In the true spirit of basketball tournaments held in early spring throughout the state and across the country, the Kentucky Association of Manufacturers (KAM) held its inaugural “Coolest Thing Made in Kentucky” tournament.

The event, which was sponsored by Kentucky Farm Bureau Insurance, allowed Kentuckians to vote in a bracket-styled competition for the “coolest thing” made in Kentucky from among the thousands of world-class products manufactured in the state.

KFB Insurance Vice President, Legal Services Paula Smith serves on the KAM board. She said the two organizations have enjoyed a lengthy working relationship.

“As an associated industry, KFB has a long history of affiliation with KAM and of being on the board of directors, so, our sponsorship was a natural fit for this event,” Smith said. “With our grassroots organization being all across the state, we are in the communities in which the many manufacturers are located.” 

She added that the tournament-style operation of the event goes well with the culmination of basketball season, and this type of annual event will help highlight different manufacturers throughout Kentucky. 

The tournament began with a Nomination Round that yielded 72 qualified products. After five rounds of voting and more than 20,000 votes cast, the Chevrolet Corvette came out on top as the overall tourney champ.

To mark the win, KAM hosted a press conference at the Capitol to make the announcement with representatives from Corvette and KFB, along with Lt. Governor Jackeline Coleman, on hand to deliver remarks.

“We all know what makes Team Kentucky special is our people. Kentuckians are behind some of the most iconic brands and products our world knows,” Coleman said. “I am honored to celebrate them all and help crown the Coolest Thing in Kentucky.”

Jon Andrews, Corvette Plant Launch Operations Manager said it’s been a privilege to be able to exclusively manufacture the Corvette in Bowling Green since 1981.

“A product is only as successful as the people behind it, and we consider this an acknowledgment and celebration of the hard-working employees that bring Corvette to life,” he said. “Knowing that we build something that the Commonwealth is recognizing as the coolest thing in Kentucky is a huge point of pride for our team.”

KAM Board Chair John-Mark Hack said the tournament has been a fun and entertaining reminder of the great diversity of world-class products made by Kentuckians and Kentucky companies across all the state.

“Manufacturing is the lifeblood of Kentucky’s economy, and the tournament this year has reminded all of us that we do it better than any place in the world,” he said.  “The Corvette has been super cool since its introduction in 1953. Congratulations to General Motors and all the Kentuckians who work in the Corvette facility in Bowling Green.”

Angela Talley, the Supply Chain Manager at the Corvette plant said the employees there have always felt like they were making the coolest thing in Kentucky.

“It warms my heart every day to come into the plant where we’re making such a cool vehicle; from the design, the speed, and the technology that’s included in this package,” she said. “So, I agree. It’s the coolest thing made in Kentucky, maybe even the world.”

And as cool as the Corvette is, Talley said the people who work there are the coolest.

“From the people who assemble the vehicle to those who move the material, maintain the equipment here, we know that it’s a team sport and everyone plays a position,” she said. “It’s exciting to come into the door every day to watch the enthusiasm, the passion and focus for building this exciting vehicle with the quality that our customers demand.”