Boone County Judge/Executive Gary W. Moore will receive Northern Kentucky University's Lincoln Award on Tuesday, Nov. 17, recognizing his 28 years leading the county's government.

Moore and Campbell County Judge/Executive Steve Pendery will share the honor at a luncheon ceremony at NKU's Votruba Student Union, the Northern Kentucky Tribune reported Thursday, Oct. 8. The event runs from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the H. Gordon and Thelma S. Martin Ballroom.

The Lincoln Award, established by the NKU president in 1992, recognizes people in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana for outstanding citizenship and distinguished service. The 2026 ceremony marks the award's return after a gap. The last recipients, in 2022, were St. Elizabeth Healthcare and Delores Hargrove-Young.

"Judges Moore and Pendery have contributed so much to Northern Kentucky and the Greater Cincinnati Region, and we are humbled to be able to honor their achievements through the return of the Lincoln Awards," NKU President Cady Short-Thompson said in a university announcement.

Moore was first elected Boone County judge/executive in 1998. NKU credited him with overseeing major growth in jobs, infrastructure, public safety and parks while maintaining low taxes and a top credit rating.

His reach extended well beyond Boone County. Moore served as president of the Transportation Steering Committee and the Environment, Energy and Land Use Steering Committee

In an Aug. 11 NACo profile, Moore described merging law enforcement agencies into the county sheriff's department during his first term as one of his proudest accomplishments. "People said it couldn't be done and that it would be politically volatile for me, but the sheriff and I worked together," he said.

Moore also pointed to Boone County's transformed road network in that profile, saying the county went from "traditional two-lane rural roads to highways with single-point urban interchanges, roads with roundabouts."

Pendery, who has served as Campbell County judge/executive for more than 25 years, previously served as mayor of Fort Thomas, according to the Northern Kentucky Tribune. NKU's announcement credited both leaders with strengthening a culture of regional cooperation across Northern Kentucky.

The ceremony is open to the public. Tickets and information are available at nku.edu/lincoln-award.