It is the first Power 50 recognition for all three men.

Two members of the , Christopher Dischinger and John Hollenbach, also are among those recognized.

For the sixth consecutive year, Business First has published the list of 50 most influential business and civic leaders in the region. Louisville Business First selected honorees from individuals nominated by the public and those covered in the publication’s own reporting and sourcing. It does not include elected officials. The 5 on the Rise class recognizes emerging influential leaders.

Bradley assumed leadership of UofL in March after serving as executive vice president and university provost and dean of the UofL School of Dentistry. Since taking the helm at UofL, Bradley has overseen the completion of the , the opening of the Engineering Student Success and Research Building and surpassing 25,000 enrolled students for the first time in the university’s history.

In his State of the University address on Feb. 12, Bradley highlighted goals for UofL, including a focus on further improvements in enrollment, six-year retention rates, degrees offered and experiential learning opportunities. He intends to prioritize new residence halls and academic research facilities.

“I am grateful to lead this great university and amplify its positive impact on the city of Louisville,” Bradley said. “It is an honor to be recognized by Business First in the Power 50 2026, particularly after less than a year in my role as president of UofL.”

Since being named director of athletics in 2022, Heird also has had some significant wins. He hired Jeff Brohm to lead the football program and Pat Kelsey to take the reins of men’s basketball. In the 2024-25 season, ten UofL teams earned a top-25 ranking and 11 programs earned trips to the postseason.��

Under Heird’s leadership, student-athlete academic success has been a priority. Last semester closed with an overall department GPA of 3.431��— with 18 of 19 sports above 3.2. UofL athletes are also winning with a 96% graduation success rate.��

Jason Smith, chief executive officer of UofL Health, was named CEO of the health system in October after serving most recently as its interim CEO and chief medical officer. In December, he oversaw the opening of the $186 million, seven-story .

The honorees will be profiled in the March 27, 2026, print edition of Louisville Business First, and online around that time.

Now, the Charlottesville native is finding that his new life mission is calling him back to Louisville, this time to campus as a PhD student in UofL’s����

“After rehab, it was a soul-searching moment for me,” said Jones. “I had to realize or redefine what my purpose was, and why I believe I was put here.”��

A public speaking engagement at UofL Health – UofL Hospital about his journey back to wellness became a turning point for Jones. “The impact it had on the people I spoke to resonated with me and so I am continuing to pull that thread to see what happens,” he said.��

Jones, who completed his master’s degree in educational psychology at University of Virginia, said after researching��UofL’s PhD program in��, he knew his next step and the right space to do it. Jones remembered how he and his family felt embraced by UofL Health and the local community.

“It spoke volumes about the type of city Louisville is,” said Jones. “This has been one of those rare moments that checked all the boxes – the community, people and academic pursuit were all exactly what I desired.”��

Jones hopes to create a global non-profit working with kids from disadvantaged backgrounds, like the one where he grew up. “It was a very impoverished area with few opportunities for individuals in those spaces,” he said. “I always wanted to better understand the mental struggles and stresses and learn more about the trauma of my childhood. How would it be to pay that forward to the younger generation so they don’t have to face the same hurdles?”

A bit of a Renaissance man, Jones is not only a scholar and an athlete, but a writer and musician, as well. His memoir will be published in November, and in addition to beginning his new doctoral program at UofL, Jones plans to take on more speaking engagements to share his story. “I want to build upon that because I just feel like I have an opportunity to really impact a lot of people’s lives,” he said.��

The vast majority — — of those athletes came from American colleges and universities, including several from the University of Louisville who traded their Cardinal red for red, white and blue.��

This month, several Cardinals will also head to Paris to compete in the summer games.��

So why do so many Olympic athletes come from academia? According to UofL researcher Meg Hancock, who studies college athletics, it comes down to the unique environment and resources available to college athletes that allow them to achieve an elite level of competition.��

“It’s a formula for success that starts with these bright, talented, ambitious students — they’re driven, both on the court and in the classroom, ” said Hancock, an associate professor at the UofL . “When you take a great athlete, and support them with coaches, mentors, health experts and other resources only universities can offer, they become more and more competitive, even on an international stage.”

