OneWest Corporation

Our team is heartbroken by the passing of Junior Bridgeman," said Evon Smith, President & CEO of OneWest. "Junior was a towering figure in our city and a steadfast champion of our organization’s mission to uplift the West End and our entire city. He was incredibly generous—with his time, sharp business acumen, and financial support. When Junior believed in a cause, he gave it his all, inspiring others to follow his lead. His legacy of leadership and generosity will endure. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Doris, and their children, Justin, Ryan, and Eden.

The Parkland Library has been renovated and restored and will host a Grand Opening celebration on February 28! After nearly four decades, library services will return to the Parkland community. Learn more here:

More great press for Brunch & Soul from Spectrum. We are so excited to continue our mission of providing more restaurants and businesses to our community.

OneWest is excited to welcome Anthony J. Walker as our Manager of Mentorship & Business Development. Anthony retired as a Senior Master Sergeant after 24 years of service in the Kentucky Air National Guard, where he last served as the Recruiting & Retention Senior Enlisted Leader for the 123rd Airlift Wing in Louisville. He is an active civic leader, currently serving on the Board of Governors for Family Health Centers as the Nominating and Board Relations Committee Chair. Throughout his career, Anthony has been deeply involved in the Louisville community, previously volunteering with organizations such as the Louisville Urban League, American Cancer Society, and Gilda’s Club of Louisville. He is now furthering his education by pursuing a PhD at Bellarmine University.

OneWest welcomes three new board members for 2025. Tiffani Jett is Vice President and Regional Marketing Manager for Fifth Third Bank, overseeing events, communications, and public relations. She has over a decade of experience in marketing communications and previously held roles at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University's Worldwide Campus, The Salvation Army, and the Florida Department of Health. Lonnie Gray is the Chief Operating Officer of V-Soft Consulting and has over 20 years of management experience in recruitment operations and IT sales. He is dedicated to delivering innovative technology solutions and empowering clients to leverage emerging technologies to achieve their goals. Dana Bynum Mayton has dedicated her career to navigating political, governmental, and legal processes to drive meaningful policy changes. As Deputy Mayor for Operations and Budget for Louisville Metro Government, DAna oversees critical enterprise functions, including human resources, finance, IT, facilities, and the Revenue Commission. We are so excited to have Tiffani, Lonnie, and Dana as part of our Board. We hope you will give them a warm welcome!

Thank you to KET for this great feature on our work with Brunch and Soul, one of our newest tenants at 516 S. 18th Street. Hear from Brunch and Soul owner Chef Liyah Richmond and OneWest CEO Evon Smith on how OneWest partners with Chef Space to bring new business - and great food - to the West End.

Betty J. Fox is the new Director of Philanthrophy & Community Engagement at OneWest. She has over 25 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, community development, and empowerment. A passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion, Betty is committed to expanding opportunities for underserved populations. We are delighted to have Betty as part of the OneWest team

Take a look inside Brunch and Soul, part of OneWest's restaurant accelerator program, in this great feature from the Courier-Journal.

Applications are now open for GLI's "Power to Prosper" program, an intensive, cohort-based course created to help small business owners take their business to the next level. Learn more at

Thank you to everyone who came out for our third annual Winter Wonderland! It was a beautiful weekend full of holiday cheer. And special thanks to all of our volunteers, sponsors, and guests who made the weekend so magical!