Latest / Kentucky Business News / 10.15.26

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10.15.26 · Kentucky Business News

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  Speaker 1: Hello. Today I'll be reading from business sources in Lexington
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  Speaker 1: and Louisville, including the Lane Report and others from around
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  Speaker 1: the Commonwealth. Your reader today is Julia Shane. As a reminder,
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  Speaker 1: Radio Eye is a reading service intended for people who
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  Speaker 1: are blind or who have other disabilities that make it
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  Speaker 1: difficult to read printed material. Our first article comes from
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  Speaker 1: the October 12th, 2026 edition of the Lane Report. and
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  Speaker 1: is titled R.S. Godwin Plans $ 17 Million Floyd County Expansion,
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  Speaker 1: Creating 65 Jobs. R.S. Godwin Truck Body Company plans to
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  Speaker 1: invest an estimated $ 17 million to expand its manufacturing operations
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  Speaker 1: in Floyd County, creating 65 full-time jobs and increasing production
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  Speaker 1: capacity for the Eastern Kentucky trucking equipment manufacturer. The products
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  Speaker 1: will include additional land, buildings, and machinery to support future growth.
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  Speaker 1: New positions will involve welding, fabrication, CNC plasma cutting, CNC
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  Speaker 1: press brake operations, material handling, and other manufacturing skills. The
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  Speaker 1: company also is in the initial stages of acquiring more
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  Speaker 1: than seven adjacent acres to accommodate future expansion of its
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  Speaker 1: manufacturing capacity. Governor Andy Beshear announced the project on October 12,
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  Speaker 1: highlighting the fourth-generation family-owned manufacturer's continued investment in eastern Kentucky.
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  Speaker 1: The announcement follows the governor's announcement a week earlier of
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  Speaker 1: the largest investment on record in Owsley County. Our state
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  Speaker 1: was built on small, family-owned businesses choosing to reinvest and
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  Speaker 1: grow here, and I want to thank the leadership of R.S.
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  Speaker 1: Godwin Truck Body Company for their commitment to our Commonwealth
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  Speaker 1: and our people, Beshear said. I'm excited to see their
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  Speaker 1: continued success in the years to come. R.S. Godwin is
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  Speaker 1: part of the Godwin Group, one of the nation's largest
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  Speaker 1: family-owned trucking equipment manufacturers. The Floyd County Company traces its
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  Speaker 1: roots to 1968 when it began as a small job
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  Speaker 1: shop serving eastern Kentucky's coal industry. Its early market extended
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  Speaker 1: only a few hundred miles, with production primarily focused on
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  Speaker 1: equipment for highway trucks. The company also built equipment for
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  Speaker 1: off-highway use when local customers needed it. In 1977, the
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  Speaker 1: business diversified into other dump body markets, broadening its customer
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  Speaker 1: base beyond its original regional focus. North Carolina-based Godwin Group
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  Speaker 1: purchased R.S. Godwin in 2002, strengthening the company's position in
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  Speaker 1: the truck equipment market. As demand increased, R.S. Godwin discontinued
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  Speaker 1: trailer production to concentrate on dump bodies. More recently, the
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  Speaker 1: company expanded its facility to 165,000 square feet to accommodate
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  Speaker 1: a new powder coat paint and primer operation. The planned
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  Speaker 1: $ 17 million investment builds on those improvements, positioning the company
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  Speaker 1: to increase output while adding skilled manufacturing jobs in Floyd
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  Speaker 1: County and and the surrounding region. The Godwin Group is
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  Speaker 1: proud to be partnered with the state of Kentucky, Floyd County,
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  Speaker 1: and surrounding areas to help R.S. Godwin continue to grow,
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  Speaker 1: said Ryan Taylor, CEO of R.S. Godwin Truck Body Company.
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  Speaker 1: We are proud that this will also see those citizens
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  Speaker 1: of this area prosper as well. Floyd County Judge Executive
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  Speaker 1: Robbie Williams and said the project reflects the company's longstanding
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  Speaker 1: commitment to the county and the area's ability to support
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  Speaker 1: businesses of different sizes. Thanks to R.S. Godwin Truck Body
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  Speaker 1: Company for choosing to continue to invest in Floyd County,
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  Speaker 1: Williams said. Our county is a great place to grow
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  Speaker 1: a business, from mom-and-pop shops to manufacturing. Williams also credited
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  Speaker 1: the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development, One East Kentucky County,
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  Speaker 1: and Kentucky Power for their work supporting the expansion. Eric Ratcliffe,
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  Speaker 1: executive director of the Big Sandy Area Development District, said
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  Speaker 1: the investment will provide employment opportunities for residents throughout the area.
