News

Chamber focuses on COVID-19 response and resources

Pikeville, KY (April 6, 2020) – In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Southeast Kentucky Chamber of Commerce is focused on being a resource for businesses, large and small, across the region.  Earlier this year, the Southeast Kentucky Chamber launched a resource page for businesses, which can be found at www.sekchamber.com/covid-19. On this page, visitors can find information regarding the response to COVID-19, including information on the CARE Act, the Paycheck Protection Program, Economic Injury

Chamber team member wins Kentucky Student Employee of the Year

Photo Credit: Dusti LewisPikeville, KY (April 6, 2020) – Southeast Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Communication Assistant Kennedy Garrett has been selected as the 2020 Kentucky Student Employee of the Year. “The University of Pikeville was notified our student nominee for the Student Employee of the Year (SEOTY), Kennedy Garrett, won the Kentucky award with a prize of $75. This is a part of the national award held by the National Student Employment Association (NSEA) and the Midwest Association for Student

Moments of the Heart Photography wins the ‘Hearts’ of 2020 PPN Image Competition

Covington, KY (Sunday, April 5) -- Deneisha Osborne, owner of Moments of the Heart Photography of Dorton, attended the Photo Pro Expo Conference hosted in Covington at the Marriot Rivercenter on February 26. The Photo Pro Expo, formerly known as the Kentucky Professional Photographers Association, is an organization that promotes educational instruction for photographers, proper business practices, fellowship and continuing to grow the photography industry. Osborne has been a member of the Photo Pro Network

Chamber welcomes three new members in March

Pikeville, KY (April 1, 2020) - The Southeast Kentucky Chamber of Commerce welcomed three new members in March. The chamber is a collaboration of more than 500 businesses and the community working together for the betterment of the region. The Chamber welcomed Capital One SPARK Card, Robinette’s Collision Center, and Glenn Martin Hammond Law Office to the Chamber family in March. Robinette's is a family-owned auto body repair and paint shop. They provide insurance claim repair and custom paint work. They

AEP Foundation donates to COVID-19 relief efforts in KY Power service territory

ASHLAND, Ky., March 24, 2020 – The American Electric Power Foundation is donating $60,000 to agencies providing COVID-19 relief efforts in Kentucky Power’s service area. The gift is part of an overall $1.5 million coronavirus relief donation from the AEP Foundation.    “This is the first time most of us and our customers have faced such unprecedented challenges,” said Brett Mattison, Kentucky Power president and chief operating officer. “With the Foundation’s help, we’re proud to be able to address some

Kentucky Power's Power Up The Pantry postponed due to Coronavirus

ASHLAND, Ky., March 16, 2020 – Kentucky Power ispostponing Power Up the Pantry in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The community event scheduled for April 3 will take place later this year. A new date has not been scheduled because of the uncertainty surrounding the current health emergency.  Power Up the Pantry was first launched in 2019 to replenish depleted area food pantries. Kentucky Power partnered with WYMT and local businesses to have the most community impact. The inaugural event collected a

Chamber welcomes two new members in February

Pikeville, KY (March 9, 2020) - The Southeast Kentucky Chamber of Commerce welcomed two new members in February. The chamber is a collaboration of more than 500 businesses and the community working together for the betterment of the region. The Chamber welcomed Genesis Health and Wellness and Hensley Real Estate Services in February. Genesis Health and Wellness provides certified integrative nutrition health coaching; nutrition services for holistic healing of the mind, body, and soul; and offers more

Kentucky Power's Power Up The Pantry becomes annual community event

ASHLAND, Ky., March 9, 2019 – Kentucky Power is partnering with WYMT and local businesses to Power Up Pantry and replenish depleted area food pantries for the second year. The inaugural event collected a one-day near record 7.5 tons of food and more than $17,000 in monetary donations, enough for about 152,000 meals.  The second daylong event is planned for April 3. Donations benefit God’s Pantry Food Bank and eastern Kentucky community agencies served by Facing Hunger Food Bank. Kentucky Power organized

eKART: Bridging the gap between recovery and workforce

SynTerra seeking to help Eastern Kentucky companies and communities thrive

Pikeville, KY (March 5, 2020) – Founded in 1993, SynTerra Corp. is a rapidly growing engineering and science consulting firm with clients from coast to coast. Additionally, the company looks to expand and bring new engineering services to the Eastern Kentucky region. The name SynTerra is made up of two parts: Synergy and Tera. Synergy represents the companies promise to its clients and the community, while Tera represents the responsibilities to Earth. Before merging with SynTerra in 2019, Mining Consulting

Planning for 2020 Hillbilly Days underway

Pikeville, KY (February 12, 2020) – Planning is underway for the 44th Annual Hillbilly Days Festival scheduled for April 16-18 in downtown Pikeville, with this year’s festival shaping up to be an exciting one. Members of the Hillbilly Days planning committee have met on a few occasions to discuss plans for this year’s festival. Some new plans for the festival include a dinosaur-themed show, crafters at the Appalachian Wireless Arena, and virtual simulation experiences through Motion Adventures Plus. “The

SOAR, SEK Chamber, EKCEP to host first-ever Appalachia Cyber Summit

PRESTONSBURG, Ky. — Cybersecurity is not a global or national problem, it is a local problem.   To help small- and mid-size businesses, local governments, school districts, and non-profit and civic groups become aware and act on such events, a consortium of organizations are hosting the first-ever Appalachia Cyber Summit on Monday, March 30, 2020 at the Mountain Arts Center in Prestonsburg, Ky.   The event is being sponsored by Amazon Web Services and presented by Shaping Our Appalachian Region, Inc.

Our communities are pulling together to Power up the Pantry!

