Advisor Spotlight: Dawn Coleman and Keith Blakely

Behind every client relationship at Stock Yards Bank Wealth Management & Trust is a team of advisors, and behind those advisors are leaders who hire them, train them and help them grow. In this edition of the Advisors Spotlight, we introduce two of those leaders: Dawn Coleman, Director of Wealth Advisors, and Keith Blakey, CFA, Director of Investment Advisors.

Together, Dawn and Keith bring nearly 30 years of experience at Stock Yards Bank. Both started in client service roles and worked their way up, so they know firsthand what it takes to serve clients well. Today, they share a common mission: building teams that put people first.

Dawn Coleman: Leading with Trust and Heart

Entering her 14th year here at Stock Yards Bank & Trust, Dawn Coleman has built her career by embracing nearly every angle of the business. After her start in retail banking, she moved into Wealth Management as a Client Service Associate, eventually becoming a Wealth Advisor and now serving as Director of Wealth Advisors.

What has kept her in the business for so many years is something that has remained constant throughout her career: relationships. And with Stock Yards Bank’s commitment to the community bank philosophy of client service, it has been the perfect fit.

“The best part of my job has been getting to know clients and understanding what’s important to them,” Dawn says. In her role today, she has the opportunity to bring that same relationship-driven approach to her work with both the Wealth Advisors as well as the Client Service Associates, helping support and develop both teams that serve clients across all stages of their financial lives. Dawn believes the best advice starts with understanding the person behind the numbers. She also believes in investing the time and energy in building a strong team with the right people. “We have a deep bench of talent in Wealth Management, and it just keeps getting stronger.”

Dawn is quick to credit the people around her when recognizing any achievements and successes for the department. “We have such a great team today, and it keeps getting better,” Dawn says. “Our dedicated Managers, internal Specialists, and Team Leads work together with Senior Leadership to provide our Advisors and Associates with the support, education and tools they need to be successful and grow in their roles.”

That perspective is especially valuable in her role as a leader. Asked about the most challenging part of her job, Dawn points to the constant balancing act. “There are always competing priorities—the needs of our clients, our Advisors and Associates, and the department as a whole,” she says. “My goal is to prioritize and stay focused on education, support and solutions while making sure our clients continue to receive the level of service they expect from us.”

On a personal note, family remains at the center of Dawn’s life. She and her husband, Josh, who proudly serves as a Jefferson County Deputy Sheriff, have been married for 22 years and have two children. Their son, Jack, attends the University of Louisville majoring in Kinesiology, while their daughter, Ava, is a high school junior at North Oldham High School whose involvement in marching band keeps the family busy. Summers hold a favorite family tradition of making their annual escape to Isle of Palms, South Carolina.

Dawn’s Italian heritage is also an important part of her life. She loves to spend time with her extended family, particularly over a homemade pot of sauce—“sauce, not gravy,” she is quick to clarify—and inherited an appreciation for a good bourbon from her grandmother, Patricia Campisano, who sadly passed last year.

A Louisville native, Dawn attended Presentation Academy before studying at Xavier University and graduating from Bellarmine University. While her professional life guarantees she has a trust or will in front of her most days, she enjoys mysteries, true crime stories, or watching documentaries she can share with her daughter. So what is at the top of Dawn’s Christmas wish list? “For the family to all be together, happy and healthy,” she says. “And something that sparkles is always nice too!”

Giving back is another important part of Dawn’s life. She serves on the Board of Trustees for St. Joseph’s Children’s Home, a cause that has special meaning to her because her grandfather was raised there as a child. She is also a member of the Estate Planning Council of Louisville, has previously served on the board of the Charitable Gift Planners of Kentuckiana, and participates in family charitable endeavors. Across her career, community involvement and family life, Dawn’s priorities tend to come back to the same place. “People and their families are so important,” she says. And that may be the simplest way to describe what has shaped her career—and what continues to shape the way she leads.

Keith Blakey: Developing the Next Generation

Keith Blakey's 15-year career at Stock Yards Bank is a story of mentorship. He started as a Client Service Associate and moved into an Operations Specialist role. When a long-tenured Investment Officer announced her retirement, Keith spent a year working alongside her to learn the ropes, then took over some of her accounts when she retired. He grew into the Investment Advisor role and was eventually promoted to Director of Investment Advisors, where he now leads a team of 25.

Having walked that path himself, Keith says the best part of his job is "helping to develop the next generation of investment advisors." The hardest part is the people side of leadership. "Each person is motivated by something different," he says. "Learning that is the key."

Clients can feel confident in the advisors they meet. "We put a lot of time and resources into screening, interviewing and onboarding new staff," Keith explains. New advisors need a strong foundation before working with clients, a command of the bank's systems and the right personality for the role. As an advisor himself, Keith believes that behind every portfolio and plan is a person, and when you put the person first, everything else falls into place.

Keith is a Chartered Financial Analyst® and has served on the Board of the CFA Society of Louisville for seven years, including as President (2024–2025) and now as Treasurer. His advice is simple: find a mentor who challenges you. Professionally, his is Shannon Budnick. Personally, he applies the same idea on the golf course, playing with people better than he is so he can improve.

Golf is a true passion. As a boy, Keith dreamed of playing Major League Baseball, but these days you'll find him in tournaments at South Park Country Club. His favorite movie, fittingly, is Tin Cup, and he's building a home golf simulator. His Christmas list? More accessories for it.

A Louisville native, Keith graduated from Saint Xavier High School and earned his degree magna cum laude from the University of Louisville, though he remains a loyal UK fan. He and his wife, Kimberly, are committed supporters of Catholic education in Louisville. They have two young daughters, Kassie and Kelsey, and recently returned from a family trip to Disney World. Closer to home, the family's go-to spot is their local Mexican restaurant.

A Shared Vision for the Future

Ask Dawn and Keith about the future of Stock Yards Bank Wealth Management & Trust, and their answers sound remarkably alike. Dawn calls it "strong, optimistic and exciting," with a continued focus on client relationships and service. Keith says that as the bank grows, its staff will grow with it. That keeps the client-to-advisor ratio the same, so every client continues to receive one-on-one advice.

Growth, in other words, will never come at the expense of the personal relationships that define Stock Yards Bank. With leaders like Dawn and Keith, our clients are in very good hands.

We provide the information in this newsletter for general guidance only. It does not constitute the provision of legal advice, tax advice, accounting services, investment advice, or professional consulting of any kind. The information provided herein should not be used as a substitute for consultation with professional tax, accounting, investment, legal, or other competent advisers. Before making any decision or taking any action, you should consult a professional adviser who has been provided with all pertinent facts relevant to your particular situation. The information is provided “as is,” with no assurance or guarantee of completeness, accuracy, or timeliness of the information, and without warranty of any kind, expressed or implied, including but not limited to warranties of performance, merchantability, and fitness for a particular purpose.

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