Lieutenant Governor Daniel Mongiardo is a well-known physician and surgeon in Eastern Kentucky. Born in Hazard Kentucky he is the eldest of three surviving children of Jimmy and Katherine Mongiardo.
After graduating from high school, Lt. Governor Mongiardo attended the University of Transylvania and the University of Kentucky’s School of Medicine and completed his surgical residency at the Albert B. Chandler Medical Center. Following this, prestigious McGill University in Montreal Canada selected him for residency training in otolaryngology (ear, nose and throat). He then returned to hazard to deliver specialized medical and surgical treatment to local residents and others that sought his expertise.
These experiences helped him to recognize the importance of becoming a leader in addressing concerns that face all Kentuckians. To do so, he campaigned for the Senate, was elected in 2000 and represented Bell, Harlan, Leslie and Perry Counties.
Serving as Kentucky’s Lieutenant Governor since 2007, Dr. Mongiardo continues to fight for the betterment of all Kentuckians. One of his key initiatives is to stimulate the economy by making Kentucky the Adventure Tourism destination of the world. He is promoting outdoor recreation, tourism, and entrepreneurship, especially in rural areas, through the development of a statewide trail system for hiking, biking and horseback and all-terrain vehicle (ATV) riding.
In addition, he has served as Kentucky’s champion for the implementation of health information technology (HIT). His vision is to showcase Kentucky as a national leader in HIT, and to develop a national center to study the impact of HIT on health outcomes and the return on investment.
As a physician, he implemented the first fully electronic office in Kentucky. As a senator he sponsored legislation which on-set the first statewide e-Health Network Board; and most recently served as the national physician champion for the Health Information Security and Privacy Collaborative (HISPC).
Marcheta Sparrow, Secretary, Tourism, Arts, and Heritage Cabinet
Marcheta Sparrow comes to the post of Kentucky Tourism, Arts and Heritage Secretary with more than 30 years of tourism industry experience in both the public and private sector. Before her appointment as cabinet secretary, she served for nine years as President and CEO of the Kentucky Tourism Council where she managed a 575-member statewide association representing all sectors of Kentucky's travel industry.
"As an industry advocate, Marcheta has a sound understanding of Kentucky's diverse tourism product," said Governor Steve Beshear. "She also has an understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced by every region from our smallest rural communities to the largest cities."
Before her work with the Kentucky Tourism Council, Sparrow served as Marketing and Public Relations Director at the Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill for nearly nine years. There she developed and implemented communications and marketing programs for a National Historic Landmark with a 14-building living history museum, 80 overnight guest rooms, 125-seat restaurant, two craft stores, various meeting facilities and a riverboat operation.
Sparrow also worked as Director of Tourism for the Louisville Convention and Visitors Bureau from 1984-1989 and Executive Director of the Frankfort Tourism Commission from 1983-1984. Prior to that, she served as Communications Director for the Kentucky Derby Festival, one of North America’s largest civic celebrations. She also worked as matching funds administrator for the Kentucky Department of Tourism and began her career in tourism as a tour guide at the Kentucky State Capitol.
In addition to serving on Governor’s Tourism Advisory Boards for both the Collins and Wilkinson administrations, Sparrow chaired the Harrodsburg-Mercer County Tourist Commission for five years. In 1996, she received the tourism industry’s highest honor -- the Kentucky Tourism Council Distinguished Service Award.
She is married to journalist Herb Sparrow. They have three children and three grandchildren.
Bob Vance, Secretary, Public Protection Cabinet
Robert D. Vance brings nearly 30 years of managerial experience and a record of civic involvement to his post as Secretary of the Public Protection Cabinet. He earned business and law degrees at the University of Kentucky. He also is a graduate of the Stonier Graduate School of Banking at Rutgers University and the Executive Banking Institute at the University of Louisville.
Mr. Vance has served as president of the Maysville-Mason County Chamber of Commerce, board chairman of the Kentucky Bankers Association School of Banking and vice chairman of the Maysville-Mason County Industrial Authority.
