Joel Ray Hopper is a 1966 graduate of Henderson County High School. Following high school graduation, Hopper continued his education, earning numerous credentials at institutions of higher education and serving time in the United States Army. Following his honorable discharge and recognition for meritorious service, Hopper returned to Henderson and immediately became involved in the Henderson community. Over the years he was involved in coaching youth sports and has been a member of many non-profit boards and civic organizations. Always a community advocate, Hopper served in a number of board roles locally, across Kentucky and nationally. Those he felt had the most notable impact included:

• Past board member and chair of the Henderson County Riverport Authority

• Past board member Henderson County Economic Development

• Past board member National Association Chemical Distributors

• Past board member Kentucky Chamber of Commerce

• Inaugural board member and past chair of the Leadership Institute of School Principals

• Founding board member and past chair of the Henderson Leadership Initiative

• Founding board member Men’s Bourbon Society of Henderson

• Board member and Lead Director Field & Main Bank

Shortly after returning to Henderson, Hopper began his career with P.B.&S Chemical which ultimately became Brenntag Mid-South, following an acquisition of the company in 1989. When Hopper joined the company, annual revenue was $7 million and when he turned over the reins of the company as President in 2016, its revenue exceeded $1.2 billion and was the largest operating company and top performing company within the Brenntag Ag global organization. This success led to his promotion to Vice President and Executive Committee Member of Brenntag North America. Throughout his career Hopper has traveled extensively across the nation and the globe but was never anywhere that he could not wait to return to Henderson.

This dedication to Henderson is evident in his mentorship of countless upcoming community leaders. His impressive career and community impact made him a deserving recipient of the 2021 Henderson Chamber of Commerce Distinguished Citizen of the Year. Hopper presently resides on 14 acres in Henderson County and has three children: Marleigh Hendricks Mullins, Mason Hendricks and Lanson Hendricks.

Mike Waller was born in New York City to Lila Jean Tompkins Waller and Robert Waller, who was an NCO in the United States Army. His father was stationed at various posts in Kentucky, Germany, Japan, Texas, New Jersey, and Taiwan. Mike attended elementary school at several schools due to the various deployments of his father, until 1968 when his father was in Vietnam and his family settled in Henderson, the home of his mother. Mike attended Barrett Junior High and Henderson City High Schools, graduating in 1973. After graduation, Mike attended numerous institutions to study Business Management and Business Administration:

• Henderson Community College

• Three Rivers Junior College

• Western Kentucky University

• University of Evansville

• University of Tennessee

In 1975, Mike began working for Firestone Steel Products/Accuride Corporation and worked there until his retirement in 2020. During that time period, Mike held various positions of management and leadership until his retirement, when he was the company’s Director of Operations/Plant Manager at the Henderson Plant. During his time at the Henderson facility, the plant was recognized with numerous awards from major customers, such as General Motors Corporation, Ford Motor Corporation, Volvo, Kenworth, Freightliner, Great Dane, and Hyundai, for quality systems, efficiency, procedure performance, and supplier excellence. In 2014, the Henderson plant was awarded the Association of Manufacturers Award of Excellence, being one of only two manufacturing plants to receive the award, and the first ever heavy steel manufacturer to receive such an award. 

Mike has been married to Sally Cook Waller for over 48 years. They have three adult married children: Sarah Beth (Wes) Smith, Alyson (Dan) Thompson, and Robert (Shameika) Waller. They also have six grandchildren: Max, Jackson, Colton, Sadie, Drey, and Calix. Mike has been involved in various community activities since 1975, including:

• Former football, basketball, and baseball coach and referee/umpire

• Former member of the Henderson County Schools Move to Improve

  committee.

• Former South Heights Elementary School PTA President

• Former member of the Henderson County Athletics Hall of Fame Board of Directors

• Former member of the Bambino World Series Board of Directors

• Former member of The Poncho Club Board of Directors

• Volunteer Fundraising Coordinator for various clubs, organizations, and athletic teams. He has notably helped raise over $2,000,000

• Former member of Governor Brereton Jones Local School Board Advisory Council

• Current member (and chair) of the Henderson County Board of Education, since 1989

• Former member of Immanuel Baptist Temple from 1971-2016, director of Sunday School and member of the Finance Committee

• Current member of Corydon Missionary Baptist Church

Robby Mills is a 1985 graduate of Henderson County High School. While attending there, he lettered in golf and served in student government while working at his family's dry-cleaning business. He went on to attend Henderson Community College for his first year of college, before transferring to Oral Roberts University, where he graduated in 1989 with a degree in Business Management. 

