June 11, 2025. Louisville, KY. – Louisville attorney Louis I. Waterman will Chair the 2026 Kentucky Derby Festival. Waterman, who has served on the Board for 29 years, was elected by the Festival’s Board of Directors at its annual meeting this afternoon. Waterman is a member of Goldberg Simpson, LLC, and is a leading family law attorney in Kentucky. He is a former Judge of Jefferson Circuit Court, Family Division Four. He follows the leadership of Alfonso N. “Al” Cornish, who will continue serving as Immediate Past Chair of the Derby Festival.
“I am filled with Kentucky Derby Festival pride and wonder,” Waterman said. “I am both excited and nervous about having a more impactful role in bringing the Festival to the community. Seeing the smiles that are made, the awe that is inspired, the city coming together in celebration, and the opportunity for all of us to forget about our worries for a couple of hours or weeks each Spring is priceless!”
Waterman, a Louisville native, is a graduate of the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law, a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Attorneys, and certified in Family Law by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. He is a past President of the Kentucky Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. Waterman is also an influential civic activist, having served on numerous Louisville Boards. He was elected to the Derby Festival Board in 1996 and has been a member of the Executive Board since 2020. He was elected as treasurer in 2023. He has served on various committees and Derby Festival events and programs, including Pegasus Pins, Thunder Over Louisville, Zoeller Pump Company Pegasus Parade, GE Appliances miniMarathon and Marathon, Samtec Great Bed Races, L&N Federal Credit Union Great BalloonFest, Administrative/Governance, Audit, New Event/Review, Finance, Nominating, President/CEO and more. He and his wife, Leah Waterman, reside in Louisville and have four children and three grandchildren.
Matt Gibson serves as President & CEO of the Derby Festival. Bill Fisher, President of Omega Consulting, LLC, was elected Chair-Elect; Les Fugate, VP Director, Public Affairs, U.S. State and Local, Canada, & Latin America of Brown-Forman was elected Vice-Chair; Rebecca Wood, Chief Growth Officer of East & Westbrook Construction was elected Secretary; and Mike Gandolfo, Owner & Principal Broker of RE Solutions, was named Treasurer.
Joining the 75-member Board as newly elected directors are: Brian Atcher (Papa John’s International); Rick Blackwell (DeSales High School); Robert Frank (Stock Yards Bank); Dr. Swanee Jett (Park DuValle Community Health Centers); Bill Lamb (WDRB); Michael Sadofsky (Derby Festival Parade Chair); Kayla Williams (K + Tax Service); Nicole Yates (Passport by Molina Healthcare); and Shannon Adkins, who is the 2026 President of The Fillies, Inc.
Dates for some of the Festival’s signature events are already set for 2026 and can be found on the Festival’s website at KDF.org.
