Networks

Commerce Lexington’s Economic Development team works to help network area businesses to the resources they need to grow and expand. From facilitating connections to potential business partners and management team members, to sharing ideas with like minded people and businesses, we work to help connect companies to the resources, people, talent, funding and a myriad of other things they need to get business done. Below are a few of the networks Commerce Lexington manages.

BLUEGRASS ALLIANCE

Lexington’s Bluegrass Alliance was created to promote regional cooperation and enhance economic development efforts in Central Kentucky. Comprised of economic development agencies and utility companies representing the greater Lexington Area, the Bluegrass Alliance includes the communities of Berea, Frankfort, Georgetown, Lexington, Midway, Mt. Sterling, Nicholasville, Paris, Richmond, Versailles, and Winchester. Partners from the utility industry are Columbia Gas of Kentucky, Delta Natural Gas, East Kentucky Power, LG&E and KU, and R. J. Corman Railroad Group. With a focus on marketing, support, trust and camaraderie between would-be competitors, this cooperative endeavor welcomes the opportunity to share resources and show you why your next expansion should be with the Bluegrass Alliance. www.lexbgalliance.com

For more information contact:

Gina Greathouse 
Executive Vice President, Economic Development
859-226-1623

BLUEGRASS BIO

Bluegrass Bio is a networking group of biotech companies which meets twice a year. Its purpose is to provide education and networking opportunities for the growing number of biotech companies in the region. With the state’s flagship university, the University of Kentucky, located in Lexington, it’s not surprising to see our community attracting internationally-renowned scientists, faculty and research centers. Also not surprising are the many technologies and ideas that come from them. The Lexington Economic Partnership has a strong focus on nurturing and assisting many of the start-up ventures resulting in the formation of stand-alone biotech entities.

For more information contact:

Cheryl Klever
Director of Business Retention & Expansion, Economic Development
(859) 226-1627

BUSINESS AND EDUCATION NETWORK

Ensuring that Central Kentucky has an educated workforce with the skills employers are seeking is essential to our economic competitiveness. Commerce Lexington supports workforce development through its partnership with the Business and Education Network (BEN), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

BEN’s mission is to create, attract, and sustain a globally skilled workforce in order to meet the needs of the region’s existing and target industries. We hope to achieve this through working with the education community, local workforce partners, community-based organizations, and area businesses. a skilled workforce with 21st century skills is critical for individual and metropolitan prosperity as well as business success. Therefore, the quality of our education system and workforce development initiatives is of the utmost importance.

For more information contact:

Betsy Dexter
Executive Director, Business & Education Network
859-226-1604

BUSINESS OWNERS ADVISORY BOARD (BOAB)

One of Commerce Lexington’s most effective business assistance efforts is the Business Owners Advisory Board (BOAB). These groups meet monthly for 2 hours and assist in problem-solving through discussion with other business owners to help in analyzing current or future direction, and also provide an avenue for personal growth. Each group is made up of around 8-10 members with similar interests and concerns, but who are NOT in direct competition with each other. There is NO CHARGE to participate in this program, which is open only to Commerce Lexington members.

Groups are formed on the basis of a variety of criteria, such as market or industry segment, number of employees, geographic focus, etc. Each group has its own facilitator, who helps the group remain focused on its objectives, and who acts as a liaison to the Business Owners Advisory Board Steering Committee. To qualify for BOAB, you must have been in business for at least 2 years, be the owner or co‐owner of a business and currently generate revenue for your business. If qualifications are met, applicants will be placed in a group that best suits their schedule and business type and avoids any conflict with direct competitors.

For more information about the Business Owners Advisory Board, or to join the growing list of members participating in one of the groups, contact:

Liz Bennett
Events/Communications Specialist
(859) 226-1615

C3N

Lexington and Central Kentucky are home to a diverse economic and business environment. A growing sector for Lexington has been contact centers, which provide a variety of inbound/outbound services for technology, healthcare, utilities, financial and many other industries.

The Contact Center Consortium Network (C3N) is envisioned to be similar to other Commerce Lexington networks including the Manufacturers Network, BioLex and the In2Lex Network. From an economic development perspective, Commerce Lexington strives to understand the challenges and opportunities that our existing businesses face and to bring resources together that could be helpful.

For more information contact:

Cheryl Klever
Director of Business Retention & Expansion, Economic Development
(859) 226-1627