After college graduation he married his wife, Vickie, and started working at Nu-Look Cleaners as a second-generation dry cleaner. He immediately started giving back to the community of Henderson including, but not limited to:

• Henderson Leadership Class of 1990

• Henderson County Planning Commission

• City Board of Zoning & Adjustments 

• Henderson Chamber of Commerce Board

• Downtown Henderson Project Advisory Council

• Rotary Club of Henderson

• Henderson Breakfast Lions Club

• Volunteer for United Way, Junior Achievement and the Salvation Army.

• Henderson Republican Party Executive Committee

• Coach for all three of his children's sports teams throughout the years: YMCA, PCMA, PYSA, ABA

In conjunction with running the dry cleaners, which has expanded into multiple cities with several employees, his entrepreneurial nature led him to start COIT Services in 2001, a carpet cleaning franchise, which led into starting another business, Nu-Look Restoration, a fire and water restoration company, which he successfully ran until 2020 when he sold it to a long-time employee. Since then, he has been mentoring his youngest son, Noah, as a third-generation dry cleaner owner.

In his personal life, he has attended and been in many different leadership/teaching positions through the last 34 years in church as faith is of utmost importance to Robby. He has gone on over 20 mission trips to numerous countries, including helping an orphanage system start a soy milk business to serve the children there. He also helped start a small business startup loan program to start business such as making brooms, buying/selling pigs, raising fish, etc. 

Both of Robby’s parents were born and raised on the East End of Henderson, giving Mills a special connection to that area of our community. Robby met regularly with a group of Hendersonians to brainstorm resources to grow the East End of Henderson. Those meetings eventually led to an impactful initiative called the Audubon Kids Zone. He and his wife started a non-profit called Nu-Works, which has focused on the East end of Henderson with support from grants from the City of Henderson, Welborn Foundation, and private citizens.

His passion serving his community has empowered one of the most successful political careers in modern Henderson history. His first successful campaign for public office was in 1998 for Henderson City Commissioner. A desire to impact Kentucky led to his election to the Kentucky House of Representatives in 2016. After one term, he successfully ran for Kentucky State Senator and continues serving in that capacity. During his tenure in the Kentucky General Assembly, he has won many awards for his ability to effectively pass legislation and has served in multiple leadership roles. His rapport with Kentucky legislators and experience advocating for rural Kentucky led to his selection as the Republican Nominee for Lieutenant Governor in the 2023 election cycle. 

Sarah Crick Vowels was born and raised in Henderson. She is the daughter of Dr. Larry and Cathy Crick. Although Sarah attended college outside of Henderson, her heart led her to return home.

She is a 2001 graduate of Holy Name School, a 2005 graduate of Henderson County High School, and a 2010 graduate of Saint Louis University’s Accelerated Nursing Program, where she obtained a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She continued her educational pursuit to obtain her Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Southern Indiana in 2015.

After returning to Henderson in 2010, she married her Henderson County High School sweetheart, Austin Vowels. Together, they started to build their lives in their home of Henderson. They share a beautiful son, Jack Henry (4), and are thrilled to welcome their second child in early spring.

Sarah began clinical nursing in 2010. Her specialty of practice quickly became maternal-child nursing, but she has a deep admiration for all areas of the nursing profession. It was during her time working clinically that she realized one of the utmost enjoyments of her nursing responsibilities included education. Sarah combined her love for nursing along with her love for teaching and chose to pursue a teaching position at Henderson Community College. She credits her father and mother for their incredible influence on her. She witnessed her father practice the art of medicine and her mother serve as a tremendous educator. Watching the remarkable impact her parents made on others served as a catalyst for her professional career.

Sarah started at Henderson Community College in fall 2015 as a nursing instructor and now serves as The Director of the Nursing Program. She continues to teach maternal-newborn nursing. She also continues to practice clinically at Deaconess Henderson and Ascension St. Vincent as a lactation consultant and childbirth preparation educator.

During the past 8 years at Henderson Community College, Sarah has had the opportunity to teach some phenomenal students. She says there is no greater joy than to witness students being transformed into exceptional nurses. The students’ success is also a testament to the wonderful team of individuals at Henderson Community College, who support and nurture students through their academic journey.

Sarah attributes much of her success and opportunities to the community of Henderson and her supportive family and friends. Some of Sarah’s most recent achievements and community involvement include:

• 2023 Henderson Chamber of Commerce “Top 20 under 40” recognition

• 2023 Henderson Leadership Initiative Fellow

• Holy Name Alumni Board member

• Member of the Kentucky Community & Technical College System Associate Degree Nursing Curriculum Committee

• Member of the Kentucky Nursing Directors’ Committee

• 2020 Henderson Chamber of Commerce recipient of the “Post Secondary Educator of the Year”