That ‘formula’ is likely why more than 170 U.S. colleges and universities have produced Olympians, with UofL alone producing around 40 — and some Olympic-level coaches — since 1980. Those athletes, representing 20 different countries, competed in events as wide ranging as rugby, swimming and diving and track and field.

“I think it’s phenomenal that we have folks who are competitive across that breadth,” Hancock said. “It’s an incredible opportunity for these student athletes to compete on a world stage and represent their home countries.”��

UofL, she said, has taken a leading role in supporting student athletes and working to help them improve their Olympic chances. UofL and have been on the forefront in taking a holistic approach to athlete performance, including looking at players’ physical, mental and nutritional health and that helps them minimize risk and improve their technique.

“That holistic approach is part of UofL’s strong commitment to the health, safety, and performance of all of our student athletes,” said Pat Ivey, associate athletic director for student athlete health and performance. “We want to ensure that they’re firing on all cylinders and on all fronts — that we’re helping them achieve not only their athletic or Olympic aspirations, but overall wellbeing.”��

UofL also offers student athletes access to a suite of trainers, health care experts and clinicians via its official care provider, . That care is unique among universities, Hancock said, because it puts heavy focus on mental and emotional health, with UofL Health for student athletes.��

“We have built the nation’s largest team of mental health professionals with a focus on student-athletes. This commitment is directly enhancing individual and team performance in UofL sports,” said Kate O’Bryan, director of the UofL Athletics Mental Health and Performance Team, a partnership with UofL Health. “The integrated approach, alongside our other services in sport science, nutrition, athletic training, and sport performance, positions UofL Athletics as a leading model of high performance for other universities to emulate

Mental health has been a big part of the recent public discussion around Olympic athletic performance, especially since gymnast Simone Biles famously withdrew over concerns at the 2020 Tokyo Games. But even so, some surveys show think mental health is a priority for their athletics department.

“They’re under a lot of pressure,” Hancock said. “UofL has worked to address that, and now, other colleges are seeing this as a model and thinking about the role mental health and mental performance play in athletics at this level. To compete in the Olympics, you have to consider the whole athlete.”��

He directed Louisville to the 1980 and the 1986 NCAA Championships, ranking him as one of only 14 coaches in NCAA history to win two or more titles. Six times he guided the Cardinals into the NCAA Final Four, including four times in the decade of the ’80s. Only five coaches all-time coached more Final Four teams than Crum.

“The University of Louisville,��our community and college basketball fans everywhere have lost a legend��in Coach Denny Crum,” said UofL President Kim Schatzel.��“Whether he was leading his beloved Cardinal teams, representing the university with alumni and friends or supporting the many community organizations that counted on his generous spirit and enthusiasm, Coach Crum left a legacy that is unmatched. He will be remembered not only for the many wins and championships, but also for his calm demeanor, warm sense of humor and deep love for his adopted hometown and its people. Our lives are better for having known him.��Our hearts go out to Susan and the entire Crum family.”��

The man admirably labeled “Cool Hand Luke” by former commentator Al McGuire was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on May 9, 1994.

Crum guided the Cardinals to 23 NCAA Tournament appearances, 10th-most by a coach all-time. Crum’s teams regularly faced one of the nation’s toughest schedules and he amassed a 675-295 career coaching record, including an impressive 42-22 NCAA Tournament mark.�� Three of his squads participated in the NIT, reaching the NIT semifinals in 1985. The Cardinals captured or shared 12 Metro Conference regular season titles and 11 post-season tournament championships under Crum’s guidance. Crum engineered UofL to 20 or more victories in 21 of his 30 seasons.

After his retirement following the 2000-01 season, Crum continued to work as a special assistant to the UofL president for several years. The KFC Yum! Center court has been named in his honor. Since 2001, The Denny Crum Scholarship Foundation and the Denny Crum Scholarship Fund at UofL have awarded over a million dollars benefiting over 425 students. The San Fernando, Calif., native made Louisville his home and has lent countless hours of his time for charitable causes throughout the community for over 50 years.

A new residence hall on the UofL campus was recently named in his honor. Denny Crum Hall made possible by L&N Federal Credit Union opened in the fall 2022 semester and houses a mixture of student-athletes and non-student athletes. Men’s and women’s basketball and women’s lacrosse student-athletes – who each train in the adjoining facility, live in the residence hall.

