The Kenton County Fiscal Court approved on May 5 the recipients of the Dr. Jon Draud Pioneer Award for 2026, recognizing individuals with a record of outstanding community service and integrity.
The award, now in its ninth year, honors residents who have made significant contributions to Kenton County. This year’s honorees are Karen Finan and Charles “Chuck” Korzenborn.
Finan has played a key role in uniting Northern Kentucky through initiatives such as the launch of the OneNKY Alliance, where she serves as president and chief executive officer. She also led efforts to construct the OneNKY Center and previously directed Northern Kentucky Tri-ED (now BE NKY Growth Partnership), supporting major business relocations and expansions.
Korzenborn served more than two decades as Sheriff from 1999 to 2025. He is recognized for his leadership in modernizing sheriff’s operations while overseeing tax collection, court security, and service of process. Korzenborn worked closely with local law enforcement agencies and community partners to strengthen public safety across Kenton County.
A committee consisting of past award recipients reviews nominations each year before submitting them to the Fiscal Court for final approval. Honorees will be recognized at future meetings of the Fiscal Court, with their photos displayed in the lobby of the Kenton County Government Center.
In recognition of longtime Commissioner Dr. Jon Draud’s career in education and government service, officials renamed the award after him beginning this year.
Kenton County emphasizes transparency by providing public access to agendas, meetings, and fiscal information according to its official website. The county maintains administrative offices at 1840 Simon Kenton Way in Covington according to its official website. It serves residents throughout Northern Kentucky by focusing on efficient local government according to its official website and operates under a fiscal court system led by a Judge/Executive alongside three district commissioners according to its official website. Community partnerships and redevelopment funding are also facilitated by county programs according to its official website.
