Gov. Beshear To Lead Foreign Trade and Investment Mission To Further Economic Growth, Job Creation in Kentucky
Team Kentucky delegation to meet with existing and prospective companies in United Kingdom, France and Ireland
FRANKFORT, Ky. (Oct. 9, 2025) – Gov. Andy Beshear, First Lady Britainy Beshear and other members of Team Kentucky will travel next week to the United Kingdom, France and Ireland to meet with business leaders and trade officials to further Kentucky’s presence in the region and spur job growth for Kentuckians.
The visit provides an opportunity to build on the Governor’s record-breaking tenure, which includes the highest private-sector investment figure for any administration in state history.
“New jobs mean more opportunities for Kentucky families to pay the bills and live good lives, which is why my administration has worked hard to secure new investment – including foreign investment, which is essential to our success,” Gov. Beshear said. “This visit provides us a great opportunity to connect with leaders of existing Kentucky businesses, companies we want to see invest, and trade organizations as we continue to show the world there’s no better place to do business than our New Kentucky Home.”
The delegation from Team Kentucky will meet with more than 45 companies during the weeklong trip, 16 of which are in existing industries in the commonwealth that currently employ approximately 4,000 people statewide. Collectively, the companies have active projects with the potential to bring up to 2,900 full-time jobs and over $3.5 billion in investment to the state, in addition to future growth opportunities. The Governor will also meet with trade officials in the U.K. and France, which are Kentucky’s second- and third-largest export markets, respectively, with more than $9.7 billion worth of goods exported to the two countries in 2024.
Cabinet for Economic Development Secretary Jeff Noel, who will join Gov. Beshear on the trip, noted the importance of building on existing relationships to secure future wins for Kentucky: “We are fortunate to have a strong and diverse group of international companies here in Kentucky, and this is a great chance to build on that foundation and further those relationships to bring even more great jobs to our state. I look forward to joining the Governor on this critical mission, and I’m excited to see what new opportunities arise following these discussions with innovative and growth-minded companies.”
Kentucky has over 530 internationally owned operations that employ more than 115,000 people statewide. European-owned companies employ over 40,000 people at 238 facilities in Kentucky and represent 17 countries. The commonwealth is home to 26 U.K.-based companies that employ over 2,700 people, 40 French-owned businesses that employ over 5,600 workers, and eight Irish-owned operations that employ nearly 1,000 Kentuckians.
Gov. Beshear’s foreign trade mission builds on the best five-year period for economic growth in state history.
Since the beginning of his administration, Gov. Beshear has announced more than 1,200 private-sector new-location and expansion projects totaling over $43 billion in announced investments, creating more than 63,200 jobs. This is the highest investment figure secured during the tenure of any governor in the commonwealth’s history and $20 billion more than the next highest total.
The robust job creation has been accompanied by rising wages across the commonwealth. Since 2022, the average incentivized hourly wage has topped $26 in three consecutive years for the first time.
Gov. Beshear has announced some of the largest economic development projects in state history, which have solidified Kentucky as the electric vehicle battery production capital of the United States: Ford Motor Co. and SK On’s transformative $5.8 billion, 5,000-job BlueOval SK Battery Park in Hardin County; AESC’s $2 billion, 2,000-job gigafactory project in Warren County; Toyota’s $1.3 billion investment in Scott County; Ford Motor Co.’s $2 billion commitment in Louisville; and Shelbyville Battery Manufacturing’s $712 million investment, creating 1,572 jobs in Shelby County, among others.
The Governor’s administration also secured the largest General Fund budget surplus and Rainy Day Fund. In 2023, Kentucky recorded over 2 million jobs filled for the first time ever and has stayed above that number ever since.
Kentucky also secured rating increases from major credit rating agencies Fitch Ratings, S&P Global Ratings and Moody’s Investors Service.
Earlier this year, Site Selection magazine ranked Kentucky in the top five nationally and second in the South Central region for economic development projects per capita in its 2024 Governor’s Cup rankings. Site Selection also placed Kentucky second in the South Central region and No. 6 nationally in its 2025 Prosperity Cup ranking, which recognizes state-level economic development agencies for their success in landing capital investment projects.
Gov. Beshear also announced a new initiative, called New Kentucky Home, to increase economic investment, attain and attract talent, and increase tourism across the state.
Information on Kentucky’s economic development efforts and programs is available at NewKentuckyHome.ky.gov. Fans of the Cabinet for Economic Development can also join the discussion at facebook.com/CEDkygov, on Twitter @CEDkygov, Instagram @CEDkygov and LinkedIn.
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Gov. Beshear Provides Team Kentucky Update
FRANKFORT, Ky. (Oct. 9, 2025) – Today, Gov. Andy Beshear provided updates on economic development, Pre-K for All, housing in Eastern Kentucky, the Kentucky Parole Board, and a new Kentucky State Parks app. The Governor named the Georgetown-Scott County Parks and Recreation Department this week’s Team Kentucky All-Stars.
