FORT MITCHELL, Ky. (August 15, 2023) – The Northern Kentucky Port Authority (NKY Port), jointly formed as an economic development organization by Boone, Campbell, and Kenton counties in 1968, today announced its slate of officers and board of directors roster.
The NKY Port is a multi-jurisdictional Port Authority under Kentucky statute which allows each Judge/Executive and Fiscal Court of the three counties, as founders of the organization, to appoint two board members to serve four-year terms. Officer roles are determined by the board and are held for a one-year term. In June 2023, the following board members and officers were appointed and named for FY 2024.
• J.B. Lind, Partner, Vorys, Chairman (Boone County)
• Karen Finan, President & CEO, OneNKY Alliance, Vice Chair (Kenton County)
• Lee Crume, President & CEO, BE NKY Growth Partnership (Kenton County)
• Greg Larison, Vice President of Surveying Operations, Viox & Viox (Boone County)
• Roger Peterman, Partner, Dinsmore (Campbell County)
• Larisa Sims, Director of Business Administration, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) (Campbell County)
Christine Russell, VP of Strategy at BE NKY Growth Partnership, serves as Executive Director of the NKY Port and Secretary – Treasurer of the board of directors.
“This is an exciting time to be Chairman of the Northern Kentucky Port Authority,” said J.B. Lind. “I’m looking forward to the NKY Port taking a more active role in economic development in Northern Kentucky and pursuing new opportunities to partner with private developers and pursue site preparation. As our first big project, the OneNKY Center will be a significant landmark for the community and Northern Kentucky skyline.”
The NKY Port is the owner and developer of the OneNKY Center located at the foot of the John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge on Greenup Street. The OneNKY Center is a 43,000 sf Class A office building that will be the home of Northern Kentucky’s growth organizations. These include the OneNKY Alliance, Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, meetNKY, BE NKY Growth Partnership, The Catalytic Fund of Northern Kentucky, Horizon Community Funds of Northern Kentucky, the Northern Kentucky Bar Association, and the Covington Life Sciences Partners, Inc. (CLSP). All tenants have signed leases to locate in the building.
Activating the NKY Port was one of four initiatives included in the Build + Elevate Northern Kentucky investor campaign launched and concluded in 2022 by BE NKY. Prior to launching the campaign, a feasibility study was conducted in 2021; dozens of meetings with business and community stakeholders were held to review and refine the proposed initiatives. BE NKY exceeded its goal for the campaign, raising $4.6M from the business community and three counties.
The goal of activating the NKY Port is to identify, control, prepare, and promote sites for subsequent private commercial and industrial development and redevelopment that exceeds community employment and wage targets. The NKY Port receives a portion of its operating funds from BE NKY Growth Partnership, as an initiative of the Build + Elevate investor campaign.
The NKY Port Board of Directors approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) contracting management of the NKY Port with BE NKY Growth Partnership and naming Christine Russell its Executive Director in June 2022.
About the NKY Port
The Northern Kentucky Port Authority was formed as a Special Purpose Governmental Entity by the Fiscal Courts of Boone, Campbell, and Kenton counties in 1968 under the provisions of KRS 65.510 to 65.650.
