Latest / Kentucky Business News / 10.30.25

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10.30.25 · 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. Our first article comes from the
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October twenty eighth, twenty twenty five edition of The Lane
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Report and as titled fifty million dollar Gift will bring
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renaming of UK Children's Hospital for New York. Philanthropist, entrepreneur
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and philanthropist Tom Golisano announced Tuesday that the University of
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Kentucky and UK Healthcare will receive a historic fifty million
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dollar gift that will transform pediatric healthcare in Kentucky. Galisano
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of Rochester, New York, is the founder of Paycheck, the
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nation's largest human resource company for small to medium sized businesses,
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and the Glisano Foundation, one of the nation's largest foundations
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dedicated to supporting programs for people with intellectual disabilities. Tuesday's
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announcement from Galisano of funding to six new children's health systems,
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including UK's, brings his total of lifetime giving to more
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than one billion dollars. The gift, the largest in UK
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healthcare history and the second largest to UK, will support
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the university's mission to improve the health of our states
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children through access to advanced care, enhancing research to address
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the biggest challenges, and expanding educational opportunities to provide essential
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health care professionals in the state and beyond. We are
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honored and incredibly grateful to mister Gallisano for the generous
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gift he has made to the University of Kentucky and
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to our efforts to meet the needs of Kentucky children,
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said UK President Eli Cappeludo. Mister Golisano's life has been
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about grit and great and that's exactly what we see
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every day here in Kentucky. His generosity is a testament
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to his faith in what we provide to Kentucky and
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its children. A promise to extend compassionate care to more
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patients closer to home will translate his gift into acts
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of goodness to ensure a healthier, wealthier and wiser Kentucky.
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I am proud to make this gift to the University
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of Kentucky to support the health and well being of
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children in the Commonwealth. Glisano said, as part of the
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Gallisano Children's Alliance, UK Healthcare becomes part of a nationally
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recognized network of children's hospitals that exemplifies excellence, dignity, and
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innovation in pediatric health care. With this gift, I hope
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to further UK's mission of advancing healthcare in the state
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and providing high quality health care to children and families
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closer to home. To honor this transformative gift, the Executive
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Committee of the UK Board of Trustees will meet laters
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to approve the renaming of the Kentucky Children's Hospital along
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with its specialty clinics and affiliate network in honor of Galisano.
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Kentucky Children's Hospital will become Gallisano Children's at UK. The
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Richmond Road site will become Gallisano Children's at UK Richmond Road.
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The affiliate network will become Gallisano Children's at UK Affiliate Network.
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Funds from Gallisano's gift will not only go to improving
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the hospital itself, but will be used to grow and
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cultivate the affiliate network and other programs out in the state.
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The impact this gift will have for our hospital and
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the others receiving donations cannot be overstated. At Kentucky Children's Hospital,
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we treat young people from all across the state, said
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Scott E. B Da, MD, physician in Chief for Kentucky
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Children's Hospital. Knowing the life changing resources this will bring
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to these children and their families in their life the
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greatest time of need is truly inspiring. We look forward
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to being part of the Galasano Children's Alliance that will
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strengthen children's healthcare for years to come. A hospital within
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a hospital, the initially named UK Children's Hospital, launched in
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nineteen ninety seven. In two thousand and five, it was
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renamed Kentucky Children's Hospital, a change that reflects service to
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all of Kentucky's kids, not just those in the Lexington area. Today,
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it comprises more than two hundred ten beds across six units,
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and includes several specialty units and programs for pediatrics like
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the McKenna David Pediatric Emergency Department, the Dance Blue Kentucky
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Children's Hospital, Hematology Oncology Clinic, the Cosair for Kids Center
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for Safe and Healthy Children and Families, the Joint Pediatric
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Heart Care Program, a one program two sites collaboration with
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Cincinnati Children's Hospital that is one of the top ranked
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pediatric art programs in the country, and a partnership with
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Shriner's Children's Lexington On, an outpatient surgical and rehabilitation center
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that is among the top pediatric orthopedic programs in the
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country by US News and World Report. In more recent years,
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Kentucky Children's Hospital has taken major steps to expand access
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to its specialty services across the state. In twenty twenty three,
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UK Healthcare opened a new facility, Kentucky Children's Richmond Road,
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which is home to four specialty clinics, the Complex Care Clinic,
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Developmental Pediatrics Clinic, nick U Graduation Clinic, and the Physical
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Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinic. Earlier this year, the Kentucky Children's
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Hospital Affiliate Network was launched, connecting community hospitals across the
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state to expert pediatric care and resources. About Tom Gallisano.