Economic Development
The Governor announced that he, First Lady Britainy Beshear and other members of Team Kentucky will travel next week to the United Kingdom, France and Ireland to meet with business leaders and trade officials to further Kentucky’s presence in the region and spur job growth for Kentuckians. The delegation from Team Kentucky will meet with more than 45 companies during the weeklong trip.
Pre-K for All
The Governor provided an update on the Pre-K for All initiative, which aims to advance the commonwealth’s public education system and job growth. As part of the initiative, Team Kentucky hosted town halls across the commonwealth and learned that nearly 90% of town hall participants support more funding for preschool and expanding preschool access. Since the initiative launch in May, over 60,000 Kentuckians have written to their state legislators asking them to support expanding preschool access.
In addition to the town halls, Team Kentucky held 40 outreach events where parents, educators, business owners, child-care providers, legislators and local elected officials expressed support for Pre-K for All. Today, 63 of Kentucky’s county judge/executives sent a letter to the members of the General Assembly encouraging them to support expanding pre-K. Thirty-one Mayors representing cities in every region of the commonwealth wrote a similar letter to the General Assembly.
The Governor also shared that the Kentucky Association of School Superintendents has officially endorsed Team Kentucky’s Pre-K for All initiative. Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman; Alvin Garrison, superintendent of Covington Independent Schools; Billy Parker, superintendent for Scott County Schools; Elizabethtown Mayor Jeff Gregory; and Anderson County Judge/Executive Obrey Gritton III joined the Team Kentucky Update to share why they think Kentucky needs Pre-K For All.
Housing in Eastern Kentucky
Gov. Beshear provided an update on progress being made on housing in Eastern Kentucky for flood survivors, including at the eight high-ground sites that will eventually provide over 500 homes out of the flood plain. These are in addition to other projects supporting apartments, smaller-scale neighborhoods and rental units.
Today, the Governor announced $14.8 million to develop 74 rental units at the Chestnut Ridge high-ground site in Knott County. The awards include:
- $5.6 million to Family Scholar House to build 28 rental units;
- $4 million to HOMES Inc. to build 20 units;
- $3.2 million to Frontier Housing to build 16 units; and
- $2 million to the Housing Development Alliance to build 10 units.
Kentucky Parole Board
The Governor provided an update on steps being taken by the Kentucky State Police (KSP) to investigate every threat made to Kentucky Parole Board members following inaccurate information being shared on the release of Ronald Exantus. The Governor shared that the FBI is now also involved in this investigation. KSP Sgt. Matt Sudduth also joined the Governor to provide the update.
The Parole Board did not release Ronald Exantus on parole. Every time the board had an opportunity, it recommended that Exantus stay in prison. Exantus was last reviewed for parole on Sept. 30, 2025, as required by state law. The Parole Board issued a decision that Exantus stay in prison for the remainder of his sentence.
Despite this decision, Kentucky law required the Department of Corrections to release the inmate on Mandatory Reentry Supervision (KRS 439.3406). The parole board did not make this decision, as it does not have the authority to release anyone on Mandatory Reentry Supervision. This process is governed strictly by state law. Per KRS 439.561, Exantus requested and was accepted by the state of Florida to serve his Mandatory Reentry Supervision there, in accordance with the Interstate Compact for Adult Offender Supervision. For more information, visit the Parole Board’s website. To provide information on related threats, visit kentuckystatepolice.ky.gov/tip.
“Despite repeatedly voting for Ronald Exantus to remain in prison, Parole Board members have faced significant threats over the last several days,” said Gov. Beshear. “Remember, sharing accurate information is so important. We are urging everyone to only share the facts around this case. At a time of increased political violence around our country, these types of threats are taken incredibly seriously. And we are grateful to KSP and our law enforcement for their work.”
New Kentucky State Parks App
The Governor announced that the Kentucky Department of Parks has implemented a new mobile app designed to enhance state parks’ outdoor recreation experiences. The free mobile app provides up-to-date information and resources on outdoor recreational opportunities and events, curated experiences and hiking trail maps.
Team Kentucky All-Stars
The Governor named the Georgetown-Scott County Parks and Recreation Department this week’s Team Kentucky All-Stars. This year, they were one of just 11 departments across the country to receive accreditation through the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies, part of the National Recreation and Park Association. Nationwide, the department is one of only 2% of parks departments with this accreditation. The department achieved this by teaching kids cooking skills, offering swim lessons, bringing food and live music to the community at events like their annual Fall Harvest Festival, and more.
“Congrats to Georgetown and Scott County,” said Gov. Beshear. “Take your kids out to Pavilion Park or stop by the Fall Harvest Festival this weekend. You’re supporting a world-class park in our backyard.”
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