Free tickets can now be claimed for the University of Louisville’s public Celebration of Life in honor of legendary basketball coach Denny Crum on Monday, May 15 at the KFC Yum! Center. The event is free and open to the public. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the Celebration of Life begins at 7 p.m.

Those who wish to attend may claim free tickets at the following link:��

The 24th head coach in school history, Brohm’s No. 11 jersey is one of 26 to be honored by the program throughout its history.

“We’re excited to welcome Head Coach Jeff Brohm and his family home to the University of Louisville,” Heird said. “The Brohms are synonymous with Louisville, and Jeff has made a lasting impact on our city as a high school star, college quarterback, professional athlete and coach. But beyond his ties to the city, what excites me most about Jeff is that he’s had success at the highest level of college football. To put it simply, Jeff is a proven winner. Along the way, he’s done it with an exciting brand of football that remains innovative and entertaining, and he’s done it by making the right decisions with the best interest of his student-athletes at the forefront. I knew we needed to identify a tremendous leader for our program who understood the history of Louisville Football, and who would be committed long-term to this school and this community. There’s not another coach in America who checks those boxes like Jeff Brohm.”

“Today is a great day for the University of Louisville as Jeff Brohm is coming home to the Commonwealth,” said Governor Andy Beshear. “Britainy and I want to personally welcome his family and we know he will not only be a great coach, but also a great member of our Louisville and Kentucky community.”

Brohm ushers in a new era of UofL football after elevating the Purdue program to unprecedented success during his six seasons as head coach.

Hired on Dec. 5, 2016, he guided the Boilermakers to four bowl appearances and the school’s first Big Ten West Divisional title in 2022. The Boilermakers fell to No. 2 Michigan in the Big Ten title game, but Purdue was awarded a trip to the Citrus Bowl.

“My family and I are honored to return home to the University of Louisville, a place we love, which has been so influential in shaping me as a player, a coach and a man,” Brohm said.�� “I am extremely grateful and humbled that Dr. Gonzalez, Dr. Schatzel, Josh Heird and the ULAA Board believe that I am the right person to lead this football program. I promise relentless energy, effort, and hard work every single day on behalf of all our coaches, staff and student-athletes.�� Our goal is to compete for championships while also developing our student-athletes into true leaders on and off the field. These young men will make our university, our community, and our fan base proud to be Louisville Cardinals.�� This city means a great deal to me and my family. Louisville is who we are. Thank you all for welcoming us back home.”

Prior to his arrival in West Lafayette, the Boilermakers won a combined nine games over four seasons. In his six seasons at Purdue, Brohm compiled a 36-34 overall mark with the Boilermakers. He led the program to notable victories, posting three wins over Top 3 teams: No. 2 Ohio State in 2018; No. 2 Iowa in 2021; and, No. 3 Michigan State in 2021.

Over the last two seasons, Brohm’s teams compiled a 17-9 record, including a 9-4 mark in 2021 – the school’s first nine-win season since 2003. The school achieved back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2006-07.

In nine seasons as a head coach, Brohm boasts a career record of 66-44, a .600 winning percentage, and has positioned himself as one of the top offensive minds in the country. His passing offenses have placed in the top 20 in eight of his nine seasons as an FBS coach, which ranked 13th on average over that span.

In his tenure at Purdue, Brohm produced nine National Football League draft picks, highlighted by defensive end George Karlaftis, who was selected as the No. 23 pick in the first round by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2022. Wide receiver Rondale Moore was a second-round selection in 2021 by the Arizona Cardinals, and wideout David Bell was taken in the third round by the Cleveland Browns in 2022.

Playing in Brohm’s high-powered offense, several Boilermakers were honored for their accomplishments within the league. Moore and Bell captured back-to-back Big Ten Freshman of the Year awards and Big Ten Wide Receiver of the Year awards, while Brycen Hopkins was tabbed the Big Ten Tight End of the Year in 2019. Moore was also the 2018 Paul Hornung Award winner as the nation’s most versatile player.

