director & staff biographies

Harold is a graduate of Murray High School, Murray State University, and the University of Kentucky, College of Law. He is a member of Phi Kappa Alpha Fraternity and joined while an undergraduate student at Murray State University. He is a member of Phi Delta Phi International Legal Fraternity and joined while a law student at the University of Kentucky. He became licensed to practice law in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, as well as, licensed to practice law in the Western District of Kentucky, Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court of the United States. He currently practices law in a private practice located in his hometown of Murray.

Harold has long since been involved with associations of the Murray Community and surrounding area of Calloway County. He has served on the Murray Planning Commission where he was Secretary and Chairman, the Board of Directors of the Murray-Calloway County Hospital where he served as Chairman of the Board for three years, and he has served on the Board of Directors and as Regional Vice President for Western Kentucky for the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce. Harold is also a Rotarian and has been for over 30 years where he has served as Secretary, Treasurer, and President of the Murray Rotary Club and he is a Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary International. 

The Murray-Calloway County Community Foundation holds a deep place in his heart because it’s an organization that helps build legacies and a future for the community in which he has grown up in and loves.  He is one of the original founders of the Murray-Calloway County Community Foundation which originated in 2010 and he has served on the Board of Directors of the Murray-Calloway County Community Foundation and as its President since its inception.

Harold and his wife, Kathey Kelly Hurt, live on a family farm in Murray. He has one daughter, Catherine H. Lane and two grandsons, Clayton Lane and Andrew Lane. He is a member of Elm Grove Baptist Church, where he serves as a Trustee. 

Zach joined the Murray-Calloway County Community Foundation in 2015 and currently serves as the Vice President on the Board of Directors. 

“Because of a connection through work I gained an appreciation and understanding of the mission for the local Community Foundation and proactively sought out Harold to join in.  I love the ability to help local nonprofits think and plan for tomorrow and show them how proper planning can make their future more certain and potentially less stressful.” 

Zach is a 2003 Graduate of Murray State University with a BS in Economics and again in 2010 with his Master’s of Business Administration.  He has worked for US Bank in various capacities since 2004 and moved back to Murray in 2012 when he had the opportunity to serve as the Market President & Commercial Relationship Manager for the Murray/Calloway County Market.  He is the father of two girls Emilia and Ruby and married to his wife Lauren since 2006.  He is a part time adjunct faculty member in the Economics and Finance Department at Murray State University where he teaches Personal Finance at night.  He also serves as the Church Treasurer for First Baptist Church of Murray where he and his family all attend. 

Matt Hale is a Graves County native graduating from Murray State University in 1989 with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. With over 25 years experience Matt has developed extensive experience in a variety of fields. Currently Matt practices as a Partner with Alexander Thompson Arnold PLLC (ATA). He is affiliated with both the Kentucky Society of Certified Public Accountants and the American institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Matt is always looking for areas to serve his community. Here are some of his past and present roles:

-Murray Rotary Club
-Murray Calloway Community Foundation Treasurer
-West KY Community Foundation- Investment Committee
-Past President and Treasurer – New Pathways for Children
-Past President and Treasurer-Murray Calloway County Library
-Past Deacon and Treasurer University Church of Christ

When Matt isn't spending time with his wife Janie or his two children, Tabitha and Hastings, he enjoys traveling, doing yard work, and riding his motorcycle.

Linda Avery was elected Calloway Circuit Court Clerk in November, 2006, and began her term of office January 1, 2007. Currently she is the Secretary of the Kentucky Association of Circuit Court Clerks. Additionally, she serves on the KACCC’s Trust for Life Board of Directors and was President of that Board from 2011 - 2015.

Linda was valedictorian of her graduating class at Calloway County High School. She has attended Murray State University. She worked as a paralegal for 26 years prior to being elected to office. She is the daughter of the late C. R. and Rebecca Avery.

Since taking office Ms. Avery has spoken to a variety of groups and organizations including presenting training materials at statewide training for circuit court clerks and speaking at the Victim’s Advocate conference in 2010.

Avery currently serves as Treasurer of the Murray-Calloway County Crimestoppers. She is also a member of the Murray Lions Club. She has served as First Vice President and President of the Murray Lions Club. She is a member of Westside Baptist Church where she is Director of the AWANA Sparks Club and Sunday School teacher of Kindergarten girls.. Additionally, Linda is a member and past president of the Calloway Character Counts Coalition.

Ms. Avery has attained her Certified Professional Secretary rating. She has been selected as Murray’s Secretary of the Year and as Outstanding Young Business Woman. 

Aaron is a Vice President of Commercial Lending with Community Financial Services Bank (CFSB) in Calloway County. He has been involved with the nonprofit community for 10 years in executive roles at United Way and the Chamber of Commerce. He helped United Way become the Community Foundation’s first nonprofit endowment during its formative years in 2011. Aaron attended Harvard Business School’s Executive Education program and has a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Duke University. He earned his M.B.A. and B.S. from Murray State University. Aaron is married to his college sweetheart, Annie, and have one son, Parks. They all love living in historic downtown Murray KY.

