Kentucky Entrepreneur Hall Of Fame

After obtaining his bachelor’s degree in marketing and finance from the University of Kentucky, Ace McGill began his finance career in corporate America. During his tenure in corporate finance, Ace led Procter & Gamble’s valuation projects for billion-dollar brands like Bounty, Charmin, Gain, and Tide. To strengthen his business knowledge, Ace attended an entrepreneurship-focused MBA program at the Grazadio Business School at Pepperdine University. Ace also was a finance leader for Whirlpool and most recently Brown-Forman.   Today, Ace continues his entrepreneurial journey as a business-finance influencer with a diverse investment portfolio including a valuation app, real estate, hemp distribution, cannabis consulting, money lending, and software development. In addition to pursuing new business ventures, Ace enjoys consulting other entrepreneurs in their quest for financial independence and business ownership. He hopes that his latest project, Value Buddy, a fintech software, can be a catalyst to help th

Ben Roberson⁠⁠⁠ and Stuart Jordan⁠ are cofounders of ⁠⁠Guide Book⁠⁠, a platform built to empower outdoor guides by getting them in front of new clients and providing them the tools they need to manage their business all in one place. Ben is a fly fishing guide and has used that experience to inform Guide Book's growth so far, Stuart brings a lifetime of outdoor experiences and business prowess to the table, and their combined efforts have allowed Guide Book to flourish. They are excited about the future of the business and the changes it will bring to the outdoor guide industry. Recorded November 2023 Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: • Ben Roberson on Linkedin • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Stuart Jordan on Linkedin • ⁠⁠Guide Book on Linkedin • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Guide Book website Leave Some Feedback: • Email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠podcast@awesomeinc.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ with what you want to hear about next. • Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review. Connect with Us: • Subscribe to our podcast • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠awesomeinc.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • Instagram

Alli Truttmann⁠⁠ is the Founder and CEO of ⁠⁠Wicked Technologies⁠⁠, which specializes in smart bedding and sleep products. Their newest product, the Wicked Smart Pad is a washable, sensorized bed pad that detects moisture and alerts caregivers in real-time for smart incontinence care. Alli is a graduate of Bellarmine University and The University of Louisville. She is passionate about education, entrepreneurship, and the Autism community. Her superhuman trick is being able to recite all of the U.S. Presidents to the tune of Yankee Doodle Dandy while jumping on a pogo stick. Recording from November 2023 Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Alli Truttmann⁠⁠ on Linkedin • ⁠⁠Wicked Technologies⁠⁠' Linkedin page • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Wicked Sheets⁠⁠ website Leave Some Feedback: • Email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠podcast@awesomeinc.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ with what you want to hear about next. • Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review. Connect with Us: • Subscribe to our podcast • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠awesomeinc.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • Instagram -- @

Amanda (“Mandy”) Ralston is a queer, neurodivergent serial Founder. She is a 25-year veteran practitioner and has been certified as a behavior analyst since 2002. During her career she has founded two clinics that provided applied behavior analysis services to hundreds of families, schools, and individuals with autism or other developmental or intellectual disabilities. She successfully exited to the 4th largest ABA provider group in 2019.  Mandy has served as a Subject Matter Expert to several international workgroups and panels related to Behavior Analysis, Ethics, Outcomes, and Practice. She is a featured speaker in several mediums globally.  She has twice been nominated for Small Businessperson of the Year in 2015 and 2017.  She was the recipient of the Autism Innovation Award at the Autism Investor Summit in 2023.Ralston creates unique solutions by synthesizing her own history of reinforcement and punishment with evidence-based practices, Clinical and Business Intelligence, and Technology to further supp

