Southeast Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Welcomes Josh Ball of SOAR as Guest Speaker

Pikeville, KY (January 20, 2023) – On Tuesday, January 17th, 2023, the Southeast Kentucky Chamber held its monthly membership meeting at the Garfield House in Pikeville. This month’s guest speaker was Joshua Ball, chief operations officer of Shaping our Appalachian Region (SOAR). SOAR is a regional nonpartisan nonprofit that champions local projects, programs, and advocacy for the 54 ARC-mandated counties in Eastern Kentucky.

During his presentation, Ball discussed SOAR’s work to stimulate economic growth and support regional entrepreneurs. He highlighted several initiatives and programs such as EKY Remote, grant workshops, and the Appalachian Nursing Academy. Ball said, “The healthcare workforce is a national problem, but we are creating home-grown solutions with healthcare and training providers, as well as high schools. We are filling the gap by being intentional to bring greater awareness not only the job opportunities but also the many programs that will help pay for the training.” when talking about the Appalachian Nursing Academy and the success it had in its first year.

Ball also shared that SOAR has resources on its website soar-ky.org. There, you can find free e-books about a diverse group of topics including The Complete Guide to Entrepreneurship In Eastern Kentucky and The Remote Work Playbook for Eastern Kentucky Leaders, as well as a list of upcoming events.
The presentation was well-received by all who attended the meeting and sparked a lively discussion about the challenges and opportunities facing businesses in the region. Overall, it was a valuable and informative session that provided insights and ideas for those working to promote economic growth in Southeast Kentucky.

The Southeast Kentucky Chamber of Commerce is located at 178 College Street in Pikeville and serves more than 500 businesses in eight Eastern Kentucky Counties: Floyd, Johnson, Knott, Lawrence, Letcher, Magoffin, Martin, and Pike. The Chamber’s mission is to serve the businesses of Southeastern Kentucky through a commitment to networking, advocacy, education, and collaboration as we partner together to enhance the business climate in our region.