Governor Martha Layne Collins in Mayfield on February 27, 2017 addressing local officials.

Governor Martha Layne Collins spoke to local officials at the monthly Purchase Area Development District meeting on February 27, 2017. Collins became the new Foundation Executive-in-Residence at Baptist Hospital Paducah Baptist Health Foundation Paducah. She is often in western Kentucky working on the hospital's development activities and fundraising.

Collins is the only woman to serve as Kentucky's governor from 1983-1987. Collins could not run for that office because gubernatorial succession was not yet law.

Governor Collins told local officials that "this part of the state has really good health care."

She said that in her experience that economic development executives are very interested in health care facilities when they research a site. Questions include - do you have a healthy citizenry and is there a workforce that is able to come to work.

The Governor is credited for bringing Toyota Motor Manufacturing to Georgetown Kentucky. Toyota is still in Georgetown, employing over 7000. Over 10 million cars have rolled off the lines since the facility opened in 1988.