Kevin Canafax named Kentucky Chamber chairman; Bill Lear named chair-elect

(Oct. 1, 2015) - Kevin Canafax, vice president of Fidelity Investments’ Midwest Region, has been named Chairman of the Board of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, succeeding Wil James, Jr., president of Toyota Motor Manufacturing of Kentucky, whose term as chairman expired Sept. 30. Canafax is based at Fidelity’s 4,000-person processing headquarters in Covington, Ky.

As one of Northern Kentucky’s most prominent civic leaders, Canafax serves on the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport Board, chairing the Air Service Committee. He serves on the board of the Cincinnati Chamber, on the Cincinnati Business Committee, and the Northern Kentucky Chamber.

Canafax joined Fidelity in 1994. He has a bachelor’s degree from Southern Ohio College and a master’s degree from Xavier University. He is also a graduate of the Leadership Cincinnati and Leadership Kentucky programs.

Attorney Bill Lear has been named chair-elect for 2017.  Lear, managing director at Stoll Keenon Ogden, PLLC, in Lexington, is a former chairman of Commerce Lexington, a former state legislator and has been an active civic leader in Lexington and Louisville.

Serving with Canafax, James and Lear on the Chamber’s 2016 Executive Committee will be:

  • Vice Chair of Administration Paul Thompson, LG&E/KU Energy, Louisville
  • Vice Chair of Business Education Tierra K. Wayne, TKT & Associates, Louisville
  • Vice Chair of Membership & Marketing Cheryl Norton, Kentucky American Water, Lexington
  • Vice Chair of Public Affairs Joe Craft, Alliance Resource Partners, Lexington
  • Treasurer Malcom Bryant, The Malcolm Bryant Corporation, Owensboro
  • Charles “Buzz” English, English Lucas Priest & Owsley, LLP, Bowling Green
  • Deirdre Lyons, Alltech, Inc., Nicholasville
  • Don Bloomer, Citizens National Bank, Somerset
  • Winston Griffin, Laurel Grocery Company, London
  • Michael Karpf, University of Kentucky Healthcare, Lexington
  • Helen Sims, Superior Care Home, Paducah

Newly-elected board members are:

  • Ben Cundiff, Cundiff Farms, Cadiz
  • Mark Carter, Passport Health Plan, Louisville
  • Ray Daniels, LexiDan Foods, Lexington
  • Stephen Hanson, Baptist Health, Louisville
  • Andrew Henderson, Lexington Clinic, Lexington
  • Janet Jakubowicz, Bingham Greenebaum Doll, Louisville
  • Rich Maddux, Jr., Propulsys, Inc. Hopkinsville
  • Cliff Maesaka, Jr., Delta Dental of Kentucky, Inc., Louisville
  • Chris Reid, Independence Bank, Owensboro
  • Chuck Session, Duke Energy – Ohio & Kentucky, Cincinnati
  • Kevin Smith, Beam Suntory, Clermont

Click here to view the full board listing.