The Kentucky Entrepreneur Hall of Fame inducted its 2024 class Tuesday at its annual induction ceremony, presented by Chase.
The 2024 Kentucky Entrepreneur Hall of Fame inductees are Apellis Pharmaceuticals Co-Founder and CEO/President Cedric Francois, MD, PhD, US WorldMeds Founder and CEO Breck Jones, Thomas and King, Inc. CEO/Founder Mike Scanlon, and Castellan Group, Zelis, and HealthLink Dimensions Co-Founders Scott Smith and Sean Smith.
The Kentucky Entrepreneur Hall of Fame (KEHOF) is a physical and virtual destination that shares and celebrates the stories of Kentucky’s most successful entrepreneurs.
The induction celebration also honored 2024’s Emerging Entrepreneurs, Mentor of the Year, Investor of the Year, and Executive of the Year award recipients.
Emerging Entrepreneurs
Buddy Bockweg, Co-Founder & CEO, Vsimple
Andy Eastes, CEO & Co-Founder, SkuVault
Investor of the Year
Phoebe A. Wood, Principal, CompaniesWood
Mentor of the Year
Dave Knox, Executive Director, Blue North
Executive of the Year
Ann B. Bakhaus, Chair, Kentucky Eagle Inc.
“Small businesses are the backbone of the economy. Entrepreneurs generate jobs, create diverse neighborhoods and are vital to prosperous cities,” said Paul Costel, Region Manager for JPMorgan Chase in Kentucky and this year’s presenting sponsor. “It’s an honor to celebrate the innovation and drive behind these successful leaders. It’s imperative they have our support in order to unlock the full potential of the Bluegrass state.”
Know a Kentucky entrepreneur you feel deserves to be recognized? Nominations for the 2025 class are open. The deadline to submit is May 3, 2025. Please submit nominations by visiting https://entrepreneurhof.com/nominate/.
For more information about the initiative or to learn more about past honorees, click here.