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Bill Singleton, retired former owner and longtime leader of Lumber King, has received the J.C. & Azalie Egnew Lifetime Achievement Award from the McCreary County Heritage Foundation, recognizing a lifetime of contributions to business, economic development and community service in McCreary County and throughout southeastern Kentucky.
Singleton received the award during an event in Whitley City. His extensive contributions were highlighted during the program by Chris Girdler, who represented Kentucky’s 15th District in the State Senate from 2013 to 2017.
A native of Knoxville, Tennessee, Singleton was the first member of his family to attend college, earning a degree in business administration with a major in accounting from the University of Tennessee. He began his career in public accounting and earned his certification as a certified public accountant before joining Stearns Coal & Lumber Company.
Singleton’s connection to the region deepened in 1981, when he and two business partners purchased the Kentucky & Tennessee Railway, Lumber King Inc. and the remaining real estate assets of Stearns Coal & Lumber Company. He and his wife, Mary, subsequently made Stearns their home.
Over the decades that followed, Singleton helped guide Lumber King through significant growth and transition. He joined Evan Tindle and Dwayne King in forming Railum Inc., which eventually merged into Lumber King. As part of that evolution, the company established an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP), initially providing employees with majority ownership. Lumber King ultimately became 100% employee-owned through its ESOP in 2020.
“Bill’s career is a remarkable example of what independent business leadership can mean to a community,” says Drew Banyas, regional sales manager for Do it Best Group. “His influence reaches well beyond the growth and success of Lumber King. Bill has invested decades in creating opportunities for employees, supporting economic development and strengthening the communities Lumber King serves. This recognition is a fitting tribute to a leader whose impact will continue to be felt for generations.”
Singleton’s business career has been matched by a longstanding commitment to regional economic development. He joined the Kentucky Highlands Investment Corporation board of directors in 1976 and has served as its chairman for more than two decades. The organization works to improve quality of life and expand economic opportunity by supporting entrepreneurs and small businesses throughout its 22-county service area in southeastern Kentucky.
He also serves as vice chairman of Highlands Housing Corporation, which works to provide safe, quality and affordable housing throughout the region. The organization has built more than 200 homes, including 20 Extreme Build homes in McCreary County.
Singleton’s civic service has included leadership positions with the local Chamber of Commerce, Kentucky State Chamber, Lake Cumberland Area Development District and Kentucky Lumber and Building Materials Dealers Association, where he served as both a board member and president. He has also served on the McCreary County Industrial Development Authority.
His contributions to McCreary County have extended beyond business. In the early 1980s, as coal operations declined, Singleton and his business partners helped develop the Big South Fork Scenic Railway, constructing open-air passenger cars and helping preserve an important piece of the region’s railroad heritage while supporting the emerging tourism economy. He and Mary also joined other community leaders in establishing McCreary County’s first AFS International foreign exchange program, creating new cultural and travel opportunities for local students.
The J.C. & Azalie Egnew Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes Singleton’s nearly five decades of work to strengthen businesses, expand opportunity and improve the quality of life for families throughout southeastern Kentucky.