Three Boilermakers were named All-Americans during Brohm’s tenure in West Lafayette. Moore became the first true freshman consensus first team All-American in Big Ten history in 2018 before wide receiver David Bell and defensive end George Karlaftis earned All-America honors following the 2021 season. Bell was a consensus All-American, joining Moore as the second under Brohm and the 21st in Purdue history.

The 2021 season featured a 9-4 record, the second-most wins in Purdue history. The Boilermakers tied for second in the Big Ten West, which included a pair of Top 5 victories over No. 2 Iowa and No. 3 Michigan State, which handed both teams their first loss of their respective campaigns. The Boilermakers capped the campaign with a 48-45 overtime victory over Tennessee at the TransPerfect Music City Bowl in Nashville, Tenn.

Purdue exceeded all expectations in his first season in 2017 and put the program on the map nationally. The Boilermakers won seven games, recaptured both of its rivalry trophies (the Cannon and the Old Oaken Bucket), and finished the season with Foster Farms Bowl victory over Arizona. They followed that up in 2018 with another Bowl appearance, and Top 25 victories over Boston College, Iowa, and a monumental victory over No. 2 Ohio State at Ross-Ade Stadium.

Prior to taking over in West Lafayette, Brohm spent three seasons at Western Kentucky, where he compiled a remarkable 30-10 overall record (.750 winning percentage), including a 19-5 Conference USA mark (.792), from 2014 to 2016. The Hilltoppers were league champions in 2015 and 2016, the school’s first back-to-back titles as an FBS member. They won the 2014 Bahamas Bowl (49-48 over Central Michigan) and the 2015 Miami Beach Bowl (45-35 over Miami), as well as the 2016 Boca Raton Bowl (51-31 over Memphis under interim head coach Nick Holt). Western Kentucky was ranked No. 24 in the final 2015 Associated Press poll.

In his first go-around as a head coach at Western Kentucky, the Hilltoppers were one of the most explosive offensive units in the nation, averaging 44.6 points, 356.6 passing yards and 526.2 yards of total offense per game over three seasons on The Hill.

Under Brohm’s tutelage, WKU’s starting quarterbacks completed 69.2 percent of their passes and threw 131 touchdowns and just 25 interceptions. The offense averaged a hefty 7.3 yards per play, while running 72.1 plays per game. Brohm’s teams re-wrote the WKU record book, breaking more than 75 school offensive records since 2013, when the Louisville native served as assistant head coach, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

Western Kentucky ranked in the top 10 nationally in scoring offense (No. 6 in 2014, No. 3 in 2015 and No. 1 in 2016), passing offense (No. 2 in 2014, No. 4 in 2015 and No. 5 in 2016) and total offense (No. 4 in 2014, No. 9 in 2015 and No. 5 in 2016) each of Brohm’s three seasons as head coach.

As an assistant at his alma mater (2003-08), Brohm played an integral role in coaching during the high point of Louisville football. Serving as the quarterbacks coach in 2006, with his brother Brian as the quarterback, the Cardinals finished the season with a school best 12-1 record, which was capped by winning the Orange Bowl – the school’s first appearance in the Bowl Championship Series. That season, the offense ranked second nationally in total offense, fourth in scoring offense and were seventh in passing offense and 12th in rushing.

As the offensive coordinator in 2007, Louisville was just as explosive, finishing fourth nationally in passing offense, six in total offense and 18th in scoring.

One of the top quarterbacks in school history, Brohm returns to UofL where he enjoyed an outstanding collegiate career from 1989-93. A three-year starter, he still ranks among the Cardinals’ career leaders in touchdown passes (tied for eighth, 38), total offense (ninth, 5,410), completion percentage (ninth, .562), passing yards (10th, 5,451), and passing efficiency (ninth, 129.97), passing attempts (10th, 715) and completions (10th, 402) through the 2022 season. Brohm was voted the team’s Most Valuable Player during both his junior and senior seasons, and his No. 11 became part of the Louisville Ring of Honor in 2006.

