WILMINGTON – Monday, January 11, 2021, marks the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce’s 184th Annual Dinner, Delaware’s premier business event. With more than 1,000 business leaders and elected officials, Delaware’s premier business event has always been the place to be in January for high level networking. It is an opportunity to mingle with your colleagues, meet new people, and renew old friendships.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the event will be held virtually through the State Chamber’s virtual event platform, which includes endless interactive opportunities for attendees to network and engage with each other.
Traditionally the event features one keynote speaker. This year the State Chamber has announced four keynote speakers around three important themes: Diversity & Inclusion, Economic Forecasting, and New Political Climate.
Economic Forecasting:
Our economy has been stressed since the start of the pandemic and continued uncertainty is the reality as we enter 2021. Every business was impacted by the spread of COVID-19, some more severely than others. This has challenged business models, closed some businesses, and opened opportunities for others. As we continue to navigate an ongoing pandemic and economic realities, what will 2021 look like? James E. Glassman, managing director with JPMorgan Chase and head economist for Chase Commercial Banking, will explore what recovery will look like, what changes to business models are here to stay, and what practices may revert to the “old normal.”
Diversity & Inclusion
There is no question that a diverse workplace is not only the right thing to do but also the smart thing. Diversity and inclusion is a competitive advantage when attracting talent, it creates a more productive workforce, fosters creativity and innovation, and so much more. We asked our speaker, US Senator Cory Booker, one question: How do you build the pipeline of talent within the Black and Brown communities so that candidate pools for businesses in every industry and size are populated with qualified candidates that reflect the demographics of our country?
New Political Landscape:
2020 was a challenging year and it ended with state and national elections. The country also witnessed heightened social and civil unrest, the first pandemic in over one hundred years, and more. Taken together, how will all these new realities and priorities reflect themselves in the choices that policymakers will make moving forward? William Kristol, founder and director of Defending Democracy Together, political analyst, and network television commentator,will explore how the events of 2020 are redefining our political landscape and future.
Kristen Welker, co-anchor of Weekend TODAY and White House correspondent for NBC News, will share her perspective on covering Washington, the Trump and Obama Administrations, and President-elect Biden. As a respected journalist and moderator of the second presidential debate, she will also share how she prepared for the debate and reflections on the 2020 presidential campaign trail.
Another highlight of the Annual Dinner is the presentation of the Josiah Marvel Cup, the prestigious award that honors a Delawarean who has made an outstanding contribution to the state, community, or society. Past winners in recent years have included Gerrett and Tatiana Copeland, Joshua Martin III and Cynthia Primo Martin, Joseph R. Biden, Jr. and Dr. Jill Biden, E. Norman Veasey, O. Francis Biondi and Carroll M. Carpenter. It is tradition the honoree is held in confidence until the event.
For more information, contact Kelly Basile at kbasile@dscc.com, or visit https://web.dscc.com//events/184th-Annual-Dinner-2550/details.
