Few topics are of more interest to Rotarians than the economic health and vitality of our community and Commonwealth. And who better to address those issues with us than the leadership of two of Kentucky’s pre-eminent economic development entities: Commerce Lexington (CL) and the Kentucky Chamber. Bob Quick, Chief Executive Officer of CL, along with Ashli Watts, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Kentucky Chamber will address all things economic in a panel format, with Andi Johnson, Chief Policy Officer of Regional Engagement for CL serving as Moderator.
Bob Quick has more than thirty-six years of experience in the Chamber profession. Bob has led CL to receive many awards and recognitions. In 2018, 2020, and 2021, CL was named a Top 20 Mac Conway Economic Development Agency by Site Selection Magazine. In 2016 it was named Chamber of the Year by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives and in 2014 and 2015, CL was recognized among the Top three chambers of commerce by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE). In 2022, the organization was presented with the Unity Award, which recognizes individuals and organizations that have carried out the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In 2023, the Greater Lexington Region was named a top place for business and industry, according to Site Selection Magazine’s annual rankings of the top metros based on economic development activity. The region achieved a significant move up the rankings in both total projects (10th) and projects per capita (7th), jumping into the Top 10 nationally for Tier 2 Metros with a population between 200,000 and one million. Bob serves on numerous boards and is an honorary member of the Rotary Club of Lexington.
Bob is a 1985 graduate of the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. He is also a cancer survivor. In his spare time, he enjoys participating in outside sports and reading political memoirs. He is married to Julie Quick and has three adult children: Kierstin, Andrew, and Morgan, and two granddaughters. They reside in Lexington.
Ashli Watts was named the President and CEO for the Kentucky Chamber, the state’s largest business association, in November 2019. Ashli joined the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce in November of 2012, and during her tenure as Senior Vice President of PublicAffairs at the Chamber, she has led efforts in passing significant pieces of legislation such as felony expungement, right to work legislation, workers ’compensation reform, unemployment insurance reform, and tax reform. Prior to joining the Chamber, she worked at the Kentucky Bar Association and the Legislative Research Commission. Ashli graduated from Campbellsville University with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and History in 2004 and holds a Master’s Degree in Public Policy and Administration from the University of Louisville. Ashli is a 2016 graduate of Leadership Kentucky, currently serves on numerous boards. She serves on the Kentucky Energy Planning and Inventory Commission, where she was also elected Chair in 2025. She currently resides in Frankfort with her husband Ryan and two children, Emma and Carter.
Moderator Andi Johnson is CL’s full-time lobbyist, representing the concerns of its 1700 members at the local, state, and federal level.
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The panel discussion began with Watts providing an overview of the Kentucky Chamber members, noting that 80% are small business owners. In every community it is the small business owners who have direct contact with the community as a whole. She explained that it is chambers of commerce (local and statewide) that have the power to convene. Regardless of the topic, they can assemble stakeholders and as a result provide problem-solving with consensus from a wide variety of resources.
Quick referenced the minutes of Commerce Lexington from 1797 and 1881. Surprisingly, the primary issues from those years were much like the issues that concern our community today. During their historical research they learned that Commerce Lexington is the fifth oldest chamber in the nation. This clearly demonstrates that it has been providing a great value to our community for quite a long time. One of its strengths has been to tackle difficult issues and provide advocacy for members.
Watts emphasized that she and her board encourage open communication. It is imperative to hear what the important issues are and then work toward providing solutions. She referenced housing and childcare as issues that have risen to a level of importance in Kentucky. She learned this by travelling the state and having individual and group conversations with constituents. They now plan to work on solutions with the Legislature in its next session. Quick followed with a description of Commerce Lexington as a “full service” chamber. Its focus is economic development, business expansion, and recruiting startup businesses to Lexington. He stressed the number of partners we have within the city and region. Commerce Lexington also focuses on talent attraction and retention and that since the 1990s the number of minority businesses that have been served is absolutely “mind boggling”. Quick also mentioned that most everything is driven by policy and the guardrails set up by the government. Highlighted were two long-standing programs: an annual benchmarking visit to another city in the U.S. and the Leadership Lexington program.
Watts indicated that 90% of the Kentucky Chamber members join and pay their dues because they want the Chamber to be their eyes and ears with respect to policy developments both at the state and national level. Much of its advocacy in the past few years has dealt with tax reform. She proudly referenced the reduction of the state income tax from 6% to 3.5% without increases in the sales tax.
Quick spoke to the concept of “regionalism” and it has taken such a long time to figure it out. But due to the work that was put in on the regional trips, academic studies, and alliances throughout the region’ there is now a clear regional vision. He emphasized that due to these collective efforts, Lexington is now ranked #2 in the region in quality of life. – Jim Richardson