Professionally, Brohm played eight seasons in the NFL, competing with the San Diego Chargers (1994), Washington Redskins (1995-96), San Francisco 49ers (1997-98), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1998), Denver Broncos (1999) and Cleveland Browns (2000). In eight career games – all with the 49ers – he completed 37 of 58 passes (63.8 percent) for 353 yards with one touchdown and one interception. His best game came Oct. 27, 1996, when he completed 19 of 30 passes for 176 yards and a touchdown to lead San Francisco to a 10-9 win over the Houston Oilers. In 2001, Brohm played in the XFL for the Orlando Rage and was named first-team All-XFL.

A standout at Trinity High, Brohm was awarded the Kentucky Mr. Football Award as a senior in 1988, while leading the Shamrocks to a state championship and undefeated season. Brohm was named the Kentucky High School Player of the Decade for the 1980s and was inducted into the Kentucky High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame in 2014.

A native of Louisville, Brohm, 51, (born April 24, 1971) earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1994. He and his wife, Jennifer, have a son, Brady, and a daughter, Brooke. Jeff is one of four family members to be a football letterwinner at Louisville, along with his father, Oscar (quarterback 1966-69), and brothers, Greg (wide receiver 1989-92) and Brian (quarterback 2004-07). The Brohm family, including mother, Donna, and sister, Kim, was inducted into the Louisville Catholic Sports Hall of Fame in 2013.

Eric Whitlatch (1996-99) was a dominant swimmer for the Cardinals from 1996-99, winning eight Southern States individual swimming titles. During his tenure, he owned three conference records and registered school records in the 100 back, 200 back, 100 fly, 200 medley relay and 400 medley relay. He won conference championships in the 200 back, 100 fly and 100 back in 1999 and captured titles in 1998 in the 100 back and 200 medley relay. His school record in the 100 back stood for 10 seasons.
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He qualified for the USA National Team from 1996-2000 and the Olympic Trials during that same time frame. Overall, he was a three-time Most Valuable Athlete, three-time Conference Swimmer of the Year, nine-time conference champion and a four-time conference record holder.
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Nicole Youman (2007-10) earned All-American accolades for the UofL Field Hockey program. A four-year starter and two-year captain, Youman was a four-time NFHCA all-West Region and all-Big East selection, Youman owns the school career assist record with 52, stands second with 142 points and third in goals with 45. She also holds the school’s single-season mark for assists with 19 and is second in points with 53 and sixth in goals with 17.
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She was named to the Longstreth/NFHCA Division I All-America second team, becoming the sixth Cardinal player to earn the honor. As a senior, Youman was tabbed the 2010 BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year after dominating the conference in every offensive category, registering 17 goals and 19 assists, while collecting 53 points and averaging 2.79 points per game.
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Dr. Ray Shea served as the UofL football team doctor for 34 years starting in the Howard Schnellenberger era, working for eight different coaches over his career. Shea provided excellent care to the football program over his tenure and was a valuable member of the medical team.��

The Hall of Fame event will begin with a reception at 6 p.m., dinner at 7 p.m. and the induction ceremony to follow. ��Tickets are $50 per person, or $500 for a table of 10, and may be purchased online through “My Cardinal Account” at GoCards.com specifically at��. Additional information may be obtained via email at ronee@gocards.com or by calling 502-852-2015.

The inductees will also be recognized at the Cardinals’ Nov, 5 game against James Madison.

Those new features include:��

Expedited point-of-entry
To assist in expediting the gate entry process, new pedestal ticket scanners will be installed at the two busiest gates (2 and 4). Walk-thru security will also be implemented, using stationary magnetic scanners, replacing the handheld/manual scanners from previous seasons. Fans can now keep phones in hand and keys/wallets in pockets.
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WiFi connectivity
A $5 million investment was made towards installing WiFi access for fans to improve their gameday wireless experience, allowing fans to not only have use of the free Wi-Fi system but also enjoy more in-venue digital engagement opportunities. “CardinalsWiFi” will be available inside the stadium
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Club space upgrades

A generous $4-million gift from Angel’s Envy led the way towards renovating the former Brown & Williamson Club located on the west side of the stadium into the expansive 18,000-square feet Angel’s Envy Bourbon Club. The renovated club was officially unveiled last week. Learn more��.
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Concessions improvements
In an effort to improve concessions, grab-and-go stations labeled “On the Fly” have been installed in key areas to make high-demand options more readily available to assist in reducing wait times. Other fan-favorite concessions offerings will include the introduction of 4-dollar beer options in select spaces throughout the concourse and the return of half-priced drinks from the times gates open until kickoff as part of “Happy Hour and a Half.” Additionally, a complimentary concessions item is now available during certain times of each game in all club spaces.

