The 2023 Laureate Inductees
Frank Harshaw
Frank has a Master in Engineering, as well as post masters study in engineering from the University of Florida. He served two terms as President of the National Association of the Trane Franchise Holders (NATFH) and on the Trane Distribution Advisory Board. He currently serves on the boards of Eclipse Bank, Library Foundation, and Sullivan University. He is a former board member of the Louisville Community Foundation board, the Greater Louisville Chamber of Commerce as well as numerous other organizations.
Harshaw Trane is a professional energy service company focusing on commercial and industrial facilities and serving Kentucky and Southern Indiana from five regional locations. Harshaw Trane also represents the Trane Company heating and air conditioning. Founded in 1976 with 13 associates, the company today employees over 300 associates. Since 2013 Harshaw Trane has been voted one of Kentucky’s best places to work.
Frank believes in the importance of supporting the communities in which his associates live and work. In 1979 he founded the Harshaw Trane Foundation and in 2012 the Harshaw’s founded the Harshaw Family Foundation. These foundations have supported children’s issues, education, arts and human services. Because of the challenges Frank experienced growing up in foster care, he invited Louisville Metro United Way and seven nonprofit residential programs to partner with him for the benefit of foster care youth. For his work on this ground breaking initiative, Frank was recognized in 2012 by the Kentucky State legislature. Frank’s desire to help others has garnered him numerous awards in the Louisville community for his philanthropy.
Michael Mountjoy
Michael B. Mountjoy is a founding partner of Mountjoy Chilton Medley LLP, (MCM) Kentucky’s largest public accounting firm headquartered in Louisville Kentucky, with other offices in Indiana and Ohio.
Mr. Mountjoy is a licensed CPA. He was formerly a licensed ABV, CGMA, and PFS. He was also formerly a Series 66 and Series 7 investment advisor. Mr. Mountjoy is a graduate of the University of Kentucky and was elected to the UK Gatton Business School Hall of Fame. He has been an active participant in the accounting profession throughout his career. He served American Institute of CPAs as a member the Board of Directors, Chair of the Financial Committee, of member of Council. He received on behalf of his firm the AICPA Public Service Award. He also served as Board Member and President of the Kentucky Society of CPA’s and was awarded the Kentucky Society’s Distinguished Service Award. Additionally, in 2005, he was listed in CPA Magazine’s Top 100 Most Influential Practitioners in the US.
Mr. Mountjoy has also served on various corporate and civic boards. He is the Chairman and CEO of the Gheens Foundation, Inc. He currently serves as a Trustees of the University of the Cumberlands and the UK Gatton School of Business Accounting Advisory Board. He is a former Chairman of the Louisville Area Chamber of Commerce, and a recipient of its Silver Fleur-de-Lis Award. He also chaired the Community Foundation of Louisville and the Louisville Orchestra Foundation, and a board member of the Greater Louisville Project, Louisville Library Foundation, and the Kentucky Show. He has served on the boards of the J.B. Speed Art Museum, the Boy Scouts, Olmstead Parks Conservancy, the Leadership Louisville Foundation and Downtown YMCA. Mr. Mountjoy was a member of the Governor’s Commission on Tax Reform and the Kentucky Bar Association’s Task Force on Lawyer Discipline. He was named the Governors Small Business Accountant of the year. He was listed by Louisville Magazine as one of the city’s 50 Most Powerful People. In 2022 he was listed in Business First as one of Louisville’s 50 most powerful leaders. He is a co-founder and chairman of McIndy Ventures, LLC, a multi-unit restaurant operator, co-founder and chairman of the Bluegrass International Fund, LLC, an EB-5 Regional Center and Skybridge Capital Partners, a private equity partnership. He is a cofounder and director of Soccer Holdings, LLC a professional soccer holding company, that owns Louisville City FC and Racing Louisville FC. He is a former director of Renaissance Health Services Corporation, Delta Dental of Kentucky, Delta Dental of North Carolina, and the Al J. Schneider Co. He is a former member of the US Bank Advisory Board. He is an investor and director of US Worldmeds LLC, and IVS. LLC. He is the managing partner of Mountain River Farms LLC his family farming, timber and mineral partnership.
Mr. Mountjoy is the father of four and grandfather of twelve. He and his wife, Carolyn, live in Louisville. He is an instrument rated pilot and enjoys golf, hunting and travel.
Alice Schleicher
To know Alice, is to know a woman of noble character, deep in her faith and confident in her abilities. Her noble character was built with her family during Sundays attending Atkins Chapel United Methodist Church, where she still is active now. At one time, Alice had hopes of singing for the Billy Graham Crusades, combining her operatic voice with her passion to share her faith. Faith and family would provide the cornerstone to Alice’s future success.
Alice’s family was hardworking, and it was a strong work ethic that gave Alice the confidence to buy a single KFC training restaurant, now part of the YUM! Brands, Inc. In 1977, after her son came home to announce he wanted to buy the restaurant at which he worked, the family farm was used as collateral and Alice became an official franchisee. Not being afraid to work, Alice could be seen frying chicken, cleaning or washing dishes, in the pursuit of success. By 2008, AJS KFC Incorporated owned 55 stores and Alice became the largest minority franchisor for the world wide restaurant. During this time, Alice held various franchisee roles, leading the marketing team for several years and therefore, became a trusted franchisee for the corporate office. It was no surprise Corporate would reach out for Alice’s perspective on new product launches or the latest marketing strategy.
Alice built this success by treating everyone as a valued part of the team and she continues to cultivate that principle today. From day one, Alice displayed a sign in each restaurant that read, “It’s nice to be important but it’s more important to be nice.” And her employees knew she lived the words as her employees are known for their longevity, often measured in decades, not years; something unheard of in the fast food industry. Their longevity is often as a result of the goodness shown to them by Alice, be it an emergency loan for a down payment for housing or assisting with funeral expenses of an employee’s loved one.
While Alice has had great success in her work life, she has suffered immeasurable tragedy in her personal life. Her loss of two sons, both in their prime years, required Alice to rely on her ever important faith. Once again, she used these difficult times to be a testimony to others of her faithfulness even in tragedy.
An often-unknown fact of Alice is her generous philanthropy. Often shunning the limelight, many times her giving is done anonymously. But for the recipient of her gifts, it is only appropriate to recognize the abundant blessings she bestows. The Schleicher name can be found on the Purdue and Ivy Tech campuses. She is most giving to her local community by providing food during COVID for healthcare workers, serving meals at the annual Sellersburg Celebrates luncheon, or supporting her friends. The quiet spirit of giving has made her an enigma to many, which is the way she prefers. However, to some the mysterious benefactor is known only as the “Chicken Lady”.
Alice would be the first to admit walking alongside her in the journey has been her quiet and unassuming husband, Richard, who has provided unwavering support for her many endeavors. Today, her daughter Kimra, is the second generation working in the business and the third generation is spending their time like Alice started, doing whatever needs to be done in the restaurants.
Some might recognize the traits of hard work, generosity, confident, wisdom, testimony and worthy of praise as attributes of “a woman of noble character”, as described in Proverbs 21. Alice is truly shows her faith by her life.