By R. David Shew
The Executive Director of the Richmond Industrial Development Board, David Stipes, officially retired from Richmond city government today. Stipes is the son of John and Dottie Thomas Stipes and is a native of Richmond.
David graduated from Eastern Kentucky University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Technical Agriculture in 1980 and a Masters in Public Administration in 1999. From 1979 as a student at EKU until 2011, David worked for the federal government in the Department of Natural Resources Conservation Services which later became the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Next, David worked for the Kentucky River Foothills from December 2011 until June 2016 when he accepted the position of Executive Director of the Richmond Industrial Development Board.
David Stipes is a dear friend of mine. We have traveled together over the years, especially to visit his younger brother, Tom, who worked for Host Communications in Dallas and Austin, Texas. David, Tom, and I are members of the Eta Alpha chapter of Sigma Chi at Eastern Kentucky University.
David’s brother, Tom, was also the Tournament Director of the Sarazen World Open at Chateau Elan in Braselton, Georgia in the early 90s, and David and I took a couple trips down to Georgia to watch the golf tournament. David’s younger brother, Pat, worked for the state of Kentucky in the Tourism Department. Brother Doug passed away in 2022.
In addition, my older brother, Randy, introduced David to his wife Harriet Young. Together, Harriet and David have two daughters, Andrea and Marisa.
Kudos to Kelley McBride and Kerri Hensley for putting together the Retirement Party at the Richmond Senior Citizen Center on Brighton Avenue. If you get a chance, drop by the Center and see what it has to offer.
Several members of the Richmond Industrial Development Board were in attendance including Chair John McPhearson, Bob Lilly, Robbie Robertson, Kiki Creech, Jeff Steele, and Jack Kelly. City officials in attendance were Mayor Robert Blythe, City Manager Rob Minerich, City Commissioner Mike Brewer, City Commissioner Jim Newby, former Mayor Jim Barnes, Police Chief Rodney Richards, Fire Chief Patrick Tudor, and former City Manager Jimmy Howard. In addition, many friends and members of the Thomas family celebrated with David along with his sister-in-law Mary Ann Whitaker and Jim Whitaker.
The Richmond Chamber President Colleen Spencer and Haley Gerkins, the Marketing and Events Coordinator, were also represented as well as Representative Deanna Gordon Frazier and several other Kentucky Economic Development members.
Finally, if I had a key to the city, it would belong to David Stipes. Well done, good and faithful servant.
