Jeff Brohm Kicks Off New LIBA Speaker Series at the Tower

Why does UofL Head Football Coach Jeff Brohm still drive a 2004 Honda Accord?

“It keeps me grounded,” he told the audience at the Louisville Water Tower this week as he kicked off the new Louisville Independent Business Alliance (LIBA) ElevateBiz Speaker Series, presented by Louisville Water Company.

Brohm told a story about the time when he was coach at Purdue University and the campus police were going to tow the Accord because they thought someone was parking in his spot, but the officers were assured the vehicle was his. Brohm said he is still very happy with the first car he ever bought himself.

LIBA Executive Director Jennifer Rubenstein had introduced the Tower event by telling the audience “we’re going to empower independent businesses with the Speaker Series,” and Brohm shared some of the secrets of his success and his approach to leadership while he talked about his career. It brought the Louisville native back to his hometown as UofL’s 24th full-time head football coach in 2022. He led the Cardinals to a 10-4 overall record and was named one of three semifinalists for the Steve Spurrier First Year Coach of the Year Award.

Brohm said his own coaches and mentors over the years taught him that “you’ve got to put in the work” if you want to achieve any goal, and if you’re a leader, you need to accept responsibility when things don’t go as planned. Ultimately, you “can make anything work if you really want to” through a positive but disciplined approach.

LIBA has a long history of partnering with Louisville Water for programs and events, but the Speaker Series kickoff was the first event the organization was able to hold at the historic Tower since a major renovation began in 2022. The kickoff was one of the first community events at the facility since it began returning to normal operations this year.

The next event in the ElevateBiz Speaker Series will be held in the fall. Watch for details on the LIBA website.