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  Speaker 1: The $ 17 million investment is creating 65 great paying jobs
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  Speaker 1: for the people of Floyd County and the surrounding area,
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  Speaker 1: Ratcliffe said. With the continued growth and success of RS Godwin,
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  Speaker 1: the future of Floyd County is looking great. The next
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  Speaker 1: article from the Lane Report is titled, Churchill Downs Adds
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  Speaker 1: Enfield Cabanas Finish Line Seating for 2027 Derby. Churchill Downs
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  Speaker 1: has opened ticket sales for the 153rd Kentucky Derby in
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  Speaker 1: Kentucky Oaks, introducing private Enfield Cabanas and a new reserve
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  Speaker 1: seating option near the finish line, while expanding several existing
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  Speaker 1: hospitality areas. Ticket sales began October 8th for the Kentucky
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  Speaker 1: Oaks on Friday, April 30th, 2027, and the Kentucky Derby
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  Speaker 1: on Saturday, May 1st, 2027. The new offerings give race
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  Speaker 1: goers additional choices for group outings, covered seating, and all-inclusive
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  Speaker 1: experiences during the track's signature weekend. Among the additions are
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  Speaker 1: infield turf cabanas, which feature covered tables designed with reserved
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  Speaker 1: seatings for groups of 12 along the turf course. The
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  Speaker 1: cabanas offer views of the first turn and the Kentucky
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  Speaker 1: Derby and the Kentucky Oaks walkovers, when horses make their
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  Speaker 1: way toward the track before each race. The cabana area
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  Speaker 1: will include executive restroom trailers, concessions, and new bar concepts.
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  Speaker 1: Two-day tickets cost $ 480 per person, with food and beverages
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  Speaker 1: sold separately. Churchill Downs also is introducing temporary Victory Run
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  Speaker 1: reserved seating just past the finish line. The area features
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  Speaker 1: stadium-style tip-up seats with overhead coverage throughout most of the
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  Speaker 1: seating section and convenient access to the paddock, restrooms, bars,
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  Speaker 1: concession stands, and wagering facilities. The two-day Victory Run package
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  Speaker 1: costs $ 1, 632 per person and includes food, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages,
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  Speaker 1: a daily program, off-site parking, and shuttle service to Churchill Downs.
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  Speaker 1: Along with the new seating areas, the track has expanded
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  Speaker 1: its homestretch club, turfside reserve seating, and infield general admission offerings.
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  Speaker 1: Premium dining, other reserve stadium-style seating, and general admission tickets
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  Speaker 1: are also available. Sarah Contarado, senior vice president of sales
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  Speaker 1: and strategy for Churchill Downs Racetrack, said the additions are
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  Speaker 1: designed to give fans fresh perspectives on Derby weekend while
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  Speaker 1: accommodating a range of budgets and preferences. From the energy
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  Speaker 1: of the infield to the refined feel of reserve seating
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  Speaker 1: and premium dining areas, Contardo said, the ticket lineup gives
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  Speaker 1: guests opportunities to build an experience suited to their interests.
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  Speaker 1: Reserve seating tickets are offered as two-day, all-inclusive packages covering
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  Speaker 1: both the Oaks and the Derby. Food and beverages are
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  Speaker 1: sold separately for the two-day infield tickets, including the new
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  Speaker 1: turf cabanas. The expanded lineup gives groups another option for
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  Speaker 1: attending both race days together, while the Victory Run package
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  Speaker 1: combines reserved seating near the finish line with meals, drinks,
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  Speaker 1: and transportation. The additions broaden the range of experiences available
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  Speaker 1: across the Louisville racetrack, from the infield atmosphere to premium
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  Speaker 1: dining areas. About the Kentucky Derby. The $ 5 million Kentucky
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  Speaker 1: Derby takes place on the first Saturday in May at
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  Speaker 1: Historic Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Inaugurated in 1875, the
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  Speaker 1: legendary one-and-a-quarter-mile race for three-year-old thoroughbreds is the longest continually
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  Speaker 1: held annual sporting event in North America and the first
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  Speaker 1: leg of horse racing's Triple Crown Series. Also known as
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  Speaker 1: the Run for the Roses and the most exciting two
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  Speaker 1: minutes in sports, the Kentucky Derby is the most attended
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  Speaker 1: horse race in the nation. The 153rd Kentucky Derby will
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  Speaker 1: take place on Saturday, May 1, 2027. About Churchill Downs
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  Speaker 1: Racetrack Churchill Downs Racetrack, the world's most legendary racetrack, has
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  Speaker 1: been the home of the Kentucky Derby since the longest
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  Speaker 1: continually held annual sporting event in the United States since 1875.
