People on the Move is a rundown of recent hirings, promotions, appointments and other notable movements by professionals in the state. If you’re interested in submitting an entry, please contact news@delawarebusinesstimes.com.
M. Davis & Sons, Inc., an industrial construction woman-owned company, named Michael A. Gilmartin the president and CFO.
Holding the position of CFO in 2015, Gilmartin brings 25 years of extensive experience in the contracting and construction industry to his new role. In addition to maintaining his current responsibilities as CFO, Gilmartin will now oversee strategic presidential duties, contributing to the continued success and growth of M. Davis & Sons, Inc.
“I am always proud to see our team members grow, and Mike is a great example of a long-term employee who has flourished with the company,” M. Davis CEO Peggy Del Fabbro said. “I am confident that his knowledge and experience will further his success as he takes on this next chapter of his career.” This strategic move underscores the company’s commitment to fostering internal talent and leveraging the expertise of proven leaders like Gilmartin.
Gilmartin holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Pennsylvania. He has also completed project management and leadership training through Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) and the Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA).
“In my 25 years at M. Davis, I have been involved with some extremely tough challenges and great successes as a business and a construction company. I am committed to utilizing those past experiences to uphold the legacy of excellence that defines our company. Those experiences and our incredibly talented Team, who are second to none, will help continue M. Davis on its path to remaining the Best in Class,” Gilmartin said.
Josh Thomas, CEO and executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness in Delaware announced his retirement after 11 years in the role. Doug Ferguson, chief operating officer and deputy executive director, will be interim CEO as the board finalizes a long-term leadership plan.
Thomas said he is most proud of expanding mental health services across Delaware to a diverse population. “It has been an honor and a privilege to lead NAMI Delaware and work with an incredible team here,” Thomas said. “Our board of directors, advisory board members, and volunteer leaders are amazing and have positioned the organization well for the future.”
Board President Mary Berger said Thomas was the right leader at the right time for NAMI Delaware, overseeing the doubling of its staff and revenue, expanding into southern Delaware, adding housing sites, launching Crisis Intervention Team training and training more than 670 officers. He also championed legislation for 988 suicide and crisis lifeline funding, increasing school-based mental health clinicians, and student mental health days. NAMI Delaware was named the Outstanding NAMI State Organization in 2022 in recognition of its work in outreach, advocacy and education.
“Josh put his heart and soul into NAMI Delaware, transforming it into a thriving and effective organization that served more people living with mental illness and their families than ever before,” Berger said.
Thomas joined NAMI Delaware after 25 years in law enforcement in Florida, with his last role as the Director of Human Resources. He has additional experience working in an inpatient psychiatric facility in Florida. Thomas earned a bachelor’s in criminology from the University of South Florida, a master’s in counseling psychology from Springfield College, and a doctorate in psychology from Walden University.
Sussex County named Michael T. Harmer the county engineer.
Harmer is a registered professional engineer who brings with him a wealth of experience working in the public and private sectors in both Delaware and Maryland, most recently as chief engineer for a suburban Washington, D.C., wastewater utility, overseeing its engineering and construction department of nearly 375 employees and some 100 contract workers, as well as managing an approximately $600 million budget for an operation serving a half-million customer accounts.
“I’m excited for the opportunity to join Sussex County government. I think my experience in the public sector is an excellent fit for Sussex County, where I look forward to continuing my career,” Mr. Harmer said. “I’m ready to get started and pick up where Hans is leaving off.”
Harmer grew up in Newark and now lives in Dewey Beach. He is a graduate of Mississippi State University with a degree in civil engineering. Since graduating college in 1986, Harmer earned his professional certification while working for private consulting companies in Delaware and Pennsylvania, then transitioned to the public sector in a variety of supervisorand leadership roles with the University of Delaware, New Castle County, Brandywine School District, and most recently the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC Water).
A respected member of his field, Harmer earned the Delaware Engineering Society’s Government Engineer of the Year Award in 2005, as well as the American Council of Engineering Companies’ Meritorius Award in 2020, and the Water Environment Federation-Chesapeake Chapter’s Golden Manhole Award in 2023. He is also a past member of the Delaware Water Infrastructure Advisory Council, which advises the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) Secretary on capital spending for wastewater and water-related projects statewide. Currently, Mr. Harmer is chairman of the Dewey Beach planning commission, and is a board member/past president of his homeowners’ association.
“We were hopeful we could find a candidate with Mike’s level of experience and Delaware connections,” Lawson said. “Public safety and environmental protection are among the most critical services we provide at County government, so it’s essential we have an engineer like Mike who has the right mix of experience, leadership, and vision to guide us in serving our community in the years ahead.”
The role of county engineer is a significant appointment within county government, overseeing a staff of nearly 180 people in five divisions responsible for designing, constructing and maintaining County projects. Those projects include public wastewater systems and various County facilities. Engineering is the single-largest department within County government, and one of its most critical, employing engineers, project managers, draftsmen, construction technicians, wastewater operators, electricians, and maintenance crews, among others.
“As a Delaware native with extensive experience in water and wastewater, buildings and facilities, and hands-on construction, particularly in the public sector, I have a very healthy respect for the taxpayers and being a good steward of their investment,” Harmer said. “I hope to bring value to all our taxpayers and customers as Sussex County’s next engineer.”
