford County Chamber. Setting the tone for the day, local leaders emphasized that strong relationships are the foundation of growth. Mayor Laura Drake shared how Versailles is managing growth by holding firm to its urban service boundary, noting that many projects take years to come to fruition. Mayor Grayson Vandegrift highlighted Midway’s focus on increasing occupational tax revenue while lowering property taxes, while Judge Executive James Kay reinforced a jobs-first approach—prioritizing industrial development while keeping housing growth in check.
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Together, their insights painted a picture of a county thinking strategically about growth and sustainability. Woodford County currently has the lowest unemployment rate in the state, with about seventy-five percent of occupational tax paid by commuters. Like many communities, affordable housing remains complex, but local leaders are focusing on helping residents stay in their homes through targeted support programs. Following the discussion, the group toured The Kentucky Castle, learning more about its evolution into a unique destination that blends dining, events, and agriculture under its current ownership.

“The arts are essential to the community, city, life, and humanity.” – Tim Kirkman
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Throughout the day, we saw this reflected in every corner of Lexington. Whether it was the artwork showcased in the East End, the rich history brought to life at the Lexington Children’s Theatre, or a hidden gem that was once a movie theater and is now Lex Studios, the impact of the arts was undeniable.

The day began with an exciting, vibrant, high-energy performance by Mariachi Escudo de Bryan Station High School - Kentucky’s first public mariachi. The students performed 4 musical pieces. It was beautiful to witness the diversity of their talents and confidence shine through each solo, whether instrumental or vocal. After the performance, we had the opportunity to learn about traditional instruments and their origins, such as vihuela and the guitarrón (string instruments with round backs to help amplify sound).

​The Leadership Central Kentucky (LCK) class was honored to spend a day in Scott County, exploring how manufacturing, education and innovation come together in one of the fastest growing counties in Kentucky. We were hosted by Jack Conner, Executive Director of Scott County United, Inc., whose focus is economic development and strategic planning for Scott County.
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Our day began at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky (TMMK) as we were greeted by Kim Sweazy, Senior Analyst/Community Relations at TMMK. Our visit started with Kim presenting the history of TMMK in Scott County. Built in 1986, TMMK Georgetown is the largest Toyota plant in the world. The plant is 9 million square feet (roofed) which is the equivalent of 159 football fields. Former Kentucky Governor Martha Layne Collins was instrumental in bringing this giant manufacturing plant to Scott County. Governor Collins’ made several trade missions to Japan which led to Georgetown becoming the home of the first Toyota plant wholly owned by the United States. Since its opening, TMMK has grown to over 9,000 employees and has contributed $11 billion dollars back to the community. Toyota has been instrumental in regional economic growth. TMMK also encourages their employees to volunteer in the community as another way of giving back. 

Commerce Lexington Inc. is proud to recognize the latest class of graduates from the 2024-25 Leadership Lexington program presented by Community Trust Bank.  Since 1979, this nationally recognized leadership development program has been cultivating Lexington leaders, producing more than 1,800 graduates from this impactful leadership development program that has enhanced our city in areas such as youth mentoring, public art, healthy living, hunger relief, community engagement, and more.
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Commerce Lexington’s Director of Leadership Development, Tyra Harbut, said, “The class of 2025 is an incredibly close-knit, energetic, and inspiring group. They are passionate, high-performing, forward-thinking, engaged, and deeply committed to both their personal growth and the well-being of our community. Thoughtful, dynamic, family-oriented, and full of good vibes, this class has truly set the bar high. As my very first class, they will always hold a special place in my heart. They consistently showed up to each day session eager to learn, contribute, and support one another, making my role not only easier but incredibly meaningful. I’ve gained lifelong friendships from this experience, and for that, I’m beyond grateful.”

​Commerce Lexington is proud to recognize Lynda Bebrowsky for her 25 years of service to Commerce Lexington and the community.  She joined the organization in mid-2000 as director of marketing prior to the Leadership Visit to Nashville, Tennessee.
 
