BY PHILL BARNETT
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

PRESTONSBURG — The 2024 SOAR Gala was a showcase of accomplishments and the forward momentum of Appalachia Kentucky. Presented by Kentucky Power and hosted by Shaping Our Appalachian Region (SOAR), the gala recognized individuals and organizations across 42 Appalachian counties who have made significant contributions to the region’s economic development and prosperity.

The annual event took place Saturday night at the Mountain Arts Center in Prestonsburg.

“At SOAR, we create the stage to celebrate those making a difference across Kentucky’s Appalachian region,” SOAR Chief Operations Officer Joshua Ball told the Mountain Citizen. “Remarkable things are happening here, big and small, and it all matters in the puzzle to create a brighter tomorrow.”

SOAR received 260 nominations for 14 awards related to economic development. Mike Duncan of Inez received the Hal Rogers Lifetime Achievement Award for his enduring impact on business leaders throughout the region.

Other recipients included Addiction Recovery Care CEO Tim Robinson, named Business Person of the Year, and Dr. Burton J. Webb, president of the University of Pikeville, who took home the Appalachian Leadership Award.

The event also spotlighted the City of Ashland and Jackson County as City and County of the Year.

As SOAR and other local leaders presented the awards, they were accompanied onstage by Billie Jean Osborne’s Kentucky Opry, making for an energetic, TV-style production.

For more details on the award winners and to relive the gala’s most memorable moments, visit SOAR’s website, where photos and videos from the event are available.