Returning features

Also, features returning this year include mobile ticketing (gocards.com/cardsmobile); clear bag policy; parking lots opening five hours prior to kickoff; Card March Tailgating provided by RevelXP; and The Alley by Buffalo Construction, Inc.��

Michael Bush to be honored��

Michael Bush, one of the school’s all-time leading rushers, will have his No. 19 jersey honored at the Florida State game on Friday night. It will be the 26th jersey to be celebrated in program history.

The Louisville native, played for the Cardinals from 2003-06 and guided the Cardinals to three-straight bowl appearances, including a win over No. 10 Boise State in the 2004 Liberty Bowl. He rushed 12 times for 96 yards in the win over the Broncos. The Cardinals finished that season 11-1 and captured a Conference USA title.

One of the most highly recruited players to ever sign with the Cardinals, Bush��rushed for 2,508 yards, which still stands eighth all-time in school history, while his 39 career touchdowns are third-most in school history. As a receiver out of the backfield, Bush caught 50 passes for 651 yards and two touchdowns during his three seasons with the Cardinals.

The former Male High product was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the fourth round, and played four years for the Raiders and two with the Chicago Bears. Over his six-year NFL stint, Bush rushed 3,250 yards rushing with 29 touchdowns and 1,010 yards receiving with two touchdowns. His best season came in 2011 with the Raiders when he ran for 977 yards and seven scores.��

Red Out

Finally, Friday’s game against Florida State will be a Red Out and Educator Appreciation Day. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m.��

UofL Health, a fully integrated regional academic health system affiliated with the University of Louisville School of Medicine, has been named as the Official Health Care Provider for the Louisville Cardinals.

“This is an exciting day for the University of Louisville,” said Josh Heird, vice president/director of Athletics. “Our number one priority will always the well-being of our student-athletes and whenever we can create a partnership that provides our student-athletes with world-class services, we want to celebrate it. The commitment UofL Health is making to our student-athletes and our department will allow us to be a national leader in the medical and mental health care we provide our student-athletes.”

The new partnership that extends for eight years addresses medical coverage for all 23 UofL sports programs, plus basic training coverage for the Cardinals’ cheer and dance teams. There will be a comprehensive brand presence for UofL Health throughout Louisville Athletics facilities.

“Academic health care offers unique advantages, especially for world-class athletes like those at UofL. Our sports medicine team understands the complexities needed to keep athletes at the top of their game,” said Tom Miller, UofL Health CEO. “We have been taking care of the Cardinal athletes since the 1980s, starting with the innovative sports medicine program developed by Dr. Raymond Shea. There was a brief hiatus from the sidelines for some of our providers, but we never stopped providing care and this agreement formally puts us all back on one team for the benefit of the athletes, our university and our community.”

The level of support for Cardinal student-athletes will significantly increase with added personnel as well as health and performance equipment upgrades.�� UofL Health will provide access to its network of sports health physicians, orthopedic surgeons, neurologists and primary care providers.

“Maintaining good health is essential for any athlete, especially student-athletes,” said Dr. Jennifer Daily, medical director of UofL Heath Sports Medicine. “We have the expertise, and we have technology, such as DARI which provides movement data analytics to help athletes regain their game. We also have the comprehensive resources to make sure they never lose ground in the classroom.”

Mental health services were a point of emphasis with the new partnership, with at least 10 dedicated mental health and mental performance professionals planned for UofL student-athletes, in addition to other generally available mental health services.�� Two dedicated staff members were in that role previously.

Also included are additional services and equipment for injury rehabilitation, medical coverage at athletics events, and supporting UofL’s new sports science department within athletics.

UofL Health is a regional academic health system with six hospitals, four medical centers, 200+ physician practice locations, 700+ providers, Frazier Rehab Institute, Brown Cancer Center and the Eye Institute.
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