Jerry W. McCandless lives in Campbellsburg, Kentucky. He served in the United States Marine Corps as a sergeant and in theatre during the Korean War. Jerry holds a BS degree from Grove City College in Grove City, Pennsylvania. He also has an honorary Doctorate from Lindsey Wilson College in Columbia, Kentucky.
Dr. McCandless has worked in the chemical industry since 1960. His work with the EPA positioned him for his future career. In 1986, he founded and served as president of Evergreen Environmental Inc. This company was formed to fill a niche created by sweeping legislation of new environmental regulations. In 2004, he created and served as CFO of American Enviro-Services. Jerry was a finalist for the Entrepreneur of the Year Award presented by Inc. Magazine for 1990, ’91, ’92, and ’93. He chaired the Environmental Committee for the Louisville/Jefferson County Redevelopment Authority when a naval weapons facility was being closed, and the city/county government was converting these facilities to other uses.
Jerry has also been inducted into the Kentucky Veterans Hall of Fame and now serves on the Board of Directors of the KVHOF.
Jerry’s heart lies in the volunteer work. One of the leading organizations he works with is Lindsey Wilson College, where he has served on the board of trustees for 28 years. He says, “I have a passion for Lindsey Wilson because their commitment is to students in need, and my passion is the children of the world who have no true advocates.” To that end, he and his wife, Kendrick, started a foundation in the mid-1990s. The Evergreen Charitable Foundation provides for orphans and people experiencing homelessness in Romania. They have built and currently manage two orphanages in eastern Romania. They are currently serving hundreds of children funded entirely through the foundation. Jerry’s former company, Evergreen Environmental, provides 70 percent of the funding for these orphanages. Jerry and his wife consider all these orphans to be 60 extra grandchildren. Jerry is a member of Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, where he serves as an usher and communion steward. He quotes a scripture that says, “Happy is the man whose quiver is full.” He says they are ecstatic. McCandless says that anything good that happens in his life is because of Christ in his life.