MEMBER-TO-MEMBER: EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S REPORT FOR JAN. 19, 2016

From Ryan Craig 
Executive Director
Logan County Chamber of Commerce
ryancraig@loganchamber.com

First, OUR AGRICULTURE APPRECIATION BREAKFAST IS JAN. 27 STARTING @ 7 A.M.! CALL 270-726-2206 OR EMAIL amanda@loganchamber.com and let us know if you are coming and how many you are bringing. We want a big crowd to celebrate Logan County and its producers.

To say we are excited about our upcoming Annual Agriculture Appreciation Breakfast is an understatement. First, there is food. Great food that will fill your belly on a cold January morn (that is, assuming it is cold since this winter who can tell if we need parkas or Bermuda shorts from day to day). Then, there is a great opportunity to gather together and network with the leaders in the Logan County Agriculture and Agribusiness community. Most of all, though, you want to be at our annual breakfast for one big, important reason — Warren Beeler, who it seems is now an even bigger deal than we thought he was and we thought he was a big deal to start with!

Beeler, just last Friday, was named as the Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Agriculture Policy. Beeler has worked for the Kentucky Department of Agriculture for the past 16 years, most recently as Director of Agriculture Policy.

“Warren is a respected agricultural leader known throughout the Commonwealth, and I am excited to have him as executive director of our office of agricultural policy,” Gov. Matt Bevin said in a press release. “The Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund is critical to the Commonwealth’s agriculture and rural economic development, and we are excited to have Warren leading this effort.”

The release also noted that Beeler is a graduate of Western Kentucky University and lives in Caneyville with his wife, DeeDee.

Beeler has also served as the state Director of Livestock Marketing, Director of the Shows and Fairs Division, and Livestock Marketing Specialist. Before joining the state Department of Agriculture, he served as an Agriculture Extension Specialist at the University of Kentucky where he helped develop the first on-farm testing program for swine in Kentucky.

Director Beeler will be speaking about “The Future of Kentucky Agriculture,” and you don’t want to miss it.

Also, the Logan County Cattlemen’s Association will be cooking steaks and The Colonial Inn will be providing the eggs and other fixins. Just typing that sentence makes me hungry!

Come join us on Jan. 27.

WEBB’S NEWEST CHAMBER MEMBER

It is with a happy heart (and a grateful stomach) that we welcome Webb’s Restaurant as our newest Chamber member. Webb’s is owned by a wonderful family and I had a wonderful visit the other day with Owner/Manager Lana Richardson. Lana even fed me some pie. It was ridiculously good.

Webb’s is located on 546 South Main Street in Lewisburg and offers what Lana calls “Country Cooking.” So go by and visit Webb’s, sit a spell and fill your belly. Webb’s aims to satisfy all your dining and catering needs, so call them at 270-755-5005. We will also be having a ribbon cutting on Feb. 12 starting at 7:30 a.m., so mark your calendars!

ANNUAL DINNER SPONSORS

By avoiding some serious problems with scheduling against a certain basketball team that better start scoring in the paint or will be heading to the NIT (but, I digress) we are having our Annual Dinner a little early this year. It will be on March 3 starting at 5:30 p.m. at the Logan County Extension Center. The theme this year is “Spring Fling,” and it should be a hoot.

Right now, however, we are asking for overall sponsorships of the event and table sponsors for the night. We already have had several, and if you are interested, please contact us here at the Chamber and we will be glad to set you up. Coming very soon will be your invitations in the mail, so watch for those.

ANNUAL BOARD RETREAT

The Chamber Board of Directors met last week at its annual retreat and enjoyed some really great training by an expert in non-profit board training. Kudos to Amy Cloud, of the Jessamine County Chamber of Commerce, who helped us with some excellent insights and ideas to help make a stronger board and also a stronger chamber. We also welcomed new board members, Kathy Edmonds, Marie Gamble and Mandy Henley.

The board also set the calendar for 2016. It is as follows:

Board Meeting- 2^nd Tuesday of every month, 7AM.
               February- 9^th
               March- 8^th
               April- 12^th
               May- 10^th
               June- 14^th
               July- 12^th
               August- 9^th
               September- 13^th
               October- No meeting due to Festival
               November- 8^th
               December- 13^th
 
Leadership Logan- 3^rd Thursdays August-April, no December meetings
Youth Leadership- 3^rd Tuesdays September-April, no December meeting
Annual Agriculture Breakfast 2016- January 27, 7AM, Free
Annual Dinner 2016- March 3, doors open at 5:30, program starts at 6:30
Women in Business Luncheon 2016- August 16, Extension Office
Tobacco and Heritage Festival 2016- October 1-8
Chamber Christmas Open House- December 1, 7:30-9:00
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That’s all for this week! Be sure you have stocked up on your bread and milk ahead of the big winter storm even if you didn’t need any in the first place! It is a rule for living in Kentucky.

Ryan