The DeCesare Group Podcast

This week on The DeCesare Group Podcast, Jim talks with Bekhzod Khasanov, Head of Finance at AKFA Aluminum Solutions. https://akfaaluminium.com/eng/ Last December, AKFA Aluminum Solutions, a division of Uzbekistan-based AKFA Group, announced plans to establish a U.S. manufacturing facility right here in Bowling Green, creating 331 jobs. It’s a landmark investment—the first time an Uzbekistani comp...

This week on The DeCesare Group Podcast, join Jim DeCesare for his conversation with the top federal prosecutor for the Western District of Kentucky. https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdky Kyle Bumgarner has served as U.S. Attorney since June of 2025. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is responsible for prosecuting federal crimes and representing the United States in federal criminal and civil cases across 53...

This week on The DeCesare Group Podcast, join Jim DeCesare for his conversation with Dan Harbison, Regional President of Pinnacle Financial Partners. Harbison brings more than 44 years of banking experience to Pinnacle, including more than three decades leading community banking organizations throughout the Bowling Green Community. He’s been involved in a lot of commercial development over the yea...

This week on The DeCesare Group podcast, join Jim DeCesare for his conversation with Jim Page, new President and CEO of the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce. https://www.bgchamber.com/ Only a few months into the job, Jim Page is the inaugural guest on “The Green Room”, a Leadership Bowling Green Alumni exclusive event. The live podcast interview was followed by a meet and greet recently, and...

This week on The DeCesare Group Podcast, Jim DeCesare sits down with Wes Swietek, Managing Editor of the Bowling Green Daily News and author of When the Bluegrass Ran Red . https://www.acclaimpress.com/authors/wes-swietek/ The book digs into one of Kentucky's most turbulent eras — the 1960s and early 1970s — when Bowling Green earned the nickname "Little Chicago," Newport was called "Sin City," an...

This week on The DeCesare Group podcast, join Jim DeCesare for his conversation with Congressman Brett Guthrie. https://guthrie.house.gov/ Guthrie was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2008 and represents the Second Congressional District. He currently serves as the Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, the oldest standing legislative committee in the House with bro...

A brand new school year has just started, and our guest is Rob Clayton, Superintendent of Warren County Public Schools. https://www.warrencountyschools.org/ Clayton talks about the opening of the long awaited IMPACT Center and what it will mean to the students of Warren County. https://impactcenter.warrencountyschools.org/ He also shares what it’s like to lead the fourth largest – and arguably the...

This week on The DeCesare Group Podcast, Jim DeCesare sits down with Jason Gumm, Administrator of the Robert E. Spiller Bowling Green Veterans Center. https://veterans.ky.gov/Veterans-Centers/Pages/Bowling-Green.aspx Gumm discusses the long-awaited opening of the state-of-the-art facility, which will provide around-the-clock skilled nursing care for 60 Kentucky veterans. Located on approximately 2...

This week on The DeCesare Group Podcast, join Jim DeCesare for his conversation with Dylan Stanke, founder of Easyr, http://easyrjobs.com a verified job discovery platform for Louisville, Bowling Green, Nashville, and Lexington. This episode focuses on entrepreneurship, solving real-world problems, and how Dylan turned personal frustration into a platform that’s helping thousands navigate the job...

This week on The DeCesare Group Podcast, join Jim DeCesare for his conversation with Dr. Michelle Trawick, Chancellor of SKYCTC. https://southcentral.kctcs.edu/ This week’s guest just completed her first year as Chancellor of South Central Kentucky Community and Technical College. Dr. Michelle Trawick has more than 30 years of experience in higher education, including nearly 20 years at WKU, her u...

This week on The DeCesare Group Podcast, join Jim DeCesare for his conversation with Historian Sam Terry. https://samterryskentucky.com/ As we approach the 250th anniversary of America’s independence, Sam Terry shares his thoughts on what Kentuckians should better understand about this state’s role in shaping the nation, which historical figure from Kentucky he believes deserves far more national...

This week on The DeCesare Group Podcast, join Jim DeCesare for his conversation with Kelley Paul, wife of U.S. Senator Rand Paul. As we approach the 250th anniversary of America’s independence, Kelly has written two children’s books that tell the story of America’s founding and revolutionary history. Good Night Little American and Good Night Young American came out on June 2nd and tell the story o...

This week on The DeCesare Group Podcast, join Jim DeCesare for his conversation with John Gregory, Executive Director at the Kentucky Center for Leadership. John has more than 20 years of experience in the manufacturing industry, dedicated to developing individuals, strengthening teams, and building cultures where employees can thrive. His expertise spans Human Resources, Training, Leadership Deve...

