FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Fund for the Arts Contact:
Eric Gurevich
ericg@fundforthearts.org
502.582.0132
Stoll Keenon Ogden Contact:
Leslie Holland
leslie.holland@skofirm.com
502.523.2734
Fund for the Arts and Stoll Keenon Ogden present the 2017 James Welch Sr. Arts Leadership Award
Annual award recognizes excellence in volunteer arts leadership
LOUISVILLE, KY, November 30, 2017- Fund for the Arts and Stoll Keenon Ogden PLLC presented Carolle Jones Clay with the 2017 James Welch Sr. Arts Leadership Award at Actors Theatre of Louisville’s Community Conversation on Thursday evening. Presented annually, the award recognizes the substantial impact to the arts made by an individual through significant volunteer commitment and exemplary leadership in the community.

2017 Welch Award winner Carolle Jones Clay with past recipients, members of the Welch Family, Kendrick Riggs of Stoll Keenon Ogden, and Christen Boone.
“Carolle Jones Clay is an undeniable force for positive change in Greater Louisville,” said Christen Boone, Fund for the Arts President and CEO. “We’re grateful for her tireless work that helps makes our community a better place to live, work, learn, and play. Special thanks to Stoll Keenon Ogden for their support in recognizing those volunteer leaders who are our greatest change makers.”
Carolle Jones Clay is Senior Vice President and Managing Director- Community Relations at Republic Bank & Trust whose work on behalf of arts and community organizations began when her family returned to Louisville nearly 20 years ago. Local organizations benefitting from her volunteer work and board service include Actors Theatre of Louisville, Fund for the Arts, Kentucky Derby Festival, Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation, KMAC Museum, Landmarks Commission, Louisville Sports Commission, Women 4 Women, Gilda’s Club, AAA Kentucky, Jewish Hospital & St. Mary’s Healthcare Foundation, and so many more.
Fund for the Arts and SKO created the award in honor of James Welch Sr., a founding member of Stoll Keenon Ogden’s legacy law firm, who quietly provided strong guidance and support to the Louisville arts for decades.
“Stoll Keenon Ogden PLLC is proud to join Fund for the Arts in congratulating Carolle Jones Clay for her commitment to enhancing our community through the arts,” said Kendrick Riggs, vice chair of SKO. “Her sustained passion and service serve as a shining example of the James Welch Sr. Arts Leadership Award.”
Previous recipients include:
- 2016: Bill Blodgett, Of Counsel, Dinsmore & Shohl LLP
- 2015: Marlene Grissom, Director of Special Projects, Waterfront Development Corporation
- 2014: Carl M. Thomas, Executive Director, V.V. Cooke Foundation
- 2013: Nana Lampton, CEO, Hardscuffle Inc.
- 2012: Todd Lowe, President and Founder, Parthenon LLC
- 2011: Morton Boyd, Chairman Emeritus, Gheens Foundation, Inc.
- 2010: Tom Noland, Senior VP of Corporate Communications, Humana Inc.
About Fund for The Arts
Fund for the Arts is a regional nonprofit with the mission to maximize the arts to drive economic development, education, and quality of life in our community. The Fund conducts one of the oldest united arts campaigns in the country and supports world-class institutions, community organizations, and arts in education. Fund for the Arts leads collective action across the arts and cultural sector to deliver greater impact in our community. For more information, visit www.fundforthearts.org.
About Stoll Keenon Ogden PLLC
In boardrooms and courtrooms, Stoll Keenon Ogden provides strategic legal counsel to clients in Kentucky, across the country and around the world. Our attorneys are recognized among the best in their fields and they build client relationships for the long haul, because succeeding at business is a marathon, not a sprint. Learn more at skofirm.com.
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