Steve Cunanan to Become Region CEO for the American Red Cross Kentucky Region

The American Red Cross is proud to announce the appointment of Steve Cunanan as the new Chief Executive Officer of the organization's Kentucky Region. In his new position, Cunanan will also serve as the CEO for the Louisville Area Chapter, one of five chapters in the region.

Cunanan succeeds Jennifer Adrio, who now serves as the CEO of the
American Red Cross Northern California Coastal Region.

The Kentucky Region — comprised of the Louisville Area, Bluegrass Area, Eastern Kentucky, South Central, and Western Kentucky Chapters — provides an array of essential services to more than 4.2 million residents in a 117-county area that stretches from most of Kentucky to three counties in Southern Indiana.

Cunanan, who will begin working in his new job on September 16, will oversee an operation which includes nearly 2,500 volunteers and 193 employees. This combined workforce responds to more than 2,000 local disasters each year throughout the Kentucky Region; similarly educates residents on emergency preparedness; deploys to disasters outside the region; supports the collection of blood products; teaches health and safety course to individuals and companies; delivers aid to international Red Cross partners; and provides support to military members, veterans, and their families.

Cunanan comes to the position with Red Cross knowledge and experience, having been a board member for the Louisville Area Chapter and Kentucky Region for five years, assisting and leading on several key fundraising committees. From 2013 – 2018, Steve served as Chief Administrative and Chief People Officer for Kindred Healthcare, with overall responsibility for the company’s human capital initiatives.

The Kentucky Region’s Home Fire Campaign, a smoke-alarm installation, and education program the American Red Cross launched nationally five years ago to reduce injuries and deaths from home fires, is second only to New York City in terms of impact, with over 39,000 homes made safer, nearly 55,000 smoke alarms installed and over 57 lives saved by the program. The Kentucky Region is also considered a leader in Service to Armed Forces programs, having the highest client satisfaction rating in the country. The region, for example, houses one of only three emergency call centers for active military members and their families (the Hero Care Center) in the world, in its Louisville Area Chapter building.

“I am thrilled to have someone of Steve’s caliber and experience to step up and lead the American Red Cross Kentucky Region,” said Marica Brey, Chair of the Board of Directors for the American Red Cross Louisville Area Chapter and Kentucky Region. “Steve brings a wealth of business knowledge and deep leadership capabilities from his previous roles as VP of HR, and most recently, Chief People Officer at Kindred. In addition, Steve has been an active member on the Red Cross board for the past 5 years successfully leading and growing several committees, and he has a heart-felt passion for the Red Cross’s mission.”

“I am humbled and honored to serve as the new Regional Chief Executive Officer for the American Red Cross Kentucky Region. The Red Cross has been a passion of mine for many years, serving as a volunteer and board member.  Now, it is my deep privilege to serve the organization as its leader across the region.  I look forward to working alongside our dedicated volunteers and staff to live our mission and serve those in need,” said Cunanan.  

Kentucky Red Cross Honors the Life of Dr. Virginia Keeney

Dr. Keeney, left, with Marcia Brey and Madeline Abramson
at the 2018 Annual Board of Directors Meeting

This week, the Kentucky Red Cross honors the life of one of our lifetime board members, Dr. Virginia Tripp Keeney. Dr. Keeney passed on Wednesday, May 29.

Dr. Keeney completed her first year of medical school at the University of Louisville, where she was one of four women in her class of 100. She put her degree on hold in 1946 when the Army sent her husband, who had just received his M.D., to Korea as a member of the U.S. occupying forces. Dr. Keeney went along and worked at the Army hospital in Pusan alongside her husband. When her husband’s tour of duty was over, they returned to the United States and she completed her medical degree at the University of Louisville.

2017 Blood Mobile ribbon cutting ceremony

Dr. Keeney gave back to her patients and her community her entire life. She became a pioneer in the field of medical ethics, and received the Citizen Laureate of Louisville award for her service in 1962 as the Kentucky co-coordinator of the first-ever national polio vaccination drive, Sabin Oral Sunday. She was also the first woman appointed to the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure.

In addition to her work in the medical field, Dr. Keeney also served on many boards and commissions over the course of her life. She was a lifetime board member of the American Red Cross, and served as Chairman of the American Red Cross Board of Directors from 1995-1997. She was received the American Red Cross Clara Barton Honor Award twice. The Clara Barton Honor Award is the highest award the American Red Cross bestows on volunteers. It recognizes meritorious service in volunteer leadership, of which Dr. Keeney was well deserving.

Dr. Keeney and Bob Adelberg, 2011 Wrapped in Red Gala

Her life truly epitomized what being a humanitarian is and she represented all that the American Red Cross stands for. We at the American Red Cross are grateful to have had her passionate support and leadership for almost four decades.

Red Cross Provides Shelter and Comfort After Apartment Fire in Louisville

Red Crossers have been working around the clock since after a multi-unit apartment fire broke out in Louisville over the weekend. Eleven residents of the apartment building have been staying in a Red Cross shelter while their apartments are being assessed for damage.

