Colby Kirk, President & CEO of One East Kentucky (OEK), has been named the 2024 Young Professional of the Year by the Kentucky Association for Economic Development (KAED) and also selected as the winner of the 2024 GIS WebTech/KAED Award for Technology Leadership. The Young Professional of the Year is a prestigious award recognizing an emerging leader under 40 years old who has demonstrated outstanding achievements in the field of economic development and has made a positive impact on their organization, community, and/or region. The GIS WebTech/KAED Award recognizes a Kentucky economic developer who has advanced the profession through innovative use of technology.
Kirk, a native of Martin County, Kentucky, has a demonstrated passion for creating local conditions that stimulate job growth, attract investment, and foster opportunities for economic development. Since being hired as the President & CEO of One East Kentucky in 2022, Kirk has spearheaded a comprehensive strategy to promote economic revitalization across the nine persistent poverty coal-field counties OEK serves. His work focuses on preparing and marketing industrial sites, fostering downtown revitalization, supporting small businesses, and advancing workforce development—all integral to driving long-term prosperity for the region.
Kirk’s career began in education, where he taught high school mathematics at Sheldon Clark High School in Inez, Kentucky, before transitioning into economic development. As the founding executive director of One Harlan County (OHC) from 2018 to 2021, he worked to expand Harlan County’s economic base by developing small businesses, supporting downtown redevelopment, and attracting new industries. Under his leadership, OHC helped convert a 140-acre golf course into a Build-Ready industrial site, redeveloped over 40,000 square feet of downtown property, and supported the launch of three new businesses.
In addition to his work at OHC, Kirk made history in 2019 when he became Martin County’s youngest-ever Judge Executive at the age of 29. In this role, he navigated a challenging financial landscape, securing essential grants and making strategic budgetary decisions that placed Martin County in a stronger economic position. Notably, his efforts led to securing a $150,000 PDI investment to improve an industrial building and attract new job opportunities to the region.
Though his tenure in public office was brief, Kirk realized that his true passion lay in economic development, and he transitioned from politics to a career dedicated to shaping the future of Eastern Kentucky’s economy.
Under Kirk’s leadership, One East Kentucky has become a regional hub for economic development, using innovative strategies and technology to address long-standing challenges and open new doors for growth. With a focus on workforce development, site preparation, and community empowerment, Kirk and his team at OEK are laying the foundation for a thriving future in the coalfield counties of Eastern Kentucky.