Aaron says "I am involved with the MCCCF because of its unique ability to provide long term sustainable resources for nonprofits and individuals to make an impact on their missions. The CF is a legacy tool for nonprofit boards, their staff, and donors to stretch their impact across generations.”

Community Involvement
-Appointed by Governor Matt Bevin to the Prosecutor’s Advisory Council for the Commonwealth of Kentucky
-Former board chair of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Executives
-Founding member of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library for Murray-Calloway County
-Founding member of Young Professionals of Murray
-Joined the MCCCF board of directors in 2018
-Member of Murray Rotary Club 

Gina Shipley Winchester is Deputy Judge Executive for Calloway County. As a native of Murray, Kentucky, she attended Murray High School and Murray State University. She holds a BS degree in Business Administration and a Master’s in Organizational Communication. Her career related experience involves work in higher education, government, and nonprofit organizations. She has served in roles of recruitment, fundraising, alumni relations, development, consulting, customer service, teaching, career counseling, grant making and regional outreach. She has served on numerous nonprofit boards at the state and county level including Leadership Kentucky, United Way, American Heart Association, West KY Regional Chamber Alliance, West KY Workforce Development Board, Murray State University Board of Regents, Murray Independent School Board, and Soup for the Soul.

Her passion is traveling, mission work, and community service. She is married to Donnie Winchester and has two children, Amanda and John Ryne. Her desire to serve on the Murray Calloway Community Foundation stems from her work as the Executive Director of Regional Outreach at Murray State University. “As a result of a grant opportunity from the Kellogg Foundation secured in 2008, a Transfer of Wealth Study was conducted for the region and later for the state. This research showed that the best way to capture that transfer of wealth was through an established a community foundation. I was so pleased to see this community embrace this concept and put forth the efforts to create the opportunity for the citizens of Calloway County. I am honored to be asked to serve on this Board and will do my best to support and promote it.”

Brian Overbey, a Murray native, has lived in Murray most of his life. Brian and his wife, Lee, love Murray and the wonderful people that make this community great, but they had made plans to experience life outside of Murray after completing college.  Brian had a job already secured in Louisville, KY prior to completing his education at Murray State University in 2005.  The time away from home was a very beneficial experience as it allowed them to grow and appreciate more what an excellent community Murray is.  “Lee and I knew we wanted to come back home to Murray and raise our family in this safe, friendly town, and enjoy time building memories with our family. This place is very special to us as we started our relationship at the age of fifteen here when we met at a Freedom Fest Concert at MSU’s Roy Stewart Stadium.  We un-expectantly met that night and have been together ever since.  We are now blessed with three beautiful children after fifteen years of marriage.” The call to come back home came much sooner than they had planned as Heritage Bank (now First Financial Bank) called and offered a great position just a short time after they purchased a home in Louisville.

Brian currently works as Vice President Commercial Lender at First Financial Bank.  He is very active in many organizations in the community.  He serves as a Deacon at the University Church of Christ, Treasurer for United Way, Board Member on the Murray Calloway Community Foundation, Board Member on Life House Care Center, Treasurer for Friendship Cemetery Board, a participant in the 2017-18 Leadership Murray Class with the Chamber of Commerce, and member of the Young Professionals of Murray. In his spare time, Brian enjoys spending time playing sports with his children and being with family and friends on Kentucky Lake. 

Brian Overbey joined the Murray Calloway Community Foundation Board in November 2012. When asked the question, why are you involved with MCCCF?  His response was this, “I was encouraged to serve on the community foundation because I quickly saw the value of the immeasurable impact that foundations can have on a community due to the power of endowments that will continue to positively impact the community I love for many years after I am gone.  I serve on many boards and organizations and they all share one continued concern.  How are we going to accomplish our goal and where is the funding going to come from?  What I like about the Community Foundation is that they have worked very hard to answer to address that funding concern that all non-profits worry about.  The endowments will not replace non-profit fund raising immediately but over time, it will allow them to have support funds and continue to grow in perpetuity to where the endowment distributions could fully support the funding needed for area non-profits year after year. This is what motivated me.  I wanted to be a part of something very special that is much bigger than my efforts alone and will improve the lives of people in this community forever.  God has blessed me in so many ways and my hope is to be a blessing to others as I work to serve Him.”   

Gary completed his undergraduate degree at Rochester Institute of Technology and received his MBA and PhD in Business Administration at the University of Arkansas.  Mr. Brockway spent most of his career (35 years) at Murray State University serving as Associate Professor and Full Professor of Marketing and served as Chair of the Department of Management and Marketing.   He also spent 12 years as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.  Mr. Brockway retired from Murray State in 2010. 

While living in Murray, Mr. Brockway have been active in several community organizations including serving as President of the Chamber of Commerce, serving as Chair of the Board of Main Street Murray, serving on various committees of the Murray Rotary Club, assisting the Playhouse in the Park and various other community activities.  He has enjoyed serving on the Board of the Community Foundation and has learned much about the generosity of our citizens and pride in our community. 

