Guest Speakers

Each year, our Club sets aside a lunch meeting to honor the legacy of one of our own, Tommy Bell, and to present the Tommy Bell Award. More on Mr. Bell below. Assisting with today’s program is a name familiar to many of us: Doug Flynn. Doug is a former Bryan Station High School three-sport star. He played baseball professionally for eleven seasons with the Cincinnati Reds, New York Mets, Texas Rangers, Montreal Expos and Detroit Tigers. Flynn won two World Series titles with the Reds and a Gold Glove while with the Mets. He earned the moniker of “the glue” ...

Mention Rotary and its good works and it is likely that the PolioPlus campaign will be the first thing to come to mind. The PolioPlus campaign was initiated by Rotary International back in 1985, before many of our current members were born. Because it largely involves activities geographically removed from us, it would be easy to lose sight of the program’s continued importance and needs. Today’s speaker, Leon Hirsh, is here to ensure that doesn’t happen. Past District Governor Hirsh was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. He is a graduate of the Kentucky Military Institute and Transylvania University. Leon has lived in Pensacola, Florida since 1980. He remains a practicing financial advisor and has spent the lion's share of his ...

As April slowly meanders into Spring, we find ourselves in what is arguably the high season in Kentucky. The charm and gentility of the Keeneland Spring meet morphs into the pomp and circumstance of the Kentucky Derby and the Kentucky Oaks. Both are instrumental to Kentucky’s claim of being the “horse capital of the world. Today Rotarians are privileged to hear about both, from two individuals who, as they say, should know: Gabby Gaudet, Keeneland’s, Director of Communications, and respected broadcaster Tom Leach. A respected voice in Thoroughbred racing with more than a decade of national media experience, Gaudet, who joined Keeneland in 2025, oversees Keeneland’s strategic communications efforts. In ...

Dr. Joseph A. (Jay) Morgan has served as the fourteenth president of Morehead State University (MSU) since July 1, 2017. His focus at MSU has been on student success, performance outcomes, academic excellence, as well as university rankings and responsiveness to the state. Prior to service at MSU, Dr. Morgan served as the vice president for academic affairs and student success for the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education, which coordinates higher education in Kentucky. Before state-wide service at the Council, Dr. Morgan served as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Murray State University, as well as associate provost, university faculty regent, leadership program ...

Rear Adm. Charles M. “Mike” Brown is a native of Montgomery, Alabama. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from Tulane University (1989) and a Master of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University (1991). He completed Joint Professional Military Education at the Naval War College and Joint Forces Staff College. In 1995, he joined the Navy as a Direct Commission Reserve Intelligence Officer. He mobilized in 2001 to Chief of Naval Operations Intelligence Plot in Washington, D.C., to reconstitute intelligence operations after the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon. He mobilized in 2015 as officer in charge of the ...

Kentucky Derby Day is rapidly approaching and what better time for Rotarians to hear from Hall of Fame jockey Chris McCarron! Chris was an instant sensation in the irons, winning the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Apprentice Jockey in 1974. That year, he set a record with 546 wins, which stood until surpassed by fellow Hall of Famer Kent Desormeaux in 1989. Chris led all North American riders in wins again in 1975 and 1980 and topped the standings in earnings in 1980, 1981, 1984, and 1991. He won the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey in 1980. His mounts throughout his career ...

Being the informed citizens that Rotarian tend to be, it is likely no surprise to our membership that America has an affordable housing crisis. According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC), there is a national shortage of over seven million affordable homes for more than 10.8 million extremely low-income families. Why does this matter? Again according to the NLIHC, housing is “the key to reducing intergenerational poverty and increasing economic mobility.” Today’s presenter, Ed Holmes, will make it clear that Lexington/Fayette County is not immune from this crisis. As you will hear, we have a housing gap of over 22,549 units!  He will dig into ...

Today Rotarians will hear from fellow Rotarian Robert Mucci about Lexington business legend Garvice Kincaid. In 2025 Mucci authored Ahead of the Pack, Garvice Kincaid and his Empire: A Southern Legacy. Anyone who has spent much time with Robert Mucci understands quickly how much he loves Kentucky. Robert was raised in Paris, Kentucky, just a few miles from the home of Secretariate. He grew up living over the family’s hardware store on Main Street and readily admits that his smalltown roots and early experiences working in the family hardware store instilled a strong work ethic in him, along with an appreciation ...

Tina N. Nance, J.D., is the Executive Director of the Kentucky Aerospace Education Center (KAEC). A native of Madisonville in western Kentucky, Tina earned her B.A. in Psychology from Transylvania University and her J.D. from the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law. Prior to leading KAEC, Tina held key roles at the Governor’s Scholars Program and at Transylvania University, where she developed and led initiatives supporting student engagement and academic excellence, while also taking a leading role in fundraising and donor relations. The Kentucky Aerospace Education Center (KAEC), home of the Aviation Museum of Kentucky and the Commonwealth’s official home ...

Since December 2004, Darlene Thomas has served as the Founder and Executive Director of GreenHouse17, an advocacy organization working to end intimate partner abuse across seventeen central Kentucky counties. With more than thirty-six years of experience in the movement to end power-based violence, Darlene has led efforts in direct service, comprehensive program development, and community engagement for lasting social change. Her leadership includes guiding statewide and national collaborations, offering expert testimony in legal cases, facilitating trainings at local, state, national, and international forums, and consulting with organizations seeking to reimagine their services through innovative, trauma-informed approaches. Under her direction, GreenHouse17 has ...