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  Speaker 1: Located in Louisville, Churchill Downs Racetrack features a series of
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  Speaker 1: themed race days during Derby Week, including the Kentucky Oaks,
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  Speaker 1: and conducts thoroughbred race horsing during three race meets in
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  Speaker 1: the spring, September, and fall. Additionally, it is the home
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  Speaker 1: of premier races in the thoroughbred championship series. Churchill Downs
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  Speaker 1: Racetrack is located on 175 acres and has a one-mile
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  Speaker 1: dirt track, a seven-eighth-mile turf track, a stabling area, and
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  Speaker 1: provides seating for approximately 60,000 guests. The stable area has
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  Speaker 1: barns sufficient to accommodate 1,400 horses and a 114-room dormitory
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  Speaker 1: for backstretch personnel. Churchill Downs Racetrack also has a year-round
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  Speaker 1: simulcast wagering facility. The next article from the Lane Report
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  Speaker 1: is titled, Grader's Derby-Inspired Bourbon Cherry Ice Cream Wins Product
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  Speaker 1: of the Year. Grader's Backstretch Bourbon Cherry Ice Cream, created
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  Speaker 1: in collaboration with the Kentucky Derby, has been named Dairy
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  Speaker 1: Foods' 2026 Product of the Year after receiving 57% of
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  Speaker 1: reader votes. The bourbon-flavored ice cream topped 11 other nominees
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  Speaker 1: in a field that included cottage cheese, frozen Greek yogurt,
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  Speaker 1: and protein pops. The win gives graders its second consecutive
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  Speaker 1: victory in the award's two-year history following Skyline Splice Ice
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  Speaker 1: Cream's inaugural honor in 2025. Backstretch Bourbon Cherry combines a
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  Speaker 1: bourbon-kissed ice cream base with black cherries and praline pecans.
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  Speaker 1: Developed around Kentucky Derby season, the flavor draws on bourbon's
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  Speaker 1: connection to the state and one of the signature sporting events.
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  Speaker 1: The recipe contains no chocolate, distinguishing it from chocolate and
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  Speaker 1: bourbon combinations, often associated with bourbon ball desserts. Instead, the
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  Speaker 1: flavor brings together bourbon, dark fruit, and praline pecans. Grater's
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  Speaker 1: produces backstretched bourbon cherry using its French pot process, making
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  Speaker 1: ice cream in 2.5-gallon batches and hand-packing the finished product.
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  Speaker 1: The method is central to the family-owned company's identity. and
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  Speaker 1: dates to its long history in ice cream making. Founded
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  Speaker 1: in 1870, Graders has continued to use small batch production
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  Speaker 1: as it develops new flavors and collaborations. Backstretch Bourbon Cherry
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  Speaker 1: pairs that established process with a Kentucky Derby partnership, connecting
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  Speaker 1: the Cincinnati company with Kentucky's bourbon and horse racing traditions.
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  Speaker 1: The Reader Voted Award recognizes a different flavor profile from
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  Speaker 1: last year's winner. Skyline Spice focused on spice, while Backstretch
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  Speaker 1: Bourbon Cherry combines bourbon flavor with fruit and nuts. Both
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  Speaker 1: were made using the company's French pot process. For the
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  Speaker 1: Derby-inspired release, the recognition extends its reach beyond seasonal tie-in,
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  Speaker 1: placing it ahead of products from several dairy categories in
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  Speaker 1: the publication's reader poll. Backstretch Bourbon Cherry is available at
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  Speaker 1: participating graders, scoops, shops, and can be ordered online for
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  Speaker 1: home delivery while supplies last. The next article comes from
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  Speaker 1: the October 9, 2026 edition of Business Lexington and is titled,
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  Speaker 1: To Grow Lexington's Music Scene, Picnic with the Pops Creates
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  Speaker 1: Grant Fund. Lexington has a growing music scene, and we
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  Speaker 1: are fortunate to be able to nurture this part of
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  Speaker 1: our city's offerings, said Deborah Holland Tudor, chair of Picnic
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  Speaker 1: with the Pops. That also includes music education within our
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  Speaker 1: school system as well. Lexington's Philharmonic Outdoor Picnic with the
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  Speaker 1: Pops show is an annual highlight event attracting enthusiastic fans
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  Speaker 1: who often dress to the musical theme of the show
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  Speaker 1: and can participate in a picnic table decorating contest. It
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  Speaker 1: began in 1980 and today has its own sustaining organization.
