Fort Mitchell, KY – The Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce announces a new award to be presented at the Chamber’s Annual Dinner presented by Fifth Third Bank on Thursday, September 28th to coincide with the 30th anniversary of BE NKY.

The Wm. T. (Bill) Robinson III Northern Kentucky Economic Development Award, sponsored in 2017 by BE NKY, will be presented annually to the individual, entity, company or organization demonstrating significant advancement of the economic development efforts in Northern Kentucky. The award is named in honor of Bill Robinson, NNY Chamber Chair (1986-87) and co-founding member and continuous Secretary/Treasurer of the BE NKY since 1987. The recipient will be jointly selected annually by the NKY Chamber and BE NKY through a nomination process.  The initial recipient of this award will be Wm. T. (Bill) Robinson III.

“Thirty years ago, while serving as the NKY Chamber Chair, Bill Robinson came up with the idea for BE NKY.  Bill’s bold idea – that three counties should cooperate rather than compete – transformed the Northern Kentucky economy, brought thousands of jobs to our region and paved the way for several other successful regional efforts,” explains Trey Grayson, President and CEO of the NKY Chamber of Commerce.

“We can’t think of a more fitting way to honor this achievement than by establishing this award in his honor – the Robinson Award –and by making him the first recipient.  The Robinson Award will be an annual reminder of Bill’s vision and contribution to the success and vibrancy of Northern Kentucky.”

This award will be given at the NKY Chamber’s Annual Dinner on Thursday, September 28, 2017.  This annual dinner will not only celebrate the individuals like Robinson who have been key to bringing our region together but a celebration of Northern Kentucky as a whole.

“On behalf of the over 150 persons that have served on the BE NKY and     Tri-EF boards since 1987, I want to thank the NKY Chamber for bestowing this most-deserved annual award in honor of Bill Robinson,” stated Dan Tobergte, President/CEO of BE NKY. “In 1987, Bill envisioned a collaborative and cooperative regional economic development effort among Boone, Campbell and Kenton counties with private sector expertise and we can safely say that his vision has been met, and exceeded.  In our 30th year of existence, we are continuing on an ‘Upward and Onward’ trajectory!”

To get your tickets for the NKY Chamber’s Annual Dinner presented by Fifth Third Bank or to learn more information about the NKY Chamber of Commerce go to NKYChamber.com.

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About the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce

The Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, Inc., founded in 1969, is the leading business organization in Northern Kentucky. It is a Five-Star Accredited Chamber with nearly 1,500 member companies representing approximately 175,000 employees. The Chamber focuses its efforts on education, workforce development, international trade, leadership development, and government relations at the federal, state and local level. Bob Heil, Principal, President & CEO of KLH Engineers, is the Chairman of the Board and Trey Grayson is the President and CEO of the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce. Additional information on the Chamber is available at www.nkychamber.com.

About BE NKY

The BE NKY Growth Partnership (BE NKY) serves as the primary economic development entity for Boone, Campbell and Kenton counties in Northern Kentucky.  Since its founding in 1987, more than 647 primary industry projects have located to or expanded within Northern Kentucky, creating more than 58,300 jobs and investing more than $9.09 billion. BE NKY is also part of the Kentucky Innovation Network, a group of business leaders and mentors that encourages relationships, grows companies and creates jobs.