The 2026 SOAR Summit, presented by Appalachian Wireless and the Appalachian Regional Commission, wrapped up Friday, October 9, with a morning focused on investment, opportunity, and what comes next for Eastern Kentucky.
The Principal Officer Plenary, presented by the University of the Cumberlands, brought together SOAR Co-Principal Officers Governor Andy Beshear and Congressman Hal Rogers, business and community leaders, and partners from across the region on the KCTCS Stage at the Corbin Arena.
And there was plenty to celebrate.
From major investments in infrastructure, education, healthcare, and economic development to a keynote address connecting Eastern Kentucky to the global stage, Friday’s program was a fitting conclusion to an exciting three days in Corbin.
But it also reinforced something we’ve believed since SOAR was founded.
The future of Eastern Kentucky isn’t something we wait for. It’s something we build. Together.
Nearly $48 million in investments. Real opportunities for Eastern Kentucky.
One of Friday’s biggest moments came when Governor Beshear and Congressman Rogers presented 10 grant awards totaling $47.95 million for projects across Eastern Kentucky.
That’s a significant investment in our region.
But what makes these announcements especially meaningful is the variety of opportunities they represent: high-speed internet, water and natural gas infrastructure, career pathways for students, healthcare technology, emergency services, tourism, and preparing sites for future business development.
Different projects. Different communities. One shared goal: building stronger communities and expanding opportunities for the people who call Eastern Kentucky home.
Here’s a closer look at the investments announced Friday.
$25.7 million: Connecting more Eastern Kentucky homes
The largest award went to The Center for Rural Development, which received $25.7 million to expand high-speed internet access to more than 3,000 homes across 12 counties.
Think about what that means for a family in rural Eastern Kentucky.
A student who can complete assignments from home. A patient who can connect with a healthcare provider through telehealth. An entrepreneur who can reach customers beyond their community. Or someone who can pursue a remote career without leaving the place they love.
At SOAR, we’ve seen firsthand how access to reliable broadband can change lives through initiatives like EKY Remote, digital skills training, and entrepreneurship support.
But those opportunities depend on connectivity, and for too many communities, access remains a challenge.
This investment represents another important step toward closing that gap.
$4 Million: Building infrastructure in Leslie County
The Leslie County Fiscal Court received $4 million for Phase III of its Gas Line Project.
Infrastructure isn’t always the most exciting topic of conversation. But try attracting a new business, supporting an existing employer, or preparing a community for growth without it.
Projects like this help build the foundation that economic development depends on. And sometimes, those foundational investments are what make future opportunities possible.
$3.5 Million: Creating new opportunities for tourism in London
The Laurel County Tourism Commission received $3.5 million for the Wilderness Road Event Center.
We’ve talked a lot this week about tourism as an economic driver, and there’s a reason for that.
When communities attract visitors, the impact can extend to local restaurants, hotels, shops, and small businesses. Investments in tourism and event infrastructure create opportunities to bring people together, attract visitors, and support economic activity.
$2.9 million: Preparing students for what’s next in Johnson County
The Johnson County Schools received $2.9 million for its Johnson County Career Pathways project.
At SOAR, we talk often about meaningful employment.
Meaningful employment starts with opportunity, and opportunity often starts with education, exposure, and access to career pathways.
Investments like this are important because preparing the next generation for the workforce is more than an education issue. It’s an economic development priority.
$2.76 million: Bringing advanced healthcare technology to Manchester
The AdventHealth Manchester received $2.76 million for a da Vinci 5 Surgical System.
Access to quality healthcare is essential to strong communities. In rural Eastern Kentucky, geography can sometimes create barriers to specialized services and advanced technology.
This investment will support the addition of advanced surgical technology at AdventHealth Manchester, strengthening the tools available to healthcare professionals and creating new possibilities for patient care closer to home.
It’s another example of innovation finding a home in Eastern Kentucky.
$2.5 million: Strengthening emergency services in Elliott County
The Elliott County Fiscal Court received $2.5 million for EMS Facility Reconstruction and Service Enhancement.
When an emergency happens, access to dependable emergency medical services matters.
Investments in facilities and emergency response infrastructure help communities strengthen the systems they rely on during critical moments. This project represents a belief in the importance of those essential services and the people who provide them.
$2.2 million: Replacing critical water infrastructure in Cumberland
The City of Cumberland received $2.2 million for Phase I of its Waterline Replacement Project.
Clean, reliable water infrastructure is fundamental to quality of life and economic development. It’s something we often take for granted until there’s a problem.
Replacing aging infrastructure helps communities address critical needs while preparing for future growth. Those improvements matter to families, businesses, and employers alike.
$2.15 million: Expanding water and sewer infrastructure in Letcher County
The Letcher County Water & Sewer District received $2.15 million for a Water and Sewer Extension Project.
Much like broadband, reliable water and sewer infrastructure is essential to creating opportunities. Communities need these systems to support residents, attract investment, and accommodate future development.