Mark Hill, Executive Director, Kentucky Golf Association
Mark Hill, 40, serves as Executive Director for the Kentucky Golf Association and the Kentucky Section of the PGA of America. He is currently one of two individuals nationally to hold such a dual role. In his role with the Kentucky Golf Association and the Kentucky Section PGA, Hill oversees the operations and affairs for over 220 member golf facilities, 30,000 individual amateur golfers, and over 300 PGA Golf Professionals and Apprentice Professionals. He leads a staff of seven full time employees and eight part time employees.
He also led efforts to construct and fund Golf House Kentucky, a new home for the Kentucky Golf Hall of Fame. He oversaw construction and finance of the facility, as well as construction and design of displays and exhibits for the Kentucky Golf Hall of Fame, and also led a $1.2 million capital campaign to fund the project. Golf House Kentucky, located at Persimmon Ridge Golf Club, opened in November, 2006. Hill also directed the Kentucky PGA’s role in the 2008 Ryder Cup, including recruitment of over 250 volunteers and management of over 130 PGA Professional volunteers on site, and a successful fundraising campaign in conjunction with the event.
A native of Pulaski, Tennessee, he is a United States Army veteran, having served with the 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade at Fort Bliss, Texas, where he also served as a member of the Fort Bliss National Cemetery Honor Guard. He is a 1993 graduate of Middle Tennessee State University (B.S., Public Relations/Journalism), graduating as a member of the National Dean’s List. He lives in Louisville with wife Leslie and son Brady.
Louis Stout, National Chairman, Amatuer Athletic Association
Louis Stout, currently co-hosts the Scholastic Ball Report television show from the months of August through April. The show examines high school sports in Kentucky and presents scores, highlights and interviews. He also serves as the National Chairman for the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) as the First Vice President and is the National Chairman for the AAU James E. Sullivan Award. He has served in both positions since 1994.
Mr. Stout retired in 2002 after serving 34 years at the Kentucky High School Athletic Association. In 1994, he was the first African-American in the history of the United States named to head a state High School Athletic Association. He served as Commissioner of the Kentucky High School Athletic Association for eight years before retiring in 2002, after serving on the board for 34 years.
Mr. Stout is a graduate of Cynthiana High School and St. Regis College (now St. Regis University) in Denver Colorado where he obtained a basketball scholarship and was coached by Joe B. Hall, who later coached at the University of Kentucky. Mr. Stout received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and History from St. Regis College. He also received his Master degree in Guidance & Counseling from Georgetown College in Georgetown, KY.
Kathy DeBoer, Executive Director of the American Volleyball Coaches Association
Kathy DeBoer is currently the Executive Director of the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA). The AVCA is a member-funded, non-profit organization that advocates for the sport at all levels by providing training, awards programs, programming and publications that serve the volleyball coaching community. Prior to her AVCA appointment, DeBoer spent three years as the Commissioner of General Services for the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government. In that capacity she managed a $25 million budget, 375 employees, and oversaw the Divisions of Parks and Recreation, Building Maintenance and Construction, and Fleet Services. Before her government work, DeBoer spent twenty-three years in intercollegiate athletics serving as a coach, administrator and fundraiser. She spent eighteen years at the University of Kentucky, finishing her career as the Senior Associate Athletics Director.
From 1999 to 2002, DeBoer served as the Southeastern Conference representative to the NCAA Division I Management Council. From 1997 to 1999 she was the chair of the Finance Committee of the NCAA Division I Business and Finance Cabinet. From 1988 to 1996 DeBoer served as an advisor to the USA Women’s National Team. She was part of the coaching staff for three Olympic Sports Festival Teams and the 1989 World University Games Team.
DeBoer is a nationally known public speaker on the impact of gender on competitive behavior. She also does popular programs on motivation, teamwork and 21st century leadership. She has written extensively on issues of competition, gender, coaching, and intercollegiate athletics. Her articles have appeared in The NCAA News, the National Federation News, Women in Higher Education, Coaching Volleyball, Coaching Women’s Basketball, and The Soccer Journal. She has authored book chapters for a sports medicine text entitled The Female Athlete and USA Volleyball’s Annual Manual. She also has produced numerous videotapes on volleyball skill development and coaching. Her first book, Gender and Competition: How Men and Women Approach Work and Play Differently, was published by Coaches Choice in 2004.