Recap of Wicked Technologies winning the 2023 5 Across Finals on December 6th, 2023: ⁠Alli Truttmann⁠ is the Founder and CEO of ⁠Wicked Technologies⁠, which specializes in smart bedding and sleep products. Their newest product, the Wicked Smart Pad is a washable, sensorized bed pad that detects moisture and alerts caregivers in real-time for smart incontinence care. Alli is a graduate of Bellarmine University and The University of Louisville. She is passionate about education, entrepreneurship, and the Autism community. Her superhuman trick is being able to recite all of the U.S. Presidents to the tune of Yankee Doodle Dandy while jumping on a pogo stick. Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Alli Truttmann⁠ on Linkedin • ⁠Wicked Technologies⁠' Linkedin page • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Wicked Sheets⁠ website Leave Some Feedback: • Email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠podcast@awesomeinc.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ with what you want to hear about next. • Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review. Connect with Us: • Subscribe to our podcast

The Awesome Fund is the next step in the cultivation of the Kentucky Startup ecosystem. The first investments were made on 8/1/2023! Founded after more than a decade of helping promote and incubate Kentucky startups, Awesome Inc has launched a venture capital fund to help provide funding for companies in this overlooked region. Focused on early stage software companies, the Awesome Fund is uniquely positioned to take advantage of the infrastructure that Awesome Inc has spearheaded in building since 2009. Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Benjamin Strevy⁠ on Linkedin • Keith McMunn on Linkedin • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Awesome Fund⁠ website Leave Some Feedback: • Email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠podcast@awesomeinc.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ with what you want to hear about next. • Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review. Connect with Us: • Subscribe to our podcast • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠awesomeinc.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • Instagram -- @awesomeinclex • Twitter -- @awesomeinclex • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show

Donna's speech from the 2023 Kentucky Entrepreneur Hall of Fame ceremony in Lexington, KY on November 2, 2023. Donna Salyers President and Founder, Fabulous Furs Beginning with a faux fur sewing kit she designed and assembled in their basement, Donna Salyers Fabulous-Furs has grown into a majority asset of Salyers Group, a diversified investment company. Her products are sold through catalog, Internet, retail, and wholesale accounts in over 4,000 hotels, stores, and boutiques including Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, plus TV shopping networks Shop HQ and Australia’s TVSN. Inspiration occurred in the late 80’s when, on her way to purchase a mink coat, Donna chanced to hear a broadcast describing kittens being skinned alive for “mink” teddy bears. Instead of buying a coat, she set out to create a luxurious alternative. Known as the World’s finest faux furs, her designs have appeared in hundreds of Broadway productions, movies, and TV shows, plus every major fashion magazine. Donna was profil

Tony's speech from the 2023 Kentucky Entrepreneur Hall of Fame ceremony in Lexington, KY on November 2, 2023. Tony Lamb Founder & CEO, Kona Ice Founder & CEO, Travelin' Tom's Coffee Tony Lamb is the founder and CEO of Kona Ice and Travelin' Tom's Coffee Truck. When Tony launched Kona Ice in 2007, he wanted to give families a better ice cream truck experience after his 3-year-old daughter had an awful encounter with an ice cream truck man. Since then, Tony Lamb has revolutionized the food truck space and Kona Ice has grown to the World's Largest Food Truck Company with more than 1,700 franchisee-owned trucks in 49 states and Canada. Keeping the same vision, Tony launched Travelin' Tom's Coffee Truck in 2020. With 150 franchised trucks on the road by the end of 2023, Tom's Coffee is growing exponentially with over 300 reservations for future trucks. Kona Ice has been recognized by Entrepreneur Magazine's Franchise 500, rated #1 New Franchise in the US in 2013

Jimmy's speech from the 2023 Kentucky Entrepreneur Hall of Fame ceremony in Lexington, KY on November 2, 2023. Jimmy Kirchdorfer Chairman & CEO, ISCO Industries, Inc. James Kirchdorfer, Jr. (or Jimmy as he’s known) is the chairman and CEO of ISCO Industries. A proud alum of the Catholic school system in Louisville, Kentucky, Jimmy then went on to graduate with a degree in business from Miami University. Jimmy began his career at ISCO in the early 90s, working summers during college. In 1993, he became one of the first ISCO sales representatives to live outside of Louisville. Working his way through the ranks, he was named general manager, then president, and has been Chairman and CEO since 2010. With humble beginnings in a family hardware store, ISCO has seen tremendous growth over the years and has become a global leader in HDPE piping solutions. In 2022, along with three other partners, Jimmy purchased Valhalla Golf Club. He is the General Chair of the 2024 PGA Championship. He was named Ernst &a

