Business owner and entrepreneur Lamon Tyler Hubbs, a Clinton County native who currently resides in neighboring Wayne County, says The Center for Rural Development’s youth leadership programs helped mold his life and career.

Hubbs attended all three of The Center’s youth programs—Rogers Explorers, Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute (ELI), and Rogers Scholars—when he was a middle and high school student in Clinton County.

He credits each of these programs for being a stepping stone toward building a pathway of success as a community leader, business owner, and entrepreneur.

“The Rogers Explorers program sparked my interest and ability in communicating with others outside of the place where I grew up. The ELI program helped me to foster my love of business and leadership through the mock business plans and interactions with my peers. Rogers Scholars took it to the next level,” he said. “All of these programs helped me to develop my creativity, critical thinking skills, communication skills, and self-confidence. These skills helped mold me into the person that I am today.”

Eight years after graduating from the Rogers Scholars program, Hubbs now works as a project manager and estimator for Schiller Architectural Hardware, a subcontractor in the construction industry, based in Lexington, Kentucky.

Many of his responsibilities at Schiller can be carried out from his home in Wayne County, giving Hubbs time to pursue other business and entrepreneurial interests.

He owns and operates a couple of small business ventures in the Lake Cumberland area.

Cumberland Marine Wash & Wax is a seasonal business that provides boat washing and waxing services at local docks and marinas.

Hubbs and his dad, Lamon, also operate and manage a fireworks retail business, LT’s Fireworks and Displays, in three locations, Albany, Monticello, and Burkesville.

“If you are fortunate enough to be able to participate in Rogers Scholars or any of The Center’s other youth leadership programs, take the time to reflect on each day,” Hubbs said. “Realize how fortunate you are and make the most of your time there. Talk to as many fellow Scholars as possible and do not be afraid to open up. It will be one of the few times in your life in which you will be surrounded by individuals who have a similar drive and determination as you. Being in that environment is an incredible experience and it will open up new parts of your mind if you let it.”

When deciding on a college major, Hubbs said he thought about the leadership and entrepreneurial skills taught at The Center’s youth programs and knew he had to follow a career in business.

He graduated from the University of Kentucky in 2018 with a bachelor of business administration in management and a minor in economics.

Hubbs is currently one year into a two-year MBA program at the University of the Cumberlands and plans to finish in the summer of 2021.

The Center for Rural Development’s youth leadership programs provide valuable leadership and entrepreneurial skills to middle and high school students in Southern and Eastern Kentucky. Additionally, each program serves as a vehicle for exclusive scholarship opportunities. Rogers Scholars partners with 19 colleges and universities to offer exclusive scholarship offers to students who meet certain academic requirements. Union College offers a $1,000 scholarship to all Rogers Explorers who attend camp at their location. Lastly, the winners of ELI’s Business Concept Competition earn a $16,000 scholarship to Eastern Kentucky University.

The Center’s youth programs are provided at no cost to students and are solely funded by donations and community support.

The Center will participate in Giving Tuesday on December 1, 2020. Giving Tuesday is a national day of giving where supporters have 24 hours to donate to non-profit or charitable organizations across the country.

To learn more about how you can support The Center’s youth leadership programs or to make a tax-deductible donation, visit www.centeryouthprograms.com, contact Allison Cross at across@centertech.com, or call 606-677-6000.

Established in 1996 through the vision of U.S. Congressman Harold “Hal” Rogers, (KY-05), and other leaders, The Center for Rural Development is a nonprofit organization fueled by a mission to provide leadership that stimulates innovative and sustainable economic development solutions and a better way of life in Southern and Eastern Kentucky.

In its 45-county primary service region, The Center provides innovative programs in leadership, public safety, technology, and arts and culture. The Center is committed to constantly expanding its capabilities in order to deliver a range of key services throughout Kentucky and the nation.