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5.14.26 · Kentucky Business News

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Speaker 1: Hello. Today, I'll be reading from business sources in Lexington
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and Louisville, including The Lane Report and others from around
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the Commonwealth. Your reader today is Julia Shane. As a reminder,
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RADIOI is a reading service intended for people who are
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blind or who have other disabilities that make it difficult
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to read printed material. A first article comes from the
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May twelfth to twenty twenty sixth edition of The Lane
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Report and is titled hebron Kentucky Locksmith's gains presents in
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six hundred Sam's Club locations. Key Me Locksmith's, a leading
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provider of local locksmith services and key duplication Kiosks, today
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announced a nationwide partnership with Sam's Club to deploy its
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advanced self service key duplication technology across more than six
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hundred locations. Following a successful pilot, Sam's Clubs selected key
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Me Locksmiths to add vehicle key duplication as a complementary
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service within its tire and battery centers, enhancing convenience and
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broadening its automotive service offerings. Sam's Club is known for
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delivering value and convenience at scale, and we're excited to
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extend that experience through key Me's self service kiosks, said
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James Morehead, CEO of key Me Locksmiths. By launching fleetwide
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across Sam's Club's tire and battery centers, we're making it
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easier than ever for members to get spare keys made
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while they shop, offering dealership quality duplication at a superior
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value and access to an unmatched assortment of automotive keys
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spanning over forty thousand different makes, models, and years. Key
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Me Locksmiths operates one of the largest self service key
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duplication networks in the United States. Its kiosks use computer
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vision and machine learning technology to digitally scan a key
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account for wear and tear, and cut an accurate duplicate
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to original specification, all within minutes and with a one
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hundred percent money back guarantee. Key Me Locksmith's kiosks enable
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high quality vehicle key duplication at a fraction of the
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cost you would pay at a dealership, giving members a fast, affordable,
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and reliable alternative without compromising on performance or security. From
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standard metal keys, transponder keys and remote head keys to
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key fobs and push button ignition keys. Key me locksmith
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kiosks support key duplication for eighty seven percent of vehicles
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on the road today. At Sam's Club, we're constantly looking
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for new ways to enhance the services available to our members,
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said Mohammed Buddham, Senior Director Tires and Battery Centers and
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Senior Merchant at Sam's Club. Bringing key me Locksmith's innovative
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key duplication technology into our tire and Battery centers allows
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us to deliver greater convenience, expand service offerings, and stronger
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value to our members, reinforcing our commitment to delivering everyday
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value and practical solutions. Beyond vehicle keys, key me Locksmith's
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kiosks also support a wide range of everyday residential and
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commercial keys, including home and office keys, mailboxes, and padlocks,
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as well as RFID access cards, making it easy for
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shoppers to create spare keys for family members, roommates, or
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new movers settling into a home. Through the partnership, Sam's
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Club will provide the service year round during normal tire
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and battery center hours, unlike other warehouse clubs that typically
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make key duplication available only through periodic pop up events.
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The rollout within Sam's Club Tire and Battery Centers began
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in twenty twenty five and will continue through the end
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of twenty twenty six. Key Me Locksmiths is the leading
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provider of local locksmith services and key copy kiosks across
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fifty states in the District of Columbia and cuts over
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ten million keys annually with more than eight thousand self
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service kiosks and major retailers an e commerce platform delivering
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over ten thousand keys weekly in a nationwide locksmith network.
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Kimi Locksmiths provides solutions for residential, commercial, and vehicle needs.
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The next article from the Lane Report is titled One
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Louisville's Glide Trip is heading to Raleig Durham. One Louisville
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announced the destination of its twenty twenty six Greater Louisville
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Idea Development Expedition GLIDE will be Raleigh Durham, North Carolina.
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This twenty sixth annual Glide Trip will take attendees to
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study Raleigh Durham's success in population growth, educational attainment, and
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sports entertainment in the research triangle. Built on the foundation
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of the nationally known Trio Duke University, the University of
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North Carolina at Chapel Hill in North Carolina State University
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started in the nineteen eighties. Glide is an annual leadership
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trip that takes top business community and elected leaders to
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another city to glean new ideas and best practices. GLIDE
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Raleigh Durham will focus on how the Raleigh metro area
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has achieved nearly four times the national population and growth
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rate over the last five years and created one of
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the most competitive talent pools in the southeastern United States.
