Building economic opportunities in Northerneastern Kentucky
What was once known as a quiet corner of the state is now seeing momentum as private investment and local leadership push to grow the future of Northeastern Kentucky. In Lewis and surrounding counties, economic development is being driven not solely by outsiders, but by the people who work, live and believe in the region.
“If those who can, won’t, who will?” asks Sam Howard, lifelong Lewis County resident and contractor. “Communities don’t grow without outside influence, but they also don’t survive without people at home willing to step up.”
For decades, counties in this region have struggled to find opportunities that would produce economic growth, mostly due to factors like population decline and limited outside interest in the area. Howard, CEO of Trace Creek Construction, has seen those challenges firsthand. Rather than waiting for change to come from elsewhere, he believes meaningful progress starts locally. His company, which was founded in 1993, has built a reputation for reliability across Kentucky.
Howard with East Kentucky Power Cooperative Director of Economic Development Rodney Hitch. Photo: Tim Webb
“When we tell an owner we’ll build a project, we build it the way we’re asked to build it, and it’s completed on time,” Howard says. That same mindset now guides his approach to economic development efforts.
While his company operates across the state, Howard has stayed committed to investing time and resources back into the community he calls home.
“I’ve never wanted to be anywhere else,” he says. “During my career, I have worked all over the country, but right here is where I belong. This is home. It’s where I want to build something that lasts.”
Howard talks about Lewis County’s future not only as a business opportunity, but as a responsibility. He believes driving growth in the region is something he is called to do. “I believe I was supposed to make a generational change in Lewis County,” Howard says. “If it takes every dime I’ve got to do it, that’s what I’ll do.”
Many other contributors are joining Howard in the drive to attract future businesses to the region. These economic development efforts include improving education and workforce infrastructure, community-focused facilities and taking meaningful action to create lasting jobs, all while keeping the values that define the region.
Howard and his wife, Julee, with their nine grandchildren. Howard wants to create more opportunities for future generations in Lewis and surrounding counties. Photo: Howard family
“These initiatives aren’t just to attract future employers,” Howard says. “We want to give young people better reasons to stay, support local schools and services and continue to positively improve the overall well-being of the area. When communities invest in themselves, it can spark outside economic interest that leads to expansion.
“You can’t expect people to believe in a place if the people who live there don’t believe in it first.”
For Howard, that belief is deeply personal. “I have nine grandchildren that live within 15 minutes of my house,” he says. “They want to stay in Lewis County. I want them to stay in Lewis County.” Howard says he wants to help ensure the next generation of his community does not have to leave to build a career, and for Northeastern Kentucky to be a place for young adults to settle and raise future generations.
What would Howard consider success decades from now? “If we were to sit down and look at the results 30 years from now, I would want Eastern Kentucky to be self-sufficient,” he says. He acknowledges progress will not happen overnight, but still believes in a flourishing future for the area because of what he calls its strong Kentucky values and local leaders who truly believe in their people.
