The Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce (NKY Chamber) presented Lee Crume, President & CEO of BE NKY Growth Partnership, with the Northern Kentucky Community Award during a recent NKY Chamber BOD/BOA luncheon. The award is given to individuals, businesses, or organizations throughout the Northern Kentucky Metro region to recognize their positive impact on the community.
Crume has a Master of Arts degree in Communication and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Corporate and Organizational Communication from Western Kentucky University. In 2019, he was appointed as CEO of BE NKY Growth Partnership, the economic development company that works to attract, retain, and grow businesses and the economy in Boone, Campbell, and Kenton counties. Here, he has led the growth of the team and earned a Best Places to Work finalist designation from Cincinnati Business Courier in 2023 and 2021. Under his leadership, construction of the OneNKY Center and SparkHaus was completed by the NKY Port, a managed entity of BE NKY.
“Lee Crume has set out to attract, retain, and grow businesses across Northern Kentucky and under his leadership BE NKY’s efforts and initiatives have proven successful,” said Brent Cooper, President and CEO of the NKY Chamber. “BE NKY has become a staple in driving economic development for our region. In 2024 alone, the organization won 18 projects, announced more than 1,400 new jobs, and nearly $500 million in capital investment. He’s elevating what makes us a great place to live, work, play, learn, and give back. We’re honored to present him with the NKY Community Award.”
Crume is a Leadership Kentucky Class of 2023 alum. He’s a member of the Boards of Directors for the NKY Chamber, Greater Cincinnati Foreign Trade Zone, Inc., Northern Kentucky Port Authority, and LifeSciKY. His leadership has been recognized in 2017, 2018, and 2023 as a Top 50 North America Economic Developer by Consultant Connect, and he’s been named a NewsMaker by the Northern Kentucky Tribune.
Individuals interested in learning more about the NKY Chamber Community Award or in submitting a nomination, should contact Lynn Abeln at labeln@nkychamber.com.
Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce