Williamsburg native Siler named Leader of the Year for 2016

A federal judge and U.S. Navy veteran has been selected as Leadership Tri-County’s 2016 Leader of the Year.

Eugene Siler, on left, presented 2015 Leader of the Year Michael Colegrove with his award. This year, he’s receiving Leader of the Year honors.

Eugene Siler Jr., a senior judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, said he was notified about a month ago that he was receiving the award.
“I was honored by it and humbled by it,” Siler said Monday afternoon.

Leadership Tri-County is a non-profit organization established in 1987 as an educational program designed to identify potential, emerging, and current leaders from Knox, Laurel and Whitley counties and to nurture their continued development into the leaders our area needs now and in the future.

Past recipients of the Leader of the Year Award have included: Dr. James Taylor, U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers, U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell, Terry Forcht, Nelda Barton-Collings, Gene Huff and last year’s winner Dr. Michael Colegrove.

“I know a lot of people, who have gotten it before. I feel like I am in very good company, am pleased that they are giving it to me and I will do my best to live up to it,” Siler said.
Siler, a Williamsburg native, served in the U.S. Navy on active duty from 1958-1960, and later retired as a Commander in the U.S. Naval Reserves after 26 years of service.

He began his law practice in 1964 alongside his father. He served as Whitley County Attorney from 1965 until 1970 when President Richard Nixon appointed him as United States

Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky.

In 1975, President Gerald R. Ford appointed Siler as a United States District Judge for the Eastern and Western Districts of Kentucky.

In September 1991, President George Bush appointed Siler to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

Siler will be honored during Leadership Tri-County’s Leader of the Year Banquet, which will be held on Feb. 23 at the London Community Center.

There will be a reception at 5:30 p.m. followed by a dinner at 6 p.m.

During the banquet, there will be a memorial tribute to G.W. Griffin and Bill Brooks.

Individual tickets for the event are $20 each.

Gold level sponsorship is available for $1,000 and includes eight dinner tickets and a full-page ad in the program.

Silver level sponsorship is also available for $500 and includes four dinner tickets and a half-page ad in the program.

For more information contact Lee Richardson at (606) 523-8533 or e-mail her at lrichar2@bhsi.com.