Siblings Buzzy Newman and Leslie Newman were honored Monday night at the Henderson Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Dinner as its 2025 Distinguished Citizens of the Year, though for different reasons.
Buzzy Newman was recognized for his leadership in a host of community development projects, fostering trust and collaboration among various community partners and serving as both a mentor and a team member to many.
Leslie Newman was honored for decades of support for nonprofits, behind-the-scenes work with popular local music festivals, nurturing of youth and more.
The siblings are the children of two late community leaders: Dr. William L. “Bill” Newman, who served an unprecedented 24 years as mayor (from 1970 until 1994) and was named distinguished citizen in 2000, and his first wife, Virginia, who served for 21 years as news director of the local cable TV franchise.
Here is an overview of their distinguished service:
Buzzy Newman
A host of public officials and community leaders contributed letters of support for Newman for his service as assistant city manager, then city manager.
“Buzzy leads with humility, wisdom and deep integrity,” Abby Dixon, executive director of the Henderson Tourist Commission, wrote. “He embodies what it means to serve, not just in title, but in every action and decision he makes.
“My favorite thing about Buzzy is the trust he places in others,” Dixon said. “He empowers his team members across partnering organizations like ours. That trust fosters collaboration, inspires confidence and brings out the best in everyone around him.”
“Over the last 10 years Buzzy has been key in helping establish between Henderson County Fiscal Court and the Henderson City Commission a spirit of cooperation, collaboration and unity of purpose that some longtime observers say never existed before and is, in my opinion, uncommon among fiscal courts and governments of county seats throughout the rest of Kentucky,” Henderson County Judge/Executive Brad Schneider wrote.
“That solid relationship and shared effort have resulted in major victories for our community” and help the city and county “punch well above our weight class as we fight for our place in the world.”
“Buzzy is the definition of a team player,” Missy Vanderpool, executive director of Henderson Economic Development, said, calling him “a mentor, a problem solver and a champion for Henderson.”
Vanderpool credits Newman with overcoming repeated challenges in recruiting the Pratt Paper complex, which created more than 320 high-paying jobs with an annual economic impact of $300 million. “It was not without obstacles, but every time we hit a wall, Buzzy found a way through,” she said.
Mayor Brad Staton, meanwhile, wrote, “When faced with the pressing need for more housing, Buzzy championed the purchase of farmland, which the City then sold at cost to a developer (Jagoe Homes) to help bring in 300 new homes.”
In December 2024, when then-assistant city manager Dylan Ward was named to succeed Newman, “instead of (Newman) retiring like he originally anticipated, he instead offered to put his retirement plans on hold and moved back into the assistant city manager position for a period of time to support me in transition,” for which Ward said “our elected officials and I could not have been more grateful.”
“He leads by example and is never afraid to get his hands dirty,” Ward said, praising his ability to find solutions to complicated problems or situations.
“If there is a way, Buzzy will find it,” he said.
Yet Ward said Newman remains humble. “Buzzy is quick to take responsibility when things do not go as planned and just as quick to pass credit to others when things go right.”
Besides his work in community development, Newman and his wife, Sindy, have for more than a decade volunteered with New Hope Animal Rescue, fostering and adopting more dogs than they can count.
Leslie Newman
As it happened, it was Buzzy Newman who nominated her as distinguished citizen.
“Her entire life has been committed to volunteering,” he wrote.
Leslie Newman has volunteered for well over 20 years with both the W.C. Handy Blues & Barbecue Festival (where she oversees hospitality for performers) and Bluegrass in the Park as well as with the Sandy Lee Watkins Songfest.
“Her time spent on the local festivals is a prime example of why not only Hendersonians but persons across the nation get to enjoy our great community and what is offered,” her brother wrote.
Leslie Newman has spent many years nurturing youth, particularly at her church, St. Paul’s Episcopal, which is unquestionably an investment in the future. She has attended an untold number of youth sporting events, arts programs and awards ceremonies, and as a youth leader has organized social time, movie theater outings, community service opportunities and more.
For more than 30 years, she has volunteered with the American Lung Association, serving in leadership positions, championing clean air, fighting for the defeat of lung cancer and encouraging quality of life for lung cancer victims and their families. They helped develop and pass Henderson’s smoking ordinance.
She has volunteered with the Friends of Audubon (including serving as board president), worked on philanthropic projects for Henderson Rotary Club, helped make awards in the Partnership of Women grant cycle and done board service for the Henderson Community College Foundation and the University of the South Board of Trustees.
Her education led to a law career. Leslie Newman now sits on the bench as a local district court judge and is faced every day with compassionate decision-making to ensure that justice is served.
Buzzy and Leslie Newman are the third sets of siblings to be honored as Henderson Chamber distinguished citizens of the year. Herman Alles and Mary Frances Alles were so honored in 2011 as were brothers Larry, Donnie and Gary Barnes in 2019.
There have also been four married couples to receive the award.
Catalyst Award
Restaurateur and businessman Casey Todd, 36, received the Henderson Chamber’s first-ever Catalyst Award.
The award is intended to recognize someone who has given their time, energy and wisdom to the betterment of Henderson over a lifetime or career to push Henderson to new heights and blazed their own trail in pursuit of their vision for Henderson’s future.
Or as the award presenter, his older brother Toddy, said, “not waiting for permission.”
A Henderson native, Casey Todd started working at age 15 as a fry cook at Rookies, then took over his brother’s shaved ice stand for several summers while majoring in hospitality management at the University of Kentucky.
