Bruce Lunsford, Kentucky politician and businessman, dies at 78

By: Jack Brammer

Outlets: Kentucky Lantern

Published: September 9, 2026

Words: 526

Last Updated: 2 weeks, 4 days ago

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Bruce Lunsford, who founded Fortune 500 healthcare company Vencor, served as Gov. John Y. Brown Jr.’s commerce secretary and ran unsuccessfully twice for governor of Kentucky and once for U.S. Senate, died Sept. 5 in Louisville. He was 78.

“Bruce was a visionary,” said former House speaker and attorney general Greg Stumbo, who ran for lieutenant governor on Lunsford’s 2007 bid for governor.

“He was a businessman, very ambitious. You couldn’t find …

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