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Mr. Raymond B. Preston


Mr. Raymond B. Preston

Raymond B. Preston is the founder of PB & S Chemcial which became the 10th largest chemical distributor in the United States. Although he sold the company to a West German firm in 1989, he remains a member of the board of directors. The Johnson County native graduated from Western in 1940. He worked with the DuPont Company for two years before joining the Navy and serving during World War II. After a stint with Allied Chemical, Preston founded PB & S Chemical in Henderson, KY. He is the past president of the National Association of Chemical Distributors, Southeastern Chemical Distributors, Henderson Chamber of Commerce and Henderson Country Club; past member of the Henderson Community College Board of Trustees and Community Methodist Hospital Board of Directors, and served as chairman of the Henderson City County Air Board for 26 years. 

Preston has been active at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, having served as chairman of the Building and Calling committees and as senior warden. He is board chairman of Ohio Valley National Bank and Adams Street Development Corp., on the board of directors for the Louisville Orchestra and WNIN-TV, a public television station, and a member of the WKU Board of Regents and the Henderson County Foundation for Educational Excellence. Past honors include being named Distributor of the Year by the National Association of Chemical Distributors and Boss of the Year by the Aydubon Chapter, National Secretaries Association. Preston and his wife, Hattie, met while they were both attending Western and were married two years later. In honor of their 50th anniversary, the Prestons and Preston family Foundation made the largest single gift ever made to WKU, enabling construction to begin on the $10 million Raymond B. Preston Health & Activities Center. In making the gift, Preston said: "We could think of nothing better than to return something to Western on our 50th wedding anniversary. The things we learned here have served us well."


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 Last Modified 7/1/19