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October has been designated as Careers in Construction Month by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). The designation comes as construction employment in Greater Cincinnati continues to grow despite the economic turndown.

“Currently, we are experiencing strong growth in the residential building and remodeling trades as homeowners and homebuyers are looking to move into a new home or renovate their current home,” said Brian Miller, Executive Vice President of the Building Industry Association of Northern Kentucky (BIA). “This portion of our sector only took a short pause during the onset of the pandemic but immediately surged as our community became blatantly aware of the insufficiencies in their current living situation.

“Commercial and Industrial construction became more sporadic but is now regaining momentum with several commercial and industrial builder/developers reporting bid activity at an elevated level for projects expected to break ground in the spring.”

Employment has particularly increased among the eight skilled construction trades taught locally by the BIA-NKY through its Enzweiler Building Institute. These trades are carpentry, diesel mechanics for heavy equipment, electric, facilities maintenance, heating & air conditioning, masonry, plumbing, and welding trades training in eight subjects.

“We are seeing an increase in employment and wages in all eight subjects we offer at the Institute,” Miller said. “According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 33,000 individuals are employed in these eight trades in Greater Cincinnati. That represents an increase of over 5,000 construction trades professionals over four years. On average these individuals are earning nearly three thousand more per year than they made four years prior.”

BIA Director of Professional Development Dr. Vicki Berling said that interest in the skilled trades has increased during the pandemic.

“Our school enrollment grew by five percent over last year, despite the troubling economy. As people look around Northern Kentucky, they can literally see construction everywhere. They have begun to recognize that these are steady careers with great earning potential that will continue for years into the future.”

Miller added that construction jobs often lead to small-business ownership.

“The barrier to company ownership is only constrained by one’s own willingness to work hard and learn what it takes to run a business. There are no glass ceilings if you are willing to apply yourself and start your own company,” he concluded.

Berling urged people to explore careers in construction by visiting www.buildinginstitute.com and clicking “Programs Available.” Or interested parties can contact her at vicki@buildersnky.com or (859) 640-4294.

Following is four years of data in the eight construction trades offered by the Enzweiler Building Institute:

Single-family residential building permits surged into the second quarter of 2020, said Brian Miller, Executive Vice President of the Building Industry Association. And so did residential remodeling.

“Early on during the onset of the pandemic, remodeling stalled as those with preexisting conditions and elder members of their family living at home pushed off projects,” Miller said. “The industry realigned, rescheduled and moved projects that didn’t have those concerns into the work schedule as the industry quickly adapted to the current situations.”

BIA is still concerned about the near future for commercial and industrial projects as over 60 percent of the commercial investment in the market is directly tied to the Amazon International Hub project. 

“If the Amazon Hub projects were not occurring, we would have seen a decline of about a third of what we have experienced in that sector of our construction industry. By factoring in the Amazon projects, we have seen an increase of over $266 million year over year.” 

That commercial/industrial construction sector is centralized around one operation is cause for concern, he said, and time will tell as disruptions with retail and the hospitality industry continue.
 
“We are confident that like most recessions, the construction industry will once again lead us out and is showing strong signs of doing just that one month into the pandemic shutdowns. Nationwide construction firms are hiring and adding hundreds of thousands of employees to payrolls. For those industries hardest hit like hospitality, transportation, and entertainment, now is an important time to investigate careers in the construction industry.

“While others were sheltered at home, our industry was busy building homes, businesses, and commercial and industrial buildings. Deemed an essential service, the professionals in our industry complied with protocols and to this date have seen extremely low levels of exposure to the virus.”

The men and women in the building industry have been working and increasing hours and compensation during a time of downturn for service sector-based jobs.

“We would encourage anyone who needs a career that pays somewhere between $40,000 to north of $60,000 per year to contact us at our Enzweiler Building Institute,” Miller said.

Courses begin for adults in early September in the evenings so people can work during the day and begin on a career with no college debt.
 
