Jim Gooch Jr honored for “Going to Bat” for KY buisnesses

by Matt Hughes

J-E News Editor

State Representative Jim Gooch, a Providence native, was recognized by the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday night with a very special award. A Louisville Slugger baseball bat.

Gooch was presented with the “Going to Bat” award during the Madisonville-Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce Chamber After Hours event, hosted by Baptist Health Madisonville. The award is given to legislators who were recognized for their conspicuous actions to support Kentucky’s business community during the 2013 Kentucky General Assembly.

State Rep. Jim Gooch was awarded the “Going to Bat” award during

 a Madisonville-Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce After Hours

 hosted by Baptist Health Madisonville on Dec. 10. The award, a

 custom Louisville Slugger bat, was presented to Gooch for his

 support of legislation considered vital by members of the Kentucky

 Chamber. Pictured from left are Madisonville-Hopkins County

 Chamber of Commerce President Lee Lingo, Rusty Ashcraft of 

Alliance Coal, Gooch, and Chad Harpole of the Kentucky Chamber.

12 legislators received commemorative bats this year.

“This legislative session was perhaps one of the most successful I’ve seen in years, and that was due in no small part to this group of legislators. From pension reform to education initiatives to industrial hemp legislation, they fought in unconventional ways for a positive business climate, and this is our way of saying ‘thank you’ to legislators who ‘go to bat’ for Kentucky businesses,” said Chamber President & CEO Dave Adkisson.

In addition to monitoring the progress of bills that directly relate to the strength of the Commonwealth’s business community, the Chamber tracks how each legislator votes on these bills. The Chamber’s MVP award recipients displayed more than just a business-friendly voting record, but also went out of their way, and at times across party lines, to support or oppose an issue critical to the business climate in Kentucky.

Rusty Ashcraft, left, of Alliance Coal applauds as State Rep.

 Jim Gooch, center, accepts the “Going to Bat” award from 

Chad Harpole of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce during 

the Madisonville-Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce 

After Hours hosted by Baptist Health Madisonville on Dec. 

10. The award, a custom Louisville Slugger bat, was 

presented to Gooch for his support of legislation considered vital 

by members of the Kentucky Chamber.

Group photos provided by: Patricia Wiles

Coordinator of Marketing and Media

Madisonville-Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce