Four years to the date after groundbreaking ceremonies for its initial construction, Wesley Methodist Village, a Wilmore retirement community, is celebrating the beginning of its second stage of development, a personal care health center. The facility is designed for seniors who require assistance with some of life's daily activities but do not need skilled nursing care.

Each floor of the new two-story facility will feature 10 studio apartments (each with private bath and small kitchen area) surrounding a community living/dining area, where residents will gather for meals and socializing.

"This design is where long-term healthcare housing is headed," explains Tim Layton, executive director for Wesley Methodist Village. "It's moving away from the institutional, cold long corridors ....to more of a warm, home-like setting."

Wesley Methodist Village presently consists of 70 residents living in one-level "patio homes" designed for independent living. The master plan for the community calls for "The Village" to eventually encompass a variety of options for seniors, ranging from independent living to the personal care center (which will provide assistance with tasks such as bathing, dressing and medication) to skilled nursing care. With such a design, explains Layton, residents can be assured of receiving the level of care needed without the stress of moving away from their home and friends.

The personal care center is expected to be completed by early next summer. Though applications for the new facility are not yet being accepted, those interested in more information can call (606) 858-3865.

Roy Strange has been named acting president and chief executive officer of Associated Industries of Kentucky (AIK), where he has been director of public affairs since 1986.

Though Strange stated that he was "happy to help out during this transition in leadership," he emphasized he was "not a candidate for the permanent position."

Strange was asked to fill the position as president of AIK after the departure of Ed Holloway amid questions about the management of AIK Selective Self-Insurance Fund, a separate non-profit organization that offers workers' compensation insurance to AIK members.

Maurice Turner has been named CEO of the fund and has been charged with overseeing all aspects of the operation.

"The fund is solvent and taking care of business as it should be doing," said Turner. "We continue to process insured workers' claims and make payments in a timely manner."

Georgetown College has received Athletic Management magazine's 1998 Award of Excellence in Outdoor Facilities for its development of the East Campus Athletic Complex. The centerpiece of the complex is Rawlings Stadium, which has permanent seating for 5,000 and can be expanded to accommodate up to 20,000. The complex also includes the newly-opened conference and training center, a tennis center, baseball field, two 100-yard fields for soccer and football practice, a 128-bed residence park and six guest townhouses.

The nationally-distributed sports magazine selected Georgetown's complex based on its unique partnership that allowed the institution to benefit from new athletic facilities while also providing a state-of-the-art home for the Cincinnati Bengals Summer Training Camp.

Construction for the $15 million, 52-acre project began in the fall of 1996 and was completed in time to host the Bengals' 1997 training camp. This year's training camp is scheduled for July 23-August 16.

Kentucky's central location and access to other parts of the country have enticed two California companies to build new facilities in the Hebron area.

Mattel Distribution, Inc., a subsidiary of Mattel, Inc., plans to establish a 218,000-S.F. distribution facility to handle Mattel's specialty toy products. Mattel will begin operating this month out of an existing building and hopes to complete a 40,000-S.F. addition by the end of the year. The new facility will allow the company to consolidate all distribution of collectible products into one single, national center. The products are currently distributed from centers in California, New York and Oregon. Mattel expect to hire approximately 50 people and invest some $12 million in the Hebron operation.

Leslie's Poolmart, a leading national specialty retailer of swimming pool supplies and products, has announced plans to build a $8 million, 146,000-square-foot distribution center to support the warehousing needs of more than 70 stores in the Midwest. The company plans to hire 30 people in conjunction with the new facility.

Both Mattel and Leslie's have received preliminary approval for tax credits from the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority for tax credits under the Kentucky jobs Development-Act (KJDA), an incentive program aimed at increasing the number of service and technology-related jobs in the state.

FSM Marketing Communications, one of the state's oldest and largest advertising and public relations firms, has agreed to merge with Kupper Parker Communications (KPC) of St. Louis, a full-service marketing communications firm.