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Tom Glisano, entrepreneur, philanthropists, and civic leader, is the founder
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of Paycheck Incorporated, the nation's largest human resource company for
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small to medium sized businesses. Galisano's vision, perseverance, and action
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have left an indelible mark on a broad spectrum of
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issues that touch our lives in business, healthcare, education, animal welfare,
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voter policies, politics, and tax reform. His investments are advancing
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entrepreneurship and driving this success of numerous businesses and startups.
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His philanthropic contributions to education hospitals, including multiple children's hospitals
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across the country that bear his name in numerous other organizations,
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exceeds one billion dollars. A fierce advocate for dignity and inclusion,
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in nineteen eighty five, Galisano applied his pioneering spirit to
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establish the Galasano Foundation to make the world a better
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place for people with intellectual and developmental disability. With more
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than one hundred twenty million dollars in gross assets, it
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is one of the largest private foundations in the United
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States devoted to supporting programs for people with intellectual and
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developmental disabilities, awarding grants to nonprofit organizations in western New
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York and southwest Florida. Mister Galisano formed and financially supports
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the Galasano Institute for Business and Entrepreneurship, where students receive
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a high quality business certificate and write their own entrepreneurial
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success stories without having to take on enormous debt. He
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is the author of two books, Built Not Born, a
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Wall Street Journal bestseller, and The Italian Kid Did It.
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The next article from the Lame Report is titled Long
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John Silvers Unveils another new catch. Long John Silvers, the
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Louisville based quick service restaurant known for its hand battered
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fish and golden shrimp, is expanding its chicken lineup with
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the launch of new crispy chicken raps, available for limited
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time at participating locations nationwide. The new raps feature the
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brand's signature hand battered chicken planks, fresh coal slaw crumbles,
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and a choice of Baja or sweet chili sauce, all
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wrapped in a warm tortilla. As one of the newest
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members of the crew, I have been blown away by
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the depth and deliciousness of the menu at LJS, said
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Laura Ellis, chief marketing officer at Long John Silvers. Our
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new chicken raps take what guests already love our crispy,
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juicy chicken planks and make them even better with bold
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new flavors. It's a fresh, flavorful way to show just
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how versatile and craveable our chicken really is. The new
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menu item follows the company's recent logo refresh, which highlights
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its growing focus on chicken alongside its signature seafood offerings.
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Long John Silvers is also rounding out its limited time
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winter with the return of two fan favorites, Mac and
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Cheese with Crumblies and Red Velvet Cheesecake from the Cheesecake
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Factory Bakery. The Mac and Cheese side dish features noodles
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tossed in a creamy white sauce and topped with crumblies
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for added crunch. The Red Velvet Cheesecake features layers of
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red velvet cake, classic cheesecake, cream, cheese, icing, and whipped cream.
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Customers can find the limited time menu items that participating
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Long John Silver's restaurants nationwide. Online and mobile ordering are
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available through ljsilvers dot com and the Long John Silver's
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Mobile app, available in the App Store and on Google Play.
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Found Out in nineteen sixty nine, Long John Silvers operates
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restaurants across the United States and continues to expand its
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menu to include new flavors and products innovations. The next
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article from the Lane Report is titled Saint Joseph's Health
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debuts new high tech surgical robot. Saint jose Hospital in
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Saint Joseph East are the first hospitals in Lexington to
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offer the latest advancement in surgical technology. The hospitals received
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the new Da Vinci five surgical robots this month. The
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state of the art system represents a significant leap forward
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in minimally invasive surgery. As Common Spirit continues to make
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investments in Kentucky, we are thrilled to be the first
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in Lexington to offer this latest technology in minimally invasive surgery,
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said Matt Grimshaw, MBA, President of Saint Joe's Health Common
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Spirit Kentucky. While our surgeons have been using robotic assisted
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surgery for some time, the advance capabilities offered by the
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DV five is a game changer for our surgeons and
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our patients. The Da Vinci five DV five is designed
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to enhance surgeon precision with the goal of improving patient outcomes.
