(Nashville, TN) – Roger Baird, President of Harp Enterprises in Lexington, Kentucky, was named by the Printing Industry Association of the South, Inc. (PIAS) as their 2025 Person of the Year. This honor was bestowed at a banquet held on June 10, 2025 during the PIAS Annual Convention at the Signia by Hilton in Orlando, Florida.

Roger Baird is a dedicated leader, entrepreneur, and community advocate whose career has been marked by perseverance, integrity, and service. Born in Tennessee and raised in Carroll County, Kentucky, Roger enrolled at the University of Kentucky in 1971, majoring in general studies. His time at UK laid the foundation for many of the lifelong friendships and values that would shape his life and career.

Roger began his professional journey in banking and consumer finance in 1976. In 1983, a chance moment at a UK football game led him to Harp Enterprises, a Lexington-based ballot printing company. He joined the team that fall as a voting machine technician. Over the years, Roger’s leadership and commitment to service propelled him through the ranks—he became a major shareholder and President in 1999 and achieved a full buyout of the company in 2014. Today, Harp Enterprises is a leading provider of federally certified electronic voting systems, serving over 130 counties in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Indiana.

In 2007, Roger acquired Software Management LLC in Louisville, expanding his leadership into the land records and technology space. The company provides software to 90 Kentucky counties for managing and accessing deeds, mortgages, and land records in County Clerk offices—empowering communities with efficient, reliable tools for property documentation and public access.

Roger has built a reputation on great service and principled leadership, creating a lasting legacy in both business and community. He is a lifelong member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity and the University of Kentucky Alumni Association, and he has served on the board at UK’s Spindletop Hall. He is also a proud member of the UK Fellows Society, the Blue Grass Council of the Boy Scouts of America, and the Lexington Rotary Club. A diehard UK sports fan, Roger rarely misses a football or basketball game and can always be found cheering on the Wildcats.

In 2017 he joined the PIAS Board of Directors, later serving as Chairman from 2023 to 2024.

Since moving to Carlisle, Kentucky, in the early 1980s, Roger has served for more than 40 years on the board of his lake community—a place that holds countless memories for his family. He’s also known to play an occasional round of golf and is the kind of friend who still picks up the phone just to check in.

But Roger’s proudest legacy is his family. He is married to the former Anne Skees, a retired kindergarten teacher who shares his love for people and community. Together they have two children and six grandchildren—Ethan, Parker, Lydia, Rhys, Chloe, and Shepard — who affectionately call him “Granddads.” Roger lights up when he’s with his grandkids, whether he’s telling stories, cheering them on, or simply enjoying time at the lake. His role as Granddad is one he treasures deeply.

Roger was honored not just for his many accomplishments, but for the character, warmth, and dedication he brings to everything he does.

The PIAS Person of the Year is chosen for service to the printing industry, community and betterment of the graphic arts industry as a whole.