Today, Lynda serves as chief of staff – a new role she took on recently to support the management and implementation of strategic plans and key initiatives – while continuing to lead Commerce Lexington’s Membership & Engagement Division, which includes oversight of member recruitment and retention efforts, event planning, leadership development programs, the Ambassador Committee, top investor program, and small business support initiatives like the Business Owners Advisory Board (BOAB) and our Peer Groups.
 
Commerce Lexington President and CEO, Bob Quick, said, “Lynda Bebrowsky has been an integral part of our organization’s success and a key connection for so many people across our community.  She has also led one of the most important events we have – our annual intercity trips called Leadership Visits. Commerce Lexington is known as the Gold Standard nationally for these visits, because of the exceptional planning and execution by Lynda and her team.  Other chambers often reach out to us when planning their own intercity visits. We appreciate her years of service and positive impact.”
 
In addition, Lynda serves as a board member of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Executives (KCCE) and Leadership Central Kentucky and is the current chair of the Lexington Public Library Board of Trustees. A Lexington native, Lynda is married to Henry Bebrowsky and the mother of Max Bebrowsky, currently attending the University of Kentucky. 

​Commerce Lexington’s Leadership Visit trip to Madison, Wisconsin (May 14-16) presented by Central Bank & Trust Co. included a delegation of 160-plus regional business, education, government, and nonprofit leaders. The group kicked off the agenda on May 14 at The Pyle Center Alumni Lounge on the campus of the University of Wisconsin - Madison. After a brief welcome, the delegation heard from Jason Ilstrup, President of Downtown Madison Inc., Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton, and Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway.  Day one sessions concluded with a higher education discussion featuring University of Kentucky President Dr. Eli Capilouto and Dr. Jennifer Mnookin, Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin - Madison.

​While county lines serve as boundaries for governments, business and economies continue to expand across those lines and impact other areas.  Leadership Central Kentucky is a regional leadership development program that aims to provide participants with leadership development and opportunities to build relationships, gain an understanding of issues facing the region, and increase community awareness.
 
Its vision seeks to build a network of committed, informed and progressive citizens connected across institutions and county lines. These leaders embrace and embody the philosophy that our region will realize its highest potential through working together. The class selection is made by the Leadership Central Kentucky Board of Directors, which seeks to put together a diverse class – professionally, geographically, ethnically and gender-wise. Approximately 25 to 30 individuals will be selected to participate in the program. Preference will be given to individuals who have successfully completed a local leadership program.

Commerce Lexington Inc. is pleased to announce that Caitlyn Maynard recently joined its team as Leadership Program and Event Coordinator. She will assist the organization’s leadership development initiatives and event programming by providing administrative, logistical, and communications support for Leadership Lexington, Leadership Central Kentucky, Emerging Leaders of the Bluegrass, and the annual EMERGE Conference. Caitlyn will also assist in the planning and management of Commerce Lexington’s diverse events, helping to create meaningful engagement opportunities for members and the business community.

Commerce Lexington’s Chief of Staff, Lynda Bebrowsky, said, “We are excited to have Caitlyn on board to support our leadership programs and a variety of events.  She is well versed in the events area, from coordination to logistics to marketing, and even digital content and communications to promote and increase visibility of our initiatives. She has a strong ambition to give back to the community, and we look forward to getting her more involved in a number of areas.”

Caitlyn has extensive experience in marketing and event coordination through previous roles with Bella Notte Restaurant Group, Quality First Auto Care, Whiskey Bear Bar & Craft Kitchen, and Nelson Lee Tree Farm. She earned a Bachelor of Business Administration, Marketing degree from Eastern Kentucky University, along with an Associate of Arts degree from Bluegrass Community and Technical College (BCTC).  

Written by: Josh McCurn, Haymaker Company

November 14, 2024- Leadership Lexington Class of 2024-25, affectionately dubbed the “Best Class Ever,” added a new accolade to their name: “Most Fiscally Responsible.” During Government Day, participants were immersed in the multifaceted operations of local government, gaining insight into the roles, challenges, and opportunities that define Lexington’s governance. For many—including myself, with a previous background at LFUCG—it was both a chance to revisit familiar ground and an opportunity to explore new initiatives shaping our city’s future.