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This will be the first GLIDE trip to Raleig Durham,
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but the third time Louisville business leaders have visited North Carolina.
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Glide previously visited Charlotte, North Carolina in nineteen ninety one
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and twenty fourteen. Glide is more than a city tour.
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It's a working trip that brings top leaders together to
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explore and solve our region's most pressing opportunities and issues,
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said Matt Thornton, chair of the One Louisville Board of
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Directors and principle of Thornton Capital. I am looking forward
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to learning more about Raleig Durham's recent economic success and
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working with my peers to replicate those strategies when we
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return home. Recent GLIDE trips have focused on a range
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of topics surrounding economic development and explored different parts of
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the United States. Most recent destinations include Milwaukee, San Antonio, Boston, Jacksonville, Indianapolis,
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San Francisco, and Nashville. Louisville is on a hot streak
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of economic winds, but we are still looking for ways
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to accelerate our population growth, leverage our R one University
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research and development capabilities, and build on our rising sports culture.
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That's why Raleig Durham is the perfect fit for this
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year's glide trip and will help drum up innovative solutions
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to capitalize on the momentum we've had in recent years,
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said Trevor Paul CEO of One Louisville. Glide. Raleig Durham
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will be hosted October twenty first through the twenty third
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and feature new programming and exclusive experiences. One Louisville is
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the regional Chamber of Commerce and official economic development organization
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driving business attraction, expansion, and innovation across the Louisville region.
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Formed in twenty twenty six by combining Greater Louisville incorporated
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in the Louisville Economic Development Alliance. One Louisville is a
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five oh one C six nonprofit that offers a full
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suite of economic development, talent attraction, advocacy, and traditional chamber services.
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One Louisville's mission is to make the Louisville region the
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best place in America to build a business, a career,
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and a fulfilling life. The next article from the Lane
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report is titled Kentucky Hospitals generate thirty four billion dollars
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in annual economic activity thousands of jobs across the state.
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Kentucky's hospitals are not only essential pillars of high quality care,
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but they are also among the Commonwealth's most powerful economic engines,
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generating thirty four billion dollars in economic activity each year.
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According to a new report from the Kentucky Hospital Association,
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hospitals across Kentucky directly employe ninety five thousand people and
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invest approximately eight billion dollars annually in wages and benefits,
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supporting families and strengthening communities in every corner of the Commonwealth.
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In addition, hospitals invest more than two billion dollars each
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year on capital projects, fueling additional industries and supporting local businesses.
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Kentucky hospitals are known for delivering high quality healthcare, but
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They are also among the largest employers and crucial economic
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engines in the communities they serve, said Melanie Landrum, interim
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CEO of the Kentucky Hospital Association KHA. Their impact ex
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sends well beyond patient care, repporting jobs, strengthening local businesses,
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and contributing to the overall economic health of the commonwealth.
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The report also highlights the broader ripple effect of hospital
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spending through operations and employee spending. Kentucky hospitals support an
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additional seventy seven thousand jobs and generate one billion dollars
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in state and local taxes, helping fund critical public services.
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In addition to their economic contributions, hospitals play a vital
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role in Kentucky's healthcare safety net, providing four hundred and
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sixteen million dollars in uncompensated care, charity care, and financial
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assistance each year. This ensures that patients across the Commonwealth
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have access to essential medical services, regardless of their ability
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to pay. The report's findings are based on the economic
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Modeling application system created by Implan of Huntersville, North Carolina,
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a provider of economic impact data and analytical software. The
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analysis for KAJA measures house spending and employment in one
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sector affect others across the economy. The analysis captures how
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hospital expenditures, ranging from payroll and medical equipment to construction
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and supply chains, circulate throughout Kentucky. It also accounts for
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how hospital employees spend their wages in their local communities.
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This multiplier effect means that every dollar spent by a
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hospital helps sustain jobs, businesses, and economic impact beyond the
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hospital walls. The Kentucky Hospital Association KAJA, established in nineteen
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twenty nine, represents one hundred twenty nine hospitals, related healthcare organizations,
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and integrated healthcare systems dedicated to sustaining and improving the
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health of Kentuckians. KHA members combined to employ over ninety
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five thousand people, a workforce larger than any single employer
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in the Commonwealth. Hospitals in Kentucky are among the largest
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employers in their communities, where they provide comprehensive quality care
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twenty four hours a day, every day of the year.
