Mayor-Elect Purzycki announces transition team

WILMINGTON — Wilmington’s Mayor-Elect Mike Purzycki announced his transition team Wednesday. More than 100 citizens have agreed to assist the new mayor in a review of city government operations including programs, services and personnel. The transition team consists of 13 committees which will meet over the next several weeks and share observations of city government with the mayor-elect.

“This outstanding group of people will bring their experience, energy and ideas to the table as we begin to improve the lives of everyone in our city, through greater economic growth and vitality” said Purzycki. “Over the next month or more, we’ll review the government and make determinations about current operations and what we need to do going forward.

“In addition to evaluating the current operations of the government, I am also charging the transition team with finding the most effective ways to implement my priorities which include: 1.) Improving public safety by growing our city and putting our residents to work; 2.) Strengthening our neighborhoods and 3.) Creating an efficient and transparent city government.”

Purzycki said he plans to hire people for his administration who are eager to help him achieve the goals and initiatives that will move Wilmington forward.

He has set up a special email address for receive resumes and cover letters at jobs@mikeformayor2016.com. Purzycki said he also would like to receive ideas from all citizens about making City government more efficient, fiscally responsible, and consumer friendly which they can do by visiting mikeformayor2016.com and clicking on the ‘ideas’ button.

The members of the Mayoral Transition Team are:

Rev. Silvester Beamen – Pastor, Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church Maria Matos – President and CEO, Latin American Community Center Charlie McDowell – Of Counsel, Potter Anderson & Corroon LLP

Transition Executive Committee

Mike Hare (Chair) – Senior Vice President, The Buccini/Pollin Group, former Wilmington City Council Member
Bebe Coker – Community Representative/Education Advocate, former State Social Services Administrator
Charles “Bud” Freel – Council Member, Wilmington City Council
Raye Jones Avery – Executive Director, Christina Cultural Arts Center
Megan McGlinchey – Acting Executive Director, Riverfront Development Corporation
Tom Ogden – Senior Staff, People for Purzycki
Norman Oliver – Founder/Owner, NOR Enterprises, former Wilmington City Council Member John Rago – Policy and Communications Director, Wilmington City Council
Henry Smith – Deputy Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services, State of Delaware
Leroy Tice – Attorney/Owner, Law Offices of Leroy Tice
Tanya Washington – Legislative Director, Wilmington City Council

Cultural Affairs

Jerry DuPhilly (Chair) – President, TSN MediaIndia Colon – Community Relations/PR/Board Member, Nuestras Raíces Delaware Brendan Cooke – General Director, Opera DelawareKia Ervin – Executive Director, Accelerate Delaware
Mark Fields – Executive Director, The Grand Opera House/Playhouse on Rodney Sarah Lamb – Marketing Director, The Buccini/Polin Group
Vicky Martelli – Partner, Pettinaro
Bud Martin – Executive Director, Delaware Theatre Company
Paula McDermott – Vice President, ABC Television
Barry Schlecker – Owner/Operator, Barry’s Events
Dale Southam – Owner/Vice President, Stat Stat, Inc.
John Shipman – Arts Consultant

Economic Development

Jim Stewart (Chair) – Chief Executive Officer, Epic Research
Dan Butler – Chef/Restaurateur/Owner, Piccolina Toscana, Tonic Bar and Grille Ebon Flagg – Head Stylist/Owner, Babe Styling Studios
Rick Gessner – Senior Vice President, Specialty Finance Lender Group, Capital One
Harold Gray – former Wilmington Economic Development Director
Rich Heffron – President, Delaware State Chamber of Commerce
Marcus Henry – Economic Development and Policy Director, New Castle County Government Mark Kleinschmidt – President, New Castle County Chamber of Commerce
Andy Lubin – President, Delaware Financial Group
Brian McGlinchey – Managing Director, McCarter Government Solutions
John Riley – Director, Government Affairs, Ashland Chemical Company
Stan Soja – Executive Director, Wilmington Parking Authority, former Deputy Director, Wilmington Economic Development Office