Here's an insight to our fourth bi-annual showcase of the Awesome Inc Fellowship Program's startup portfolio. Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Graduating Portfolio Companies • Party Horses⁠ || Founder, ⁠Chris Wiedmar⁠ on Linkedin • ⁠MiniGrip⁠ || Founders, ⁠Kirk Selenberg⁠ and ⁠Bill Meehan⁠ on Linkedin • ⁠UJOIN⁠ || Founder, ⁠Kory Payne⁠ on Linkedin • ⁠PrepSharp⁠ || Founders, ⁠Moshe Ohayon⁠, ⁠Grace Lee⁠, ⁠Ross Thompson⁠ on Linkedin Halfway Accelerated Portfolio Companies • ⁠Feedcoyote⁠ || Founder, ⁠Dr. Stevens Bonhomme⁠ on Linkedin • ⁠C2 Keep⁠ || Founder, ⁠Roland Achenjang⁠ on Linkedin • ⁠Cartoonize My Pet⁠ || Founder, ⁠Jennifer Williams⁠ on Linkedin • ⁠Smoove Creations⁠ || Founders, ⁠Isaiah Kelly⁠ and ⁠Vivi McCloy⁠ on Linkedin Newly Onboarded Portfolio Companies • ⁠⁠Guide Book || Co-Founders, ⁠⁠Stuart Jordan and Ben Roberson on Linkedin • ⁠⁠kyndly⁠⁠ || Co-Founders, Waleed Bahouth and Erik Anderson on Linkedin • NonBinary Solutions || Founder, ⁠⁠Mandy Ralston⁠⁠ on Linkedin • Wicked

Recap of Wicked Technologies winning the October 2023 5 Across on October 25th, 2023: Alli Truttmann is the Founder and CEO of Wicked Technologies, which specializes in smart bedding and sleep products. Their newest product, the Wicked Smart Pad is a washable, sensorized bed pad that detects moisture and alerts caregivers in real-time for smart incontinence care. Alli is a graduate of Bellarmine University and The University of Louisville. She is passionate about education, entrepreneurship, and the Autism community. Her superhuman trick is being able to recite all of the U.S. Presidents to the tune of Yankee Doodle Dandy while jumping on a pogo stick. Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: • ⁠⁠⁠⁠Alli Truttmann on Linkedin • Wicked Technologies' Linkedin page • ⁠⁠⁠⁠Wicked Sheets website Leave Some Feedback: • Email ⁠⁠⁠⁠podcast@awesomeinc.org⁠⁠⁠⁠ with what you want to hear about next. • Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review. Connect with Us: • Subscribe to our podcast • ⁠⁠⁠⁠aweso

Lee Webb is the CEO/Owner of Alton Webb Commerical Real Estate which recently celebrated their 25th anniversary in the real estate brokerage business. He is a graduate from the University of Kentucky with an emphasis in Business Marketing. Specializing in all facets of commercial real estate, Lee is holds the distinguished CCIM designation. He is very active throughout Kentucky and has served on various boards as a director. Lee was named the University of Kentucky Young Alumni of the Year in 2010. In 2016, Lee authored and published the book, Go Outside and followed with his second book, Now Then in 2022. Lee and his wife Rachel live in central Kentucky with their three kids: Walker, Warren, and Wells. Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: • ⁠⁠⁠⁠Lee Webb⁠ on Linkedin • Go Outside book link • Now Then book link • Alton Webb Real Estate⁠⁠ website Leave Some Feedback: • Email ⁠⁠⁠⁠podcast@awesomeinc.org⁠⁠⁠⁠ with what you want to hear about next. • Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review