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  Speaker 1: The new Community Music Fund to support music-based organizations in
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  Speaker 1: Fayette County is is part of PWTP's ongoing mission of
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  Speaker 1: improving the musical environment in Lexington. Applicants aspiring to undertake
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  Speaker 1: a specific music project or performance are advised to seek
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  Speaker 1: a minimum of $ 5, 000 and a maximum of $ 50, 000 per year.
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  Speaker 1: Money may not be used for operational, capital purposes, or
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  Speaker 1: ongoing expenses. Applications are now open and can be found
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  Speaker 1: on the PWP website at After review in November, the
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  Speaker 1: PWTP Commission will make awards and notify recipients for 2027
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  Speaker 1: projects in early December of 2026. This is a new
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  Speaker 1: chapter for Picnic with the Pops, Tudor said. After fulfilling
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  Speaker 1: our mission of building an amphitheater for the community in
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  Speaker 1: Gatton Park, we now can support even more musical activities
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  Speaker 1: in Fayette County. Thanks to 47 years of loyal concert
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  Speaker 1: goers and sponsors, we can give back even more going forward.
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  Speaker 1: The next article comes from the October 13, 2026 edition
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  Speaker 1: of the Louisville Courier-Journal and is titled, Kroger to Cut 3,000
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  Speaker 1: Jobs in Major Shift, What That Means for Shoppers, written
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  Speaker 1: by Olivia Evans. Grocery store giant Kroger is planning to
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  Speaker 1: cut thousands of jobs over the coming years. The company,
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  Speaker 1: which has about 100 stores across Kentucky, plans to slash 3,000
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  Speaker 1: corporate jobs over the next three years, according to an
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  Speaker 1: internal memo by CEO Greg Foran, obtained by the Cincinnati Inquirer,
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  Speaker 1: part of USA Today. The multi-state grocery chain headquartered in
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  Speaker 1: Cincinnati plans to eliminate more than a third of its
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  Speaker 1: roughly 8,200 corporate staff, according to the Inquirer. Our business
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  Speaker 1: is becoming leaner, more focused, and more competitive, CEO Greg
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  Speaker 1: Foran wrote. in the October 12th memo to employees. This
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  Speaker 1: transformation will also result in fewer roles across the company,
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  Speaker 1: which means we will reduce our corporate workforce across many functions.
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  Speaker 1: Here's what to know about job cuts coming to Kroger.
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  Speaker 1: Is my Kroger closing? The memo reviewed by the inquirers
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  Speaker 1: specified these cuts will come to corporate jobs rather than
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  Speaker 1: store-level positions. It did not immediately reveal plans for store closures.
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  Speaker 1: Where is Kroger planning its job cuts? Cuts are expected
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  Speaker 1: to impact Kroger's hometown of Cincinnati the most, according to
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  Speaker 1: the memo. Additionally, company hubs in Charlotte, North Carolina and Portland,
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  Speaker 1: Oregon are expected to be impacted by the corporate job cuts.
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  Speaker 1: Has Kroger had recent job cuts? In 2025, Kroger cut
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  Speaker 1: more than 1,000 corporate jobs as it searched for a
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  Speaker 1: new CEO. Additionally, in 2025, The shopping giant cut 50
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  Speaker 1: stores and closed three of its robotic warehouse facilities across
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  Speaker 1: the United States. Why does Kroger say it's cutting jobs? Foran,
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  Speaker 1: the new Kroger CEO who assumed the role in February
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  Speaker 1: of 2026, has said the company will cut costs to
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  Speaker 1: lower prices for shoppers. Additionally, according to the Inquirer, Foran
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  Speaker 1: pledged to reinvest the savings back into Kroger's frontline associates.
