FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 21, 2022
Kentucky Chamber Launches Center for Policy and Research, Names Charles Aull Executive Director
FRANKFORT, Ky.—To further the Kentucky Chamber’s efforts to advance the Commonwealth through advocacy, policy, and research, the Chamber has announced the creation of the Center for Policy and Research and named Charles Aull, Ph.D. as executive director.
The Kentucky Chamber Center for Policy and Research will build on the organization’s long history of producing nonpartisan research on critical topics and leading policy development on important issues that will help create a stronger business climate and economy.
The Center will focus on producing high-quality analysis of statewide challenges and proposing transformative policy solutions, serving as the go-to technical resource for lawmakers and policymakers through research and legislative deployment, and convening stakeholders and thought leaders to discuss major economic issues in Kentucky.
“Kentucky finds itself at a time of incredible economic opportunity and challenge. The launch of the Kentucky Chamber Center for Policy and Research is a further commitment from the business community to be part of a brighter future for the Commonwealth by providing research-based innovative solutions to major policy challenges,” said Kentucky Chamber President and CEO Ashli Watts. “I am confident the leadership of Dr. Charles Aull and our expert group of advisors will lead Kentucky into the future.”
Aull was hired by the Kentucky Chamber in 2021 as the organization’s first senior policy analyst. In his first year, he led the Chamber’s research and development of the report, “20 Years in the Making: Kentucky’s Workforce Crisis,” which has received major attention across the Commonwealth. Additionally, Aull wrote the report “Why Tax Reform: Kentucky’s Opportunity for Growth” as a follow-up to the Tax Foundation’s report, an independent analysis of Kentucky’s tax code.
During the 2022 General Assembly, Aull played a key role in advancing the Chamber’s legislative agenda on issues including tax reform, unemployment insurance reform, and child care assistance. The numerous legislative successes this past session will save Kentucky businesses an estimated $1.2 billion.
Aull has been nationally recognized for his work on the unemployment insurance reform legislation, House Bill 4, receiving the 2022 Integrity in Unemployment Insurance Award by the National Foundation for Unemployment Compensation and Workers' Compensation.
Aull previously served as director of Government Affairs and Public Policy with Greater Louisville Inc (GLI), The Metro Chamber of Commerce. He also has an extensive educational background, earning his Ph.D. in History & Government from Indiana University, as well as a B.A. in History from the University of Southern Indiana and has studied at Georgetown University and Villanova University’s School of Law.
The Center for Policy and Research will be overseen by a board of advisors, made up of key business industry leaders, and will be an arm of the Chamber’s public affairs department.
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