Then he decamped for Hilton Head, South Carolina, to be near the beach and work at restaurants. He worked his way up from bell hop to general manager of restaurants in Hilton Head and Bowling Green. In 2018, he came back home, renovated the ground floor of the Soaper Building at Second and Main and opened Hometown Roots restaurant, which became an instant hit.
Just a year later, Todd opened Roast Coffee Bar in the Soaper.
And in 2021, he and business partner Joey Marshall remodeled the Pennyrile Building at 128 Second St. and opened Homer’s Barbecue, named for Todd’s barbecuing great-grandfather. This summer, he remodeled an adjacent parking lot into the Hangout at Homer’s outdoor event venue.
Todd and partners have also remodeled much of the Imperial Building medical building on Third Street into The Imperial residential condominiums and commercial space, among other developments.
He has served as a chamber board member, chairman of the Downtown Henderson Partnership Committee and a member of the W.C. Handy and Holy Name School committees. He is a 2022 graduate of the Henderson Leadership Initiative.
In 2023, Todd was named to the Henderson Chamber’s inaugural “20 under Forty” group of young professionals.
This year, he was a finalist for the Kentucky Chamber’s Young Professional of the Year Award.
“I’m just a kid chasing my dream and my madness,” Todd said in accepting the award. “I’ve got a lot left in the tank,” which drew applause from the audience.
Ambassador of the Year
Brock Murphy was named the 2025 Ambassador of the Year.
Presenter Sarah Bryant described Murphy as a rising star professionally, starting as a seasonal mail clerk at Field & Main Bank in 2018, earning promotion after promotion and becoming a banking center manager, assistant vice president.
He “pursued professional development with purpose, completing the Kentucky Bankers Association’s Branch Manager’s Bootcamp, earning multiple Field & Main University certificates, including HR Fundamentals, and adding both the Residential Mortgage Lenders and Trusted Advisor certifications to (his) resume.”
“As a Chamber of Commerce ambassador, (Murphy has) become a familiar face at ribbon cuttings and community gatherings, always showing up with enthusiasm, support, and a genuine desire to serve,” Bryant said.
He has also been active in the chamber’s Downtown Committee meetings and events, chaired the bank’s Hoopla team, participated in Junior Achievement and been a board member for the Salvation Army.
“At the core of it all,” Bryant said, “is a simple, powerful belief: Helping others reach beyond their comfort zones is the fuel behind their ambition. A passionate banking professional with a love for mortgages and real estate, yes, but also a mentor, a teammate, and a community champion.”
Henderson Chamber of Commerce Distinguished Citizens of the Year
1957 Frank Delker Sr.
1958 Robert B. Posey
1959 Benjamin Bernstein
1960 Hecht Lackey
1961 Sam Lambert
1962 Elmer Korth
1963 R.A. Hughes
1965 J.K. “Doc” Hosbach
1967 Hugh Edward Sandefur
1968 Evelyn Edwards Thomas
1969 Forrest R. Thomas
1970 Mr. and Mrs. William Hieb
1971 James “Snoz” Davis
1972 Rev. Austin Bell
1973 Thomas A. Glover
1974 Dr. Julian Cole
1975 Hallie Lindsay
1976 Mrs. C.B. West, Sr.
1977 Rev. Lyman Smith Allen
1978 Mr. and Mrs. A.A. Buchanan
1979 G.L. Utley
1980 Ralph G. Hays
1981 Donald L. Harrison
1982 Virginia Kellen
1983 Lorene Wayne
1984 Thelma B. Johnson
1985 Robert A. Snyder
1986 Frank Cusic
1987 Richard S. Staples
1988 Dudley Everson
1989 Maralea Arnett
1990 Ronald Chapman
1991 William “Bill” Edwards
1992 Walter Dear
1993 Dr. John A. Logan
1994 Charles Shade
1995 Mary Ann McClure
1996 William T. “Sonny” Burton
1997 Jim Hayes
1998 Eddie Davis
1999 Raymond B. Preston
2000 Dr. Bill Newman
2001 Roy N. Pullam
2002 Dale Sights
2003 Leo King Jr.
2004 Bill Sullivan
2005 Dr. John Jenkins
2006 Richard Pendergraft
2007 Father Ed Bradley
2008 Larry Bennett
2009 Rev. John Conn
2010 Dr. Thomas and Jo Logan
2011 Herman Alles and Mary Frances Alles
2012 Joan Hoffman
2013 Scott Davis
2014 Chase Fulcher
2015 Chuck and Donna Stinnett
2016 Bob Mitchell
2017 Ella Thomas
2018 Jim Hanley
2019 Larry, Donnie and Gary Barnes
2020 John Marshall
2021 Joel R. Hopper
2022 Bob Park
2023 Phyllis Duncan Crafton
2024 Steve Austin
2025 Buzzy Newman and Leslie Newman
Chamber Catalyst Award (new)
2025 Casey Todd
Ambassador of the Year
2005 Terry Tuggle
2006 Connie Grossman
2007 Janet Hortin
2008 Lindy Wicks
2009 Sid Anthony
2010 Ben Joergens
2011 Ylonda Nall
2012 Ben Joergens
2013 Kiran Patel
2014 Shelly Briscoe
2015 Susan Sauls
2016 Al Gendek
2017 Jennie Bailey
2018 Tara Dixon
2019 Lori Tuggle
2020 Arin Wagner
2023 Kelsey Hargis
2024 Rachel Trout
2025 Brock Murphy