Introduction
The Kentucky Workers’ Compensation Hall of Fame was established to honor those who have made significant contributions to Kentucky’s Workers’ Compensation system during their distinguished careers.
The Hall of Fame committee is pleased to announce the following list of inductees for the 2020 class: Larry M. Greathouse*, Gemma Harding*, Dr. Emery Lane*, Leland Monhollon*, Charlie Saladino*, Walt Turner*, Thomas L. Ferreri, James G. Fogle, Barbara Kilgus, Ann LeRoy, Dwight T. Lovan, Philip J. Reverman, Jr., Thomas M. Rhoads and William O. Windchy.
The Hall of Fame committee also announces the following list of inductees selected to the class of 2021: Wayne C. Daub, John W. Morgan, Jerry P. Rhoads, Dr. Russell L. Travis and Walter A. Ward.
2023
James D. Holliday
Affectionately know as “Doc” Holliday. Doug has been a Workers’ Compensation, Federal Black Lung, Social Security Disability and Personal Injury practitioner in Hazard, KY since 1977. Doug has served as President of the Perry County Bar Association and a member of the KBA House of Delegates for two six-year terms. While his expertise in his field is unparalleled, it is his work with the Kentucky Lawyers Assistance Program that has earned him the greatest respect from his colleagues as he has literally saved lives.
Armer H. Mahan, Sr*
In 1941, Armer H. Mahan began the practice of workers’ compensation law with his brother Leland Mahan. Later that year, Leland established Underwriters’ Safety & Claims, a service company providing safety inspections, workers’ compensation claims service and placement of specific and aggregate excess insurance for qualified self-insured coal mine operators. Following Leland’s untimely death, Armer took the helm of USC and became one of the leaders in the Claims Management Industry, a distinction he held until his retirement in 1990. The Kentucky Workers’ Compensation Hall of Fame is pleased to posthumously honor Armet Mahan’s 50 years of service to Kentucky’s employers.
Craig Housman
Craig Housman has worked as a Plaintiff’s Personal Injury Attorney since his graduation from law school in 1973. During his 50 years of practice, he has become well known for his appellate work, including 25 published decisions in workers’ compensation cases, 19 Social Security disability decisions from the U.S. District Court and the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals and 19 appellate decisions in civil damage suits. Craig has also served as president of the McCracken County Bar Association
Terri Smith Walters
Terri Smith Walters practiced workers’ compensation defense for 37 years during which time, she served as a Chair of the KBA Workers’ Compensation Section and co-author of the Kentucky Workers’ Compensation Handbook. She successfully defended many cases resulting in published decisions before the Kentucky Supreme Court. She served as a Board Member of the KBA Foundation, a trial commissioner of the KBA Lawyer’s Disciplinary Commission, and a Trustee and Executive Committee Member of the Board of Morehead State University. She is a member of the University of Kentucky Women in Philanthropy, the University of Kentucky Dickey Fellows and a life member of the KBA Fellows and ABA Fellows
Mark Knight
Mark Knight has been representing Kentucky’s injured workers since 1977. He is a member of the Kentucky and Florida Bar Associations. He has gained the respect of fellow Plaintiffs’ attorneys, opposing counsel, and Administrative Law Judges alike and has been a Kentucky Super Lawyer since 2008. Mark belongs to the National Organization of Social Security Claimants, the American Association for Justice, The Work Injury Law and Advocacy Group, and the Kentucky Workers’ Association.
Jeanie Owen Miller
Jeanie Owen Miller began her private law practice in 1987 in Owensboro, KY where she served as Davies County Assistant Commonwealth Attorney and co-chair of the Davies County Ethics Commission. She held the offices of Treasurer and President of the Davies County Bar Association. Jeanie was elected as the President of the Kentucky Academy of Trial Attorneys in 2001. She also served. on the KBA House of Delegates and the Kentucky Bar Foundation where she remains a life member. In 2010, Jeanie was appointed as an Administrative Law Judge and served two terms before retiring on January 1, 2018.
2022
2021
2020
2019
Judge Otto Wolff**
Judge Otto Wolff, a first generation German immigrant, was born on May 4, 1868. He died on August 28, 1937. Judge Wolff resided in Newport, Kentucky his entire life. During his legal career, Judge Wolff served as Campbell County Master Commissioner, City Solicitor for Newport, and Campbell Circuit Judge. Judge Wolff was one of the first Kentucky circuit judges to seat female jurors. He also threatened to prosecute local pro-German sympathizers during World War I, and impaneled a Grand Jury investigate KKK activities rumored to have been organized in Campbell County.
