Most Read Guest Columnists of 2019
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Addiction-treatment center works to address neighbors’ concerns
My job is to keep hope alive. The extraordinary staff with whom I share this vision would say the same thing. By offering treatment options to those caught up in the horror of opioid addiction, Brandywine Counseling and Community Services keeps hope alive.Wilmington is a great city. It also has an array of social and health challenges ““ the largest addiction problem in the state is one of them. BCCS is the city’s only provider of medication for addiction treatment.
By Lynn Morrison
Social impact funds help rewrite the innovation “˜business model’
In September 2010, Social Finance Ltd. launched the world’ first Social Impact Bond (SIB) targeting recidivism in the United Kingdom. Aligning the interests of nonprofit service providers, private investors and governments, SIBs were formed to raise private investment capital to fund prevention and early intervention programs that reduce the need for expensive crisis responses and safety-net services.
By Jon Brilliant
Career and technical pathway programs in schools are insufficient
The career and technical education comeback is fierce across the country right now. At their best, curricula are being redesigned to give students industry-relevant experiences and set them on pathways to mid- to high-skills jobs. Students are acquiring industry-recognized credentials and even college credits while they’re still in high school. The media regularly remind us how many jobs don’t require a college degree, and the philanthropic community is making big investments in this type of work. But any jubilation should be tempered with a dose of reality.
By Antre Alleyne
2020 Women on Boards movement gains traction in Wilmington
About a year ago when the #MeToo movement was in full swing and creating a societal shift, I wanted to lend my voice to women who needed it. I looked around to see where I could help and was connected to Betsy Berkhemer-Credaire, CEO at 2020 Women on Boards, a 501(c) (3) nonprofit campaign created to educate and enable more women to serve on corporate boards of directors, and more companies to seek and select them. The goal is to raise the percentage of women on corporate boards in the United States to 20% or greater by next year.
By Jennifer Smuts
No other state matches Delaware’s advantages in trust law
Delaware is the premier jurisdiction for personal trusts. The state is at the forefront of trust law innovations and the infrastructure supporting Delaware’s trust industry is unmatched, with distinguished courts, a proactive legislature, a deep pool of professional advisers and the presence of almost every major financial institution. Delaware’s status as the best trust jurisdiction has attracted a considerable amount of non-Delaware trust business to the First State, resulting in a positive impact on Delaware’s economy through fiduciary fees, job creation, tax revenues and additional economic activity in support of the trust industry.
By Jeffery Wolken
“˜Pro-business’ group maligns Chancellor Bouchard and Chancery Court
Many of you are aware of a recent series of television and print ads from a group calling itself Citizens for a Pro-Business Delaware purporting to seek legislative changes to increase transparency and accountability in the Court of Chancery. In fact, this group’s goal is not to improve our judicial system, but instead, to unfairly malign the Court and, in particular, wage a personal vendetta against Chancellor Andre Bouchard, as a result of an adverse ruling against a party, Philip Shawe, in the TransPerfect litigation conducted several years ago.
By William Patrick Brady
LaVerne Harmon’s book on leadership gets to the heart of the matter
Wilmington University President Dr. LaVerne Harmon’s 127-page “The Heart of Leadership” belongs in every businessperson’s Christmas stocking. In a world of weighty business tomes, the heart of Dr. Harmon’s book is the cogent advice, “as a leader, listen to your heart and follow your heart.” And, at the core of what she has built her life on, it’s about bringing compassion to all that you do. Business, each of us knows, is about “the mind and the heart,” about reason and emotion, and sometimes ““ perhaps even too often ““ they appear to be in conflict.
By Sam Waltz
Health and wellness centers in schools improve all outcomes
Imagine a world where children who experience health disparities are provided coordinated and holistic health and wellness services. Now, imagine the services provided right from the school building where they attend classes every day. Research shows providing early and consistent childhood health care reduces health disparities. Moreover, my experience growing up in poverty in Wilmington and also as a public health practitioner informs my belief this should happen in schools.’
By Adrienne Wallace
Looking to build a career with a great future? Consider construction
Ever thought of a good-paying career job without having to go to college? Construction may be the opportunity you are looking for. The industry provides a direct pathway to personal prosperity and the ability to earn a high-quality living without the burden of excessive college debt. Nationally the average age of a construction worker is 47 and for every five people leaving the industry, just one is entering. At this rate, and over the next three years, the shortage of new workers could stall Delaware’s economic growth that is now restarting.
By Ed Capodanno
Excessive lodging taxes unfairly single out hotels and their guests
Governments across Delaware have targeted hotel guests who come to Delaware on business and pleasure to be a source of additional tax revenue. It’s a classic case of taxation without representation, leaving only the industry to speak for them. The tax assessments have gone essentially unopposed. The Delaware Hotel and Lodging Association, with the support of destination marketing organizations across Delaware, is extremely disappointed that our guests are being overly and unfairly taxed and urge that the tax itself and the use of the funds be challenged and changed.
By Bill Silva & Bill Sullivan