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More than one hundred and fifty new enhancements have been
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developed to support surgeon all the time autonomy and care
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team efficiency intuitive The maker of Da Vinci surgical robots
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calls the DV five the most advanced and integrated platform
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we've ever created. Designed to enable better outcomes, efficiency, and
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insights for the future of minimally invasive care. This system
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enables surgeons to feel more and seemore during procedures. With
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a next generation three D display. In image processing, the
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da Vinci five provides new surgeon controllers, making their movements
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smoother and more precise. In addition, the new system has
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innovative features that help streamline surgeon and care team workflow.
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With an optimized user interface, the dv five will elevate
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the entire or, said David swedlerd, Director of bariatric Surgery
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at Saint Joe's East. The newest text updates, which are
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upgrading an already excellent robotic machine in the previous version,
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give the surgeon even more feedback at the console. Better visualization,
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haptic feedback, and several new software updates ensure we are
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delivering the best possible surgery for our patients in twenty
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twenty five. Rebecca Douglas DOO, a general surgeon at Saint
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Joe's Hospital, agrees the DaVinci five robotics system represents a
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major leap forward in minimally invasive surgery. Having performed robotic
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procedures for over nine years using the da Vinci SI,
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X and XI systems, I can say the DV five
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offers truly transformative advancements for both surgeons and patients. She said.
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The system is designed to enhance a surgeon's sensus, combining touch,
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vision and data to enable even greater precision and control
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in the operating room. I'm proud to work at an
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institution that invests in leading edge technology like the da
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Vinci five to help us provide the best possible care
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for our patients. The next article from the Lane report
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is titled Central Kentucky YMCA board approved selling entirety of
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its High Street property to student housing developer why will
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seek new downtown location. Yesterday, the YMCA of Central Kentucky
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Board of Directors voted to move forward with the sale
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of its High Street property in its entirety to Florida
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based developer Trammelweb Partners Incorporated. The decision follows a September
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twenty fourth vote authorizing YMCA leadership to sign a contract
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with the developer and evaluate two options. One stay on
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the property and partner with Trammelweb Partners Incorporated to rebuild
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a new YMCA alongside student housing, or two sell the
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property outright and pursue a new downtown location. With this
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week's action, the board selected the second op option, confirming
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the sale of the High Street property in full and
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initiating the process to identify future opportunities for the wise
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downtown presence and long term growth. The board's decision was
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made with one objective in mind, to secure the wise
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ability to serve this community well into the future, said
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Steve Byers, board Chair of the YMCA of Central Kentucky.
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We're deeply proud of the High Street YMCA's history, and
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now we have a chance to build upon that legacy
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in ways that reflect how our community continues to grow
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and change. The High Street YMCA is expected to remain
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open through at least March of twenty twenty six, as
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the y prepares for what's next. The YMCA is one
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continuing to operate current programs and services at High Street
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while developing a transition plan to ensure continuity for High
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Street members after the building closes. Two establishing an ad
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hoc committee of the Board of Directors to evaluate future
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opportunities for a new downtown facility. In three, retaining al Isaac,
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President and founder of NAI ISAAC Commercial Properties to serve
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in a consulting role and provide guidance throughout the process.
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The heart of the why has always been the people,
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said Paula Anderson, President and CEO of the YMCA of
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Central Kentucky. As we take these next steps, we do
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so with gratitude, care, and confidence that the Wise Impact
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will continue to grow in new and meaningful ways for
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generations to come. Chip Webb, president of Trammelweb Partners Incorporated, added,
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we have a deep respect for the YMCA's history and
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its positive impact on communities. As our development plans move forward.
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We support the Wise decision and look forward to continuing
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to collaborate as they explore future opportunities to their presence
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in Lexington. The YMCA will keep members and the community
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informed as plans develop and provide opportunities for engagement along
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the way. Our next article comes from the October twenty
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seventh edition of Business Lexington and is titled Greater lex
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Greater Impact, written by Tom Wilms. For decades, Central Kentucky's
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leaders have recognized that individual municipalities can't fully represent a
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region's multifaceted appeal, its diverse workforce, or its economic potential.
