March EDC Newsletter - OneUK 2024 Annual Report Published | Growing Our Own Workshops back for Spring

UK EDC News | March 2025

Read the 2024 OneUK Annual Report

Talent Update

UK alum becomes a brand leader at Tempur Sealy

Virginia Groppo, a University of Kentucky alumna, has advanced to the role of brand leader at Tempur Sealy International, headquartered at UK's Coldstream Research Campus.

An alumna of the merchandising, apparel and textiles undergraduate program and the graduate program at the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Groppo says that UK gave her the right balance of information and inspiration to be successful in her current career at Tempur Sealy.

Her journey from UK student to brand leader exemplifies the university's impact on nurturing talent that contributes significantly to local industry

Innovation Update

UK’s Estate Whiskey Alliance® launches certification program

UK's Estate Whiskey Alliance ® (EWA) is launching a first-of-its-kind program that authenticates estate whiskeys with a globally recognized certification mark to be used on qualifying whiskey product labels: Estate Whiskey Certified™.

Estate Whiskey Certified™ products will have each of the following characteristics:

All production processes including milling, cooking, fermentation, distillation, barreling, aging and bottling occur on the estate distillery.
At least 2/3 of all mash bill grains are grown on estate-owned or controlled land.

Economic Engagement Update

University of Kentucky Kicks Off Fourth Cohort of Construction Business Accelerator

UK and Turner Construction welcomed 20 businesses to the fourth cohort of the Construction Business Accelerator (CBA) program during a reception and first session held March 4 at the UK Cornerstone.

The 10-week program is designed to equip local construction-related businesses with the skills and tools necessary to compete in the industry. Participants will receive training in key areas including safety, site logistics, insurance, bonding, contracts, subcontracting, estimating, scheduling, construction accounting and bid preparation. The program culminates in a mock bid project where teams will participate in a post-bid review with a panel of expert evaluators.

Place Update

UK, key organizations partner for Spring installation of

‘Growing Our Own’

workshop series

UK, in collaboration with several key partners, is launching the spring installment of the “Growing Our Own” workshop series.

Supported by the UK Office of Land-Grant Engagement, the initiative aims to strengthen and grow small, Kentucky-based businesses across the Commonwealth by equipping participants with the knowledge and resources needed to thrive

Each session will take place in person at Commerce Lexington in Lexington, KY, and will also be available virtually via Zoom. A Q&A segment will be included in each session, offering valuable insights and information to attendees.

Partnership Update

Fischer Homes meets with College of Communication and Information students during Career Builder Day

OneUK partner Fischer Homes visited UK on Feb. 12 for its second Career Builder Day, offering students a firsthand look at industry opportunities.

The day featured classroom visits, faculty meetings, and a networking and information session open to all students. One of the classrooms Fischer Homes visited was the College of Communication and Information Career Readiness class, led by Brooke Nowicki.

During the class visit, students learned about careers at Fischer Homes while Fischer Homes representatives had the opportunity to see the talent emerging from the college.

Meet the Team

Part of a monthly series to introduce the Economic Development Collaborative Leaders

Melissa Bond is the Community Arts Extension Program Leader for the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service. The Community Arts Extension program provides arts engagement, education, and economic development support to communities across Kentucky. UK's Community Arts program is the largest modern-day program in the country with 10 field staff in a variety of arts disciplines.

Melissa also oversees the Community & Economic Development Initiative of Kentucky (CEDIK)'s First Impressions program, the Creative Economy program, arts partnerships with other colleges within UK and other universities across the country, and arts-based professional development offerings for Extension Agents.

Most recently, Melissa was the project director for the Rural America Placemaking Toolkit and the Placemaking in Small & Rural Communities Conference, a partnership with USDA Rural Development to provide access to placemaking resources, programs, and information for rural communities.

Melissa is currently pursuing a PhD in Arts Administration at the University of Kentucky. She holds a Master of Arts in Public Administration/Social Responsibility & Sustainable Communities from Western Kentucky University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from University of the Cumberlands.

Central Kentucky Job Club:

Job Search Strategy Tips from HR & Recruiter Panel

April 8, 2025 - 9:00 AM

Presented by Nick Dendinger, Director of HR, Bullard; Tamisha Boleware, Director of Internal Recruitment, Malone Workforce Solutions; Rebecca Wren, Chief People & Business Officer, Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Bluegrass

Join us for a panel discussion with Human Resources Specialists and Recruiters in the community who will share job search strategy tips that will help prepare you for your next career.

Access Here

EDC Communication

The news featured here does not exclusively represent the work of the EDC, but rather highlights the contributions of various collaborators. We are honored to showcase the remarkable achievements taking place across the University of Kentucky.

The EDC Mission:

To proactively grow economic

prosperity in the Commonwealth by focusing on the area of Talent, Innovation, Place, Partnership,and Economic Engagement.