Judge Wolff, serving as legal counsel for the Kentucky State Federation of Labor, participated in pushing forward Kentucky’s first workers’ compensation law enacted in 1914. This act was found unconstitutional by the Kentucky Court of Appeals. Subsequent to the decision, Judge Wolff was selected as chair of the Commission on Workers’ Compensation, organized in 1915. The Commission issued a report in November 1915. Based upon the recommendations of the Commission, in 1916 the Kentucky legislature enacted the “Workmen’s Compensation for Industrial Accidents”, which was found constitutional.
Judge Wolff’s commitment to the law, and the work of the Commission, were instrumental in shaping Kentucky’s present workers’ compensation law.
Dr. William H. Anderson*
William Howard Anderson, M.D., was born on February 6, 1925 in Smithfield, W.V. Dr. Anderson graduated from Middlebury College in Middlebury, VT, then graduated from the University of Chicago Medical School (5th in his class). After training with the U.S. Public Health Service Hospital in Staten Island, N.Y., and the USPHS Tuberculosis Hospital form 1954-1955, Dr. Anderson moved his family to Harlan County Kentucky, where he became the Associate Chief of Medicine at the Harlan Memorial Hospital and director of the cardio-pulmonary laboratory. He became very interested in the treatment of black lung disease. In 1963 he accepted a position as associate professor at the University of Louisville School of Medicine where he became the Chief of the section of Respiratory and Environmental Medicine. From 1972-1984 he served as the Associate Dean of the School of Medicine and Chief of Staff at University Hospital. Dr. Anderson went into private practice in Louisville in 1985. Dr. Anderson examined thousands of individuals for the presence or absence of coal workers’ pneumoconiosis. He passed away in May 2004.
Larry B. Clevinger
Larry began his insurance career as an adjuster for Old Republic Insurance in 1970. After 20 years with ORIC Larry continued his career by serving as Vice President and Manager of Continental Insurance's Casualty Mining Program, as Executive Vice President of Kentucky Employers Mutual Insurance Company and as Vice President of American Mining Insurance Company. Throughout those engagements Larry oversaw Claims, Underwriting, and Policyholder Services departments.
Larry joined Wells Fargo Insurance Services in April 2007 where he served as a Broker and Claims Consultant for the Energy Industry Group as well as having a continuing role as a Vice President of Wells Fargo's TPA Services. In 2018 Larry retired from HS Casualty Claims Solutions. His retirement was short-lived as he has now re-entered the world of claims administration with continuing roles in both Akera Claims Solutions and Lexington Consulting.
Over his career Larry has served in many industry groups, including serving as the first President of the Kentucky Workers' Comp Education Association, President of Bluegrass Claims Association, Board Member of the Kentucky Claims Association and Board Member of the Kentucky Workers' Comp Funding Commission. Larry has also served on various committees for NCCI and AIA. He has been a Board Member of Kids Chance of Kentucky since its inception.
Throughout his career he has served on countless committees and work groups involving legislation and administration of Workers' Comp in Kentucky. Larry is a frequent speaker on claims and insurance topics at conferences and symposiums around the country. In 2012 he was the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Department of Insurance and Risk Management at Eastern Kentucky University.
In his free time (little as it may currently be) Larry enjoys spoiling his grandchildren and tempting fortune at Keeneland.
Larry L. Johnson*
Mr. Johnson received his bachelor’s degree from Eastern Kentucky University, and LLB from the Mercer University Law School. Mr. Johnson primarily defended, and oversaw a group of attorneys workers’ compensation claims for Boehl, Stopher & Graves. In addition to directing the defense of numerous claims, Mr. Johnson provided internal consultation to attorney’s of the firm.
Thomas Allen Mitchell*
Mitchell, a native of Barbourville, Kentucky, was born on May 4, 1931. He died on November 11, 2010. Mr. Mitchell graduated from Union College, and received his law degree from the University of Kentucky College of Law. After graduation, Mr. Mitchell practiced workers’ compensation claims in Madisonville and western Kentucky, primarily representing employers and insurers. Mr. Mitchell guided, mentored, and trained numerous young attorneys, many of whom are still practicing.
