September 11 , 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:

Martin A. Kish
(502) 491-4737 - Office
(859) 351-8420 - Mobile

‘Time’s Up for Changing Kentucky’

Kentucky Association of Manufacturers Announces Six-City, Statewide Forum and Seminar Tour…

Louisville First Stop – Sept. 25

Other Cities : Florence, Lexington, Bowling Green, Paducah , London                                     

            Louisville – The Kentucky Association of Manufacturers (KAM) will conduct a six-city “Time’s Up for Changing Kentucky” tour around the state beginning Sept. 25 in Louisville to gather input for its 2008 legislative agenda from manufacturing industry executives and human resources managers.  

            The tour, presented by Greenebaum Doll & McDonald, will also introduce KAM’s new president, Jim LeMaster and feature seminar speakers on economic incentives for Kentucky manufacturers, employee involvement in politics and various other human resources and labor issues. 

            Admission, breakfast and lunch are free for all who register or attend.

            “ Kentucky is at a crossroads in the global economic war,” says Jim LeMaster, president of KAM.  “We must act now to make changes to help our number one industry grow and prosper.  Low-wage nations like China, India and Mexico are a threat to our manufacturing base and the Kentucky economy.  This tour is a call-to-action for our industry.”   

            The “Time’s Up for Changing Kentucky” tour will begin in Louisville on Tuesday, Sept. 25 at KAM’s headquarters at 2303 Greene Way (S. Hurstbourne area) and will continue as follows:  Florence, Sept. 27; Lexington, Oct. 10; Bowling Green, Oct. 16; Paducah, Nov. 14; and London, Nov. 20.

            Each tour stop will feature a breakfast/morning session (8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.)  for CEOs, senior executives and government relations managers and a lunch/afternoon session (noon – 3 p.m.) for human resources managers and supervisors. 

            The morning session will focus on top-level political, economic and government affairs issues currently affecting the Kentucky manufacturing industry.  Featured speakers include new KAM President Jim LeMaster; Jeff McKenzie, executive committee chairman of Greenebaum Doll & McDonald; and Joe Savarise, Senior Regional Vice President of the Kentucky Prosperity Project.            

LeMaster will lead a discussion around “Top Issues for Kentucky Manufacturers.”  McKenzie will speak about how Kentucky manufacturers can use state economic incentives to expand their business, train workers and improve productivity.  Savarise will show manufacturers how they can get their employees more engaged in the political process.    

          The afternoon session will focus on helping human resources managers make better hiring and promotion decisions, strategically use employee survey data, learn the latest health insurance trends, learn the latest trends in employee and labor law, use data to manage health care costs, and better utilize wage and benefits surveys.  

            Featured afternoon speakers include Don Odom, vice president of MyCareerNetwork.com; Mike Tolly, president of Hartfield of Kentucky; Dr. John Langefeld, president of Artemetrx; Shawn Herbig, president of IQS Research; Sharon Fincel, vice president of operations for KAM; law professionals from Greenebaum Doll & McDonald; and an executive from Atlyss, an employee on-line testing firm. 

            To register (for free) for either or both the morning and afternoon sessions in any of the six cities, go to www.kamanufacturers.com or call (502) 491-4737.

About the Kentucky Association of Manufacturers

Established in 1911, the Kentucky Association of Manufacturers is the Commonwealth’s only manufacturing trade association. KAM’s mission is to raise the prosperity of all Kentuckians by protecting and growing our state’s economic engine:  manufacturing.  KAM proactively works with elected officials, policymakers, chambers of commerce, other associations, economic development experts, the news media, the general public and its own members to drive results through seven branded initiatives:  ProsperousKentucky (sm), ProductiveKentucky (sm), FreedomKentucky (sm), SmartKentucky (sm), HealthyKentucky (sm), HonestKentucky (sm) and CleanKentucky (sm).  On the web at www.KAManufacturers.com