Trey Grayson
Trey Grayson is known as a problem solver and collaborative leader who works with his clients to successfully navigate their government, legal, political, public relations, regulatory, and tax challenges. In addition to his work at FBT, Trey is also a principal in the firm’s public affairs affiliate, CivicPoint.
Prior to joining FBT, Trey served as the president & CEO of the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce for three years. At the Chamber, he worked closely with hundreds of volunteer members to accomplish Chamber and regional priorities and was a recognized leader in workforce and regional collaboration.
From 2011 to June 2014, he served as the director the Institute of Politics (IOP) at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government, where he worked with 19 staff members and more than 400 undergraduate students to administer the IOP's programming. While at Harvard, Trey was known as an expert on the political views of millennials and the role of technology in politics and government. He was also extensively involved on campus and served as a freshman academic adviser and faculty fellow for the men's basketball team.
Prior to his time at Harvard, Trey served as a two-term Secretary of State for the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The youngest secretary of state in the country at the time of his election, Trey was recognized as a national leader in government innovation, business services, election modernization, and civic education and served as served as chair of the Republican Association of Secretaries of States and as president of the National Association of Secretaries of State, the first Kentuckian to hold either position. Trey was known as an effective advocate for the office in the Kentucky General Assembly with several legislative wins, including the successful effort to modernize Kentucky’s partnership, LLC, and corporate laws, in addition to several election modernization bills.
Trey remains engaged in election modernization with his service on the bipartisan Presidential Commission on Election Administration following the 2012 election, and the Commission's subsequent work to implement its recommendations across the country. He also serves as a founding board member of Democracy Works, best known for its innovative voter registration service, TurboVote.
Before entering politics, Trey practiced with the law firms of Greenebaum Doll & McDonald and Keating, Muething & Klekamp in Cincinnati, focusing on estate planning and administration, real estate, tax, and small business representation.
Trey has strong ties to the Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati region and is very active in civic and charitable organizations at the local, state, and national levels. He resides in Boone County, Kentucky, with his wife, Nancy, and their daughters, Alex and Kate.
Highlights & Recognitions
- Venue Magazine, C-Suite Award, 2016
- Eastern Kentucky University, Honorary Doctor of Laws, 2014
- University of Kentucky College of Law, Outstanding Young Professional Award, 2008
- Aspen Institute, Rodel Fellow in Public Leadership, 2005 (inaugural class)
- Cincinnati Business Courier, 40 Under 40, 2005
- Council of State Governments, Toll Fellow, 2004
- Leadership Kentucky, Member, Class of 2002
- Leadership Northern Kentucky, Class of 2000
- Kentucky Association for Academic Competition, Hall of Fame, 2000
FBT Publications
News
- Automatic voter registration in Massachusetts? Former Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson lobbies state Republicans to say yes
- Tweeted threat, lack of civility serious issues
- Rand Paul’s campaign manager talks to the establishment Republican he ambushed in 2010
- Former Secretary of State believes there's still time for special session on pension reform in 2017
- Trey Grayson joins one of Greater Cincinnati's largest law firms
Press Releases
Civic & Charitable Organizations
- ArtsWave, Board member, 2015-present; Member, Sustaining Impact Grant Program Committee, 2016-present
- Democracy Works, Inc., Founding Board Member, 2011-present
- Harvard Alumni Association, Class of 1994 Committee, Member, 1994-present; Co-Chair, Schools Committee of Harvard Club of Cincinnati, 2015-2017; Strengthening Foundations Committee, 2012-15; Admissions Interviewer, 1994-present
- Health Collaborative of Greater Cincinnati, Board Member, 2015-present; Chair, Communications and Development Committee, 2017-present
- Leadership Kentucky, Board Member, 2005-10 and 2015-present
- Kentucky Governor's Scholars Program, Board Member, 1999-present; Vice Chair, 2015-present
- Northern Kentucky Tri-ED, Board Member, 2014-17; Entrepreneurship Committee, member 2014-present
- Transforming Education Kentucky, Board Member, 2015-present
- United Way of Greater Cincinnati, Board of Directors, 2017-present
- University of Arizona National Institute of Civil Discourse, Founding Member, National Advisory Board, chaired by former presidents Bill Clinton and George H. W. Bush, 2011-present; Member, Working Board, and its successor Executive Committee, 2012-present
- University of Kentucky Martin School of Public Administration, Visiting Committee Member, 2013-present
- University of North Carolina Institute of Politics, Founding Member, Senior Advisory Board, 2017-present