Staff

M. Chad LaRue, P.E.

Executive Director
 clarue@kahc.org
 (502) 330-5579

M. Chad LaRue (“Chad”) was named Executive Director effective May 1, 2016.  Prior to becoming the Executive Director, he served the association as Assistant Executive Director for one year and Director of Membership Services for 10 years.  He was a Transportation Cabinet Scholarship student at Kentucky State and the University of Kentucky, and he holds bachelor’s degrees in Applied Mathematics (with a Minor in Physics) and Civil Engineering. He was employed with the Transportation Cabinet upon graduation from the University of Kentucky and worked there for nearly 10 years.  Chad is a licensed professional engineer in the state of Kentucky.

He is a board member for Kentuckians for Better Transportation (KBT), Associated General Contractors Self Insurers' Fund (AGC/SIF,) and the Kentucky Construction Industry Trust. (KCIT).

Mark Ruth

Membership Liaison
 mruth@kahc.org
 (502) 223-3422

Mark Ruth was named Membership Liaison on December 8, 2020.  He is a relationship-building professional who joined KAHC after having amassed more than three decades of professional experience working in various non-profit and for-profit sectors.

Mark began his career in association management during the mid-1990s while working the National Tour Association (NTA).  More recently, he spent 14 years serving as a senior leader for the International Coaching Federation (ICF).

Prior to beginning his career in association management, Mark spent more than a decade working inside highway construction companies which completed public and private transportation contracts throughout the United States.

Goldie Powell

Bookkeeper
gpowell@kahc.org
(502) 223-3422

Goldie Powell was hired by KAHC on February 16, 2016, as Bookkeeper.  Goldie attended Morehead State University and was formerly employed for seven years by Aramark and Stonewall Farm.  She served as Accounting Manager at Commonwealth Travel Agency for 23 years.

Martha Sowders

Membership Engagement Coordinator
msowders@kahc.org
(502) 223-3422

Martha Sowders was hired as our Membership Engagement Coordinator on July 31, 2023. Martha has a love of serving others, she has ten years of experience in banking. In 2020 she began her career in association work. Learning what it took to help run and organize a non-profit association, she came highly recommended to us here at KAHC.

Martha attended EKU where she received her bachelor’s degree in management with an emphasis in human resources.

Martha and her family live here in Frankfort where they are very involved with their 3 children.