Alan Keck was elected to his second term as mayor of his hometown of Somerset in 2022. Here he has led a period of unprecedented change, unifying this southeastern Kentucky city and lighting it up through tourism, economic development, and community spirit.
Mayor Keck believes wholeheartedly in investing in people — not only city employees but also the people who choose to live, work and visit here. He has been dedicated to finding financial resources to support the community’s people while showing up to listen and consider ideas different from his own. He makes decisions daily that propel the community forward, while also being willing to step aside when necessary to make room for progress.
Somerset is a transformed city under Mayor Keck’s leadership, and the energy here is palpable. The following are just a few of the ways he is lighting up this community and making it a better place to live:
While all of this illustrates Mayor Keck’s outstanding guidance during the best of days in our community, likely his most valuable trait lies in his ability to pivot and lead during a crisis. And that is what he faced during the global pandemic in 2020. As a business owner himself, Mayor Keck is a tireless advocate for Main Street and a champion for local government. Firm in his belief that lives and livelihoods are not mutually exclusive, he immediately turned to his team to explore how the city could support local businesses and artists during this challenging time. The city debuted a live Facebook series, #seemyset LIVE!, which highlighted a different business and artist or musician during each broadcast and allowed Mayor Keck to share updates about the pandemic with the community.
One of Mayor Keck’s top priorities has always been for Somerset to be the healthiest community in Kentucky, and the pandemic illustrated the need to encourage residents to care for their physical and mental well-being. The city launched its Healthy Somerset initiative during this time, offering ideas and creating challenges to encourage exercise and healthy habits, while also embracing efforts already underway to make the community more walkable, enhance city parks and provide healthy, locally sourced food options to residents.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Mayor Keck used his diplomatic yet bold voice to rally for community leaders to have a seat at the table in discussions about safely and strategically reopening the economy. His advocacy was covered by the media statewide, and because of his efforts, Mayor Keck was invited to offer his perspective on reopening Heartland economies in the New York Times, as well as Neil Cavuto’s Coast to Coast on FOX Business. He is also a regular op-ed contributor in several statewide publications.
Mayor Keck was selected as the 2021 Kentucky League of Cities Elected Official of the Year for his creative and dynamic leadership. And in 2024, for its efforts to breathe new life into downtown Somerset and once again make it the heartbeat of the community, Shaping Our Appalachian Region (SOAR) designated Somerset as its Downtown of the Year. Keck was also selected as a member of the inaugural class of Under 40 at the Top, an initiative of his alma mater, Western Kentucky University (WKU), to honor graduates who have made significant contributions to their professions or communities before age 40.
A lifelong resident of Somerset, Mayor Keck is greatly involved in local business and civic activities. He graduated from Somerset High School, WKU, and holds a master’s in business administration from the University of the Cumberlands. A 2017 graduate of Leadership Kentucky, Keck now serves on the organization’s board of directors and the Kentucky League of Cities board of directors.
Mayor Keck and his wife Tiffany have three daughters, Olyvia, Oaklee and Olsen. They are members of First Baptist Church in Somerset, where Keck serves as a deacon.
