HOPKINSVILLE, KY – A former City of Hopkinsville employee has rejoined the staff to take on a newly created role. Chris Jung, who last worked for the city in 2021, started Aug. 28 as the city’s Public Information Officer (PIO), a position that was created under the purview of Mayor J.R. Knight.
Jung will work universally with all city departments, agencies, directors/superintendents, and Hopkinsville City Council to effectively, efficiently and appropriately gather facts for distribution and ensure cohesiveness and consistency across the board.
“Chris has been a positive advocate for our city for some time and brings a wealth of knowledge, experience and enthusiasm to our team,” said Knight. “We are excited about the additional support the PIO position will provide and have no doubt that Chris’ skill set will effectively set the tone for the job.”
Additionally, Jung’s position will produce printed and video material about the city, be responsible for organizing special events such as news conferences and awards ceremonies, improve upon department transparency, promote a positive public image, provide essential information during a crisis, and enhance the brand of the city through consistent social media utilization, among other tasks.
“This position is vital for an array of reasons but will be especially essential as it pertains to increasing and improving internal and external communications, as well as working closely with city council to strengthen the reach of updates and messaging,” added City Administrator Troy Body.
Jung, who most recently served as the director of marketing and community relations at Jennie Stuart Health, and previously as the city’s marketing and events coordinator from 2018-2021, has lived in Hopkinsville for nearly a decade and brings many years of communications experience to the role.
During his first stint with the City of Hopkinsville, Jung worked to launch the Planters Bank-Jennie Stuart Sportsplex, was instrumental in the promotion and inception of Hopkinsville Parks and Recreation events like Hoptown Half Marathon and Hoptown Hose Down, and even assisted the administration with video updates and information distribution during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A graduate of Murray State University, Jung is married to Brooke Jung, who has served as the Hopkinsville Convention and Visitors Bureau executive director since 2018.
“I have a servant’s heart and a love for this community, so having the chance to come ‘home’ and return to Hopkinsville local government is a wonderful opportunity,” Jung shared. “I look forward to disseminating timely, transparent information, telling the stories of the city employees, collaborating with the tremendous members of Team Hopkinsville, and proudly serving the citizens of our town.”