She has a B.A. in Humanities from Michigan State University (1978) and her M.B.A. from the University of Kentucky (1988). She is married to Mark Pittman and resides in Lexington, Kentucky.
Amy Cardwell, Sports Marketing Director, Bowling Green Area Convention & Visitors Bureau
Amy has a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Western Kentucky University with a major in Psychology and a minor in Marketing. She worked as Director of Sales of the Hampton Inn for 3 years. She completed Hilton D.O.S. training levels I and II. As far as the sports industry, Amy played competitive softball for 28 years and worked for the Warren County Parks and Recreation and Bowling Green City Parks and Recreation. Amy has very strong relationships with key members of the sports industry and her community. She was selected to serve on the Governor’s Signature Events Committee in 2007 and in 2008 was selected to serve as the TeamKY representative on the Kentucky Sports Authourity’s Board of Directors. Amy is an active Kiwanian and have served on the board and have 4 Distinguished Service Awards, she is also a board member of the Family Enrichment Center and Warren County Youth Football. Amy is also an active member of TeamKY and work very hard to build strong relationships in order to best complete the job at hand.
Paul Rogers, WHAS Sportscaster
In his current position at WHAS Radio, a clear-channel, 50,000-watt station, Paul Rogers anchors morning sportscasts, and is the play-by-play voice of University of Louisville football and basketball and Churchill Downs racing. He has been at WHAS since August of 1973 as a sportscaster for both radio and television. His work at Churchill Downs has included calling the Kentucky Derby and Breeders Cup for local TV and radio.
A native of Louisville, Mr. Rogers attended Eastern High School and the University of Kentucky. Rogers has been voted “Kentucky Sportscaster of the Year” by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association three times, and is a multiple-winner of the Associated Press' “Best Sportscast in Kentucky.”
Paul Rogers is married and has two sons and two grandchildren. His hobbies include traveling, golf and reading (usually non-sports books.)
Fred Sutterlin, Founder, PRG Investments
Fred Sutterlin is the Founder and Managing Member of Pinnacle Realty Group, LLC and PRG Investments (collectively, “PRG”), overseeing all aspects the company’s investment advisory and brokerage activities. He began his real estate career as an attorney practicing with a large regional law firm representing clients is a variety of business, real estate and corporate matters. Prior to forming PRG, he served as General Counsel and Director of Commercial Real Estate Services with Williamson Commercial Group, Inc. Fred holds a BA in Economics from Washington and Lee University and is a graduate of the University of Louisville School of Law. As the managing principal broker of PRG, Fred has successfully represented clients in the acquisition and disposition of multi-million dollar investment and commercial real estate assets. He is a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers, a member of the American, Kentucky and Louisville Bar Associations, a member of the National and Kentucky Association of Realtors, a partner in Patriot Real Estate, LLC and an active licensed real estate broker in South Carolina.
Fred was also selected as one of Business First Louisville’s Forty under 40 in 2006, and served on Governor Steven L. Beshear’s transition team in 2007. Fred currently serves on the Board of Directors of the American Red Cross Louisville Chapter and the Kentucky Sport Authority Board of Directors.
Joe Terry, Managing Partner, Dinsmore & Shohl LLP
Joe Terry is the Managing Partner of the Lexington Office of Dinsmore & Shohl LLP, a 360-person regional law firm based in Cincinnati. Mr. Terry, who is a transactional attorney with a niche in sports marketing, has served as counsel to IMG College, and its predecessor Host Communications, a national sports marketing firm located in Lexington.
His sports marketing practice includes negotiating and drafting sponsorship, event management and licensing agreements and has done so with numerous Fortune 500 corporations and national television networks. He has negotiated and drafted sponsorship agreements on behalf of the NCAA, the SEC, the Big Twelve and numerous colleges and universities. Mr. Terry has been recognized in the publications, CHAMBERS USA, Super Lawyers, and Best Lawyers in America, having been selected by his peers.
