Patton Leadership Institute Class of 2025 Holds Third Session in Martin County

PIKEVILLE, KY (December 9, 2024) – The Southeast Kentucky Chamber of Commerce’s Patton Leadership Institute (PLI) held its third session for the Class of 2025 in Martin County on Thursday, December 5, 2024. The cohort visits a different county for each session. PLI will visit Floyd County on January 9, 2025.

The Class of 2025 began the day with a tour at United States Penitentiary Big Sandy, a maximum-security prison with a minimum-security camp. The cohort learned all about the different programs the prison offers to help rehabilitate inmates and prepare them to reenter society after serving their sentence. Their focus is to give inmates the tools necessary to reduce recidivism such as substance abuse recovery programs and GED courses in partnership with Big Sandy Community & Technical College.

The cohort then travelled to AppleAtcha apple orchard where manager Ryan Wilson gave a presentation on the orchard and how it operates. The orchard spans 1,000 acres with 60 acres currently planted with 120,000 Honeycrisp apple trees.

The group ended the day at The Collier Center in Inez and held a discussion on the book, Monday Morning Leadership, followed by a talk from Angie Reynolds, founder and president of TEK Center. Angie gave a history of the college and talked about TEK Center’s future in moving to Magoffin County to expand the number of pathways offered and increase the number of students who can be trained at one time. The final speaker of the day was Nita Collier, Inez City Commissioner, who spoke on the work the City of Inez and Martin County Fiscal Court are doing to boost tourism such as building walking trails and renovating the old courthouse in downtown Inez.

“I really enjoyed our session in beautiful Martin County,” said Ezalee Pigman, clinic administrator for Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH) and PLI Class of 2025 participant. “We met leaders who are energetic and working toward not only a better future for Martin County but the whole region.”

“Thank you to our incredible hosts and inspiring speakers for making the Patton Leadership trip to Martin County an unforgettable experience,” said Katie Belt, Patton Leadership Institute program coordinator for the Southeast Kentucky Chamber. “Your hospitality and insights will leave a lasting impression on our group, and we are truly grateful for your support in fostering leadership and growth in our region.”

Patton Leadership Institute is a leadership development program of the Southeast Kentucky Chamber of Commerce. PLI is made up of leaders from across the Chamber’s eight-county region. Participants attend nine sessions over a nine-month period, and the curriculum weaves together topics crucial to the development of community such as education, economic development, healthcare, energy, tourism, and government. Leadership skills are integrated into each session.
 
For more information about the Chamber or PLI visit them online at www.sekchamber.com or call 606.432.5504.
 
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.

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