A Caneyville native’s business has been bestowed the Kentucky Pacesetter Award by the Kentucky Small Business Development Center (SBDC).
Leslie McCauley, originally from Caneyville, and her husband Jesse are third generation owners of McCauley Egg Company, a 72-year-old company based in Mt. Vernon in Rockcastle County. The company specializes in wholesale and retail production and distribution of farm-fresh, high-quality eggs throughout Kentucky.
“The Kentucky Pacesetter Award recognizes high-performing traditional, startup, and legacy small businesses that are producing innovative products, increasing sales, creating jobs and serving communities of the commonwealth,” according to Southeast Kentucky Economic Development Corporation (SKEDC).
“We (McCauley Egg Company) are honored to be selected as a recipient of the SBDC Pacesetter Award,” Jesse McCauley said. “Our business has been the backbone of our family since 1954, and we are grateful to continue its legacy and for our efforts to be recognized by the SBDC.”
The couple received the prestigious award at the Central Bank Center in Lexington on Wednesday.
The company was started by Jesse’s grandfather, David McCauley, Sr., in 1954. When he retired, his son and Jesse’s father, David McCauley, Jr., took over and continued to build on the solid foundation his father had laid. When Jesse’s father decided to retire, he and Leslie knew it was their turn to take on the family legacy.
“McCauley Egg Company is all I’ve ever known,” Jesse told the SKEDC. “It has always been at the forefront of our entire McCauley Family. The business raised my dad and his siblings and put food on the table for me and my siblings. I wanted that for my family. I wanted to put my mark on the long-standing business.”
Leslie, who has a background in sales and marketing, is working to build the company’s customer base and establish strategic partnerships. She’s already brought the company into the digital era with a fully functional website and active social media pages.
“I never imagined we would be where we are today. My husband and I can work side-by-side while raising our son,” Leslie told SKEDC. “McCauley Egg Company is so much more than a business; it is a family gem. I’m grateful that our son and future children will be able to see it last (hopefully) another 70 years.”
By Ken Howlett, News Director and Southeast Kentucky Economic Development Corporation