County Council President Michael H. Vincent said Sussex County will benefit greatly from Mr. Harmer’s technical and regulatory understanding as it relates to wastewater services.
Beebe Healthcare announced the addition of three nurse practitioners; Caitlin Crotty, DNP, FNP-C, Johannah Butler, MSN/MPH, RN, FNP-BC, and Sherron Bowie, AGNP, MSN.
Crotty is a family nurse practitioner who sees patients of all ages at Beebe’s Walk-In Care clinics located in Millville, Rehoboth, Millsboro, and Georgetown. She focuses on providing evidence-based, patient-centered care for patients across their lifespan.
Crotty earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from The Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing in Baltimore, and her Doctor of Nursing Practice, Family Nurse Practitioner degree from the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. She is a licensed Family Nurse Practitioner and a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. Crotty is also a member of the American Nurses Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Sigma Theta Tau.
Prior to joining Beebe, Crotty served as a Unit Charge Nurse at Emory Saint Joseph’s Hospital in Atlanta, where she worked on the Neurovascular Unit. She began her nursing career at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, where she held various positions including clinical nurse extern in the adult Emergency Department, clinical nurse at The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg Children’s Center/Adolescent Care Unit, and float pool nurse in the Major Mood and Eating Disorder Unit.
“I am proud to be a part of Beebe, and I am personally committed to improving the health of the community in my day-to-day work,” Crotty said.
Butler is a family nurse practitioner who sees patients of all ages at Beebe Primary Care Cape Henlopen. She provides preventative and primary care services including vaccinations, cancer screenings, and care for acute and chronic illnesses.
Butler earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing, a Master of Science-Family Nurse Practitioner degree, and a Master’s in Public Health from The Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing in Baltimore. She is a certified Family Nurse Practitioner by the American Nurses Credentialing Center and a certified Advanced Practice Nurse (APRN) by the Boards of Nursing in both Delaware and Maryland. Butler is also a member of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners.
Prior to joining Beebe Healthcare, Butler worked as a family nurse practitioner at Greater Baltimore Medical Center in Towson, Maryland, providing acute and chronic care and preventative health exams for patients ranging in age from newborn to geriatric. Earlier in her career, she worked in a research laboratory at Children’s Hospital Boston. It was there that Butler developed in interest in chronic illness management, and a desire to help patients diagnosed with conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. This inspired her decision to pursue a career as a primary care provider, with focus on preventive care.
“I am personally committed to promoting healthy lifestyles and helping patients prevent and manage chronic illness,” Butler said. “I am excited to have the opportunity to improve the health and well-being of individuals and families in Sussex County through my work at Beebe.”
Bowie is an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) nocturnist and Critical Care Nurse Practitioner. She manages care for critically ill adult patients in the hospital, providing daily assessments, monitoring, medical management, family education, and care coordination in collaboration with the unit’s intensivists. Bowie also supports the ICU nursing team during Rapid Response Team (RRT) calls.
Bowie earned her associate’s degree in Nursing from the Community College of Philadelphia, along with a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing from Drexel University, also in Philadelphia. She completed her Master’s in Nursing Education at Chamberlain College of Nursing in Downers Grove, Illinois, followed by Adult-Gerontology Primary Care and Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Post-Master’s certificates from Purdue Global University in West Lafayette, Illinois. Bowie is a certified Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner and an Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner through the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.
Prior to joining Beebe, Bowie served as a hospitalist with apogee physicians in Dover, where she cared for medical, surgical, and critical care patients. Earlier in her career, she worked as a nurse practitioner at Legacy Care, caring for residents within assisted living facilities throughout the state of Delaware. She also served as a nurse practitioner for the Rheumatology Center of Delaware and a nursing instructor at Delaware Technical Community College.
“Having accepted my first nursing job at Beebe Healthcare more than 20 years ago, I am excited to be back, serving critical care patients and working alongside the hospital’s team of intensivists,” Bowie said.
Col. Joseph A. Cooke, Jr., the Delaware Army National Guard’s deputy chief of staff for personnel, has been nominated by Gov. John Carney and confirmed by the Delaware State Senate to serve a three-year term on the Board of Trustees for Delaware Technical Community College.
“Col. Cooke has served in numerous roles during his National Guard tenure that provided partnership opportunities with Delaware Tech,” said Board Chairman Nancy Shevock. “That experience has provided him with a working knowledge of the College’s programs and a commitment to its mission, and we are fortunate to have him join our Board of Trustees.”
Col. Cooke entered the Delaware National guard in 1989 as a private and received his commission from Delaware’s Army National Guard Office Candidate School in 1996, graduating as the Distinguished Honor Graduate. Prior to his current assignment, he served in a number of leadership positions, including Joint Staff vice chief of staff, recruiting and retention commander, and deputy chief of staff for information management.
Col. Cooke holds a Bachelor of Science in Physics, with Engineering Emphasis, and Mathematics from Delaware State University, a Master of Science in Geophysics from Stony Brook University, and a Master of Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College. He also has received numerous awards and decorations during his military career. Among them are the Bronze Star Medal, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, and the Signal Corps Regimental Association’s Bronze Order of the Mercury.
Col. Cooke is filling a vacancy created by the retirement of Brig. Gen. Ernest G. Talbert Jr., who had served on the Board since 2017. Trustees Mike Hare and Diane Glenn also were confirmed by the Senate this month to new three-year terms.