Recap of CleanSpace winning the August 2023 5 Across on August 30th, 2023: Eric Griffin and Aram Street are a dynamic duo combining over 15 years of expertise in technology and cleaning. They have teamed up to disrupt the cleaning industry with CleanSpace Corporation. Eric, a seasoned tech entrepreneur, and Aram, the founder of LexClean, identified a gap in software solutions for cleaning services. Combining Eric's tech expertise with Aram's industry insights, CleanSpace aims to revolutionize an industry known for high turnover and low morale through intuitive software applications. Together, they exemplify the transformative power of technology in service-based entrepreneurship. Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: • ⁠⁠⁠Aram Street on Linkedin • ⁠⁠⁠CleanSpace⁠ website Leave Some Feedback: • Email ⁠⁠⁠podcast@awesomeinc.org⁠⁠⁠ with what you want to hear about next. • Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review. Connect with Us: • Subscribe to our podcast • ⁠⁠⁠awesomeinc.org⁠⁠⁠ •

Garrett Fahrbach is the Director of Outreach and Student Engagement for the Awesome Inc team. He works closely with startup founders, entrepreneurs, investors, students and community across Kentucky. In this episode, he covers three lessons after reading “The Entrepreneur Roller Coaster” by Darren Hardy. They are sure to recharge your passions in work and life. Read the blog: https://www.awesomeinc.org/blog/the-entrepreneur-roller-coaster Watch the video: https://youtu.be/XL2Hk2LTrU0 Check out our resources for entrepreneurs:awesomeinc.org/fellowshipawesomeinc.org/idea Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: • ⁠⁠⁠Garrett Fahrbach⁠ on Linkedin • Awesome Inc Blogs • Awesome Inc Fellowship Resources • Awesome Inc "I Have an Idea" form Leave Some Feedback: • Email ⁠⁠⁠podcast@awesomeinc.org⁠⁠⁠ with what you want to hear about next. • Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review. Connect with Us: • Subscribe to our podcast • ⁠⁠⁠awesomeinc.org⁠⁠⁠ • Instagram -- @awesomeinclex • Twitter --

Hannah Eberts is Project Manager and Photographer at Awesome Inc. A jack of all trades, she helps event planning, community involvement, photography, and graphic design. Hannah also has a freelance photography business that shoots weddings, events, and portraits. In this episode, tune in for 3 quick and essential tips for capturing events like a professional. Read the blog: https://www.awesomeinc.org/blog/3-tips-for-capturing-memorable-moments-of-your-community Watch the video: https://youtu.be/G97k0YX-Gmk Want to Awesome Inc at our next event? Go to awesomeinc.org/events for more. Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: • ⁠⁠⁠Hannah Eberts on Linkedin • ⁠⁠⁠Awesome Inc Blogs • ⁠⁠⁠Awesome Inc Events Leave Some Feedback: • Email ⁠⁠⁠podcast@awesomeinc.org⁠⁠⁠ with what you want to hear about next. • Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review. Connect with Us: • Subscribe to our podcast • ⁠⁠⁠awesomeinc.org⁠⁠⁠ • Instagram -- @awesomeinclex • Twitter -- @awesomeinclex • ⁠⁠⁠YouTube --- Send in

Stephen Ruh is the Director of Marketing for Awesome Inc U. He works closely with the Web Developer Bootcamp Program, which trains people with no prior coding experience to be Web Developers in 16 weeks. In this episode, learn the answers to 7 common questions that people have about bootcamps. If you want to discover more specifics about our course and apply, head to our website: awesomeinc.org/bootcamp Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: • ⁠⁠⁠Stephen Ruh on Linkedin • Awesome Inc U Bootcamp website Leave Some Feedback: • Email ⁠⁠⁠podcast@awesomeinc.org⁠⁠⁠ with what you want to hear about next. • Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review. Connect with Us: • Subscribe to our podcast • ⁠⁠⁠awesomeinc.org⁠⁠⁠ • Instagram -- @awesomeinclex • Twitter -- @awesomeinclex • ⁠⁠⁠YouTube --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/awesomeinc/message

