Home » Kentucky Science and Technology announces new leadership

Kentucky Science and Technology announces new leadership

After 30 years leading Ky Science & Technology Corp., Kris Kimel to be succeeded by Terry Samuel
Kris Kimel
Kris Kimel

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Jan. 18, 2018) — After three decades of designing and successfully implementing creative initiatives in talent development, economic development and scientific research, Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation (KSTC) announces the beginning of a new chapter in its leadership.

Effective Jan. 31, Co-Founder and President Kris Kimel will leave KSTC and assume an extended role at Space Tango Inc., a KSTC spin-off Kimel co-founded in 2014.

The enterprise undertakes the design, research and manufacturing of commercial solutions in the microgravity environment of space for novel applications on Earth. In his continued role as Space Tango chairman, he will focus primarily on the company’s overall strategy, new concept development and external collaborations.

“It has been an incredible experience and honor to help lead such an amazing creative and dedicated team of people at KSTC. I know it will continue to innovate and expand under Terry Samuel’s leadership. And at this point, I also can’t imagine anything more important to the entrepreneurial economy of Kentucky or better use of my time and experience than to help make sure that Space Tango and its critically important mission achieves success,” Kimel said.

Terry Samuel
Terry Samuel

Terry Samuel, who has served as KSTC’s chief operating officer for the past year after seven years of service on the company’s board of directors, will become president of KSTC. He also will head the Exomedicine Institute, an R&D think-tank that focuses on scientific research in the rapidly emerging field of exomedicine, medical research in the microgravity environment of space for purposes on Earth.

“I am honored to succeed Kris in leading KSTC. He founded the organization and has provided extraordinary leadership for 30 years. KSTC has a tremendous track record of success and I am committed to seeing KSTC continue and grow that track record well into the future,” Samuel said.

KSTC has spearheaded an array of innovative research using Kentucky know-how and a variety of public-private partnerships, platforms and entities, since 1987. Under the guidance of Mr. Kimel, the private, nonprofit corporation has encouraged and enabled entrepreneurs and companies to harness financial and research support for their ideas and ventures. A board of directors, which includes leaders from business, education and non-profit agencies, oversees KSTC and its operations.

Ron Geoghegan, chair of KSTC’s board, added, “We thank Kris for his incredible vision and creativity through the years. His impact on the organization and on the Commonwealth of Kentucky has been tremendous. And we look forward to Terry’s transition into the leadership role. We have confidence that Terry will lead the organization in continuing to add value to Kentucky.”

The planned leadership transition assures continuity of KSTC’s longstanding mission as a catalyst for people and organizations to develop and apply innovative science and technology and to compete responsibly in the global marketplace. The transition also will provide opportunities to calibrate programs and create new visions for the realities and possibilities of a 21st century economy in Kentucky.

1 Comment

Click here to post a comment

  • Kris Kimel has been an outstanding visionary leader in science and technology research, and educational programming not only for the commonwealth of KY but for the United States. He is a true trailblazer who saw to it that Our State would be firmly seated in the emerging space race that is quickly emerging in the 21st century.