25th Annual Alumni Luncheon and Flame of Excellence
Event Details and Registration
We are pleased to invite you to the 25th Annual Alumni Luncheon, a gathering that celebrates the enduring strength of the Leadership Kentucky network and the leaders who continue to shape our Commonwealth. As we mark this milestone year, we look forward to bringing together alumni, partners, and friends to reflect on our collective impact and the opportunities ahead.
The Alumni Luncheon is also a time to reconnect with classmates, expand your network, and celebrate the bonds that unite the Leadership Kentucky family. Whether you're renewing long-standing friendships, building new relationships, or sharing stories from your leadership journey, you'll be part of a tradition that continues to inspire and connect leaders across the Commonwealth.
Date: January 7, 2027
Time: 11:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Location: Central Bank Center, Lexington, Kentucky
Please register by: December 23, 2026
We look forward to welcoming you back and celebrating together on January 7th!
2022 Recipients - Former Governor Paul E. Patton and Judi Conway Patton
Flame of Excellence Award Recipients
2002 – Dr. Thomas D. Clark, Kentucky Historian Emeritus
2003 – Edward T. “Ned” Breathitt, Former Governor
2004 – John R. Hall, Retired Chairman/CEO, Ashland Inc.
2005 – Martha Layne Collins, Former Governor; Chair/CEO Kentucky World Trade Center
2006 – Wendell H. Ford, U.S. Senate, Retired; Wendell H. Ford Government Education Center
2007 – Albert P. Smith, Jr., Retired Host of “Comment on Kentucky”
2008 – David A. Jones, Founder & Former Board Chairman, Humana, Inc.
2009 – Eula Hall, Founder, Mud Creek Clinic
2010 – Owsley Brown Frazier, Founder & Chairman, Frazier International History Museum
2011 – Dr. T. Pearse Lyons, Founder & CEO, Alltech
2012 – William T. Samuels, Jr., Chairman Emeritus, Maker’s Mark Distillery, Inc.
2013 – Dr. Lee T. Todd, Jr., Past President, University of Kentucky
2014 – Bill Goodman, Host, KET
2015 – John A. Williams, Sr., Computer Services, Inc.
2016 – Helen Carroll, Toyota, retired
2017 – William (Bill) Jones, U.S. Bank
2018 – David Adkisson, Kentucky Chamber of Commerce
2019 – Mira Ball, Ball Homes and Donamire Farm
2020 – Alice and Wade Houston, HJI Supply Chain Solutions
2021 - Porter G. Peeples, Sr., Urban League of Lexington-Fayette County
2022 - Former Governor Paul E. Patton and Judi Conway Patton
2023 - Wilson W. Wyatt, Sr., LKY Founder, Statesman, (posthumous)
2024 - Steven E. Trager, Republic Bank
2025 - Dr. Eli Capilouto, University of Kentucky
2026 - Elizabeth Griffin McCoy, Planters Bank