G. Chad Perry, III*
Mr. Perry graduated from Kentucky Wesleyan College (then in Winchester, Kentucky), and subsequently obtained his law degree from the University of Kentucky, College of Law. Mr. Perry began serving in the United States Air Force, and retired from the Air Force Reserve. After leaving active duty, Mr. Perry returned to his hometown of Paintsville, Kentucky were he primarily represented injured workers, and plaintiff’s in medical malpractice, as well as engaging in general litigation. Mr. Perry served as city attorney for Paintsville on two occasions, and was also elected to the city council. Mr. Perry, and his wife Judy, led the efforts to found Pikeville College School of Osteopathic Medicine, where he served as a board member, and received an honorary doctorate.
Joseph A. Soergel
In 1948 I was a junior at New Albany High School in Indiana, across the river from Louisville, when upon the advice of my father I took a course in typing and Gregg shorthand.
In September 1952 I was inducted into the army during the Korean War, serving two years. I was stationed at Camp Chaffee, Arkansas with an artillery battalion. While there I worked in the Judge Advocate General's office reporting summary court cases on absent without leave soldiers and filed the transcripts at headquarters. While there I met two steno machine shorthand writers. That was my first encounter with a shorthand machine on a tripod.
The day after basic training was completed, I was standing on the train platform, packed and ready to ship out to Korea when my name was called to report to headquarters. Once there I was told that my skills were needed to continue the work in the Army's court system.
After being discharged from the military I attended the Miller School of Business in Cincinnati, Ohio where I completed a course in machine shorthand reporting. I returned to Louisville and have been a free-lance reporter for 62 years. Two of my four children have also become court reporters, working in my firm and then later forming their own firms.
Richard “Dick” Adams*
Richard “Dick” Adams, a Madisonville native, received both his B.S. and J.D. degrees from the University of Kentucky. Adams began practicing law in Madisonville, Kentucky in 1968, representing injured workers in both injury and black lung claims. Sen. Adams served as chair of the Kentucky State Senate Judiciary Committee from 1999-2002. Sen. Adams was instrumental in the passage of significant changes to the Kentucky Workers’ Compensation Act.
Woodrow W. Burchett*
Mr. Burchett was born on March 16, 1911, on Cow Creek, in Floyd County, Kentucky. Mr. Burchett earned his bachelor’s, and law degree, from the University of Kentucky. Mr. Burchett practiced law in Prestonsburg, Kentucky for over sixty years. In addition to the private practice of law, Mr. Burchett served on the Kentucky Public Service Commission and the Kentucky Harness Racing Commission. He also served as the city attorney for both Prestonsburg and Martin, Kentucky. Mr. Burchett additionally served three terms as Floyd County Attorney. Mr. Burchett lectured extensively on attorney ethics. With a great deal of humor he conveyed his idea of what a lawyer should be.
Kelsey E. Friend, Sr.*
Kelsey Friend, Sr. Friend was born on March 18, 1922 and passes away on August 25, 2001. Sen. Friend graduated from Pikeville College, and received his law degree from the University of Kentucky College of Law. Sen. Friend taught school until he entered military service in 1942. He served in the U.S. Army from 1942-1946, attaining the grad of 1st Lieutenant. After graduating from law school, Sen. Friend practiced law from 1950-2001. He served as Master Commissioner for Pike County, Pike County Attorney, Commonwealth Attorney, and State Senator for the 31st District. Sen. Friend spent a large portion of his law practice representing injured works, and miners who had contracted black lung. Sen Friend was instrumental in passing numerous workers’ compensation bills during his service as Senator.
Thomas “Tick” Lewis
Thomas “TicK” Lewis is proud to be a lifelong resident of Letcher County Kentucky. He graduated from Morehead State University in 1970 and received his Master’s Degree from Morehead in 1972. He taught in the Letcher County Schools from 1971-1975. Unable to make a living as a teacher, he went to work for Beth Elkhorn as an underground coal miner and then transitioned into Safety Management for Beth Energy. After that, he was involved in Kentucky Workers’ Compensation in some capacity for the next 43 years. He served as Safety Director for Cyprus Minerals until 1997 when he became the first and only non-lawyer arbitrator with the Kentucky Department of Workers’ Claims. He was promoted to Deputy Commissioner and served in that capacity until 2004. He then returned to work in risk management in the coal industry until his retirement in 2018. He presently enjoys horse racing, UK sports, and spoiling his grandchildren, Mia, Cooper, Andrew, and Ada.
