GLASGOW — Dr. Pearse Lyons, president and founder of Alltech, an animal health company that provides proteins and feed additives to feed production companies, visited Western Kentucky University-Glasgow campus Monday.
Lyons visited to speak about taking advantage of the opportunities Kentucky provides and looking forward to the future.
“Alltech has an exciting vision of what the future of agriculture in Kentucky can look like and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to share that,” Lyons said. “I really believe that Kentucky can become a global leader in advanced agriculture. We have an opportunity to position ourselves as the Silicon Valley of the agriculture industry and to energize our rural community in the process.”
Lyons, who started Alltech in 1980 to pioneer natural yeast fermentation and enzyme technology for the animal feed industry, said that leaders in Kentucky need to develop the state into the agricultural version of Silicon Valley.
“This is a crying shame,” Lyons said. “We want to bring revenues in, but every single day, trucks roll out of Kentucky with money in them. They roll with trucks filled with milk and roll out with trucks filled with your money. We import $250 million worth of milk a year. That’s money that could be staying in Kentucky. Kentucky has the production plants, the processing plants and the state dairy farms make more money than ones in other states.”
Lyons also touched on creating a superbrand of Alltech, starting with the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Louisville.
Lyons added that having the equestrian games in Kentucky seemed like a no-brainer.
“The horse capital of the world doesn’t have an equestrian program,” he said. “Isn’t that silly?”
Dr. Juanita Bayless, associate dean and director for the Glasgow campus, said Lyons is a great example of the spirit the school teaches their students to have.
“Our students hear us talk about engagement, about global industry, about the future and they are surrounded today by those who believe in these things and are looking to build a better future,” she said.
Dr. Gary Ransdell, president of WKU, added: “What excites me most about this gentleman is his company is entrepreneurial, global, scientific and collaborative. We try to teach our students to embrace the entrepreneurial spirit and have the confidence to go out and create something global. We could not find anyone else in this state that epitomizes international reach better than Pearse Lyons.
“The company also understands how important it is to collaborate with colleges and universities to help further what they do as a corporate enterprise.”
Lyons said the university has to understand what it needs to do and step up to help.
“When they do that, the opportunities come,” he said. “It’s not about money coming in, it’s about ideas coming in. It’s not about bringing in money or grants for the university, it’s about educating. What we can do for Barren County is open their eyes to the opportunities that exist here. What you need on the city council are the yay-sayers, not the nay-sayers, who are enthusiastic about growing the community.”
Local News
Related Photos
-
AMBER DILLEY
Discussion
Alltech president opens tour at WKU-Glasgow
- Local News
-
-
Ambulance board OKs outsource billing
After a thorough discussion during Wednesday’s board meeting, the Barren-Metcalfe Emergency Medical Services decided to outsource its billing to AMB-MARS (Medical Accounts Receivable Systems doing business as AMBulance Medical Billing), contingent on AMB-MARS adding a guarantee clause on its work.
-
Teen named local youth of the year
Rayne Triplett has been practicing the speech she will give at the end of the month when she travels to Frankfort to compete for the Boys and Girls Club’s 2012 State Youth of the Year title.
-
Howard lauded for G/T work
Glasgow Superintendent Sean Howard was presented the Kentucky Association for Gifted Education’s Michael Caudill Educator Award on Monday at the annual KAGE conference in Lexington.
-
Teens to be tried as adults
Barren Circuit Court released the names of two juveniles charged in an armed robbery in October, after the court decided to try the teens as youthful offenders in adult circuit court.
-
Payne pleads guilty to lesser charge
A Glasgow man who had been facing a felony charge of custodial interference pleaded guilty Tuesday in Barren Circuit Court to a lesser charge.
-
Rowland will take Comer's seat for now
A Monroe County businessman will fill the unexpired term of former state representative Jamie Comer, according to the results of Tuesday’s special election.
-
County struggles to provide EPA report
Barren County Road Department Head Johnny Kinslow called his bi-monthly report to the fiscal court his “gloom and doom” report Tuesday night. After five years of letters and discussions, the Environmental Protection Agency has informed Kinslow that he must produce a closure report for underground fuel tanks that were removed 13 years ago, or face unnamed consequences.
- MORNING UPDATE: Two juveniles charged as adults in robbery
- MORNING UPDATE: Tebben blogs from New York
-
Chamber names Travis ‘Outstanding Citizen’
Winning the Outstanding Citizen of the Year Award Monday night came as a complete surprise to Dr. Bill Travis.
- More Local News Headlines
-
Ambulance board OKs outsource billing
Obama Gives Education Waivers to 10 States
Giffords Aide to Run for Her Seat
LA School in Sex Abuse Scandal Reopens
Winter Slamming North Asia, Parts of Europe
Syrian Forces Renew Bombardment of Homs
States, Banks Reach Foreclosure-abuse Settlement
Raw Video: Italy's Mount Etna Bursts Into Life
Greeks March; Angry Despite Debt Deal
Raw Video: U.S. Pullout Celebration
Raw Video: Annual Empire State Building Run-Up
Man Killed in Courthouse Shootout
Air Force Airlines: Leaders Get Polished Service
Ga Girl Fights Off Kidnapper at Walmart
Nevada Highway Patrol, City Settle Beating Case
Homs Bombardment Continues, Global Outcry Grows
Raw Video: Dog Rescued From Icy Colo. Water
Skip the Coffee Cup and Inhale Your Caffeine Fix