The mission of the Building Industry Association of Northern Kentucky is to promote and enhance the integrity and visibility of the construction industry and the members of the organization through advocacy, communication, education, and political action. For more information about the Enzweiler Building Institute, visit the website or call (859) 640-4294.
 
2020 Q1 Permit Data
                    

The following is from Building Industry Association of Northern Kentucky Executive Vice President Brian Miller 

After taking a breath in March, single-family residential building permits surged into the second quarter of 2020. The same can be said for residential remodeling. Early on during the onset of the pandemic, remodeling stalled as those with preexisting conditions and elder members of their family living at home pushed off projects. The industry realigned, rescheduled and moved projects that didn’t have those concerns into the work schedule as the industry quickly adapted to the current situations.

We are concerned about the near future for commercial and industrial projects as over sixty percent of the commercial investment in our market is directly tied to the Amazon International Hub project. If the Amazon Hub projects were not occurring, we would have seen a decline of about a third of what we have experienced in that sector of our construction industry. By factoring in the Amazon projects, we have seen an increase of over $266 million year over year. The fact that our commercial/industrial construction sector is becoming centralized around one operation is cause for concern. Time will tell as disruptions wit retail and the hospitality industry continue.

We are confident that like most recessions, the construction industry will once again lead us out and is showing strong signs of doing just that one month into the pandemic shutdowns. Nationwide construction firms are hiring and adding hundreds of thousands of employees to payrolls.

For those industries hardest hit like hospitality, transportation, and entertainment, now is an important time to investigate careers in the construction industry. While others were sheltered at home, our industry was busy building homes, businesses, and commercial and industrial buildings.

Deemed an essential service, the professionals in our industry complied with protocols and to this date have seen extremely low levels of exposure to the virus. The men and women in our industry have been working and increasing their hours and compensation during a time of downturn for service sector-based jobs. 

We would encourage anyone that needs a career that pays somewhere between $40,000 to north of $60,000 per year to contact us at our Enzweiler Building Institute.  Courses begin for adults in early September in the evenings so you can work during the day and begin on your career with no college debt.

The Building Industry Association of Northern Kentucky, BIA, presented its annual awards at a ceremony at the Madison Event Center in Covington, Kentucky.

“The award recipients in 2019 represent individuals that have dedicated years of outstanding service to their industry. Their efforts have resulted in great advocacy for not only their businesses, but for all businesses in the construction industry. From helping improve the Enzweiler Building Institute to growing membership and overall engagement with our association, this year’s award winners are well deserving of the accolades bestowed upon them. A great debt is owed to them by our industry and these simple awards are but a mere token of our collective appreciation,” says Brian Miller, Executive Vice President of the Building Industry Association of Northern Kentucky.”

Award Recipients

Donald M. Wiedeman Lifetime Achievement Award
JoEllen Thompson, Star Building Materials

2020 President Ross Kreutzjans presented JoEllen Thompson of Star Building Materials, with the Donald M. Wiedeman Lifetime Achievement Award.

Thompson has served the association for over 20 years. She is an Associate Past President, PAC Contributor, HBAK Associate Vice President, NAHB Director, and Past President of the Women’s Council.  
 
Builder of the Year
Kevin Hemmer, Kevin Hemmer Construction

Tom Withorn, 2019 President, Craftsmen by Design, presented Kevin Hemmer, Kevin Hemmer Construction, with the 2019 Builder of the Year Award.

Hemmer was recognized for his leadership in the creation of the addition at the Enzweiler Building Institute Campus at the BIA Building Center.

With his help, the Institute will be able to increase capacity to train today and tomorrow’s construction workforce.
 
Associate of the Year
Pat Parshall, Northwest Title Family of Companies

John Cain, 2020 Associate President, Wiseway Supply, presented the 2019 Associate of the Year Award to Pat Parshall, Northwest Title. Mr. Parshall has been an active member of the association for over a decade through his involvement with the Sales and Marketing Council and membership recruitment.
 