Thomas A. Nanney*
Thomas A. Nanney was born on September 16, 1949, and passed away on December 18, 2001. Judge Nanney graduated from Murray State University in 1971, and from the Brandeis School of Law at the University of Louisville in 1974. He practiced law in Fulton, Kentucky until 1988 when he was appointed as an Administrative Law Judge with the Kentucky Department of Workers’ Claims, where he served until his death. Judge Nanney made numerous presentations, and served on multiple panels regarding Kentucky Workers’ Compensation law.
Glenn L. Schilling*
Glenn L. Schilling was born in Cincinnati, Ohio on October 14, 1925, and died on October 24, 2014. He served in the U. Sn. Navy in World War II. He received his bachelor’s and law degrees from the University of Cincinnati. Schilling’s career included service as the United States Commissioner for the Western District of Kentucky, and he was appointed Special Master to assist with desegregation of public schools in Louisville, Kentucky. Mr. Schilling served on the Kentucky Workers’ Compensation Board, eventually being appointed as Chairman. He was later appointed as Commissioner for the Kentucky Department of Workers’ Claims. Mr. Schilling also served as President of the International Association of Industrial Accident Boards and Commissions. He also served as director and secretary/treasurer of that organization. Mr. Schilling was a frequent lecturer in the area of workers’ compensation.
Lawrence “Larry” Smith*
Lawrence “Larry” Smith graduated from Ohio University where he received a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the U. S. Army, and served as a Military Police Officer. Judge Smith subsequently attended Case Western Reserve Law School. Judge Smith served as a JAG officer in the U.S. Army, and the U. S. Army Reserve, from which he retired. He also practiced law in Hardin County, Kentucky for a number of years, before being appointed as an Administrative Law Judge with the Kentucky Department of Worker’s Claims in 2000. Judge Smith was later appointed as a member of the Kentucky Workers’ Compensation Board in 2012, where he served until he passed away in May 2013.
Donna H. Terry
Judge Terry received her bachelor’s and law degrees from the University of Kentucky. Judge Terry has served as corporate counsel, and in small practices in Princeton and Madisonville, Kentucky. She was appointed as a Hearing Officer for the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Cabinet for the Commonwealth of Kentucky, serving from 1982 to 1984. Judge Terry served as a staff attorney with the Kentucky Supreme Court from 1984 to 1988. Judge Terry was appointed as Administrative Law Judge with the Kentucky Department of Workers’ Claims on May 1, 1988. She served as Chief Administrative Law Judge from June 22, 1994 to December 31, 1998 and again from June 23, 2008 to January 1, 2009, when she retired. Judge Terry has engaged as a speaker and panelist in numerous workers’ compensation programs. She has also served on the editorial board for the Kentucky Bench and Bar, and authored several articles for that publication. She also served on the steering committee, and contributed to the University of Kentucky Workers’ Compensation Handbook. Judge Terry served as a Hearing Office with the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure, and continues to mediate claims.
John E. Anderson
John E. Anderson joined the firm of Cole, Cole and Anderson in 1974. John is the founding member of Cole, Cole Anderson and Newman, P.S.C. John is licensed to practice law in Kentucky and Tennessee. He has been admitted to practice before the U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit and U.S. District Court Eastern District of Kentucky. John earned his B.S. degree in 1969 and Juris Doctor in 1974 from the University of Tennessee with membership in Phi Kappa Phi and the Order of the Coif honor societies. He is a member of the Kentucky Workers Association, Kentucky Justice Association, National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives (NOSSCR) and Workers’ Injury Law and Advocacy Group. In addition, John is a member of the Kentucky, Tennessee, Knox County and American Bar Associations. John has served on multiple legislative and research committees on behalf of injured workers in Kentucky and Tennessee.
Thomas Bennett Clark
My first actual assignment requiring me to function in a legal role came in June 1958 when I boarded the USS Maddox, a destroyer in the Pacific fleet, in San Diego. Destroyers were relatively small war ships and each officer had many duties. The junior most officer was automatically the legal officer. I had been aboard for 3 days and we were getting ready to leave two days later to travel to the main Fleet base in Yokosuka, Japan. Two sailors had gotten in a fight in a bar in Tijuana and I was sent down to retrieve them before we left. I will not go into the particulars, but it was at that moment, June 9, 1958, that I learned that a $100 bill spoke much more persuasively than a Ph.D. degree in Spanish or any other language.