We are inviting businesses and residents to show support for our local food pantries by replenishing supplies after the winter season. Start now to collect non-perishable food, toiletries and money for drop off on Friday, April 3 during an all-day food drive taking place at several locations. Organize a collection effort at your work, school or church and donate as a group.Encourage your employer to make a charitable contribution.  Or donate individually!    Drives will be taking place all day at: ARH

International Speakers Headline Leadership Summit

Inez, KY <February 21, 2020>: International speakers and motivational leaders M. Kevin Davis and Tom Ziglar will be the keynote presenters at the “Raise the Lid Leadership Summit” held at the Mountain Arts Center in Prestonsburg, Kentucky on Thursday, March 26th, 2020.   “The event is designed to empower people in our region to unlock the leadership potential they have in themselves.  We’ll present proven strategies, real-life methods, and focused tactics to allow people to become better leaders, engaged

Gibson awarded scholarship from Kentucky state association

Frankfort, KY (February 20, 2020) - The Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Executives (KCCE), in cooperation with its scholarship committee, recently announced the recipients of their annual Institute for Organization Management (IOM) scholarships, with one of the recipients being Southeast Kentucky Chamber President and CEO Jordan Gibson. These scholarships are awarded to competing chamber professionals from across the state of Kentucky. IOM is the premier nonprofit professional development program for

The Kentucky Office of Rural Health to host EMS Listening Tour in Hindman, Ky

Pikeville, Ky- The Kentucky Office of Rural Health will host a statewide Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Listening Tour in February and March, making stops in eight communities across the Commonwealth to better gauge the current state of rural EMS services.  Tour sessions will allow EMS professionals, hospital and clinic administrators and staff, health department staff, state and local government officials, community members and other interested parties the opportunity to share their insights about the

Patton Leadership visits state capitol, meets with state leaders

Frankfort, KY (February 17, 2020) – The 2020 Patton Leadership Institute class visited Frankfort on Thursday, February 13 to learn about the state’s government, visit the state’s capitol building, observe a senate session, and meet with state officials. “The Frankfort session is always a special one for our program as it gives the participants a chance to see how the state’s government works, and how local legislators are working for them,” said Jordan Gibson, Southeast Kentucky Chamber president and

UPIKE’s Coleman College of Business Leadership Series set for February 26

PIKEVILLE, Ky. – The University of Pikeville’s Coleman College of Business will host a Speakers and Leadership Series event on Wednesday, February 26, at 1 p.m. in Record Memorial Building’s Booth Auditorium. UPIKE alumnus Tim Hatfield (PC’92) will serve as the featured guest speaker with his presentation, “Healthcare’s Current and Future Issues.” As Community CEO for Highlands ARH Regional Medical Center, Hatfield has had a lengthy career with ARH and is has served 23 years working in

Accomplished Civil Engineer Chris Dent joins SynTerra Corp.

PIKEVILLE, Kentucky — Chris Dent, an accomplished civil engineer in the public and private sectors, has joined the science and engineering consulting firm SynTerra Corp. Dent is a registered Professional Engineer in Kentucky with vast local experience in project management and grant administration.   Dent has led projects related to land development, green infrastructure, transportation, stormwater, and sanitary sewers.         Dent served seven years as an engineer and project manager for

Celebrate African American History Month at UPIKE with The Langston Hughes Project

 PIKEVILLE, Ky. – The University of Pikeville will host a multimedia performance with The Langston Hughes Project on Tuesday, February 25, in Booth Auditorium. The doors to the event will open at 7 p.m., with the show beginning at 7:30 p.m.    The Langston Hughes Project is a multimedia concert performance of Langston Hughes’ kaleidoscopic jazz poem suite titled, “Ask Your Mama: Twelve Moods for Jazz.” This is Hughes’ homage in verse and music to the struggle for artistic and social freedom at home and

Stepp Achieves Membership in Million Dollar Round Table

PIKEVILLE KYFebruary 18, 2020—Stacy Stepp of Pikeville, KY achieves membership in the prestigiousMillion Dollar Round Table (MDRT), a coveted career milestone that offers the opportunity to share innovative ideas and best practices with other leading financial professional members.  Membershipin MDRT is a highly recognized mark of excellence and limited to only the most successful in the financial services profession. This placesStepp among the top professionals in the global life insurance and financial

Kentucky Workforce Specialist shares story of recovery, teaches leaders about recovery-friendly procedures in the workplace

Kentucky Workforce Specialist shares story of recovery, teaches leaders about recovery-friendly procedures in the workplacePikeville, KY (February 7, 2020) – Recovery-friendly workplaces, second-chance employment, and addiction recovery were some of the topics addressed during a membership luncheon on Thursday, during which the Southeast Kentucky Chamber of Commerce partnered with the Kentucky Chamber Workforce Center. The luncheon, held at Mr. Gatti’s Pizza in Pikeville, featured Kentucky Chamber

Passion for community earns Fast Change national recognition

Passion for community earns Fast Change national recognition  Inez, Ky., <Feb. 3, 2020>: Community service is so important to Fast Change Oil & Lube that it is integrated into the way the company does business every day. Their passion to serve others in their communities has been recognized by National Oil and Lube News (NOLN), the quick automotive industry’s leading trade journal for more than 30 years. Founder and Chief Operating Officer Kevin Davis is featured on the February 2020 cover of the magazine

Southeast Kentucky Chamber awards education grants

Southeast Kentucky Chamber President and CEO Jordan Gibson presents a check totaling $1,250 to Inez Elementary Educator Michelle Harless for the school’s production on “Aladdin Kids.” The school is one of three from the region selected for the Chamber’s 2020 Excellence in Education Grant program. Southeast Kentucky Chamber President and CEO Jordan Gibson presents a check totaling $1,250 to Phelps Elementary Educator Kari Mayhorn for classroom technology, including Wonder Workshop Dash Robots. The school