Janis Beard Annual Membership Award
Tom Reusch, Nissan Commercial

John Withorn, 2019 President and Janis Beard, Retired BIA Membership Director , presented the 2019 Janis Beard Annual Membership Award to Tom Reusch.

Reusch has been actively engaged at the association for over a decade and has taken the opportunity to use one of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) saving programs to grow his business and the membership of the association.

 
Community Service Award
State Representative Kimberly Poore Moser

State Representative Kimberly Poore Moser was honored with the BIA’s community service award for her work on making KEES scholarship funds available for students attending the Enzweiler Building Institute
 

The Building Industry Association of Northern Kentucky (BIA) presented its annual awards earlier this month at an event hosted at the Madison Event Center in Covington.

“The award recipients in 2019 represent individuals that have dedicated years of outstanding service to their industry. Their efforts have resulted in great advocacy for not only their businesses, but for all businesses in the construction industry,” said Brian Miller, executive vice president of the Building Industry Association of Northern Kentucky. ”From helping improve the Enzweiler Building Institute to growing membership and overall engagement with our association, this year’s award winners are well deserving of the accolades bestowed upon them. A great debt is owed to them by our industry and these simple awards are but a mere token of our collective appreciation.”

Award Recipients

Donald M. Wiedeman Lifetime Achievement Award: JoEllen Thompson, Star Building Materials

Builder of the Year: Kevin Hemmer, Kevin Hemmer Construction

Associate of the Year: Pat Parshall, Northwest Title Family of Companies

Janis Beard Annual Membership Award: Tom Reusch, Nissan Commercial 

Community Service Award: State Representative Kimberly Poore Moser

Ground was broken last week on the expansion of the Building Industry Association of Northern Kentucky’s Enzweiler Building Institute.

Governor Matt Bevin attended the event.

The institute, located in Erlanger, provides apprenticeship training in skilled construction trades.

The groundbreaking followed BIANKY’s annual meeting, which featured Bevin as the keynote speaker.

The expansion will include a new carpentry lab, welding lab, diesel mechanics lab, and masonry lab to expand and complement the other trades already taught at the institute including electrical, plumbing, facility management, and HVAC repair. 

The expansion is made possible through a $2.69 million dollar grant given to the BIANKY to cover part of the construction of the new laboratories

Bevin stated that there are about 60 broad sub-disciplines beneath those that represent more than 100 thousand open jobs across the commonwealth. 

Approximately $1.25 million will be matched by BIANKY to complete the project. 

“I understand the need, not just the value but the absolute need for skilled trades,” Bevin said in his address. “It’s been said, and it’s true, that necessity is the mother of invention and it’s necessity that drove this $100 million idea.” 

Bevin said that the $100 million is meant to address the wants and needs of Kentucky’s workforce. Moreover, he stated that he didn’t want to cover 100-percent of any projects because he wanted the communities to have ‘skin in the game.’ 

“We put up this $100 million, we said ‘let the local high school, the local post-secondary school, and the local business community all talk with each other, put their heads together, and come up with what each of them would do in order to compete for some of that $100 million,'” Bevin continued. “And I said if we end up disseminating none of it, I’m fine with that if there are no good ideas; but if we do all of it, I’m fine with that too.” 

“We got $540 million worth of applications,” Bevin stated. “[This project] was one of the biggest ones that actually was allocated.”

Bevin also touted his Work Ready Scholarships initiative that will cover the price difference to learn a skill trade in one of the 60 sub-disciplines his administration has identified, after financial aid is acquired so that Kentuckians wouldn’t be hindered by cost. 

“My vision is a fairly simple one for this state,” Bevin concluded. “I want us to be the center of engineering and manufacturing excellence – bar none.”

The Enweiler Institutes’s expansion is expected to be completed by June 1, 2020. 

Written by Connor Wall, associate editor

Kentucky’s candidates for governor will be in town Tuesday.

Republican Gov. Matt Bevin and Democratic Attorney General Andy Beshear will compete at Northern Kentucky University in the last gubernatorial debate. Free tickets are available when doors open at 5 p.m.

