UC professor appointed to state commission

Gov. Andy Beshear has appointed a University of the Cumberlands professor to a state commission.

On Friday, Beshear announced that he had appointed Geoff Marietta of Williamsburg to the Kentucky Commission on Small Business Innovation and Advocacy.

He replaces Darren West, who has resigned and the term subsequently expired, and shall serve for a term expiring March 21, 2026.

In addition to being a UC professor, Marietta is also a business owner.

Marietta was born on the Mesabi Iron Range in Minnesota, completing his bachelor’s degree at the University of Montana, and earning his graduate degree from Harvard.

Marietta is the founder of Mountain Tech Media, a diversified front-end digital media company based in Eastern Kentucky, and Trillium Ventures, a community development real estate company. He is Entrepreneur-in-Residence at University of the Cumberlands.

In 2019, Marietta founded and launched Invest 606, which provides support to the businesses through six months of training and services.

Its mission to catalyze business growth in the 606 by connecting entrepreneurs with the resources they need to succeed today and grow tomorrow.

Beshear also announced Friday that he had appointed Barbourville Police Chief Winston Tye to the Kentucky Wireless Interoperability Executive Committee.

Tye replaces Joseph Monroe, whose term has expired, and shall serve for a term expiring March 30, 2024.