By Joan C. McKinney, director of university communications
CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. - The seventh in a series of gubernatorial candidate forums at Campbellsville University will feature Dr. Steve Henry, former lieutenant governor for the Commonwealth of Kentucky, at 4 p.m. Thursday, April 26 at The Gheens Recital Hall in the Gosser Fine Arts Center.
The sessions are sponsored by CU's Kentucky Heartland Institute on Public Policy (KHIPP) and Team Taylor County.
John Chowning, vice president for church and external relations at CU and executive assistant to the president who is the founder of KHIPP, said all of the major candidates have been asked to participate in the forums.
The event, as well as all that will follow, are open to the public.
Chowning said each of the candidates will also be featured on his TV-4 television show, “Dialogue on Public Issues,” which is shown on Monday and Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m., Mondays at 6:30 p.m. and Wednesdays at 7 p.m.
The Henry interview will be aired on Comcast Cable 10 on Monday, April 30 at 1:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. and on Wednesday, May 2 at 1:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.
“We at Campbellsville University and at Team Taylor County are honored to be able to host these gubernatorial forums,” said Chowning. “Our goal is to allow the public to listen to the major candidates, hear their goals and platforms, and then make educated judgments on who to vote for in May. We also deeply appreciate the financial support of our local banks who are helping underwrite the costs of the series of candidate forums.”
Chowning said that five other candidates have already committed to dates over the next several weeks.
“We invite everyone to come hear these candidates and to watch the show on our TV-4,” said Chowning.
For more information on the events, contact Chowning at (270) 789-5520 or at jechowning@campbellsville.edu.
Henry grew up in Owensboro, Ky., where he graduated from Owensboro High School and Western Kentucky University. He graduated from the University of Louisville School of Medicine in 1981, completed his internship in general surgery in 1982, and his residency in orthopedic surgery in 1986.
Henry practices in emergency trauma at the University of Louisville Hospital.
In 1995, Henry became Kentucky's lieutenant governor with Paul Patton. He was the first physician elected for this position and the first lieutenant governor to serve two consecutive terms.
Henry took the lead in: chairing the National Project Child Safe Campaign, a project distributing gun locks and educational materials throughout the United States; advocating free prescription medicine to Medicaid patients under the poverty line and piloting the Lt. Governor Task Force on Child Nutrition, setting guidelines for food served in school cafeterias and vending machines.
After his service as lieutenant governor, Henry established the Kentucky Prostate Cancer Coalition. With the help of The Kentucky Cancer Program and the National Prostate Coalition, the KPCC's public education efforts led to a ten-fold increase the number of Kentucky men receiving cancer screenings each year.
Over the years, Henry has authored more than 100 articles in leading medical journals, introduced numerous surgical procedures for surgical implants and developed new surgical techniques for the Department of Defense.
He also had an instrumental role in the research and development of antibiotic beads used to treat wounded soldiers in the Persian Gulf, Iraq and Afghanistan Wars.
In 1992, while serving as Jefferson County Commissioner, Henry formed the Future Funds Inc., a non-profit organization established to preserve the land and natural environment throughout the Floyds Fork Corridor. To date, his organization has saved 2,500 acres from development.
Henry is married to Heather French-Henry, the former Miss America of 2000. They have two daughters, Harper and Taylor.
Campbellsville University, now celebrating her Centennial year, is a private, comprehensive institution located in South Central Kentucky. Founded in 1906, Campbellsville University is affiliated with the Kentucky Baptist Convention and has an enrollment of 2,310 students who represent 100 Kentucky counties, 32 states and 28 foreign nations. Listed in U.S. News & World Report's “America's Best Colleges” 14 consecutive years as one of the leading Southern master's colleges and universities, Campbellsville University is located 82 miles southwest of Lexington, Ky., and 80 miles southeast of Louisville, Ky. Dr. Michael V. Carter is in his eighth year as president.