The Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce’s April 2nd breakfast will feature Dr. Ryan Quarles, President of Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS), as the speaker. This breakfast is sponsored by West Kentucky Community and Technical College. Youth LEAD Class #15 will also be recognized for their graduation and members of the class will speak at the breakfast.
The breakfast begins at 7:30 a.m. at the Paducah-McCracken County Convention Center. Pre-registration is required by Monday, March 30th at 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.
Dr. Ryan Quarles is the fourth president of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System and leads the system of 16 community and technical colleges and 70 campuses. Following a national search, Dr. Quarles was named president by the KCTCS Board of Regents and began his position January 1, 2024.
Dr. Quarles has a long history in statewide public service. He was first elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives in 2010 where he served until his election as Kentucky’s Commissioner of Agriculture in 2016. In that role, he led the state’s second largest executive branch agency through 2023, serving two terms. On a national front, he was president of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture in 2020-2021.
Dr. Quarles holds seven college degrees: a doctorate in higher education administration from Vanderbilt University; a master’s degree in higher education from Harvard University; and a juris doctorate from the University of Kentucky College of Law. He earned his four other degrees, including two master’s degrees, from the University of Kentucky.
Youth LEAD is for high school juniors and 36 students will graduate from Class #15. While in the program, students spend one day a month learning about human needs and service learning, communication and career development, business and economy, law and government, energy and transportation, and health care in Paducah and McCracken County.