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That thinking started with Toyota landing in Georgetown in nineteen
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eighty five. They were the impetus to say, listen, as
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a large employer, we don't see county lines, and we're
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going to need to pull workforce from a larger region
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than just Scott County, said Andy Johnson, chief policy officer
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at Commerce Lexington. Likewise, if a company comes to Faye County,
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the entire region benefits. So in order to compete with
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those much larger million person metros, we need to market
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ourselves as a region. Local economic development professionals and business
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leaders have long collaborated informally to attract companies to central Kentucky,
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but in the past five years the effort has become
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more intentional and strategic. In that time, public and private
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sector leaders from across the nine county Greater Lexington Region Bourbon, Clark, Fayette, Franklin, Jessmine, Madison, Montgomery, Scott,
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and Woodford Counties have worked together on a regional competitiveness strategy,
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pooling resources to strengthen workforce and economic development, as well
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as policy alignment. Beginning in twenty twenty one and over
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the course of a year, a roughly forty five member
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committee of business, government, education, and community leaders studied the
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current economic landscape compared to competitor cities in the national average,
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reviewed the region's strengths and challenges, and crafted a strategy
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to elevate economic development. The group recognized several clear regional advantages,
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including access to healthcare, a central and accessible location, relative
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public safety, the quality of schools and higher education institutions,
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a comparatively low cost of living, and an overall high
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quality of life. They also identified pressing challenges, including a
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shortage of shovel ready land for business development, a lack
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of affordable housing, insufficient skilled labor, high construction and development costs,
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and the reality that the region remains less well known
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to outside audiences. We did a lot of data crunching,
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looked at how we compared to other metros, and what
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we found is that on a quality of place standpoint,
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we were right behind Nashville, Johnson said, but when it
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came to some of the economic indexes like job growth GDP,
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workforce attraction, particularly with young professionals, we were below the
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national average. The group also studied pure regions such as Austin,
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Texas and Raleigh, North Carolina, where businesses and community leaders
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were focused on regional efforts to support economic development and
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talent attraction and where commerce Lexington has coordinated benchmarking visits.
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The group also looked at comparable cities often considered by
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site selection consultants and skilled workers looking to relocate, including Indianapolis, Chicago, Cincinnati, Nashville,
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and Knoxville, as well as competitor regions within Kentucky, particularly
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Louisville in Northern Kentucky. A common theme we noticed in
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communities having momentum for job or talent attraction was an
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intentional strategy around regionalism. Johnson said their success came from
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a intentional collaboration between business and government leaders on infrastructure, transportation,
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workforce and housing. Working with a consultant, the committee crafted
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measurable goals and identified seven action items that would be
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mutually beneficial to all communities. Key deliverables included the creation
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of the Greater Le's regional brand in increased investments in
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place based marketing to external audiences, educating business and government
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leaders about regional priorities, developing a new talent attraction and
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retention website and digital marketing campaign, Strengthening connections between employers
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and students, elevating regional economic development marketing, increasing engagement with
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national site selectors and key industry targets for job attraction,
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advocating for federal and state infrastructure investments, improving tax and
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regulatory policies, and addressing housing affordability. In twenty twenty three,
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more than one million dollars was raised from the private
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sector to support the initiative, along with over six hundred
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thousand dollars secured from local governments. Using a one dollar
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per person ratio based on local populations, we have almost
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full participation from local governments in the nine county region
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following that model, Johnson said, overall, the funding reflects a
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two to one ratio of business to government contributions in
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support of the plant's action items. The first visible outcome
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came later that year with the creation of a regional brand,
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identity Greater Lex, Kentucky's Bluegrass Region. This brand serves as
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an umbrella for our initiatives unifying digital talent attraction efforts
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with economic development marketing. Johnson said. Two new websites further
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the effort. Look at lex dot com, which targets prospective
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talent through data, dript and content, and a digital marketing
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campaign aimed at alumni and frequent visitors and LOCATEINLECS dot com,
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which highlights regional assets for site selectors and business decision makers.
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In just six months, campaign impressions increased from seven million
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to seventeen million. A Talent Attraction digital ad campaign launched
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in October of twenty twenty four has reached more than
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four million unique impressions. Marketing focuses on warm audiences of
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alumni of the region's ten colleges and universities and perspective
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or recent tourists to the region. Content blends live, work
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and play messaging in collaboration with visit lex and regional
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tourism and economic development partners to showcase each community's distinct appeal. Additionally,
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the new Economic Development digital marketing campaign provides key industry
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leaders and national site selectors with information about the region.
