1996 Hall of Fame Inductee Wendell Cherry Class of 1959

Wendell Cherry, co-founder of Humana Inc. served for 30 years as the company’s president and chief operating officer prior to his death in 1989. 

Cherry was born in Warren County, Kentucky on September 25, 1935.  Cherry earned both his bachelor’s and law degrees from the University of Kentucky, graduating first in his law school class in 1959l.  While at the College of Law, he was editor-in-chief of the Kentucky Law Journal. 

In 1959, he joined the Louisville law firm of Wyatt, Grafton & Sloss and began teaching economics at the University of Louisville. The following year he met David Jones, who would become his partner in business and civic activities throughout the remainder of his life. 

Cherry was also co-owner and president of the Kentucky Colonels team in the American Basketball Association and served as the Association’s president. As a result of his many business and civic successes, he was chosen as one of America’ 10 Outstanding Young Men of 1970 by the U.S. Jaycees. 

Wendell Cherry was considered one of the first fathers of fundraising at the UK College of Law, now the UK J. David Rosenberg College of Law. Through his major matching-gift challenge, three endowed professorships were established that included: the Dorothy Salmon Endowed Professorship, the William T. Lafferty Endowed Professorship, and the H. Wendell Cherry Endowed Professorship.