SOMERSET, KY—Stock Yards Bank & Trust Senior Vice President for Business Banking Benjamin Caudill is a new representative on the Southeast Kentucky Economic Development Corporation’s (SKED) General Membership.
The Lexington resident was nominated to fill the position and elected by the SKED Board of Directors at its May 2024 meeting.
“I am looking forward to this new and exciting opportunity to work with a well-rounded and like-minded group that plays a role in the economic impact of Southeast Kentucky,” Caudill said.
The 25-member General Membership comprises some of the region’s best and brightest leaders from the banking, education, business, utility and economic development sectors. Members serve as At-Large liaisons for the Somerset, Ky.-based nonprofit economic development organization at home in their respective communities.
Caudill has worked in the commercial banking industry in Lexington and Morehead since 2007. He was vice president and commercial lender for 15 years at Kentucky Bank in Morehead and Lexington before the merger into Stock Yards Bank & Trust in 2021.
At Stock Yards Bank & Trust, Caudill oversees portfolio management, builds business relationships, manages risk and directs the lender’s commercial loans and other banking projects.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and finance from Morehead State University and graduated from the ABA Stonier School of Banking at the University of Pennsylvania in 2012.
He is active in several community-based organizations, including serving as a member of the St. Claire Healthcare Foundation Board and previously as president of both the Morehead-Rowan County Chamber of Commerce and the God’s Pantry Food Bank Board. He is a 2008 graduate of Leadership Kentucky.
SKED Executive Director Brett Traver says Caudill joins an established and experienced group of community bankers on SKED’s General Membership.
“As a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) working to grow the region’s economy through non-traditional lending, it is important to have input from community-minded bankers. Ben’s past experience working with community economic development organizations, coupled with commercial lending, will help SKED in our mission.”
Brett Traver
Caudill joins an experienced group of individuals as part of SKED’s General Membership including SKED’s 12-member Board of Directors: Carol Wright, president and CEO of Jackson Energy Cooperative, as president; Hometown Bank President and CEO Tim Barnes as vice president; 4 Arrows Consulting, LLC owner David Blakeman as secretary; Southern Kentucky Economic Development Agency Executive Director Bruce Carpenter as treasurer; and Corey Craig, president and CEO of Citizens Bank of Mount Vernon, as at-large director.
Other directors currently serving on the SKED board include Charlene Harris, president and CEO of First National Bank of Russell Springs; Virginia Flanagan, special assistant to the President of Campbellsville University; Daryl Smith, ombudsman, advanced metering infrastructure at LG&E and KU Energy LLC; Dr. Jennifer Lindon, president and CEO of Hazard Community and Technical College; Darryl McGaha, retired executive director of the Lake Cumberland Area Development District; Steve Allen, director of human resources at the University of the Cumberlands and newest director Amanda Clark, Kentucky Power External Affairs Manager.
Other members of the General Membership include Rodney Hitch, East Kentucky Power Cooperative economic development manager; Josh Branscum, Branscum Construction executive vice president; Mack Johnson, a financial advisor at Private Wealth Management; David Ledford, Executive Vice President for Boneal, Inc.; Terry Spears, SBA Banking Officer at Community Trust Bank in Pikeville; Shawn Daugherty, president and CEO of Citizens National Bank; Tim Dalton, Monticello Banking Company commercial lender; Bob Helton of Morehead; Ron McMahan, executive director for Team Taylor County Economic Development Authority, Mike Trosper, London-Laurel County Industrial Development Authority member; Denise Thomas, University of Pikeville grant writer and Colby Kirk, president and CEO for One East Kentucky Corporation.
In its 38th year of service to a 45-county service region in Southern and Eastern Kentucky, the SKED Board of Directors has installed four new members to its General Membership: Daugherty, Kirk, Caudill, and Clark.
Traver says the corporation is honored to be represented by a distinguished and experienced general membership.
“The time our volunteer directors and general membership give to guide our organization’s programs and growth is immeasurable,” Traver said. “Without their leadership, SKED’s future successes would not be as bright.”
To learn how SKED helps small business owners do business better, visit www.skedcorp.com or call (606) 677-6100.