This award will support efforts to extend those services and strengthen the infrastructure available in Letcher County.
$1.64 million: Supporting business development in Booneville
The City of Booneville received $1.64 million for Phase II of the Sag Hollow Business Development Project.
One of the important lessons in economic development is that communities need to be ready when opportunities arise. That includes having the infrastructure and sites necessary to support business investment.
This project represents another step toward strengthening Booneville’s capacity for future business development and economic growth.
$600,000: Advancing Economic Development in Pike County
The Pike County Fiscal Court received $600,000 for Phase IV of the Wolfpit Industrial and Technology Park.
Industrial and technology parks play an important role in preparing communities for business recruitment and expansion. And in today’s competitive economy, readiness matters.
Continued investment in sites and infrastructure can help communities position themselves for new employers, emerging industries, and future job creation.
More than dollars
When you look at these 10 projects together, there’s a common thread: They’re investments in the building blocks of strong communities.
The infrastructure that supports economic growth. The education that prepares people for meaningful employment. The healthcare and emergency services that improve quality of life. And the places that help attract businesses, visitors, and investment.
Nearly $48 million. Ten projects. And opportunities that reach across Eastern Kentucky.
The announcements were a significant part of Friday’s program, but the real measure of their impact will come as these projects move forward and begin making a difference in the communities they serve.
From Eastern Kentucky to the global stage
It’s easy to think of global affairs as something happening somewhere else: Washington. New York. London. Beijing.
But what happens around the world has a direct impact on what happens right here in Eastern Kentucky, and we have a role to play in that global conversation.
That was the broader perspective brought to Friday’s keynote address by John Sitilides, a geopolitical strategist and expert on global affairs.
The keynote address was presented by the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) and its six colleges serving the SOAR region: Ashland, Big Sandy, Hazard, Maysville, Somerset, and Southeast Kentucky.
Sitilides explored how global developments involving trade, technology, energy, and international security are reshaping economies and creating new challenges and opportunities.
For Eastern Kentucky, that conversation is particularly relevant.
For generations, our region helped power America’s economy. Our natural resources, industries, and workforce contributed to economic growth far beyond our mountains.
That history matters, but it doesn’t have to define the limits of our future.
Today, opportunities in advanced manufacturing, technology, energy innovation, and emerging industries are creating new possibilities.
The global economy is changing as technology transforms industries and supply chains evolve. And that means the skills employers need are changing, too. Eastern Kentucky has an opportunity to be part of that future.
A global perspective is a local perspective for Eastern Kentucky because understanding where the world is going helps us better prepare our businesses, communities, and workforce for what comes next. And the work happening in Eastern Kentucky can have an impact far beyond our region.
The partners helping move Eastern Kentucky forward
There’s another important part of the SOAR story that was front and center Friday.
Partnerships.
We’ve said it many times, and we’ll keep saying it: No single organization can build the future of Eastern Kentucky alone.
It takes businesses willing to invest, healthcare organizations committed to improving quality of life, utilities and telecommunications providers building critical infrastructure, and partners who recognize that regional progress requires working together.
During Friday’s plenary, we heard from representatives of SOAR’s Presenting Partners:
- Donovan Blackburn, president and CEO, Pikeville Medical Center
- Mike Johnson, CEO of Appalachian Wireless
- Amanda Clark, director of economic and business development, Kentucky Power
- Mark Birdwhistell, senior vice president for health and public policy, University of Kentucky
These organizations represent different industries, but they share a commitment to Eastern Kentucky and the people who call it home.
Their support extends well beyond the Summit. They’re part of the network of partners helping strengthen communities, expand access to opportunity, and support the work necessary to move our region forward.
At SOAR, our role is to bring people together, connect resources, and build partnerships around shared challenges and opportunities. But it’s the commitment of partners like these, alongside countless others throughout our 54-county region, that helps turn those connections into meaningful action.
Because the strongest partnerships aren’t simply about supporting an event, they’re about supporting a region.
A shared commitment that goes back to SOAR’s beginning
Having Governor Beshear and Congressman Rogers together at the Summit is also a reminder of where SOAR began.
In 2013, Congressman Rogers and then-Governor Steve Beshear helped lead the collective effort that resulted in the creation of Shaping Our Appalachian Region.
The idea was simple, but important. Eastern Kentucky needed a place where people could come together across communities, industries, organizations, and political differences to address shared challenges and build a stronger future.
More than a decade later, that purpose hasn’t changed. SOAR continues to convene partners, connect resources, and help build systems that expand opportunity throughout our 54-county region.
But the work doesn’t belong to any one leader or organization. It belongs to all of us.
What a way to close out the week
Friday’s Principal Officer Plenary was a fitting conclusion to an exciting three days in Corbin.
While we’ll have much more to share about the conversations, connections, and experiences from this year’s Summit, the final morning offered a reminder of why we bring people together.
We need to understand the opportunities in front of us and find ways to turn those opportunities into meaningful results.
That’s what SOAR was created to do.