Guest Speakers

A YEAR OF BOLD STEPS AND DEEPER ROOTS When I took the gavel last July, I knew leading the Rotary Club of Lexington would be an honor. I didn’t realize how much it would also stretch, inspire, and ground me. This year wasn’t about maintaining momentum — it was about charting a future. We began at a crossroads: a club with a proud legacy but faced with the question every legacy organization must confront — how do we evolve without losing who we are? I’m proud to say we didn’t shy away from that question. We faced it head-on with honest [...]

Steve Gardner, PE, SME-RM Mr. Gardner currently serves as President of the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers (AIME). He was the 2015 President of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Explorations (SME) and recognized as an SME Fellow and Registered Member.He has an MS in Mining Engineering and BS Agricultural Engineering from the University of Kentucky (UK). He has worked on mining projects throughout the US, internationally and early in his career served on a Volunteer mine rescue team. He has served on the advisory Boards of the Kentucky Geological Survey, UK’s Mining Engineering Foundation, Biosystems and Agricultural [...]

The Rotary Club of Lexington will hold its annual Scholarship Day program on Thursday, June 5th. The winning students will be selected from applicants from Fayette County public and private schools. Academics, character, and service to the community are criteria that the awards are based on. Check back here for the winners after the program!

Wreaths Across America and other Patriotic and Veteran Programs   Patrick Wesolosky Join us as we hear from Patrick Wesolosky, President of the Kentucky Society, Sons of the American Revolution about the Wreaths Across America's mission to remember, honor and teach as well as other programs of The Lafayette Chapter, Kentucky Society,  Sons of the American Revolution that honors our Revolutionary War patriot ancestors by promoting patriotism, serving our communities, educating and inspiring future generations about the founding principles of our Country. The Lexington National Cemetery has approximately 70,000 people interned there and about 1,500 of them are veterans. In 2023, Patrick [...]

Each year, our Club sets aside a lunch meeting to honor the legacy of one of our own, TommyBell, and to present the Tommy Bell Award. More on Mr. Bell below. Assisting with today’s program is featured speaker Gordon Walls. Born in Campbellsville, Kentucky, Mr.Walls has been a resident of Lexington from an early age. He graduated from Tates Creek High School, where he met his future wife, Karen Rogers. Gordon attended UK and was a member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity. He has two children, Nathaniel Walls and Megan Walls Heidemann, and six grandchildren. In 1985, he became the [...]

Last year at this time we noted that the week between the close of Keeneland’s spring meet and the rapidly approaching first Saturday in May is magical in Kentucky as thoughts turn to the Kentucky Derby, America’s greatest horse race, run continuously since 1875. This year might require a new adjective, given that when the horses break from the starting gate on that first Saturday in May, it will be the 150th iteration of the Run for the Roses. That, my friends, is staying power! This week, the Rotary Club of Lexington continues its own long-standing Derby tradition by welcoming to [...]

If Kip Cornett is at the Rotary podium, you can be certain that something big is going on in Lexington. When last we saw him, it was to learn about the week-long events surrounding the 2022 Breeders' Cup held at Keeneland. That was then; this is now. In 2025, we will celebrate the 250th anniversary of Lexington’s founding. In September 2023, Mayor Linda Gorton announced the members of the Mayor’s 250 Lex Commission. The commission is planning an entire year’s worth of events honoring the cultural and historical significance of Lexington’s past, present, and future. Lexington was founded in 1775, one [...]

Today we welcome to the Rotary podium DeVone Holt, a multi-talented executive who combines nearly thirty years of experience as an institutional brand manager, culture creator, strategic communicator, and people convener. In 2024, Holt was named president and CEO of the Muhammad Ali Center(MAC)in Louisville, Kentucky. The MAC is a 96,000-square-foot cultural center that showcases the life and legacy of Muhammad Ali, and carries forward his legacy of service to others and fighting for justice for all. Prior to joining the Muhammad Ali Center, Holt served as the Chief External Affairs Officer at Goodwill Industries of Kentucky. During his five years [...]

The Oxford English Dictionary defines “public relations” as “the professional maintenance of a favorable public image by a company or other organization . . ..”In this day of 24-hour news cycles and the prevalence of social media, the importance of public relations to us as Rotarians and to our Club has never been greater. Presenting to us today on “PR Lessons Learned Along the Way is Marc C. Whitt. Marc brings nearly four decades of public relations experience, having served in senior leadership and teaching roles at public and private colleges and universities across Kentucky. He currently serves as the director [...]

Last year, Gallop reported “that Americans continue to register record-low trust in the mass media, with 31% expressing a “great deal” or “fair amount” of confidence in the media to report the news “fully, accurately and fairly,” similar to last year’s 32%. Americans’ trust in the media--such as newspapers, television, and radio--first fell to 32% in 2016 and did so again last year. For the third consecutive year, more U.S. adults have no trust at all in the media (36%) than trust it a great deal or fair amount. Another 33% of Americans express“not very much” confidence. Today’s speaker, Rufus Friday, [...]