Bill Schroeder, Founder of Schroeder Publishing and The American Quilter's Society
In 1969, Bill Schroeder founded Collector Books in Paducah, Kentucky. Prior to that he worked as a chemical operator at Pennwalt Chemicals in Calvert City, Kentucky. Having a lifelong passion for collectibles, he produced a bestselling book in the field of antiques: One Thousand Fruit Jars with Current Values became the reference on the subject. Since the publication of that first fruit jar book, Schroeder Publishing has become the leader in the field of antiques. Books are published on subjects including, antique furniture, dolls - both contemporary and antique, glassware, pottery, Indian artifacts, tools, fishing lures, guns, and Schroeder’s Antiques Price Guide, which is considered a must for dealers and collectors alike.
In 1984 Bill and his wife Meredith formed the American Quilter’s Society. This organization with more than 65,000 members worldwide is the largest quilt group in existence. The American Quilter’s Society produces more than 30 how-to books each year as well as the American Quilter magazine.
For 25 years the American Quilter’s Society has produced the National Quilt Show and Contest in Paducah, Kentucky, during which 30,000 to 35,000 quilters converge on Paducah each April.
In 1991 Bill and Meredith built the Museum of the American Quilter’s Society, a not-for-profit 501C-3 entity, in downtown Paducah. In 2004, by an act of Congress, the museum was designated The National Quilt Museum. The museum houses over 250 of the world’s finest quilts and is visited by over 50,000 guests annually.
Mr. Schroeder has served on several local business and civic boards. Presently he serves on the holding company board of the Paducah Bank & Trust Company.
Being an avid hunter and fisherman, he has several hunting properties in Ballard County, Kentucky, which border the game reserve there.
KSA Staff
Kevin Marie Nuss, Executive Director
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Kevin Nuss brought over 25 years of marketing and management experience to her position as Executive Director of the Kentucky Sports Authority when she began work for the agency in February 2008. She had spent sixteen years at Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby, including almost ten years as Vice President, Marketing for the Louisville racetrack. In this position, Ms. Nuss was responsible for all marketing activities for the track, including advertising campaigns, Spring and Fall Meet promotions and events, group sales, direct mail and database marketing, and market research programs. During her tenure, she supervised the introduction and development of Churchill Downs' Twin Spires Club, one of the first player loyalty programs in the racing industry. The Twin Spires Club is now in place at Churchill Downs properties across the country.
Ms. Nuss also worked for Humana Inc., where she oversaw the company's PGA Tour, LPGA Tour and National Senior Games partnership programs. She also served as Executive Director of KentuckyShow! Ms. Nuss began her career with the Commonwealth of Kentucky, where she was Director of Marketing and Advertising for what was then the Kentucky Department of Travel Development.
Ms. Nuss resides in Louisville with her husband and two canine daughters, Lou and Megs.
Laura Negron, Sports Sponsorship Program Administrator
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Nick Hope, Sports Marketing Manager
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Nick Hope currently serves as the Sports Marketing Manager for the Kentucky Sports Authority (KSA), and reports directly to the Executive Director, Kevin Nuss. He manages and oversees the daily operations for the agency, and acts as a liaison between the KSA staff and its TEAM Kentucky partners, supporting communications between the KSA and its partners. Nick is also responsible for the development and managemnt of the Kentucky Sports Authority Internship Program. In addition he oversees and maintains the KSA's website. He assisted with the development and implementation of a searchable venue database for the website, and was tasked with executing the upload of all of the facility information.
A native of Louisville Kentucky, Nick comes to the KSA from the Greater Louisville Sports Commission (GLSC), where he served as an intern for 7 months. While completing his internship with the GLSC, he also worked at Shively Sporting Goods as a part-time store manager for their second location inside of the Hoops basketball facility. In addition he was completing his second summer internship, which was extended through February 2009, in the Pharmacy communications department for Humana Inc.
Nick is a 2004 graduate of Trinity High School in Louisville, Kentucky. After High School he attended Hanover College, where he was a member of the varsity basketball team. He transferred back home to the University of Louisville for a summer semester of courses before heading to Lexington to attend the University of Kentucky. He is a 2008 graduate of the University of Kentucky's Gatton College of Business and Economics and holds his Bachelor of Business Administration degree in the field of Marketing.