The Knox Regional Development Alliance (KRDA) officially welcomed new board members and board officers at its recent annual meeting of investors. New additions to the board include Selena Hudson, Vine Grove city council member and mortgage loan officer with Mutual of Omaha Mortgage; Margy Poorman, President and CEO of the Hardin County Chamber of Commerce; and Brandon Simpson, an insurance agent with Hardin County Kentucky Farm Bureau.
“We are excited to have these three great community leaders join the KRDA board of directors and bring their talent and expertise to bear in support of KRDA’s work to promote and protect Fort Knox and support Soldiers and their families,” said Ray Springsteen, KRDA board chairman and President and CEO of Abound Credit Union.
“Fort Knox’s economic impact on our region cannot be overstated. With nearly one billion dollars in annual payroll and a workforce that’s two to four times more than the next five largest employers combined in Hardin, Meade, LaRue and Bullitt Counties, Fort Knox is our region’s economic engine,” Springsteen said.
Two board members, Luke Schmidt, CEO of L.B. Schmidt and Associates, and Retired Col. Bill Betson, were appointed as board officers and will now serve on the KRDA executive committee. Betson will serve as the board secretary and Schmidt will serve as the treasurer. Schmidt replaces Keith Johnson who served as KRDA treasurer since the organization was formed in 2016. Johnson will continue serving on the board of directors.
Betson and Schmidt join Springsteen; Retired Maj. Gen. John Tindall, who continues serving as the board’s vice chair/military; and Marilyn Ford, heartland region city president of Wesbanco, who previously served as the board secretary and was elected to the newly established officer position of vice chair/chair-elect.
Terry Bennett, of Skeeters, Bennett, Wilson and Humphrey, will also continue to serve on the executive committee as council.
“Our board and executive committee provide tremendous leadership and are critical to KRDA’s long-term viability,” said KRDA CEO Jim Iacocca. “I am incredibly appreciative of the board’s support and commitment to KRDA and keeping Fort Knox strong. Our community plays an important role in setting the conditions for Fort Knox to grow and prosper.”
As a private, non-profit 501(c)(6) organization, KRDA is governed by a volunteer board of directors consisting of 30 members made up of community leaders and investors from across the Greater Fort Knox Region.
- Retired Maj. Gen. Bill Barron
- Harry Berry, Hardin County Judge/Executive
- Jim Bradford, Fort Knox, Deputy Garrison Commander
- Retired Brig. Gen. Steve Bullard, Kentucky Commission on Military Affairs, Executive Director
- J.J. Duvall, City of Radcliff Mayor
- Brandon Fogle, South Central Bank, Northern Region President
- Jim Fugitte, Plansmith Corp, Director of Strategic Services
- Jeff Gregory, City of Elizabethtown Mayor
- Brian Kerr, Kerr Office Group, President
- Retired Maj. Gen. Troy Kok
- Ben LaRue, Owen LaRue Financial, Partner and Financial Advisor
- Darin Logsdon, Wilson & Muir Bank & Trust Co., Vice President
- Pam Ogden, Vine Grove Mayor
- Brad Richardson, Hardin County Chamber of Commerce, Retired President/CEO
- Leslie Stith, Meade County Judge/Executive
- Jerry Summers, Bullitt County Judge/Executive
- Carl Swope, Swope Family of Dealerships, President/CEO
- Tracee Troutt, Baptist Health Hardin, Vice President/Chief Marketing and Development Officer
- Allison Willoughby, Brandenburg Telephone and Telecom Companies, General Manager
- Don Wise, The Cecilian Bank, Senior Executive Officer
To learn more about KRDA’s board members, visit growknox.org/about-krda.