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  Speaker 1: The next article from the Courier-Journal is titled, Breeze Airways
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  Speaker 1: Brings Back Nonstop Louisville to New Orleans Flights, written by
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  Speaker 1: Olivia Evans. People in Louisville can once again take a
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  Speaker 1: nonstop flight to the Big Easy. As of October 2nd,
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  Speaker 1: Breeze Airways resumed nonstop service to New Orleans from the
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  Speaker 1: Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. We welcome the return of
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  Speaker 1: Breeze's nonstop service to New Orleans and Dan Mann, executive
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  Speaker 1: director of the Louisville Regional Airport Authority, which owns and
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  Speaker 1: operates SDF, said in an October 2nd news release. New
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  Speaker 1: Orleans has consistently been a popular destination for our community,
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  Speaker 1: and this route makes it easier than ever for travelers
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  Speaker 1: to enjoy the food, music, and culture of the Big Easy.
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  Speaker 1: We appreciate Breeze's continued investment in Louisville and its commitment
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  Speaker 1: to providing convenient, affordable, nonstop options for our passengers. The
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  Speaker 1: return of this route brings travelers an easy option to
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  Speaker 1: get directly to the Gulf Coast and back. The service
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  Speaker 1: to New Orleans will be offered year-round from twice per
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  Speaker 1: week on Mondays and Fridays with a 137-seat Airbus A220-300 aircraft,
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  Speaker 1: according to the release. Before the flight resumed in early October,
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  Speaker 1: it was a winter seasonal route. The route was paused
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  Speaker 1: last season due to aircraft availability. but now it is
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  Speaker 1: intended to serve as a year-round option for area travelers,
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  Speaker 1: airport authority spokesperson Natalie Chaldron told the Courier-Journal via email.
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  Speaker 1: In addition to the return New Orleans flight, Breeze Airways
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  Speaker 1: has recently launched new flights to Pittsburgh and seasonal flights
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  Speaker 1: to Los Angeles and Hartford, Connecticut. The low-cost airlines has
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  Speaker 1: also increased service to Tampa, Florida from seasonal to year-round,
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  Speaker 1: and has upped flights to Fort Myers, Florida, to four
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  Speaker 1: times per week in the winter and spring. Breeze Airways'
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  Speaker 1: continued growth at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport is a
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  Speaker 1: strong vote of confidence in our community, Anthony Gilmer, Vice
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  Speaker 1: President of Air Service Development and Strategic Marketing for the
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  Speaker 1: airport authority said in the release. Louisville and New Orleans
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  Speaker 1: share centuries-old ties rooted in trade, river commerce, and culture,
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  Speaker 1: that have connected these two iconic American cities for generations.
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  Speaker 1: This nonstop service builds on that history, giving travelers more
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  Speaker 1: affordable options and bringing new visitors and businesses to our region.
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  Speaker 1: We appreciate Breeze's partnership and look forward to our continued growth.
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  Speaker 1: Louisville's airport received $ 4 million in incentives during the 2026
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  Speaker 1: legislative session to boost its pursuit of new nonstop routes
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  Speaker 1: to bring to the airport, the Courier-Journal previously reported. Additionally,
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  Speaker 1: the airport is continuing to undergo capital improvements as part
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  Speaker 1: of a $ 1 billion effort dubbed the SDF Next Program,
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  Speaker 1: which has already brought a new baggage claim area and
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  Speaker 1: parking upgrades to the Louisville- Muhammad Ali International Airport, 600
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  Speaker 1: Terminal Drive, the Courier-Journal previously reported. The upgrades are expected
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  Speaker 1: to also add new gate seating and a two-story dining option,
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  Speaker 1: among other things. The next article comes from the October 9,
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  Speaker 1: 2026 edition of Louisville Business First. and is titled 160
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  Speaker 1: Acres Sold at Hermitage Farm, written by Zach Owens. The
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  Speaker 1: ownership group behind Hermitage Farms Hospitality Operations has expanded its
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  Speaker 1: stake in the historic Oldham County property and added several
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  Speaker 1: prominent Louisville investors. Entrepreneurs Kara Osborne and Steve Brooks announced
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  Speaker 1: on October 5th that Blue Equity LLC, Actus Point Holdings,
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  Speaker 1: former University of Louisville basketball star Russ Smith, and the
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  Speaker 1: Indigo Road Hospitality Group have joined the ownership group. The
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  Speaker 1: group acquired approximately 160 acres of Hermitage Farms' nearly 700-acre
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  Speaker 1: footprint in Goshen. Financial terms were not disclosed. The deal
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  Speaker 1: expands on a January transaction in which Osborne and Brooks
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  Speaker 1: purchased the hospitality operations at Hermitage Farms from Steve Wilson
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  Speaker 1: and Laura Lee Brown. That transaction included Barn 8 Restaurant
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  Speaker 1: and Bourbon Bar, tasting facilities and tourism operations, while Wilson
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  Speaker 1: and Brown retained ownership of the property. Under the latest arrangement,
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  Speaker 1: Wilson and Brown will continue to own and oversee the
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  Speaker 1: working horse farm and land adjacent to the hospitality operations.