• What: Kentucky Gubernatorial Debate
• When: Oct. 29, 2019 from 7-8 p.m. Doors open at 5 p.m.
• Where: NKU’s James C. and Rachel M. Votruba Student Union Ballroom

Ahead of the debate, The Enquirer sent Bevin and Beshear and Libertarian candidate John Hicks questions about Northern Kentucky issues.

Beshear answered the questions but Bevin has not yet replied. This will be the fifth televised gubernatorial debate.

More: At debate, Gov. Matt Bevin denies saying people commit suicide in casinos. He did

Here’s what The Enquirer asked about:

The Brent Spence Bridge

The General Assembly banned any tolling of a new bridge from Kentucky to Ohio. However, no new bridge has been built in the country without the use of tolls in the past decade. If you don’t support tolling a new bridge, how do you plan to pay for a new bridge?

Beshear didn’t share how he would fund a new bridge but he talked about the importance of finding a solution that doesn’t burden local communities. 

Beshear: “With the Brent Spence Bridge and our infrastructure as a whole, we’re falling behind and putting our people at risk. And it’s only going to cost us more the longer we wait to fix our failing roads and bridges. We should make the necessary repairs to the Brent Spence Bridge and the first step will be listening and partnering with local leaders to make sure we’re not burdening local communities in any way. We need a governor who is going to take that kind of approach. In contrast, Matt Bevin bullies our teachers and can’t even get along with his own lieutenant governor.” 

In 2016, Bevin supported a bill that would ban tolls from funding new bridges. That bill sought to allow private money to pay for public projects. Then he signed it.

He has since pivoted away from the anti-toll stance. 

In January, he said “tolling will be part of” the solution to replace the Brent Spence Bridge. He told reporters he thought he and Ohio Gov. Mike Dewine could work together on a solution. 

Earlier this month, Bevin spoke about the bridge at the Enzweiler Building Institute in Erlanger, according to WLWT.

He didn’t directly say how he planned to fund it. He mentioned he thinks the legislature is moving toward supporting tolls and gas taxes. 

Sports Wagering/Expanded Gaming

What are your thoughts on the Turfway Park and Churchill Downs announcement? Does the future of horse racing in KY require expanded gaming or sports wagering to exist and compete?

Beshear: “The recent Turfway Park and Churchill Downs announcement shows how much new economic opportunity we can create if we finally make Kentucky more competitive by expanding gaming. Our plan legalizes casinos, sports betting, online poker, and fantasy sports – and directs 100 percent of the revenue toward pensions for teachers, first responders, and social workers. Matt Bevin refuses to expand gaming and it’s costing Kentucky over $500 million in revenue every year. Expanded gaming will also boost tourism and hospitality opportunities that drive-in new visitors, additional revenue and create good-paying jobs. There’s no reason why these opportunities should only exist on one side of the river.” 

Bevin has said there’s “no political appetite” for expanded gambling in Kentucky, according to the Associated Press. 

Health care rules

“Certificates of Need” has impacted regional healthcare. In 2017 Christ Hospital wanted to open a surgical center in Northern Kentucky but St. Elizabeth Healthcare opposed the project and said more healthcare competition would drive up the cost. Kentucky regulates hospital spending with a Certificate of Need. According to the Kentucky Cabinet for Health, CON “prevents the proliferation of health care facilities, health services and major medical equipment that increase the cost of quality health care in the commonwealth.” What is your position on Certificate of Need? Do you want to see modifications to the regulation?

Beshear did not directly answer this question and instead talked about expanding Medicaid. 

Beshear: “Health care is a basic human right – and I’m going to focus every day to make sure every Kentuckian has access to affordable health care. As attorney general, I’ve fought to protect expanded Medicaid and coverage for people with pre-existing conditions. Matt Bevin disagrees. His harmful policies would let insurance companies deny coverage to Kentuckians for prescription drugs, chronic disease management, maternity care and more. Bevin’s Medicaid cuts would also rip coverage away from 95,000 Kentuckians, which directly threatens rural hospitals and health care clinics.”