Finance

Tom Williams (Chair) – Partner, Williams Humphreys & Company
Sandra Ben – President, Northeast Civic Association
David Blowman – Deputy Secretary, Delaware Department of Education
Patrick Carter – Director of Revenue, State of Delaware
Tony Edwards – Manager, DuPont
Loren Grober – President, The Loren Group, Triangle Neighborhood Association Member Robert Johnson – Division of Accounting, State Finance Department
Geoff Langdon – Principal, Cover & Rossiter, PA
Mary McDermott – Pension Administrator, Treasurer’s Office, City of Wilmington
Henry Supinski – City Treasurer, City of Wilmington

Fire Department

Willie Patrick (Chair) – Chief, Wilmington Fire Department (retired) Mary Jude Andreoli – Wilmington Fire Department (retired)
Paul Ford, Sr. – Wilmington Fire Department (retired)
Dennis Godek – President, New Castle County Fire
Demetrio Junior Ortega – former Wilmington City Council Member Deb Wirt – Executive Director, St. Anthony’s Community Center

Human Resources

Albert Carter (Chair) – Deputy State Personnel Director (retired) Sylvia Banks – Government Affairs, DuPont (retired)
Greg Chambers – Diversity Manager, Delaware River and Bay Authority Alicia Clark – Owner, Social Solutions LLC
Matt Fallis – Director of Personnel, Appoquinimink School District
Joe Hickey – State Human Resources Department (retired)
Rev. Dr. Cliff Johnson – Pastor, Nehemiah Gateway
Sam Latham – former President, AFL-CIO

Don Gouge (Chair) – Attorney/Owner, Donald L. Gouge, Jr. LLC
Beverly Bell – Community Representative
Larry Carson – Owner/President, Carson Management Consulting Co., former City Deputy L&I Commissioner
Jaehn Dennis – President, Vandever Avenue Civic Association, President, 3rd District Neighborhood Planning Council
Paul Ignudo, Jr. – Estimator, EDiS, former Wilmington City Council Member
Scott Johnson – Partner, McConnell Johnson
Buck Simpers – Principal, Buck Simpers Architect & Associates

Law

Sara Toner (Chair) – Attorney/Partner, Richards, Layton and Finger
Samantha Balick – Attorney, former Chairperson, Wilmington Zoning Board of Adjustment Don Bowman – Attorney, Young, Conway, Stargatt and Taylor
Tom Carney – Attorney, Morris James LLP
Tabatha Castro – Attorney/Owner, The Castro Firm, Inc.
Linda Gray – former State Magistrate and current President, Brandywine Hills Community Association
Mark Purpura – Attorney/Director, Richards, Layton and Finger

Parks & Recreation

Logan Herring (Chair) – Executive Director, Kingswood Community Center
Ray Bivens – Director, Division of Parks, State of Delaware
Carlos DiPres – Educator, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Delaware Janet Grayson – Community Representative
John Kwiatkowski – President, Browntown Civic Association Andrew McKnight – Executive Director, Challenge Program Al Mills – Group and Family Therapist, PSI, Inc.
Jea Street – New Castle County Council Member
Barbara Washam – President, Upper Eastside Neighborhood Association John Wellons – Chief of Staff, Boys & Girls Clubs of Delaware

Police

Cassandra Marshall (Chair) – President, Quaker Hill Civic Association Darryl Chambers – Research Associate, University of Delaware
Walt Ferris – Master Sergeant, Wilmington Police Department (retired) Kathleen Jennings – Attorney General’s Office
Bruce Mulrine – Lieutenant, Wilmington Police Department (retired)
Brendan O’Neill – Public Defender, State of Delaware
Patrick Ogden – Chief of Police, University of Delaware
Marie Reed – President, Southbridge Civic Association
Lew Schiliro – Homeland Security Secretary, State of Delaware (retired) Cory Staats – Master Sergeant, Wilmington Police Department (retired) Mike Szczerba – Chief, Wilmington Police Department (retired)
Jim Wright – Inspector, Wilmington Police Department (retired)