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We're giving everyone a common set of talking points, Johnson said.
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We want leaders across the nine counties to be able
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to share those advantages. Progress is tracked annually and presented
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at a regional summit this year on November twelfth, where
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leaders benchmark job growth, wage increases, GDP digital engagement requests
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for information and site visits. Earlier this year, the Regional
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Competitiveness Plan earned gold in the Regional or Cross Border
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Partnership category at the twenty twenty five IEDC Excellence and
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Economic Development Awards, while the Look at Le's Talent website
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received a silver recognition. Local governments in the region are
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also collaborating on development projects. A notable example is the
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Menlais Industrial Park, the first public, multi county economic development
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initiative of its kind in Central Kentucky. The cities of
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Lexington and Beorea, along with Madison and Scott Counties, are
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jointly developing a three hundred acre industrial park managed by
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a newly created Regional Business Development Authority. The site is
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expected to generate seven hundred to one thousand jobs when complete,
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with tax revenues shared among participating governments. Regional economic development
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is a winner for everyone, said Lexington Mayor Linda Gordon
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in a statement about the project. When Central Kentucky's economy
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is strengthened, we all benefit. This project will provide good
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jobs and tax revenue that will allow governments to make improvements.
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For Johnson, the lessons are clear. Every community has something
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to offer, and the plan's collaborative structure allows us to
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showcase each asset, whether it's workforce, infrastructure or cultural appeal.
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She said. A regional approach ensures that every county can benefit.
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The next article comes from in the October twenty ninth,
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twenty twenty five edition of Louisville Business First and is
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titled thirty seven point five million dollars Mixed used development
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breaks ground in Portland, bringing one hundred thirty eight apartments
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to historic site, Written by Joel Stennett. A new multimillion
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dollar project is coming to Portland. Louisville based Antiseedent Development
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has begun construction on a thirty seven and a half
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million dollar mixed use development at one four one six
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and one four two six Little Street. According to a
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news release, Anteceedent Development is partnering with Portland Investment Initiative
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managing partner Gil Holland and local developer Greg Rochman on
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the project. Developers are renovating one hundred sixty four thousand,
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six hundred twenty square feet of the historic Liminal buildings
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into one hundred thirty eight apartments consisting of twenty five
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studio units eighty two to one bust room twenty seven
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two bedroom and four three bedroom units. The complex will
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also feature premium amenities including a fitness center, clubhouse, community room,
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and outdoor kitchen area, and nearly twenty thousand square feet
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of commercial space. According to the release, The development as
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also just steps away from the fifty million dollar Waterfront
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Park expansion. Antecedent Development is a mission driven commercial real
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estate firm focused on projects with the potential to create
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economic development and revitalized communities in mid sized cities in
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the South, Midwest and Rocky Mountain regions. According to the release,
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the Liminal project is expected to be completed in twenty
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twenty seven. Renovating the historic Liminal building is about more
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than bringing new residencies to the downtown area. It's about
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honoring the East Portland Warehouse District's industrial heritage while helping
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to address the city's housing ship, said Cappy Farrington, partner
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at Antiicident Development, in the release. This project represents a
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long term commitment to supporting the East Portland Warehouse District's
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revitalization and ensuring that Downtown continues to grow as a vibrant,
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inclusive community. The development is another for the Portland neighborhood,
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joining the sixteen million dollar Painter's Row Project, fifteen twelve
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Creative Compound, and Delta Foundation's takeover of the former Portland
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Christian School, among others. Liminal located in the East Portland
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Warehouse District, is being financed with historic tax credits and
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low interest economic development loans, according to the release, and
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will offer rents affordable to households earning eighty percent of
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the area median income. Growing our residential offerings is key
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to a thriving downtown. Strong edged neighborhoods makes a strong downtown,
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said Rebecca Fleischecker, executive director of the Louisville Downtown Partnership.
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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 to
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day has been Julia Shane. If you have any questions
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or comments about this program, please give our Lexington Studios
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a call at eight five nine four two two six
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three nine zero. Thanks for listening, and now please stay
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tuned for readings from the Kentucky series here on Radio
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