▁was ▁a ▁secretary ▁for ▁the ▁Future ▁Farm ers ▁of ▁America ▁and ▁was ▁named ▁Kentucky ▁high ▁school ▁conservation ist ▁of ▁the ▁year . ▁He ▁bought ▁his ▁first ▁piece ▁of ▁land , ▁a ▁farm ▁near ▁his ▁child hood ▁home , ▁at ▁age ▁ 1 7 , ▁and ▁his ▁first ▁w are house ▁at ▁age ▁ 2 0 . ▁He ▁attended ▁Western ▁Kentucky ▁University ▁for ▁a ▁short ▁period ▁but ▁left ▁before ▁the ▁completion ▁of ▁his ▁studies ▁to ▁purs ue ▁business ▁interests . ▁ ▁Career ▁K elle y ▁grew ▁up ▁on ▁a ▁farm ▁that ▁included ▁to b acco , ▁and ▁his ▁early ▁business ▁vent ures ▁were ▁a ▁response ▁to ▁changes ▁in ▁the ▁to b acco ▁industry . ▁Because ▁of ▁decl ining ▁production ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s , ▁many ▁old ▁w are h ouses ▁in ▁Kentucky ▁stood ▁vac ant . ▁He ▁started ▁bu ying ▁these ▁w are h ouses , ▁converting ▁them ▁to ▁other ▁uses , ▁and ▁then ▁le asing ▁them ▁out . ▁This ▁interest ▁evol ved ▁into ▁manufact uring . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 1 , ▁he ▁founded ▁Commonwealth ▁Br ands , ▁a ▁to b acco ▁company ▁that ▁manufact ured ▁ ▁low - cost ▁c igare tt es , ▁head qu arter ed ▁in ▁Bow ling ▁Green , ▁Kentucky . ▁The ▁company ▁was ▁later ▁sold ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁to ▁H ouch ens ▁Indust ries ▁for ▁US $ 1 ▁billion . ▁K elle y ▁has ▁never ▁sm oked , ▁and ▁he ▁said ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁"