PIKEVILLE, Ky. (WYMT) - Shaping Our Appalachian Region (SOAR) has a new executive director.

SOAR officials tell WYMT retired Pike County school superintendent Reed Adkins will become the third executive director to lead the organization.

After five years, Colby Hall is leaving to become director of regional economic development with Craft Philanthropy.

Adkins recently filed to run for judge-executive in Pike County but is withdrawing his name for consideration.

SOAR is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization created in 2013 and born from the economic fallout of the coal industry.

It’s mission today is to solve the deep-seated issues of population retention and growth in eastern Kentucky.

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