FRANKFORT, Ky. — Governor Andy Beshear announced administration changes Monday, with longtime senior advisor Rocky Adkins departing to pursue other opportunities as he prepares to enter the 2027 gubernatorial race.

According to the Governor's office, Adkins served his last day in the position on July 10, after more than six years advising Beshear on major policy initiatives and economic development efforts. Ray Perry, who has held the role of deputy secretary of Beshear's executive cabinet since April, will step into the senior advisor position.

"Rocky has been an invaluable part of Team Kentucky and our success, and I am grateful to him for his leadership and his friendship," the governor said in a statement. "Every day, Rocky shows up ready to serve the people of our commonwealth, and I know his commitment to public service will continue to drive him in this next chapter."

Adkins plans campaign announcements in Lexington on July 21 and in Louisville on July 22. A former member of the Kentucky House of Representatives from 1987 to 2019, he served as House Majority Leader before joining the Beshear administration in December 2019.

During his tenure as senior advisor, Adkins helped lead efforts that secured more than 1,300 private-sector projects totaling over $50 billion in announced investments and creating more than 70,000 jobs. He also played a key role in the administration's response to the COVID-19 pandemic and recovery from natural disasters, including the devastating Eastern Kentucky floods of 2022.

Perry brings nearly three decades of state government experience to the role. Before his recent appointment as deputy secretary of the executive cabinet, he served as Public Protection Cabinet secretary since August 2021. His prior roles included assistant director of consumer protection and positions within the Department of Insurance.