Awards will be presented Oct. 28 in Lexington
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 28, 2015) — Kentucky Nonprofit Network, Inc. (KNN) has announced the winners of its 2015 Nonprofit Awards, to be presented Oct. 28 at the 13th annual Kentucky Nonprofit Leadership Forum Awards Luncheon at the Lexington Convention Center.
This year’s award recipients are:
Innovative Nonprofit Award — FoodChain of Lexington
The Innovative Nonprofit Award recognizes a nonprofit organization in the commonwealth implementing inventive, nontraditional programs or methods that effectively meet community needs. The award winner is required to demonstrate creativity and vision in finding unique solutions to community issues.
FoodChain aims to reconnect people with their food by providing education and demonstration of innovative, sustainable food production. Operating the state’s only indoor aquaponics system inside an abandoned bread factory in downtown Lexington, FoodChain takes a different approach to “teach a man to fish” – instead “teaching a man to grow and harvest fish.” Since being founded in 2012, the organization has harvested tons of lettuces and 1000 pounds of fish, and hosted over 6000 visitors through tours, workshops and educational programing.
Distinguished Nonprofit Leadership Award — Wendell Strode, executive director of the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green
The Distinguished Nonprofit Leadership Award recognizes outstanding leadership among Kentucky nonprofit chief executives. The award recognizes achievement in the areas of strategic leadership, community building, ethical integrity, innovation and commitment to strengthening the nonprofit sector.
Wendell Strode has served as executive director of the National Corvette Museum since 1996 and is noted for growing Museum membership and increasing visitors to Bowling Green and Kentucky, resulting in an economic impact in excess of $35 million to the local and state economy. He is also recognized for his exceptional leadership during the sinkhole incident that occurred at the Museum in February 2014, using the disaster as an opportunity to gain world-wide media attention and experience record Museum attendance during repairs.
Outstanding Board Leadership award — Dr. Whitney Jones, board member of the statewide Colon Cancer Prevention Project based in Louisville
The award highlights the work of a board leader who is strategic-thinking, works cooperatively with other board members and the executive director to further the mission of the organization and is actively committed to best practices and succession planning.
Jones is a board member and founder of the Colon Cancer Prevention Project, which has a mission to eliminate preventable colon cancer death and suffering by encouraging people get timely screenings. Jones has served an active role on the board through many “firsts” including the first screening program for low-income, uninsured Kentuckians and legislative victories related to screenings. The organization credits his vision and commitment to the mission as a key factor in Kentucky’s rise from 49th to 32nd in the nation for colon cancer screening rates — no other state has improved that much in a decade.
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