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  Speaker 1: Hermitage Farm is not simply a property or hospitality business.
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  Speaker 1: It is a living expression of Kentucky, Osborne said in
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  Speaker 1: the release. The expanded group includes Jonathan Blue's Louisville-based Blue
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  Speaker 1: Equity and Optus Point Holdings, an investment and development firm
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  Speaker 1: led by Matt Case and Michael Spanos. Smith joins as
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  Speaker 1: an investor and owner. The former UofL guard helped lead
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  Speaker 1: the Cardinals to the 2013 National Championship. Smith has expanded
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  Speaker 1: his business interests through Louisville-based Mr. and Ms. Bourbon Company
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  Speaker 1: and sports ventures. His investment reunites him with Blue, who
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  Speaker 1: previously helped Smith build connections in Kentucky's bourbon industry. The
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  Speaker 1: next article from Louisville Business First is titled, Louisville Clinicians
• 22:21
  Speaker 1: Launch Lola Feed, written by Stephen Schmidt. For years, Michael
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  Speaker 1: Detmer had immersed himself in statistics, patents, regulations, and investor
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  Speaker 1: slides regarding the launch of his company's first product, Lola Feed. Recently, though,
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  Speaker 1: he saw a message sent from a friend of a
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  Speaker 1: friend who had tried out the product. She reported how
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  Speaker 1: much better her baby was able to finish bottles with
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  Speaker 1: the help of the device. The memory of why he
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  Speaker 1: and co-founder Rebecca Gossam started Innovative Therapeutics, the company behind
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  Speaker 1: Lola Feed, nine years ago, hit him right then. I
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  Speaker 1: had been an investor in money and bank account and
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  Speaker 1: patent mode The message literally brought me to tears because
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  Speaker 1: that's why we started this, said Detmer, who serves as
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  Speaker 1: the company's CEO. The device works by attaching to the
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  Speaker 1: bottom of a baby bottle. When a baby sucks on
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  Speaker 1: the bottle, the device will play music, which can be
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  Speaker 1: uploaded to a companion app with a lullaby playlist. In
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  Speaker 1: most cases, the songs are sung and recorded by a
• 23:26
  Speaker 1: loved one, such as a mother who records a song
• 23:29
  Speaker 1: for when a grandparent is feeding the baby. The technology
• 23:34
  Speaker 1: that runs the device has both earned patents, two in
• 23:37
  Speaker 1: the United States and one in Europe, and has other
• 23:40
  Speaker 1: patents pending. It's called contingent music, where the music plays
• 23:44
  Speaker 1: only if and when the baby is drinking, Detmer said,
• 23:48
  Speaker 1: which then in turn the baby learns that sort of
• 23:51
  Speaker 1: reward mechanism and they feed better. After going through eight prototypes,
• 23:56
  Speaker 1: the company launched its product through its site on September 21st.
• 24:00
  Speaker 1: The price is $ 99. 99. As of a recent date, Detmer
• 24:06
  Speaker 1: said that 41 units had been sold. He expects sales
• 24:10
  Speaker 1: to increase once the company launches a social media ad campaign.
• 24:14
  Speaker 1: With an initial order of 1,000 products, Innovative Therapeutics is
• 24:19
  Speaker 1: only doing direct-to-consumer sales before it looks to sell on
• 24:23
  Speaker 1: mass-market e-commerce platforms such as Amazon and baby registry sites, Target.com,
• 24:30
  Speaker 1: and Walmart.com. We really want to make sure we've got
• 24:33
  Speaker 1: the product right and we've got the app right before
• 24:37
  Speaker 1: we launch on a larger scale, Detmer said. The products
• 24:40
  Speaker 1: are being made by a manufacturer based in Portland, Oregon
• 24:44
  Speaker 1: that has facilities throughout the world, he said. Detmer and
• 24:48
  Speaker 1: Gossam met in 2015 when they were working as clinicians
• 24:53
  Speaker 1: at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, NICU. at Norton's Women's
• 24:58
  Speaker 1: and Children's Hospital. They formed the company in 2017 after
• 25:02
  Speaker 1: initially writing down their concept on a napkin while on
• 25:05
  Speaker 1: a lunch break. That same day, they decided to enter
• 25:09
  Speaker 1: into the National Institutes of Health, NIH, Research Evaluation and
• 25:14
  Speaker 1: Commercialization Hub, REACH, through the University of Louisville. They later
• 25:20
  Speaker 1: participated in a boot camp run by Louisville-based Accelerate Health.