While their week has been stressful, the atmosphere in the shelter is upbeat. Unlike most people who end up sharing space in a shelter, these shelter residents were neighbors in the apartment building and have known each other for years. They gathered in the main lounge of the building, laughing and gently teasing each other while they waited for Red Cross volunteers Larry, Mary and Dennis to call them for lunch.

They have all been amazed with the support they’ve received over the past few days.

“Everyone wants to be here,” said Donna about the volunteers. “They’ve made it so much easier to deal with a bad situation.”

Bobbie, who has lived in her Yorktown apartment for 11 years, said the Red Cross was on the scene almost immediately after the fire. Bobbie's mother and sister had given blood through the Red Cross in the past, but she’d never realized that the Red Cross also responded to disasters like fires.

“These people came in with their hearts wide open,” she said. “One lady needed her medicine, clothes […] and whatever we’ve needed, they’ve been right here.” 

To show their gratitude, the neighbors want to hold an apartment-wide fundraiser for the Red Cross when they are able to return home. 

Each year, the Red Cross responds to an average of more than 62,000 disasters, the vast majority of which are home fires. Learn how you can volunteer at redcross.org/volunteer.

Smoke Alarms and Fire Safety Education Help Save Family of Nine

The Jackson-Perry Family

Every day, seven people die in home fires. The Red Cross wants to prevent these needless tragedies – that’s why we launched our Home Fire Campaign in 2014. As part of this campaign, volunteers work alongside fire departments and other local groups, canvassing at-risk neighborhoods to install free smoke alarms, replace batteries in existing alarms, educate families about fire prevention and safety, and fundraise to help sponsor this life-saving mission.

One Louisville family of nine is a testament to the importance of our campaign. Two years ago, on a warm afternoon in late April, the Perry family was enjoying the spring weather outside on their front porch while their grandson napped in their basement. Their family time was interrupted by the harsh sound of their new smoke alarms sounding from inside the house.

Alerted by the alarms, the Perrys noticed smoke coming from the basement, and were able to quickly get their grandson out of the house. Once they were away from the house and gathered at their designated meeting spot, they called 911. Later, they would learn that an electrical fire had started in their basement.

Just weeks before, on April 8, Red Cross and General Electric volunteers in Louisville had visited the Perrys as a part of the Mayor’s Give a Day week of service. Bonnie Perry recalls seeing Red Cross volunteers canvassing her neighborhood that day and inviting them in to install alarms in her home.

“[The volunteer] said, ‘Oh, we’re installing smoke detectors. Do you need some?’ and I said ‘I sure do!’” Mrs. Perry said. “They put one in each bedroom and in the hallway, and thank God they were installed.”

The volunteers also spoke to the Perrys about home fire safety, and helped the family come up with an escape plan. Mrs. Perry stated that the fire escape plan was the reason her family got out safely. She also credited the early warning of the smoke alarms for giving them enough time to get her grandson out of the house and call the fire department before the fire spread to the rest of their home.

”Without the Red Cross, two, three, maybe five of us wouldn’t have been here.” Mrs. Perry said. “We were so blessed that everyone got out safely. The Lord must have sent the American Red Cross to install these alarms.”

Over 550 lives have been saved in the United States since the start of our Home Fire Campaign, including 57 lives in Kentucky and Southern Indiana.

Learn how you can get involved by visiting soundthealarm.org

Lives Saved in Fayette County Thanks to Home Fire Campaign

It’s a fact: Early warning from a working smoke alarm can cut the risk of death by home fire in half.

For one Fayette county family, that statistic hits close to home. Late one night in early December, Cassie Bell and her family woke to the shrill sound of their smoke alarms warning them of danger.
Alerted by the alarm, Bell went downstairs to find her kitchen filled with smoke and a fire burning from the toaster. The family’s cats had jumped on the toaster, triggering it to heat up and catch fire to mail that had fallen on top of it.

The Bell Family

“I was able to put out the fire with a throw blanket,” said Bell. “I can only imagine if we had not had those smoke detectors installed and the fire given the opportunity to grow.”

Just a year earlier, Red Cross volunteers and local firefighters had visited the Bell home to install free smoke alarms as part of our Home Fire Campaign. The Home Fire Campaign was launched in 2014 in an effort to reduce the number of lives lost to home fires by installing free smoke alarms and providing fire safety education in at-risk neighborhoods.

Volunteers helped the Bell family create an escape plan and review a home fire safety checklist. Before their visit, the family did not have working smoke alarms. Bell had been told of the free smoke alarm program by a former fire department paramedic after a local fire fatality. Determined to make her home safe for herself and her daughters, Bell scheduled an appointment with the Lexington Fire Department, a partner of the Red Cross, to have them installed.

“I 100 percent know those alarms waking us up saved my house and my family,” Bell said. “We live on a very limited budget, and I know if we had to have made those expenses, I might have made the wrong decision in [not] getting them installed. Thankfully, the American Red Cross, the fire department and kind individuals who donated took that worry off our plate.”

Over 500 lives have been saved in the United States since the start of our Home Fire Campaign, including 57 lives in Kentucky and Southern Indiana.

Join us in making our community safer across Kentucky and Southern Indiana at soundthealarm.org, or visit redcross.org/givingday to help us help the families who have been impacted by a home fire or other disaster.