SOMERSET, KY – Advanced manufacturing entrepreneur Kathy Walker has been elected to the Southeast Kentucky Economic Development Corporation’s (SKED) General Membership.
Walker, the founder and CEO of the eKentucky Advanced Manufacturing Institute (eKAMI), was nominated to fill an open position on the board and elected by the SKED Board of Directors at its May 2025 meeting.
“I am honored to join SKED’s organization and contribute to the mission of driving economic growth through advanced workforce development in Southeast Kentucky,” Walker said. “Together, we can continue to create opportunities that transform lives and strengthen our region’s economy.”
SKED’s 25-member volunteer General Membership comprises some of the region’s most successful leaders in banking, education, business, utilities and economic development. Members serve as SKED ambassadors across its 45-county service area.
eKAMI is a nationally recognized workforce development training center based in Paintsville, Kentucky. Under Walker’s leadership, eKAMI is working to transform the economy of eastern Kentucky by reskilling individuals for high-demand careers in automation, robotics, and advanced manufacturing.
eKAMI serves a diverse range of students, including displaced coal industry workers, military veterans, formerly incarcerated individuals, recovering addicts, young adults seeking alternatives to traditional college, and others ready to pursue a new career path. The program provides hands-on training with cutting-edge technology, equipping graduates with skills that are immediately applicable in modern manufacturing environments.The institute’s success has drawn national attention and sparked fierce competition among employers seeking to hire its graduates.
A seasoned entrepreneur, Walker brings extensive experience from the energy and banking sectors. She serves on multiple public and private boards and has been a resident of Paintsville for over 30 years.
SKED Executive Director Brett Traver says Walker’s advanced manufacturing and training experience gives her a unique perspective on decisions affecting SKED’s service region.
“Kathy has been working to improve workforce and economic development conditions in Eastern Kentucky for years. I’m excited to hear her ideas as a representative on SKED General Membership,” Traver said. “I look forward to her insight and guidance based on her proven success, as we work to increase SKED’s influence across the region.”
Walker joins a veteran group of professionals on SKED’s General Membership board: Darryl McGaha, retired Lake Cumberland Area Development executive director; Hometown Bank CEO Tim Barnes; 4 Arrows Consulting, LLC owner David Blakeman; Southern Kentucky Economic Development Agency Executive Director Bruce Carpenter and Corey Craig, president and CEO of Citizens Bank of Mount Vernon;
Charlene Harris, president and CEO of First National Bank of Russell Springs; Dr. Jennifer Lindon, president and CEO of Hazard Community and Technical College; Steve Allen, executive vice president of human resources at the University of the Cumberlands; Amanda Clark, Kentucky Power economic and business development manager; Keith Gabbard, CEO for Peoples Rural Telephone Cooperative and Colby Kirk, One East Kentucky president and CEO;
Rodney Hitch, East Kentucky Power Cooperative economic development manager; Josh Branscum, Branscum Construction Co., Inc., executive vice president; Mack Johnson, Private Wealth Management financial advisor; Terry Spears, Community Trust Bank SBA Banking Officer; Ben Caudill, Stock Yards Bank & Trust, senior vice president of business banking;
Tim Dalton, Monticello Banking Company commercial lender; Denise Thomas, University of Pikeville grant writer; Bob Helton of Morehead; Ron McMahan executive director of Team Taylor County Economic Development Authority; Mike Trosper, London Laurel County Industrial Development Authority member and Shawn Daughtery, Citizens National Bank president and CEO.
Traver says the Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) is honored to be represented by a distinguished and experienced slate of its General Membership board.
“We truly appreciate the guidance our general membership representatives give to manage our CDFI’s programs,” Traver said. “Their guidance helps bring our plans and future growth to life.”