This week on The DeCesare Group Podcast, join Jim DeCesare for his conversation with Dr. Evelyn Thrasher, Dean of WKU’s Gordon Ford College of Business. https://www.wku.edu/business/ In the 2026 U.S. News & World Report Best Graduate Schools rankings, twelve WKU graduate programs landed among the best in the country—including five from the Gordon Ford College of Business. Dr. Thrasher breaks d...

This week on The DeCesare Group Podcast, join Jim DeCesare for his conversation with John Harnage, owner of Kentucky Thermal Institute. John is being recognized nationally this week after being named the 2026 Small Businessperson of the Year for Kentucky by the U.S. Small Business Administration. It’s one of the nation’s highest honors for small business leadership. Kentucky Thermal Institute is b...

This week on The DeCesare Group Podcast, join Jim DeCesare for his conversation with Alex Downing, President and CEO of Franklin Bank and Trust. https://www.fbtco.com/ Downing talks about his transition from accountant to leading the College Heights Foundation to leading Franklin Bank and Trust. He’s also has a lifetime of memories (and memorabilia) from WKU where his father served as president fr...

This week on The DeCesare Group Podcast, join Jim DeCesare for his conversation with Maureen Carpenter, President and CEO of the Barren County Economic Authority. https://barrencoea.com/ Carpenter talks about Glasgow’s recent historic milestone, ranking No. 9 in the nation among micropolitan communities in the 2025 Site Selection Governor’s Cup rankings, based on the number of economic development...

This week on The DeCesare Group Podcast, join Jim DeCesare for his conversation with Julie Milam, Executive Vice President of Partnership Services at the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce. https://www.bgchamber.com/ Milam is widely known across South Central Kentucky for her long-standing commitment to community development and economic growth having spent 17 years as General Manager at WNKY-...

This week on The DeCesare Group Podcast, join Jim DeCesare for his conversation with Dr. Gary Houchens, Board Chair for Chesterton Academy. https://chestertonbgky.com/ For the first time in more than a half a century, Bowling Green will be home to a Catholic High School beginning this fall. Chesterton Academy is a faith-based, academically rigorous high school opening initially to freshmen and sop...

This week on The DeCesare Group Podcast, host Jim DeCesare sits down with Kevin Wallace, newly appointed Director of Corporate Development for ABR Systems Group. https://www.abrsg.com/ Wallace has earned numerous state and national coaching honors and is recognized for his leadership and lasting impact on high school football in Kentucky. He retired after the 2025 season with a career record of 37...

This week on The DeCesare Group Podcast, join Jim DeCesare for his conversation with Bowling Green City Manager Jeff Meisel. https://www.bgky.org/ Meisel began his career with the City in 2002 as City Treasurer, was promoted to Chief Financial Officer in 2006, and became City Manager in 2018. He’s only the sixth city manager in Bowling Green’s history! Meisel has an update on the long awaited Rive...

This week on The DeCesare Group Podcast, join Jim DeCesare for his conversation with Dr. Martha Sales, Vice President of Student Success and Dean of Students at WKU. https://www.wku.edu/admin/staff/studentexperience With her 27 years of grant writing experience, Dr. Sales has been awarded 20+ million for students' success. It would be hard to overstate the impact she has made at WKU. Aside from he...

This week on The DeCesare Group Podcast, join Jim DeCesare for his conversation with Dave Deerman, executive coach, author, speaker, and longtime ministry leader. Over his 43 years in ministry, Dave has served as a church planter, lead pastor of a 1,000-member congregation, executive pastor in two megachurches, and an executive in real-estate research. Today, he works with MVP Leader Group, a nonp...

This week on The DeCesare Group Podcast, join Jim DeCesare for his conversation with Santa Claus! In honor of Christmas week AND the 100TH EPISODE of The DeCesare Group Podcast, Jim talks with Santa about all the preparations that go into the busy holiday season! He also gets into how many years his agent, Nick Wilkins, has kept him booked and busy here in South Central Kentucky. https://www.faceb...

This week on The DeCesare Group Podcast, join Jim DeCesare for his conversation with Retired Lieutenant General Steven L. Basham. https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Biographies/Display/Article/467205/steven-l-basham/ General Basham is back in Bowling Green after serving more than 36 years in the United States Air Force in various leadership roles across the Department of Defense. His most recent assignme...