The Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce’s Power in Partnership Breakfast on October 2 will feature University of Kentucky Director of Athletics, Mitch Barnhart, as the speaker. Paducah Bank is the sponsor.

The breakfast begins at 7:30 a.m. at the Paducah-McCracken County Convention Center. Pre-registration is required by Monday, Sept. 29 by 2 p.m. at paducahchamber.org or by calling 270-443-1746. Power Card holders do not have to pre-register. The cost is $25.

Mitch Barnhart has led the University of Kentucky Athletics Department since 2002, guiding the Wildcats to unprecedented success in competition, in the classroom, and in the community. His accomplished tenure makes him the second-longest serving athletics director among Power 4 schools.

Under his leadership, UK has captured six NCAA national championships—in men’s basketball, volleyball, and rifle along with more than 60 SEC regular-season and tournament titles. Kentucky has also achieved its nine best NACDA Directors’ Cup finishes in school history and Wildcats have earned 17 Olympic medals while competing for their countries.

Barnhart has overseen more than $768 million in athletics facilities projects, including landmark investments that have transformed the student-athlete and fan experience. Academically, UK student-athletes have posted 26 straight semesters with a department-wide GPA of 3.0 or higher and contribute over 4,000 hours of community service annually.

Nationally, Barnhart is one of only four administrators ever to serve on both the NCAA Men’s Basketball Committee and the College Football Playoff Committee. He was inducted into the Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame in 2022, is a recipient of the John L. Toner Award for excellence in athletics administration and was named the 2019 Division I Athletics Director of the Year by SportsBusiness Journal. Seven of his former staff members now serve as Division I athletic directors, extending his impact across the country.