A man of tremendous faith. A great civic partner. An entrepreneurial spirit. Those are just a few of the phrases that local and statewide leaders have used to describe businessman, banker, and NCF giver Jess Correll.
But those leaders aren’t the only ones to recognize those traits. This week Correll joined the ranks of Kentucky’s most successful as he was inducted into the Kentucky Entrepreneur Hall of Fame.
Inductees are chosen based on a variety of attributes, including revenue and profit growth, entrepreneurial activity or visibility, innovation of product or service offered, contributions to community-oriented projects and society, creating jobs and contributions to their industry.
In a press release from the Entrepreneur Hall of Fame, the 62-year-old native of Somerset is described as “an entrepreneur at heart and a creative, visionary leader.”
Correll’s business story began at the age of 26 when he purchased his first bank. Today, he remains a founding member and chairman of the First Southern Bancorp, Inc. He also serves as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of UTG, an insurance company headquartered in Stanford and is co-owner of The Bluebird, a farm-to-table restaurant also located in Stanford.
From the restoration of many historic buildings, to the support of several charities and local causes, Correll’s impact can be seen across the City of Stanford.
“They’ve [Jess and his wife, Angela] supported so many worthy projects that we’ve had in the city over the years,” said Stanford Mayor Eddie Carter. “To have him as a partner, it’s made our Main Street so unique.”