LION Group Inc.'s V-Force turnout gear, designed for firefighters, was announced as the winner of the Kentucky Association of Manufacturers' "KAM 2025 Coolest Thing Made in Kentucky Tournament." This tournament was sponsored by Kentucky Farm Bureau Insurance and featured more than 320,000 votes over two months. The V-Force turnout gear defeated the Texas Roadhouse Mini Rolls, made by T. Marzetti Company in Horse Cave, Kentucky, by a 57% to 43% margin in the final round.
Steve Schwartz, CEO and fourth-generation family owner of LION Group, commented, “Since 1957, Kentuckians have been sewing and distributing LION’s high-performance uniforms and protective garments to first responders around the world. But our history is not just about nearly 70 years of sewing products in Kentucky; it’s about the dedication, passion, creativity, and hard work of our more than 600 Kentucky-based manufacturing team members. They hand-sew each set of V-Force turnout gear we ship to firefighters that protects them in extreme conditions so they can protect their communities. Knowing that what they create is cherished and celebrated as the 2025 Coolest Thing Made in Kentucky fills all of our hearts with immense pride.”
Now in its third year, the annual online, bracket-style tournament allows Kentuckians to choose the "Coolest Thing Made in Kentucky" from a variety of state-manufactured products. John Sparrow, Executive Vice President and CEO of Kentucky Farm Bureau Insurance, stated, “The ingenuity of Kentucky manufacturing took center stage once again during KAM’s ‘Coolest Thing Made in Kentucky’ contest, and we are honored to be among the first to congratulate LION Group for giving this state and the world a real winner with the LION V-Force turnout gear. We sponsor this contest to help highlight the incredible value Kentucky manufacturing adds to the industry, and LION Group makes an impressive addition to the prestigious list of winners.”
Kerry Creech, President of Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky and Chairman of the KAM Board, added, “On behalf of our Board of Directors and team, I want to add my congratulations to our finalists, the teams at all three LION Group facilities in Kentucky and at T. Marzetti Company in Horse Cave, for making the Finals of the 2025 Coolest Thing Made in Kentucky such a hard-fought competition. Kentucky manufacturers clearly know how to make world-class cool things and have fun celebrating what we do!”