Recap of Kyndly Benefits winning the June 2023 5 Across on June 21st, 2023: Waleed Bahouth has spent the last 17 years in healthcare trying to fix broken things. His co-founder, Erik, and he founded Kyndly in 2022 to help everyone access affordable health benefits. Kyndly Benefits simplifies the process of finding and enrolling in an ACA Marketplace (aka Obamacare) health plan. Their Kynd Choice application leverages consumer data and uses simple language to help people find the best health plan in 3 simple steps. In prior roles, he led business development for Handle Global where he formed new strategic partnerships with Google and Medtronic. In 15 years of progressive leadership at Humana he oversaw various functions including the transformation office. Before that, he helped to make bourbon. He has a law degree from the Brandeis School of Law and a BA in Economics from Trinity University. He loves playing tennis, watching the 49ers and cooking Middle Eastern food. Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: • ⁠

Here's an insight to our second bi-annual showcase of the Awesome Inc Fellowship Program's startup portfolio. Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: • ⁠⁠Inphlu || Founder, Joshua Reid on Linkedin • 13 Layers || Founder, Justin Perron on Linkedin • VRTogether || Founder, Richie Hoagland on Linkedin • Active Therapy Systems || Founder, Bennett Gatto on Linkedin • Party Horses || Founder, Chris Wiedmar on Linkedin • MiniGrip || Founders, Kirk Selenberg and Bill Meehan on Linkedin • UJOIN || Founder, Kory Payne on Linkedin • PrepSharp || Founders, Moshe Ohayon, Grace Lee, Ross Thompson on Linkedin • Feedcoyote || Founder, Dr. Stevens Bonhomme on Linkedin • C2 Keep || Founder, Roland Achenjang on Linkedin • Cartoonize My Pet || Founder, Jennifer Williams on Linkedin • Smoove Creations || Founders, Isaiah Kelly and Vivi McCloy on Linkedin Leave Some Feedback: • Email ⁠⁠podcast@awesomeinc.org⁠⁠ with what you want to hear about next. • Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a sho

Recap of TitleWise winning at the April 2023 5 Across on April 26th, 2023: TitleWise is a title abstraction software developed by industry veterans. From typed reports with quick turnarounds to smart legal descriptions, custom language according to your underwriter’s requirements and easy updates, TitleWise is ready to serve your needs. Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: • ⁠Jennifer Mason⁠ on Linkedin • ⁠TitleWise's website Leave Some Feedback: • Email ⁠podcast@awesomeinc.org⁠ with what you want to hear about next. • Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review. Connect with Us: • Subscribe to our podcast • ⁠awesomeinc.org⁠ • Instagram -- @awesomeinclex • Twitter -- @awesomeinclex • ⁠YouTube --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/awesomeinc/message

Bennett Gatto is the founder and CEO of Active Therapy Systems (ATS), DBA their brand Total HealthWorks Online, which is a digital health and remote monitoring platform for People with Parkinson's Disease. Their mission is to help clients regain control of their health through personalized exercise and wellness programs while monitoring disease progression to help improve clinical decision making and disease management strategies. They launched their online exercise classes in 2020 and will be launching their personalized, premium service in Q2 of 2023. If you or someone you know has Parkinson's, check them out at ⁠totalhealthworks.com⁠!  Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:  • Bennett Gatto on Linkedin • Active Therapy Systems website Leave Some Feedback: • Email podcast@awesomeinc.org with what you want to hear about next. • Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review. Connect with Us: • Subscribe to our podcast • awesomeinc.org • Instagram -- @awesomeinclex • Twitter -- @aweso