Gene Royalty, a former executive director of the Russell County Industrial Development Authority, recently passed away at the Jean Waddle Care Center in Somerset. He was 89 years old.
Royalty retired from the IDA back in 2014 after more than 15 years of service to the organization. He is credited with creating more than 550 new jobs and attracting over $87 million in new business investment to Russell County, according to the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development.
He was also a former Kentucky Commerce Cabinet Secretary under Gov. Wallace Wilkinson, an active participant in the Russell County Chamber of Commerce and the LCADD Workforce Development Board and also served on the local airport and hospital boards.