KPC, which also operates regional offices in Kansas City, Nashville, New Orleans and Columbus (OH), employs 125 people and has annual billings of more than $130 million. The firm's client list includes companies such as Anheuser-Busch, TCI Cablevision, AMC Theaters, Proctor & Gamble and Searle.

The Kentucky office will be known as Kupper Parker/FSM and will be headed by Rudy Moeller and John Ellis, president of FSM. No changes to the 16-member staff are planned.

FSM's client list includes AAA Kentucky, Becker Law Office, and Whayne Supply Company. The firm had capitalized billings of $8.5 million in 1997.

Officials at Kentucky Downs have announced that the track's first live racing meet since 1995 will be this September.

Formerly known as Dueling Grounds, Kentucky Downs will run a total of 44 races over a span of seven days in September with an estimated purse distribution of $1.7 million.

The track will conduct the first of three consecutive days of live racing beginning on Saturday, September 13 through Tuesday, September 15. The remaining four days of the seven-day meet will be held September 19-22.

The highlight of the meet will be the inaugural running of the $700,000 Kentucky Cup Turf Festival on Sept. 19. The four races conducted on Kentucky Cup Turf Festival Day will all be stakes, with two races (The Kentucky Cup Turf and Kentucky Cup Mile) designed to be preps for the turf event on Breeders' Cup Day (scheduled for Nov. 7 at Churchill Downs).

BOWLING GREEN

• DF-SA International has entered into a definitive merger agreement with Fireplace Manufacturers Incorporated (FMI) of Santa Ana, California. DESA is a leading manufacturer and marketer of indoor and outdoor heating products, home security products and specialty tools, based in Bowling Green. DESA currently holds approximately 8 percent of FMI's common stock.

CAMPBELLSVILLE

• Cheri M. Glass has joined Campbellsville University as the new assistant director of public relations and marketing.

FRANKFORT

• Audrey Tayse Haynes, former deputy secretary of Kentucky's Cabinet for Health Services under Gov. Paul Patton, has been appointed chief of staff for Tipper Gore, wife of Vice President Al Gore.

GEORGETOWN

• The Georgetown/Scott County Chamber of Commerce recently named Georgetown Flowers as the 1998 Business of the Year. The 20-year-old business is owned by Butch and Linda Glass.

LOUISVILLE

• Plainview Center, Camelot Center and Dixie Plaza in Louisville and a suburban Chicago center are among the properties recently acquired by Bradley Real Estate Inc., a leading owner and operator of community shopping centers in the Midwest. The properties total 450,000 square feet and were purchased for approximately $37.4 million. The Louisville acquisitions, which are operating at a 96-100 percent occupancy rate, add Winn Dixie to Bradley's list of major grocery tenants.

• ProLift Industrial Equipment Company of Louisville has been awarded the Toyota Industrial Equipment's (TIE) 1997 Quality Dealer Award. This marks the company's seventh time to achieve TIE's highest honor.

• Paul Schultz Advertising has landed the Fruit of the Loom Activewear Division advertising account. The activewear division accounts for nearly 40 percent of company volume. Fruit of the Loom was formerly with Keller-Crescent Co. of Evansville, Indiana. Schultz will supply trade and promotional advertising, direct mail and trade show support as well as produce catalogs for the company.

MIDWAY

• Midway College has announced the creation of the $1 million Robert R. Botkin Endowed Chair. Lexington philanthropist Lucille Caudill Little issued the initial challenge gift of $500,000, with remaining funds raised through gifts from trustees and friends of the college.

MOUNT STERLING

• Spears Stilz of Traditional Bank in Mt. Sterling has been named the 1998 Kentucky Financial Services Advocate of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration.

PIKEVILLE

• Community Trust Bancorp, Inc. and PNC Bank Corp. have reached a definitive agreement that calls for Community Trust to purchase five PNC Bank branches in Central Kentucky. The branches included in the agreement include PNC's main office in Harrodsburg; the main office and Eastern By-Pass office in Richmond; and the main office and Winchester Plaza office in Winchester. Employees at all five branches will be offered employment with Community Trust, said Burlin Coleman, chairman of Community Trust Bank.

RICHMOND