• 25:25
  Speaker 1: Gossam serves as the company's chief clinical officer while still
• 25:29
  Speaker 1: working as a feeding specialist at Norton Women's and Children's. Detmer, too,
• 25:34
  Speaker 1: has a day job in the healthcare space. To date,
• 25:38
  Speaker 1: the company has raised nearly $ 1. 3 million, which includes a
• 25:42
  Speaker 1: collective $ 548, 000 from 90 investors through WeFunder. I first spoke
• 25:44
  Speaker 1: with Detmer in August of 2024 following the WeFunder raise.
• 25:54
  Speaker 1: In 2024, the company was named a finalist for the
• 25:58
  Speaker 1: 2024 Kentucky InnoFire Awards under the category of On the Rise.
• 26:03
  Speaker 1: Other investors include Key Horse Capital, Render Capital, and Gil Holland.
• 26:09
  Speaker 1: The next article from Louisville Business First is titled Two Plants,
• 26:13
  Speaker 1: Two Big Projects for Ford, written by Zach Owens. Ford
• 26:18
  Speaker 1: Motor Company plans to invest $ 1 billion in a new
• 26:21
  Speaker 1: plant shop at Kentucky Truck Plant in Louisville, adding another
• 26:25
  Speaker 1: major project to the automaker's growing list of Kentucky manufacturing investments.
• 26:31
  Speaker 1: The Dearborn, Michigan-based automaker said in September it plans to
• 26:35
  Speaker 1: replace the existing paint shop at the Chamberlain Lane plant
• 26:39
  Speaker 1: with a new facility featuring upgraded technology aimed at improving
• 26:43
  Speaker 1: paint quality, efficiency, and environmental performance. A groundbreaking is expected
• 26:50
  Speaker 1: by the end of the year. Kentucky Truck Plant produces
• 26:53
  Speaker 1: Ford F-Series Super Duty trucks, the Ford Expedition, and Lincoln Navigator.
• 26:59
  Speaker 1: Ford called the facility its largest and highest revenue U.S.
• 27:03
  Speaker 1: manufacturing plant, with the vehicle rolling off the assembly line
• 27:07
  Speaker 1: about every 45 seconds. The company did not announce any
• 27:11
  Speaker 1: new jobs tied specifically to the $ 1 billion project. The
• 27:15
  Speaker 1: company has already made several recent major investments in its
• 27:18
  Speaker 1: Kentucky operations. Ford is in the middle of a roughly $ 1. 9
• 27:24
  Speaker 1: billion overhaul of Louisville Assembly Plant, where it is installing
• 27:29
  Speaker 1: its new universal EV production system ahead of production of
• 27:33
  Speaker 1: the Ford Fathom electric pickup. The automaker said in August
• 27:37
  Speaker 1: that prototype builds of the Fathom using production-quality parts are
• 27:41
  Speaker 1: expected to begin in the first quarter of 2027. with
• 27:44
  Speaker 1: customer vehicles following later in the year. Ford has said
• 27:48
  Speaker 1: the investment will secure about 2,200 hourly jobs at the plant.
• 27:52
  Speaker 1: Ford is the sixth largest Louisville area employer, with more
• 27:56
  Speaker 1: than 11,000 employees across its two Louisville plants. This concludes
• 28:01
  Speaker 1: the reading of the most recent business news in Lexington, Louisville,
• 28:04
  Speaker 1: and around the state. Your reader today has been Julia Shane.
• 28:08
  Speaker 1: If you have any questions or comments about this program,
• 28:11
  Speaker 1: please give our Lexington studios a call. at 859-422-6390. Thanks
• 28:18
  Speaker 1: for listening, and now, please stay tuned for readings from
• 28:21
  Speaker 1: the Kentucky series here on Radio Eye.