LABOR & MANAGEMENT
AWARDS
For nearly four decades, the Kentucky Labor-Management Conference has honored individuals who demonstrate outstanding leadership, cooperation, and commitment to building productive labor-management relationships.
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First presented in 1987, the Labor and Management Awards recognize those who actively promote communication, fairness, and partnership in Kentucky workplaces. These honorees embody KLMC’s mission and inspire others across the Commonwealth.
Congratulations to our 2025 Award Recipients!
Kirk has been a proud member of UAW Local 862 for over 50 years and a third-generation member of the local.
Kirk started paying his union dues in 1971 working summers at the Ford Motor Company's Louisville Assembly Plant. He worked the next five summers while attending Western Kentucky University. Kirk started his fulltime employment in 1976 with a plan to run for the position of union representative at the next election.
Kirk was first elected in 1978 at UAW Local 862 as a union representative and later served on the UAW Local 862 Executive Board.
Kirk worked as an organizer on many programs to organize workers for union representation thorough the automotive industry. "It's Better in a Union" has been his theme of life as a union member.
Kirk served UAW Local 862 for over 15 years as UAW Region 3 Vice Chairman of the Community Action Program CAP for Kentucky Congressional Districts 3 and 4. Kirk represented organized Labor for over 25 years by lobbying in Frankfort for the UAW, with the Kentucky State AFL-CIO and for the Kentucky Alliance for Retired Americans. Advocating for workers' rights and protections. Kirk lobbied within Kentucky Economic Development by lobbying to pass The Kentucky Job Retention Act of 2006, which provided job security for workers at Ford Motor Company at Louisville Assembly Plant and Kentucky Truck Plant. Now, the lobbying is primarily to protect the attacks against union workers rights to representation and job protection and issues relating to senior citizens.
Kirk retired from Ford Motor Company in 2007 after 30 years of service but continued his service to organized labor with volunteering across the state of Kentucky with the" Get Out the Vote" programs to elect candidates who support the issues for organized labor.
Kirk became the president of the Kentucky Alliance for Retired Americans in 2019 and continues to serve as the president. The Alliance for Retired Americans, founded by the AFL-CIO, advocates the rights and interests for seniors and retired Americans. Kirk also serves on the National Executive Board of the Alliance as a Regional Southern District President. Presently Kirk is a Greater Louisville Central Labor Council board member as he has been for the past 10 years.
Kirk started serving on the Kentucky State AFL-CIO Executive Board in 2019. In 2023 Kirk received the Lewis Hicks Lifetime Achievement Award for his service at the Kentucky State AFL-CIO Convention
Kirk resides in Shepherdsville, Kentucky with his wife and soulmate Linda and his horses.
Mr. Kirk Gillenwaters
​KLMC 2025 Labor Award Winner
Stephanie Duncan has more than 30 years of human resources experience and has built a distinguished career leading human resources strategy, labor relations, and organizational workforce management in the chemical and utility industry.
Duncan joined LG&E and KU in 2005 as a Human Resource Manager, supporting the company’s Generation, Electric Distribution and Gas Distribution operations.
In 2015, Duncan was promoted to Manager of Labor Relations, where she provided strategic oversight for all aspects of labor relations, including contract negotiations, grievance administration, arbitrations, and the continuing collaboration of labor-management partnerships. She advanced to Director Human Resources in 2019, aligning HR strategies with business objectives to drive organizational effectiveness.
Duncan was named VP Labor Relations/HR Strategy in 2022. In this capacity, she leads the development and implementation of labor relations strategies, ensures compliance with labor laws, oversees the HR business partner function, and directs initiatives that strengthen organizational performance for PPL’s family of companies, including LG&E KU.
Prior to joining LG&E and KU, she held various positions including Human Resources Manager with BASF Corporation, Louisville, KY operations (formally Engelhard Corporation).
Duncan earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from North Carolina Central University and a master’s in management from Indiana Wesleyan University. In addition to earning her Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certification, she has served as an adjunct professor at Indiana Wesleyan University.
Duncan is an active member of Canaan Christian Church where she serves as co-coordinator of the Trustee Ministry. She serves on the Board of Maryhurst, a nonprofit dedicated to providing residential and therapeutic services for children and families. Previous board appointments include Kentucky Labor Management Conference (KLMC) and Women 4 Women.
Ms. Stephanie Duncan
KLMC 2025 Management Award Winner
Larry Sanderson was born in Paducah, Kentucky and still resides there with his wife, Linda. They are the parents of five children and have 9 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren. He graduated from Paducah Tilghman High School in 1964.
Larry served apprenticeship with the Plumbers & Steamfitters Local 184 from 1965-70. He served the Local Union in the position of Business Manager, Business Agent, and Financial Secretary/Treasurer over a 23 year period. Larry also served as Trustee for the Plumbers & Steamfitters Local 184 Health & Welfare and Local Union Pension Funds.
Larry was a past Secretary/Treasurer of the West Kentucky Building and Construction Trades Council, a past President of the Kentucky Pipetrades Association, and a past Chairman of the Paducah Labor Day Parade.
Larry is a longtime member of the Kentucky Labor-Management Conference Board of Directors. He closed out the last 5 years of his career serving as the United Association International Representative for the states of Kentucky and Tennessee.
In retirement, he tries to keep himself informed and educated concerning the political climate in our state and nation. One of the requirements of his job was to connect with office holders whose decisions could have a positive or negative impact on the union members that he represented. Larry took it very seriously when he was active and he feels just as strongly about it now in retirement.He believes the Kentucky Labor-Management Conference has always been a model for the entire nation and strives to keep it that way.
Mr. Larry Sanderson
KLMC 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award Winner
About the Awards
Each year, KLMC’s Board of Directors selects one recipient from labor and one from management who exemplify:
Outstanding
leadership
Constructive labor-management cooperation
Commitment to communication and fairness
Dedication to improving Kentucky’s workplace environment​
Active engagement in collaboration and problem-solving
The awards have grown to represent some of the strongest examples of partnership in Kentucky’s workforce. KLMC encourages nominations each year from across the state.
