# Ky. Small Business Development Center names Kayla Keeton State Star **Published:** 2026-06-16T15:14:01.000Z **Source:** [Lane Report (KY Business)](https://www.lanereport.com/188128/2026/06/ky-small-business-development-center-names-2026-state-star/) **AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) **Canonical:** https://feeds.lexingtonky.news/article/ky-small-business-development-center-names-kayla-keeton-state-star LEXINGTON, Ky. — The [Kentucky Small Business Development Center](https://kentuckysbdc.com/) has named Kayla Keeton as its 2026 State Star, recognizing her contributions to small business development across the state. Keeton, a strategy analyst and outreach coordinator with the State Office of the Kentucky SBDC, was selected for the prestigious award given annually to individuals who demonstrate exceptional dedication to the small business community. The honor recognizes outstanding achievements, exemplary performance and significant contributions to supporting entrepreneurs and small businesses. "I'm incredibly grateful for this award and for the opportunity to help our entire Kentucky SBDC network make a meaningful impact," Keeton said. "I love working behind the scenes to provide the data and strategy that helps strengthen businesses across our Commonwealth." Kentucky SBDC State Director Kristina Joyce praised Keeton's work. "Since joining the State Office in 2020, Kayla has played an essential role in strengthening our statewide network through thoughtful outreach, strategic coordination and data-informed support," Joyce said. "Her work helps our centers serve entrepreneurs and small business owners more effectively across the Commonwealth." Keeton will be formally recognized among her peers at the [America's SBDC annual training event in Atlanta September 29 through October 1, 2026](https://americassbdc.org/training-events/), where State Star recipients from across the nation will gather to celebrate their achievements. The [Kentucky Small Business Development Center](https://kentuckysbdc.com/) has been serving the state's small business community for over 45 years. The organization provides business coaching, training workshops, market research access and financial planning assistance at no cost to entrepreneurs and business owners. The SBDC is co-sponsored by the U.S. Small Business Administration and administered by the [University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment](https://www.ca.uky.edu/). ## Sources - [Lane Report (KY Business)](https://www.lanereport.com/188128/2026/06/ky-small-business-development-center-names-2026-state-star/) --- This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from Lane Report (KY Business), enriched with 2 web searches. The original source is available at https://www.lanereport.com/188128/2026/06/ky-small-business-development-center-names-2026-state-star/.