Commerce Lexington’s Gina Greathouse Marks 30 Years Leading Economic Development in Lexington, 35 Years Total in the Industry

GINA GREATHOUSE

Commerce Lexington is proud to recognize Gina Greathouse for her 30 years of leading economic development efforts in Lexington and 35 years altogether in the industry. A native of Franklin County, she began her career in business recruitment and retention in 1990 working at the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development.  In 1995, Gina joined Lexington United – the area’s economic development agency – before it merged with the Lexington Chamber of Commerce and the Partnership for Workforce Development to create Commerce Lexington in 2004.
 
Serving as Commerce Lexington’s executive vice president of economic development, Gina has travelled across Kentucky, the country, and internationally to recruit companies to the Greater Lexington region.  During her leadership, the organization has been recognized often as one of the top economic development groups in the country, including a three-time winner of Site Selection’s Mac Conway Award for Excellence in Economic Development, and multiple awards for marketing and initiatives from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), Business Facilities, and the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE). In 2016, Gina was honored individually with the Kentucky Association for Economic Development’s James J. Coleman Community Professional of the Year Award recognizing practitioners who have made significant and/or innovative contributions to the field and their service area.
 
Commerce Lexington President & CEO, Bob Quick, said, “Gina Greathouse has been instrumental in leading the organization’s economic development efforts, and is well known across the industry as an effective leader. The stability she has provided and partnerships she has built over these many years have been key in helping Greater Lexington put its best foot forward when recruiting new businesses to the area and managing expansion, retention and startup projects right here at home.”
 
Gina is a member of Greater Lexington’s Regional Leadership Council, which includes representatives from nine counties who work together in areas such as economic development, talent attraction, and public policy to improve the region’s competitiveness. She also serves as chair of Bluegrass Alliance, a partnership of economic development professionals working together to ease the process for companies relocating or expanding here and sits on the boards of LexArts and the Kentucky World Trade Center.

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