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The next article from the Lane report is titled Australia's
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new Mogami class frigate getting Sea RAM Defense System RTX
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raytheon makes in Louisville. Raytheon, an RTX business, has been
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awarded a contract by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to provide Sea
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RAM ship self defense systems in support of Australia's C
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three thousand general purpose freegate program. The C three thousand
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program is set to replace the decommissioning Anzac class freegates
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with eleven upgraded Mogami class frigates. Under the contract, Raytheon
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will supply Sea RAM launchers, blast test vehicles and technical
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services to support installation and testing of the systems for
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the first three ships, which are being built in Japan
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by MHI. SEARAM extends the defense reach of a ship
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beyond traditional close in weapon system ranges, said Barbara Bogravani,
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president of Naval Power at Raytheon. By integrating SEARAM on
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the Royal Australian Navy's new surface combatants, Australia gains a proven,
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highly effective terminal air and missile defense layer for its
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future fleet. SEARAM combines the Phalanx close in weapon system
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CIWS with the rolling Airframe Missile RAM to provide autonomous
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terminal defense against cruise, missiles and other advanced airborne threats.
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The selection of SEARAM underscores long term demand for these
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systems and positions Australia as a new member of the
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global RAM user community. Work on this contract will take
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place in Louisville, Kentucky. Deliveries are expected to begin in
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late twenty twenty eight. Raytheon, an rt D business, is
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a leading provider of defense solutions to help the US government,
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our allies and partners defend their national sovereignty and ensure
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their security. For more than one hundred years, Raytheon has
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developed new technologies and enhanced existing capabilities in integrated air
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and missile defense, smart weapons, missiles, advanced sensors and radars, interceptors,
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space based systems, hypersonics, and missile defense across land, air, sea,
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and space. With more than one hundred eighty thousand global employees,
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we push the limits of technology and science to redefine
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how we connect and protect our world. With industry leading capabilities,
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we advanced aviation, engineer integrated defense systems for operational success,
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and develop next generation technology solutions and manufacturing to help
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global customers address their most critical challenges. The company, with
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twenty twenty five sales of more than eighty eight billion dollars,
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is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. Our next article comes from
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the May fifth, twenty twenty sixth edition of Business Lexington
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and is titled Data Center Demand Surges, written by Lias Carey.
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As the push to build data centers accelerates, Central Kentucky,
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companies and utilities are working to adapt. Recently, Gray Construction
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and Valvelene Global announced a partnership to develop methods for
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managing the excessive heat generated by computer systems and related
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components through liquid cooling. By combining Gray's experience in integrated design,
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build and facility delivery with Valveleen's expertise in coolants and
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thermal management fluids, the companies aim to help owners plan
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for the increasingly complex cooling demands of data centers. Larger
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hyper scale data centers handling advanced functions such as cloud computing,
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CRIP sftocurrency mining, and AI content generation can house between
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two thousand and five thousand servers row after row of
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high performance machines that generate significant heat and must be
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kept within strict operating thresholds to avoid overheating. In many cases,
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that demand exceeds what traditional air cooling systems can efficiently support.
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Pushing operators toward liquid based cooling solutions because chip thermal
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design power has increased so significantly, you have to use
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liquid cooling. George Sang, vice president of research and Design
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at Valveling Global, said, you need a way to remove
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heat to protect chip integrity and prevent thermal throttling, and
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the right fluid strategy is central to making that work
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reliably long term. Integray and Valvelin, which together are making
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the case for incorporating liquid cooling from the outset rather
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than retrofitting later. In their white paper Building and Designing
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data centers for the shift to liquid cooling, the companies
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emphasize the need to plan now for a hybrid future
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in which air cooled and liquid cooled systems operate side
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by side. Aligning design, procurement, and fluid strategy early, they argue,
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can reduce long term risk. The shift to liquid cooling
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isn't a future consideration, It's happening now. The owners who
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move with intention and urgency will be the ones with
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the most options tomorrow. Ben Bergett, vice president of Data
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Centers for Gray, said, our focus is on making sure
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our customers don't have to choose between speed and flexibility.
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We bring the delivery capability to move fast, and the
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integrated expertise to make sure the decisions made early hold
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up over the life of the facility. That technological shift
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is unfolding against a backdrop of rapid growth in data
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center development across Kentucky, where demand for processing power and
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the energy required to sustain it is rising just as quickly.