In 1961, I entered Duke Law School because I had failed miserably in a job in industrial sales which was the only job I could find after I was released from active duty. If I had not been such a poor salesman, I would probably still be selling buggy whips. After graduating from Duke Law, I returned to Lexington and was hired by Stoll Keenon & Park at $400 a month. My main interest in law school was labor law which meant that for the first five years, I was told by firm management to search land titles for coal companies, did a few divorces and was appointed many times to provide representations for indigent criminal defendants, some of whom were doing better financially than I was. I more or less stumbled into workers' compensation because one of the senior partners declared me capable of taking depositions that a monkey could handle.
I immensely enjoyed workers' compensation from the start. It was a practice that got me out of the office, presented an intellectual challenge and provided a treasure trove of human interest stories. The workers' compensation bar was and, fortunately still is, a very civilized practice which has generally avoided the nastiness of criminal and civil trial practice. For 35 years, I practiced on the defense side of workers' compensation, primarily in eastern Kentucky. The lawyers there were bright and competitive and many became very dear friends with whom I still communicate.
In 2000, I decided that I was ready to leave big firm practice, and Stoll Keenon closed its workers' compensation practice when I left. I went with Bonnie Hoskins and remained there 4 years. Bonnie felt sorry for me and let have plum assignments which could only be found in Magoffin, Boone, Wolfe, Knott, and every other county east of the Kentucky River. In 2005, I joined my son, Ed, who was starting his own practice. At that time, I began doing plaintiff's practice. Within a few weeks, I made the starling discovery that I could disagree with workers' compensation claims adjusters and survive. I also found that all those plaintiff oriented AU's who had made life miserable for me at times when I was on the defense side, had suddenly developed deep understanding of the law and warm and compassionate personalities.
I have been blessed to be in a profession and have colleagues who are not only intelligent and honorable but who I am proud to call my friends.
Peter J. Glauber
Peter J. (“Pete”) Glauber, received his B.S. in economics from Xavier University in Cincinnati. After serving in the U. S. Army, he obtained his law degree from the University of Kentucky College of Law. After law school, Pete defended claims for the Special Fund with the Kentucky Labor Cabinet for three years. Afterward, he went to work for Boehl, Stopher & Graves, where he was a partner from 1989 to 2018, when he retired. Pete’s practice concentrated primarily on workers’ compensation defense, but he did some work with employment and labor law. During his practice, Pete argued cases before ALJ’s, the Workers’ Compensation Board, the Kentucky Court of Appeals, and the Kentucky Supreme Court. More than twenty cases in which he was involved were published. Pete is well recognized across the Commonwealth as one of the true gentleman of workers’ compensation.
Sheila C. Lowther
Sheila C. Lowther was born in LaFollette, Tennessee in 1955. She obtained her bachelor’s degree from Transylvania University, and her law degree from the University of Kentucky College of Law. Judge Lowther served in private practice in Madisonville, Kentucky from 1980 until May 1995. Judge Lowther handled a significant number of workers’ compensation injury and black lung claims, representing both injured workers and employers. Judge Lowther also handled numerous federal black lung and FELA claims. Judge Lowther was appointed an Administrative Law Judge with the Kentucky Department of Workers’ Claims in 1995. In January 1999, Judge Lowther was appointed as Chief Administrative Law Judge, and served in that capacity until June 2008 when she began service as a line judge with the Social Security Office of Hearings Operations. She became Chief ALJ for the Lexington office in February 2016. In April 2018, Judge Lowther was appointed Regional Chief ALJ for Region 4, where she supervises 37 hearing offices, and 2 decision writing units in KY, TN, MS, AL, NC, SC, GA and FL. Judge Lowther has been a frequent presenter at seminars in both workers’ compensation and Social Security Law.
J. Landon Overfield
Judge Overfield is a native of Henderson Kentucky. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Kentucky, and a Juris Doctor Degree from the University of Kentucky, College of Law. He began practicing in Henderson, Kentucky in April 1973, concentrating on personal injury and workers’ compensation law, representing both plaintiffs and defendants. Judge Overfield as appointed as an Administrative Law Judge with the Kentucky Department of Workers’ Claims on November 15, 1994. Judge Overfield was appointed as Chief Administrative Law Judge on September 1, 2010, holding that position until he retired on December 31, 2014.
Judge Overfield has often presented at workers’ compensation trainings and seminars. He has also served on the UK/CLE Workers’ Compensation Institute planning committee, and a board member of the Kentucky Workers’ Compensation Education Association. He also served on the Kentucky Workers’ Compensation Centennial Celebration Committee. Judge Overfield additional co-chaired the medical dispute resolution committee which developed the current program for dealing with medical disputes.