Department of Corrections
Rion Named Warden at Blackburn Correctional Complex

FRANKFORT, KY – Kentucky Department of Corrections Commissioner John D. Rees today announced that Joseph (Joe) P. Rion has been appointed Warden of Blackburn Correctional Complex. Rion will be replacing Warden Steve Haney who will be promoted to Warden at Northpoint Training Center (NTC) when James Morgan retires later this summer from that prison.
 
 Blackburn is a minimum-security prison in Fayette County that houses 594 inmates.
“Rion’s extensive Corrections experience will be an asset to the Department,” said Rees.  “His work with the American Correctional Association and expertise as an auditor will prove to be invaluable.”
  
 Rion began his 28-year-career with the Department in 1977 as a Correctional Officer at the Kentucky State Reformatory. He worked his way through the ranks as a Classification and Treatment Officer, Lieutenant and Training Instructor. In 1992 he was promoted to Procedures Development Specialist at NTC and in 2001 was promoted to a Program Administrator’s position at Central Office in Frankfort with the Classification Branch. Later that same year, Rion was promoted to Deputy Warden at NTC.
  

He is a 1977 graduate of Morehead State University where he earned his bachelor’s degree in Sociology. In 1996 he earned his master’s in criminal justice with an emphasis in Corrections & Juvenile Justice from Eastern Kentucky University. Rion is a member of the Kentucky Council on Crime & Delinquency, the American Correctional Association, Correctional Accreditation Managers Association (president-elect), Southern States Correctional Association, Kentucky Society of Certified Public Managers, and the North American Association of Wardens and Superintendents.  In addition to his membership and service in these professional organizations, Rion has obtained the Certified Public Manager and (CPM) Certified Corrections Executive (CCE) rankings from the American Correctional Association.    

Rion is a native of Louisville and he and his wife Sandi have four adult sons, Jeff, Jeremy, Joseph and James.