Julia Fair is the Northern Kentucky government reporter through the Report For America program. The Enquirer needs a local donor to help her grant-funded position. Email her editor Carl Weiser for more details at cweiser@cincinna.gannett.com.  

Do you know something she should know? Send her a note at jfair@enquirer.com and follow her on twitter at @JFair_Reports.

Don’t miss any Northern Kentucky news. Sign-up for the NKY.com newsletter here.

Read or Share this story: https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/local/northern-ky/2019/10/28/kentucky-gubernatorial-candidates-have-last-debate-nku/4061110002/

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. —

The candidates for Kentucky governor will debate live on WLWT Tuesday, Oct. 29.

Gov. Matt Bevin (R) and Attorney General Andy Beshear (D) have accepted the invitation to participate in a live hour-long debate.

The debate will begin at 7 p.m. and take place at Northern Kentucky University’s James C. and Rachel M. Votruba Student Union Ballroom.

The format will consist of opening statements, followed by questions from WLWT anchor Sheree Paolello.

Candidates will rotate the order of answers. The debate will conclude with closing statements from each candidate. The openings, closings and answers will all be timed.

Debate guests can pick up their tickets in the Student Union on a first-come, first-served basis.

Everyone entering the ballroom is subject to a security check including bag searches.

Doors will open at 5 p.m. Please be in your seat in the Student Union Ballroom for pre-broadcast preparation and instructions by 6:30 p.m.

Complimentary parking is available in the Kenton Drive Garage.Additional parking is available in parking lots K or L. An NKU campus map and driving directions are available here.

Audience reaction must be kept to a minimum. No protests or disruptions will be tolerated. Anyone who disrupts the debate may be escorted out of the ballroom by security.

All cellphones and electronic devices must be silenced or turned off. No signs, banners or other large objects will be permitted in the ballroom.

No photography or video recording is permitted.

Protesters will be allowed to gather outside the venue in an area designated by NKU. No protests will be permitted inside

This debate is hosted by Northern Kentucky University and presented by WLWT News 5, in partnership with Presenting Regional Partners

ABOUT THE CANDIDATE: Gov. Matt Bevin

Kentucky voters will decide if they’ll keep Gov. Matt Bevin in office for another four years or if they’ll go with the son of the governor who preceded him.

Bevin spoke about the upcoming election at the Enzweiler Building Institute in Erlanger, one of two groundbreakings he attended in Northern Kentucky.

He arrived having slipped from a dubious distinction. According to one poll, he is no longer America’s most unpopular governor.

Bevin now ranks second to a Rhode Island Democrat in that category.

He wore the designation as a badge of pride, shrugging with his eyes and saying: “They’re all the opinion of whoever puts the poll out. What matters is, is our state doing better?”

Bevin says he is feeling momentum in the home stretch of his reelection campaign.

He presides over an economically energetic time in Kentucky where the jobless rate is 4 percent.

The governor joined federal, state and local officials and area business leaders to break ground on the newest airport in Sparta, the state’s 58th general aviation airport.According to a news release, it’s the first local airport to serve the business needs of the Interstate 71 corridor from Louisville to Cincinnati.

Then, after a symbolic groundbreaking for job training purposes at the Enzweiler event, Bevin laid out his case to us for making Kentucky the center of manufacturing and engineering.

“I’d like to see us start to do things from east to west, north to south. Big projects like the Brent Spence, but other projects that touch every single county in Kentucky.”

As for what holds us back, he stated, “It’s dollars and it’s conviction.”

Bevin said the makeup of the legislature is changing and he expects it will develop the conviction to support tolls and gas taxes in conjunction with government funding to finally get a replacement bridge, noting: “It’s not going to get built on my watch. But it will get started. It will get underway.”

Bevin said elected leaders need to have a vision for long after they’re out of office, and implement it.

