September 1st, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Ken Carroll
(502) 352-2485 - Office
Jim LeMaster, President & CEO, of the Kentucky Association of Manufacturers (KAM) Submits Resignation Effective September 30
Frankfort, KY: September 1, 2009 - Jim LeMaster, President & CEO, of KAM has announced his resignation from KAM effective September 30 to join the law firm of Stoll Keenon Ogden PLLC as Of Counsel on October 1. With Mr. LeMaster's resignation, the KAM Board of Directors has appointed Pete Gritton, current KAM Chair for 2009, as Interim President and CEO beginning October 1. The KAM Board has also appointed Warren Markwell of Emerson Power Transmission in Maysville, current Board Vice-Chair, to serve the remainder of Mr. Gritton's 2009 term as Chair before serving a full-term in 2010.
Mr. LeMaster will practice law in the firm's Lexington office and concentrate primarily in the area of Governmental Relations. He has served as President & CEO of KAM since July 2007. In the last few years prior to his current position, Mr. LeMaster served as President of Kentucky Operations and Vice president of Association Sales for Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield from 1997 to 2004. He returned to practicing law in 2005 with Greenebaum Doll & McDonald, primarily focusing on Government Relations, until joining KAM.
"It has been an honor and privilege for me to have the opportunity to serve as KAM's President & CEO," said Jim LeMaster. "I owe a debt of gratitude to the KAM Board of Directors, its team of professionals, the association's Government Relations Team, and especially the members and sponsors." Mr. LeMaster concluded by saying, "Although the manufacturing community has experienced difficulty during the current economic downturn and many challenges still remain, I am confident that KAM will continue to be the most effective advocate for manufacturers to ensure the protection and creation of a manufacturing friendly environment in the Commonwealth and our Nation."
Mr. Gritton has worked in manufacturing for 37 years, with the last twenty-two and one half years spent in the employment of Toyota. He recently retired from Toyota in June of this year and now resides in Georgetown. During his last two assignments with the company he served as Vice President of Human Resources of Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America (TEMA) for the last four and one half years prior to retirement. Mr. Gritton also served as Vice President of Administration at TMMK in Georgetown. He was born and raised in Caneyville, Kentucky. He is married to Karen Gritton and they have two children and four grandchildren. Mr. Gritton is a 1972 graduate of Western Kentucky University (WKU) with a BA in Government and earned his masters in 1989 from WKU with a degree in Organization Communications. He has served on the KAM Board of Directors for several years, and is a past board member of the United Way of the Bluegrass, Bluegrass Tomorrow and the Georgetown/Scott County Planning & Zoning Commission.
"Although in a different role, I am excited about being able to continue to serve KAM and the state's manufacturing community during times of both challenge and opportunity," advised Pete Gritton. "The entire KAM family will miss Jim LeMaster's day to day involvement with the association. He has done an outstanding job as KAM President & CEO and we wish him the best in all his future endeavors."
Mr. Markwell recently retired from Emerson after a 37 year career in manufacturing. Prior to retirement he served as Vice President & General Manager of Emerson's Gearing/Components Business Unit from 2001 until his retirement this year. Mr. Markwell graduated from Morehead State University in 1972 with a BA degree in Management.
"I want to first take this opportunity to thank Jim LeMaster for his valuable service to KAM as its President & CEO," said Mr. Markwell. "Jim has done a great job for KAM and the Commonwealth's manufacturing community, I am quite sure he will also be successful in his new role with Stoll Kennon Ogden." Mr. Markwell concluded by saying, "I look forward to working with Mr. Gritton as we continue to move KAM's efforts forward and I'm grateful to the KAM Board of Directors for their expression of faith in me by virtue of my appointment as board chair."
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 eight branded initiatives: ProsperousKentuckysm, ProductiveKentuckysm, FreedomKentuckysm, SmartKentuckysm, HealthyKentuckysm, HonestKentuckysm, MarketKentuckysm and CleanKentuckysm. On the web at www.KAManufacturers.com