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The state is seeing a surge in proposed projects, particularly
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near Louisville and in northern Kentucky, driven by cloud computing
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and artificial intelligence. The expansion has raised concerns among consumers
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about potential increases in energy costs and water usage. Kentucky
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currently has thirty six data centers, including three in Lexington
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and twenty two in Louisville, according to Datacenters dot Com.
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As of April, at least three additional projects are planned statewide,
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with total capacity exceeding eight hundred and eighty megawatts. Some
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of those developments are expected to strain the power grid,
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with Louisville Gas and Electric projecting a twenty to thirty
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percent increase in demand. That growth could have downstream effects
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on utility bills, according to the Kentucky League of Cities,
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Recent studies suggest data centers can drive higher electricity costs.
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A May twenty twenty five report from the Institute for
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Energy Economics and Financial Analysis found that utility bills in
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Ohio would increase by an average of sixteen dollars per
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month due to capacity demands from data centers. Dan Mozier,
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president and CEO of the Eastern Kentucky Power Cooperative, said
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data centers are becoming as essential to communities as hospitals
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and manufacturers because of their role in digital computing. Data
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centers are as vital to our nation's economy as factories, stores,
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and office buildings, he said in a statement. They will
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create new jobs, provide new investment in Kentucky's communities, and
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generate tax revenue to support schools, roads, and other basic services.
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They will provide opportunities for Kentucky communities, many of which
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need a boost. Mozier said data centers could strengthen electric
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cooperatives financial positions, potentially easing pressure to raise rates. A
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recent study from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, he said, found
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that large energy users, such as data centers, can help
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lower electricity prices for residents and businesses. Electric cooperatives are
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prepared not only to supply power to data centers, he said,
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but also to ensure those costs are not passed on
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to the customers. Any new data centers cited in territories
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served by ekpc's owner member cooperatives will pay their own way.
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They will not pass along their cost to or raise
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the rates paid by our owner members, he said. EKPC
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has established rules that require data centers to pay for
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any new needed power plans and transmission infrastructure. These additional
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facilities will help build a stronger electric grid. Efforts to
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formalize these protections in state law, however, fell short this year.
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Legislation aimed at shielding Kentucky ratepayers from data center driven
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cost increases was expected to pass the General Assembly in April,
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but failed in the final days of the session. A
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bill sponsored by State Representative Josh Bray, Republican from Mount Vernon,
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would have established guard rails requiring large data centers to
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cover infrastructure costs tied to their energy needs. The House
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passed the bill in February on a ninety to eight vote,
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but installed in the Senate. The bill's provisions were added
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as an amendment to Senate Bill one nine seven. The
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measure was later sent back to the House Budget Committee
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without the Data Center language. On the last day of
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the session, SB one nine seven cleared the House without
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those provisions and returned to the Senate, where it passed
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and was sent to Governor Andy Bashier for his signature.
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The next article comes from the May eighth, twenty twenty
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sixth edition of Louisville Business First and is titled Church
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turned Airbnb in newlu Hits Market. The Holy Goat, which
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features five short term rentals on Clay Street, is listed
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for two point one million dollars. Written by Olivia Estreit,
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a church turned rental property in New lou is up
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for sale. The Holy Goat, located at two eighteen and
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two twenty South Clay Streets, is listed for two point
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one million dollars. The property is listed by Brandon Jones,
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a real estate agent with Lenham Sotheby's International Realty. The
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property operates as five short term rental units on Airbnb,
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with each unit focused on a different theme, Jones told
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Louisville Business First. On the ground floor, the Ali Suite,
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an homage to Muhammad Ali, sleeps for and includes a
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king sized bed, kitchenette, and two lounge sofas. The Braiden Suite,
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which honors activists in Louisville, Native and Brayden, sleeps three
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and includes a five full kitchen, queen bed and a
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sleeper sofa. The second floor includes Fellowship Paul which sleeps six,
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and Parsonage meant for two. The newest addition to the
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space is the Revival, which can sleep two to four.
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The name The Holy Goat came from the properties sitting
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on the corner of South Clay Street in Nanny Goat Strut.