“It’s the ability of men and women to think beyond their immediate next election cycle but think about what’s good for our state 20 and 50 years from now.”

He encouraged youth at the event about the skills they’ll develop, knowing two weeks from now, he’ll either remain their governor or revert to his business roots as Andy Beshear becomes Kentucky’s 63rd governor.

He warned business leaders that the Bluegrass state would be sitting on its hands again if another Beshear ascends to the state’s highest office.

“The more likely would be that those hands wouldn’t be sat on, they’d be in your pockets,” he said in reference to spending and higher taxes and what he described as greasing the wheels of cohorts.

Bevin styles himself as Trumpian in approach.

The president and vice president will campaign for him in the Bluegrass state right before the vote.

“Think about this,” he said earnestly. “We’ve never in the history of Kentucky ever even had a seated president visit more than once. President Trump has already been here four times. He’s coming back for the fifth time. He’s been the president three years. It’s not ’cause we’re a swing state. It’s not because we have so many electoral votes. The same with the vice president. He’s been here multiple times. He and I have been friends since he was the governor of Indiana. And I’m just grateful to have them here. It’s good for us.”

We asked Bevin what he thinks about the heat Trump is getting for describing the impeachment inquiry as the political equivalent of a lynching.

Here is how he put it. “We’ve become so hyper-sensitive to the use of vocabulary. The reality is that’s an actual word with actual meaning. It has a very connotative connection to a dark and brutal time in our society. It was very racially tinged, the word is. But the word is bigger than just that. If you want to assume that that’s all that it means then you could assume that but that would not be correct. And so for him to be getting grief over that, I mean, give me a break.”

In a half-joking, half-serious manner, Bevin described being governor to a roomful of business and government folks as “the crappiest job I’ve ever had”.

When the laughter subsided, he added he is grateful for it and serious about it. The father of nine said it takes 15 to 20 years to change the culture of a state.

He said he wants the days of mocking Kentucky to be over and for its citizens to hold the state up to reveal the potential he believes it has.

ABOUT THE CANDIDATE: Attorney General Andy Beshear

The heat in the Kentucky governor’s race is starting to turn higher with just under two weeks to go until the votes are counted.

Democrat Andy Beshear was in Northern Kentucky Wednesday afternoon, saying the governor’s office shouldn’t be used to bully people.

Beshear strides like he is on the cusp of becoming Kentucky’s 63rd governor and displays no worry lines about how his strong early poll numbers have evaporated into a dead heat.

The latest Mason-Dixon poll has both Beshear and Bevin at 46% with 7% undecided.

The gloves have come off in the home stretch of the daily campaigning.

Bevin described Beshear to us as privileged, corrupt and “the Hunter Biden of the Bluegrass.”

Beshear reacted today by saying “That’s not the way a governor should talk or behave. Aren’t we ready for more decency? Aren’t we ready for a governor that doesn’t spend every day attacking people?”

The state’s attorney general and son of Bevin’s predecessor is drawing support from teachers who still smolder about last year’s battle with Bevin over the pension.

“Our teachers are fired up,” Beshear stated. “They’re fired up because of their students and they’re fired up because they want to protect public education. And I think they’re ready to vote for a ticket that has one of them on it.”

That was a reference to Beshear’s running mate for lieutenant governor, Jacqueline Coleman.

At an educational session at the Children’s Home of Northern Kentucky, he asked today “And how many of the kids that you’re serving, their families are also on expanded Medicaid?”

He was told 85%.

Along with preexisting condition, it’s an issue he trumpets as a key difference when measuring Beshear versus Bevin.

Beshear dismissed the national focus of this race which he described as Kentucky kitchen table-focused.

Trump’s fifth visit to the state on election eve is designed to help push Bevin over the 2019 goal line.

“I can tell you all across Kentucky, people who are going to vote for this president, are still ready to vote for this ticket,” said

Trump won the Bluegrass State by 30 points in 2016. His approval rating in Kentucky registers at around 57 percent.

