November 16th, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Ken Carroll
(502) 352-2485 - Office
Greg Higdon, Selected President & CEO, of the Kentucky Association of Manufacturers (KAM)
Pete Gritton, Interim President & CEO of KAM, announced today that the KAM Board of Directors has selected Greg Higdon of Fancy Farm, Kentucky to serve as its new President & CEO beginning December 1.
Mr. Gritton advised that, "The board is extremely pleased to have a new KAM President & CEO with such a long history of advocacy for manufacturing as its new leader."
"I am humbled and honored to be selected as KAM's new President, and I look forward to working with our Board, our talented staff, and manufacturers across Kentucky to continue the important work of this organization,” said Greg Higdon, new KAM President & CEO. “These are challenging times for the manufacturing industry and it is my mission as the new President & CEO of KAM to work with Governor Beshear, the Kentucky General Assembly, and our Representatives in Washington DC to strengthen manufacturing and make Kentucky the world's most desired location for new and existing manufacturing."
Mr. Higdon concluded by saying, " My philosophy is simple, it is the same one ingrained in me at a young age working in my family's small businesses back in Western Kentucky, treat people right and with respect and they will respect you back and be willing to work with you to accomplish great things."
Greg Higdon graduated from Brescia College in 1969 with a degree in Business Administration, prior to serving in the U.S. Army during Vietnam.
He started his career in business working in and running several of his family's retail businesses in Western Kentucky. It was during this time that Greg gained an appreciation for small business owners and the hard work it takes to "keep the lights on."
Greg's political career started in 1981 when he was elected to the Kentucky State Senate where he served ten years and held several top posts including: Majority Whip, Chairman of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, and Chair of the Capital Projects and Bond Oversight Committee.
In 1991, his political career to another turn when the administration of Governor Brereton Jones came to Frankfort. He left the State Senate to serve as deputy secretary of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Cabinet and a governor's office Special Assistant.
Since 1994 to present, Greg has been involved with the Kentucky Association of Manufacturers in several different capacities including Director of the Chemical Industry Council and Policy Advisor to past Presidents of KAM.
Greg and his wife Carol reside in Fancy Farm, KY and are the proud parents of three Children and four Grandchildren.
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