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Jones said, it's in the heart of Nulu and it
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is the very best of what an airbnb is supposed
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to be, Jones said. Jefferson County property records show The
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Holy Goat LLC purchased the nearly six thousand square foot
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space in twenty sixteen for five hundred thousand dollars. The
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LLC's registered agent is listed as Creighton Mershon. The property
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was constructed in the eighteen forties as a church. Jones
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said the current owners completed the full renovation. Jones declined
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to share the reason for selling. It's been a passion
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project for them. Jones said, all the way down to
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the decor, the glasses, the artwork. Every detail of it
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was thought out, from the finishes to the silverware. Jones
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said two additional units set unused, representing an opportunity for
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the next owner. It is truly turn key, Joanes said,
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there's not a single thing that the new owner is
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going to have to do. They can take it over immediately,
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start renting it immediately. The next article from Louisville Business
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First is titled Army veteran applies Military Leadership. Mike Lamier,
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who spent twenty six years in the US Army, is
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using lessons from his military career to build Wolfees, written
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by Michael Jones. Being a military officer is certainly not
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a prerequisite for owning an animal grooming business, but Mike
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Lamier says his years in uniform helped him stay organized
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and build a strong team at Wolfe's of East Louisville.
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The Michigan native spent twenty six years in the US Army,
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retiring as a Sergeant major. He later served eight years
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as an instructor in strategic leadership at the U. S
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Army Sergeant's Major Academy, followed by three years in federal
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civilian service at Goodfellow Air Force Base, in Texas as
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chief of faculty and staff Development. Today, Lamyer applies the
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leadership principles he learned over decades of service to a
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very different kind of mission, building a pet care business
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rooted in teamwork and accountability. Anyone who served has developed
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a lot of these skills necessary to lead a small business,
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provided they have the acumen and the desire to do it.
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Lamyer said, a lot of the leadership traits, lessons learned
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and experienced leading teams have been invaluable. Woofy's of East
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Louisville offers a range of pet services, including pet sitting,
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dog walking, grooming through two mobile spas, and other personalized
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care for family pets. Lamyer and his wife, Heather, employee
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four groomers and work with several independent contractors who provide
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pet sitting services. The transition from commanding troops to managing
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groomers in Kentucky was not when Leamyer had envisioned. He
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was at a crossroads in twenty twenty after losing his
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first wife to cancer. During a visit to Lexington, Kentucky
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to see his brother, he met Heather. The relationship eventually
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led him to move from Central Texas to Louisville, where
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the couple married three years ago. Despite the relocation, Lamyer
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said he was unsure of his next career step. After
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spending most of his adult life in the military, working
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for someone else no longer appealed to him. Lamyer hired
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an entrepreneurial coach to help identify business opportunities that fit
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his background and personality. The process included an in depth
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assessment of his skills, education, interests, and leadership style. After
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about three months, she presented me with six franchise opportunities.
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Lamyer said Wolfees quickly jumped out as the number one option.
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Wolfe's was founded in two thousand and four in Ashbourne, Virginia,
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by neighbors Amy Addington and Leslie Barron, who left corporate
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careers to meet the demand for higher quality pet care services.
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The business began with dog walking, expanded into pet sitting,
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and later added mobile grooming with the launch of its
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first mobile pet spa van. The company began franchising in
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twenty eighteen through Wolfe's Pet Ventures LLC, and joined Authority
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Brands in twenty twenty two. Lamyer said he and Heather
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initially invested about eighty thousand dollars to get onboarded with Wolfe's.
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According to the company's website, total startup costs ranged from
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one hundred eighty thousand, four hundred twenty three dollars to
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two hundred ninety four thousand, six hundred and fifty one dollars.
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I think it was like a fifteen percent military discount
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on the franchise fee, which was pretty significant. Lamyer said.
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Territories are broken down by population, and we wanted East
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Louisville because of the population. It ended up being two territories.
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Wolfe's of East Louisville launched two years ago with one
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van and one groomer. The business now operates two vans.
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After joining his employees on several grooming visits, Lamyer said
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he gained an appreciation for the physical demands of the job.
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As a result, he prioritizes flexible scheduling and professional development.
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You learn what to do and what not to do
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through good and bad examples of leadership throughout your life.
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He said. I wanted to create an environment where people
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were excited to come to work every day. If you
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take good care of your people, they'll take good care
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of your customers. In late March, Lamyer was featured on
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Lifetime's home improvement show Military Makeover with Montel, in which
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Wolfe's provided services for the dog of army veteran Matthew Dawson.
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This concludes the reading of the most recent business news
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in Lexington, Louisville, and around the state. Your reader today
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has been Julia Shane. If you have any questions or
28:10
comments about this program, please give our Lexington Studios a
28:13
call at eight five nine four two two six three
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nine zero. Thanks for listening, and now please stay tuned
28:20
for readings from the Kentucky series here on Radio I