Gale is a native of Murray, KY, and a graduate of Calloway County High School and Murray State University. As a licensed social worker, she spent over 30 years working with families and children. Gale currently work as a real estate agent with Kopperud Realty. Her personal communication skills and problem-solving techniques have proven to be invaluable tools in serving clients in real estate. Gale genuinely love the Murray area and considers herself blessed to have worked with and for her community in leadership roles in the Murray Chamber of Commerce and Regional Chamber Alliance, Murray State University, First United Methodist Church, and numerous service agencies in the community. Gale says she treasure the opportunity to meet newcomers to the area, and to strengthen relationships with family and friends.

Dr. Peg Pittman-Munke is the director of the undergraduate social work program at Murray State University at all six of their campuses, she serves on the Murray Human Rights Commission, is board chair for LivWell in Paducah [regional HIV/AIDS agency], is the editor for the journal Contemporary Rural Social Work, is the national Rural Social Work Caucus President, is vice president for the Kentucky AAUP State Conference, is secretary for COSFL and former president  [Coalition of Faculty Senate Leadership]. Former BPD President and current treasurer [national organization for undergraduate social work program directors], former state ACLU board member, former state CASA board member, former president of local CASA Board, former president of Gentry House board, and received the BPD Lifetime Achievement Award for contributions to Baccalaureate Social Work Education. She is also a member of Women of Numbers.  

Peg Pittman-Munke, PhD, MSW

Social Work Program Director

Murray State University

Jeremy is the Managing Member and attorney at Pruitt Law, PLLC in Murray, Kentucky. He was born and raised in Murray, Calloway County, Kentucky. He attended and graduated from Calloway County High School and Murray State University.  Jeremy attended Salmon P. Chase College of Law at Northern Kentucky University where he obtained his Juris Doctor degree. Jeremy is licensed to practice law in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. He is a Member of the Kentucky Bar Association, Kentucky Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and Calloway County Bar Association. Jeremy served as President of the Calloway County Bar Association from 2018 to 2022. His law practice focuses in the areas of Civil Litigation, Criminal Defense, Personal Injury and Business Law. Jeremy serves as general counsel to several local large and small businesses. He was selected to 2024 Kentucky Rising Stars by Super Lawyers, part of Thomson Reuters.

Jeremy is passionate about the Community Foundation’s mission to connect charitable investors wanting to leave a legacy with nonprofit organizations in the Murray-Calloway County community to ensure those organizations have a self-sustaining income for years to come.

Jeremy is married to his wife, Laiken, and they have three children, Luke, Charlotte and Edie. Jeremy, Laiken, Luke, Charlotte and Edie reside in Murray, Kentucky. When not in meetings or in the court room, Jeremy can be found enjoying many activities with his family on their farm or at a motocross track with his family riding dirt bikes and watching his children race.

Paul McCreary joined the Muray Calloway County Community Foundation in 2013.He is originally from Coral Gables, Florida where he played on a national championship team in 1964, He relocated to Murray in 2013 after a very successful career in supply chain and logistics where he designed and implementedsignificant supply chain solutions for companies such as John Deere, Caterpillar, Club Car, GE Appliance, Amana and GM truck. He founded a logistics company where it grew from $0 to $343 million, managed all of John Deere’s domestic transportation.

Upon arriving in Murray in he became quickly involved in several community organizations summarized below:

• Murray State football 1966-67 • Murray Lions Clubo Past Presidento Lion of the Yearo Board membero Foundation President• Woodmen of the World Community Leadership Award (2017)• Murray Main Street o Board membero Treasurer• Murray - Calloway County United Way o Board membero Vice Presidento President• Founding member, Racer Football Alumni Association (501(c)3)o Secretary Treasurer• Sigma Chio Significant Sig 2021o Epsilon Tau Housing Management (Housing Corp)▪ Treasurer

Mr. Tony Watkins is a graduate of Georgetown College with a degree in Theology and is an ordained minister. He was a Combat Medic in the Army and received the Expert Medical Badge in 1974. He is a recipient of the Kentucky Oak Leaf Cluster for Achievement.  He was a member and officer of the Phi Kappa Tau Fraternity and was President of the Inter-fraternity Council while at Georgetown.  He was recently appointed as a Commissioner for Endow Kentucky and was awarded the prestigious Commonwealth Award for his contribution to philanthropy in 2013.

Tony has been a Fundraising Consultant for nonprofit organizations since 1983 raising more than $400 million for such clients as Baylor University, Phoenix Christian School System, Wayland Baptist University, Focus on the Family, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Baptist Healthcare Systems, Mercy Healthcare Systems, Providence Homes, Floyd Memorial Regional Hospital, Buckner Children’s Home, Diocese of Southern Ohio, Diocese of Minnesota, Diocese of Upper South Carolina, numerous social service agencies and hundreds of congregations.

Tony Watkins has been the Chief Executive Officer of the Community Foundation of West Kentucky, Inc. since 2002 and has led its tremendous growth both in assets and grant disbursement.  Tony is married and has three children and one grandson.