He is a big Bevin booster as is Pence, who will also be in to stump for Bevin a few days ahead of the vote.

But Beshear believes even those educators who back Trump won’t forget or forgive the insults they say came their way from Bevin.

ERLANGER, Ky. —

Two weeks from tonight, Kentucky voters will decide if they’ll keep Gov. Matt Bevin in office for another four years or if they’ll go with the son of the governor who preceded him.

Bevin spoke about the upcoming election at the Enzweiler Building Institute in Erlanger, one of two groundbreakings he attended in Northern Kentucky.

He arrived having slipped from a dubious distinction. According to one poll, he is no longer America’s most unpopular governor.

Bevin now ranks second to a Rhode Island Democrat in that category.

He wore the designation as a badge of pride, shrugging with his eyes and saying: “They’re all the opinion of whoever puts the poll out. What matters is, is our state doing better?”

Bevin says he is feeling momentum in the home stretch of his reelection campaign.

He presides over an economically energetic time in Kentucky where the jobless rate is 4 percent.

The governor joined federal, state and local officials and area business leaders to break ground on the newest airport in Sparta, the state’s 58th general aviation airport.

According to a news release, it’s the first local airport to serve the business needs of the Interstate 71 corridor from Louisville to Cincinnati.

Then, after a symbolic groundbreaking for job training purposes at the Enzweiler event, Bevin laid out his case to us for making Kentucky the center of manufacturing and engineering.

“I’d like to see us start to do things from east to west, north to south. Big projects like the Brent Spence, but other projects that touch every single county in Kentucky.”

As for what holds us back, he stated, “It’s dollars and it’s conviction.”

Bevin said the makeup of the legislature is changing and he expects it will develop the conviction to support tolls and gas taxes in conjunction with government funding to finally get a replacement bridge, noting: “It’s not going to get built on my watch. But it will get started. It will get underway.”

Bevin said elected leaders need to have a vision for long after they’re out of office, and implement it.

“It’s the ability of men and women to think beyond their immediate next election cycle but think about what’s good for our state 20 and 50 years from now.”

He encouraged youth at the event about the skills they’ll develop, knowing two weeks from now, he’ll either remain their governor or revert to his business roots as Andy Beshear becomes Kentucky’s 63rd governor.

He warned business leaders that the Bluegrass state would be sitting on its hands again if another Beshear ascends to the state’s highest office.

“The more likely would be that those hands wouldn’t be sat on, they’d be in your pockets,” he said in reference to spending and higher taxes and what he described as greasing the wheels of cohorts.

Bevin styles himself as Trumpian in approach.

The president and vice president will campaign for him in the Bluegrass wstate right before the vote.

“Think about this,” he said earnestly. “We’ve never in the history of Kentucky ever even had a seated president visit more than once. President Trump has already been here four times. He’s coming back for the fifth time. He’s been the president three years. It’s not ’cause we’re a swing state. It’s not because we have so many electoral votes. The same with the vice president. He’s been here multiple times. He and I have been friends since he was the governor of Indiana. And I’m just grateful to have them here. It’s good for us.”

We asked Bevin what he thinks about the heat Trump is getting for describing the impeachment inquiry as the political equivalent of a lynching.

Here is how he put it. “We’ve become so hyper-sensitive to the use of vocabulary. The reality is that’s an actual word with actual meaning. It has a very connotative connection to a dark and brutal time in our society. It was very racially tinged, the word is. But the word is bigger than just that. If you want to assume that that’s all that it means then you could assume that but that would not be correct. And so for him to be getting grief over that, I mean, give me a break.”

In a half-joking, half-serious manner, Bevin described being governor to a roomful of business and government folks as “the crappiest job I’ve ever had”.

When the laughter subsided, he added he is grateful for it and serious about it. The father of nine said it takes 15 to 20 years to change the culture of a state.

He said he wants the days of mocking Kentucky to be over and for its citizens to hold the state up to reveal the potential he believes it has.