Lt. Gov. Coleman Appoints Two to National Lieutenant Governors Association Aerospace Committee

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Sept. 9, 2025) - The bipartisan National Lieutenant Governors Association (NLGA) recently launched the NLGA State Strategies Committee on Aerospace, a national body to advance aerospace, aviation and defense policy in the states and territories. Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman has appointed Rocky Adkins and state Rep. Rachel Roarx to serve on the committee as her proxies.

Adkins, of Sandy Hook, serves as senior advisor to the Beshear-Coleman administration. Roarx, of Louisville, represents the 38th District in the Kentucky House of Representatives.

"Kentucky ranks third in the country in total aerospace exports, and Kentucky is the only state in the country with two cargo freight airports that rank in the top ten - Louisville International and Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International," said Lt. Gov. Coleman, NLGA 2025-2026 Chair-Elect. "The projected growth in Kentucky's aerospace and aviation industries presents unique challenges and opportunities in growing a skilled workforce, and I look forward to the NLGA Aerospace Committee dialogue on education and career training opportunities to support an aerospace workforce."

According to the Aerospace Industries Association, the aerospace and defense industry supports communities in all 50 states, employing more than 2.2 million people across the country and bringing in almost $19 billion in state and local tax receipts. In Kentucky, the industry accounts for 17,000 jobs with approximately $85 million in state and local tax receipts.

Aerospace, aviation and defense are rapidly evolving industries that present dynamic challenges and opportunities that can benefit from strong state-to-state collaboration. States and territories are instrumental in advancing aerospace by shaping policy, enacting legislation and fostering partnerships across key areas such as workforce development, economic growth, supply chain resilience, manufacturing and production, defense communities, research and innovation, regulatory frameworks and more.

NLGA is the nonpartisan, nonprofit, professional association for lieutenant governors and those officials second-in-line to governors in the 55 U.S. states and territories. More information on the NLGA State Strategies Committee on Aerospace is available here.

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