Nola Sizemore

Staff Writer

The Tri-City Chamber of Commerce will host the annual awards banquet at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, at the Benham School House Inn.

This year’s guest speaker will be Cumberland High School alumnus Reecie Stagnolia III, of Frankfort.

“We’re honored to have Mr. Stagnolia this year as our guest speaker,” said Roland Cornett, chamber president. “He is vice president for Kentucky Adult Education with the Kentucky Council on Post-secondary Education.”

The son of former Harlan County Schools Superintendent Reecie Stagnolia II, he has been with the Department for Adult Education and Literacy from its creation in 1993. He has served in several capacities, including a three-year stint as deputy commissioner, a 14-month stint as interim commissioner, executive assistant to the commissioner and director of the Division of Management Services.

He has been elected to three two-year terms on the executive committee of the National Adult Education Professional Development Consortium and the National Council of State Directors of Adult Education. He currently chairs these organizations and has served on their policy committee since 2002.

Stagnolia also serves as a member of the Kentucky Workforce Investment Board and the Cabinet for Economic Development’s Bluegrass State Skills Corporation Board of Directors, both as proxy for the president of the Council on Post-secondary Education. He serves on the Executive Committee of the Governor’s Reentry Task Force to reduce recidivism in Kentucky’s correctional system. He is a member of the Office of Vocational Education’s Technical Work Groups for the National Reporting Systems and the employability skills standards.

Along with Cornett, helping to distribute awards this year will be chamber Executive Director and Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College President Dr. W. Bruce Ayers.

Award categories will include business, restaurant, education Golden Apple, two volunteer, animal kindness, quarter century, media, public service, Tony Turner Leadership Award and the President’s Award.

Tickets are available for $25 per person or $125 per table.

For more information call 589-5812.

“We’re looking forward to seeing everyone and having a great time,” said Cornett.

Reach Nola Sizemore at 606-573-4510 or at nsizemore@heartlandpublications.com