Jennifer Miller | Local First Lexington

February 2019 Coffee Meet-up

February’s installment of Local First Lexington’s Coffee Meet-Up series will be held at Broomwagon Coffee + Bikes. Our topic is Doing Well by Doing Good. Our local expert this month is Dan Wu, chef and owner of Atomic Ramen. A former contestant on tv’s MasterChef, Wu also hosts a popular podcast, The Culinary Evangelist. Beyond promoting the Central Kentucky food scene, Wu is a prominent community activist. One of his collaborative projects, “I Am a Kentuckian”, highlights our state’s diverse immigrant and refugee population: https://kyforky.com/blogs/journal/i-am-a-kentuckian At the Coffee Meet-up, bring your horror stories, your successes and at least one...

January 2019 Coffee Meet-up

January’s installment of Local First Lexington’s Coffee Meet-Up series will be held at Chocolate Holler. Our topic is NOM! Marketing for Food Service Businesses. Our local expert this month is Leela Foley, who promotes Central Kentucky restaurants through Lex Eats. Leela also manages social media marketing for Bluegrass Hospitality Group Restaurants (Malone’s, Drake’s, Harry’s, Aqua Sushi, and OBC Kitchen). Bring your horror stories, your successes and at least one idea that has worked for your business. This is not a class, but colleagues getting together to spur one another on. Bring an idea, a question, or even a real...

LFL Job Opening: Part-Time Membership Manager

PDF: Part-Time-Nonprofit-Membership-Manager Position Summary Local First Lexington (LFL), a tax-exempt alliance of independent, local businesses and nonprofit organizations, is seeking a part-time Membership Manager. The Membership Manager responsibilities will fall in two categories: refining LFL’s operations systems; and managing LFL’s membership data, invoicing, and direct communications. The Membership Manager will assist the all-volunteer Board of Directors and provide weekly written updates to the Executive Committee. Hourly Pay Rate The Membership Manager will earn $20.00 per hour worked. The position does not include benefits or compensation beyond hourly pay. Time and Location Requirements Most weeks, the position will require between 4 and 6 hours of work. From the Membership Manager’s start date through the end of November 2018, s/he may be expected to work up to 10 hours each week. Most assignments may be completed online from the Membership Manager’s home or independent office. The Membership Manager could also use desk space and Internet access at The Plantory. Executive Committee and Board of Directors meeting locations vary, but all occur within Lexington. The Member Manager is expected to live in Lexington/Fayette County or in one of the counties contiguous to Fayette. RESPONSIBILITIES Operations Management Evaluate, revise, and document in detail all of LFL’s administrative and operational systems. Facilitate information flow to and within the all-volunteer LFL Board of Directors. Update and maintain catalog of digital assets on LFL Google Drive....

September 2018 Coffee Meet-up

The evolving legalization of hemp farming and hemp-based products has become a hot topic in Central Kentucky, which had a thriving hemp industry before the crop was banned half a century ago. You’re invited to Local First Lexington’s September Coffee Meet-up to discuss The Future of Hemp: Expanding Opportunities for Producers, Vendors, and Consumers. In this installment of our monthly series, we have two local experts: Jonathan Miller, an attorney at Frost Brown Todd and a former Kentucky State Treasurer, serves as the general counsel of the US Hemp Roundtable and advises companies in the hemp industry. Adriane Polyniak of Bluegrass Hemp Oil cultivates hemp and...

2018 Election of New Local First Lexington Board Members

Local First Lexington presents six (6) candidates for election to the LFL Board of Directors for two-year terms beginning in April 2018. Current members of LFL can vote for one (1) to six (6) candidates via SurveyMonkey: Link to SurveyMonkey LFL Election Page Each Local First Lexington member (business or nonprofit organization) is eligible to vote once. Voting begins at noon on Tuesday, March 20, 2018 and ends at 5pm on Tuesday, March 27, 2018. The candidates are, in alphabetical order: Savannah Blank (TOPS in Lexington) Meghan Carroll (Meg C Jewelry Gallery) Nathan Dickerson (Office of LFUCG Vice Mayor Steve Kay) Annette Jett (Build Inclusion) Courtney Putthoff (Longship) Joshua Saxton (Centered) Below are excerpts from each candidate’s application to serve on the LFL Board of Directors: SAVANNAH BLANK Digital Marketing Specialist, TOPS in Lexington (TOPS Marketing Group) Why do you want to serve? Want to help support local business marketing. How long have you been a member of LFL and how have you worked to spread the Buy Local message? TOPS has been a member for years. Have been attending for six months. Every day, buy local! Please describe any past or current board or group decision-making experience that you have. Helping market event for The Nest. What qualities, leadership skills and contributions would you bring to the LFL board? Small business and supporting local events, causes, stores, farmers,...