People on the Move is a part of Delaware Business Times’ For the Record section, 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.
Joseph J. Straight, M.D., has been elected president of the Medical Society of Delaware for 2020. Dr. Straight is director of primary care sports medicine and biologics with First State Orthopaedics and is also the head team physician at Goldey Beacom College and Wilmington University, as well as numerous high school teams. He also serves on the DIAA Sports Medicine Advisory Committee.
Richard L. Gulino has been named chief legal officer, general counsel, and corporate secretary of InterDigital, a Wilmington-based mobile and video technology research and development company. Gulino steps into the role following the retirement of Jannie K. Lau. Gulino joined InterDigital in September 2019 as vice president, deputy general counsel, with responsibility for the company’s corporate, commercial
and licensing functions.
Robert Nakagawa has been named the Del-Mar-Va Council Boy Scouts of America’s new Scout Executive. Nakagawa began his Scouting career as District Executive of the Aloha Council in Honolulu, Hawaii. He moved on to become a senior district executive, field director, assistant scout executive, director of field service and later scout executive with the Maui County Council in Wailuku, Hawaii. Most recently, he served as deputy scout executive of the Denver Area Council in Denver.
James Purcell has been named grant manager for Energize Delaware’s new empowerment grant program, which is being financed with $4 million in merger settlement funds approved by the Delaware Public Service Commission’s authorizing of the Delmarva Power and Exelon Corp. merger agreement. As the managing agency of the Empowerment Grant Program, Energize Delaware will provide grants to organizations proposing energy efficiency programs that directly benefit Delmarva Power customers in their Delaware service area. Purcell has over more than 25 years of experience in the public and private sector, and a strong background in public policy, nonprofit management and human services. He served as an executive for the Communities-In-Schools program.
Richards, Layton & Finger is pleased to announce that 13 associates of the firm have been admitted to the Delaware bar. The newly admitted Richards Layton associates are Dorronda R. Bordley, Garrett S. Eggen, R. Parker Havis, Elizabeth A. Heise, Matthew M. Kent, Marina C. Leary, Brian T.M. Mammarella, Philip K. Micha, John T. Miraglia, J. Zachary Noble, Kate E. Peterson, Christian C.F. Roberts, and Matthew D. Schwalm. Eggen and Noble are practicing in the firm’s bankruptcy and corporate restructuring department, and Peterson and Schwalm are in the commercial transactions group. Heise, Miraglia, and Roberts join the firm’s corporate litigation practice. Havis and Micha are in the real estate group, with Micha also working with the environmental group. Bordley joins Richards Layton’s litigation practice; Kent is in corporate trust and agency services, Leary is part of the limited liability company and partnership advisory group, and Mammarella practices in corporate advisory and governance.
David Bickel has been named general manager of The Clubhouse at Baywood in Millsboro, one of SoDel Concepts’ 12 restaurants. Located on Baywood Greens Golf Course, The Clubhouse at Baywood includes a large restaurant and an event venue, which has received awards for its wedding services. Bickel, who started his hospitality career as a busboy in a deli, worked in beach restaurants during the summers. After earning his degree, he moved to the Delaware beaches full time to work at several fast-paced area eateries. He worked at several SoDel restaurants before moving to The Clubhouse at Baywood.
Kimberly A. Brown has been elected a partner with Landis Rath & Cobb LLP. She recently selected as a 2019 American Bankruptcy Institute’s 40 Under 40 program. She was previously selected to participate in the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges (NCBJ) annual Next Generation Program. In 2017, she was one of five finalists for the International Women’s Insolvency and Restructuring Confederation (IWIRC) “Rising Star” award. Brown concentrates her practice in the areas of Corporate Bankruptcy and Restructuring and Bankruptcy Litigation often representing chapter 11 debtors, official and unofficial committees, secured and unsecured creditors, indenture trustees and bondholders, asset purchasers, and chapter 15 foreign representatives.
Effective Feb. 20, Lori Will becomes a partner at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, which bills itself as “the premier provider of legal services to technology, life sciences, and growth enterprises worldwide.” Based in Wilmington, she focuses her practice on the representation of corporate entities and their directors and officers in corporate, complex commercial, and federal securities litigation. She has significant experience representing clients in stockholder class actions and derivative lawsuits, including substantial experience litigating before in the Delaware Court of Chancery, as well as state and federal courts throughout the United States.
Whisman Giordano & Associates LLC. (WGA) has promoted the following five team members:
• Kevin Sanok to supervisor. He is a leader in the WGA tax division with specialties in C corporations, nonprofit organizations, partnerships, and S corporations. He has an undergraduate degree in accounting from the University of Delaware and a master’s degree in accounting from Wilmington University.
• Brian Moreau, CPA, CFE, to supervisor. His unique skillset in forensic accounting is valued within the firm. He is a member of both the national and Philadelphia chapters of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners along with both the American and Delaware chapters of the Institute
of Certified Public Accountants.
• Brian Tuhy to senior accountant. A recent graduate of the University of Delaware with a degree in accounting, Tuhy is a key committee member working to integrate artificial intelligence into the daily practice of the firm.
• Jacob Hughes to senior accountant. A graduate of West Chester University with degrees in both accounting and finance, his specialties include working with nonprofit organizations and low-income housing entities.
• Michael DiTullio, CPA, to senior accountant. Michael is a member of the firm’s accounting & audit and tax practices and is a graduate of Rutgers University with a degree in accounting. His specialties include closely held businesses, construction firms, and nonprofit organizations.
Read Aloud Delaware announced today that James Spadola has been selected to replace Mary Hirschbiel as executive director of Read Aloud Delaware. Hirschbiel is retiring January 30, 2020, after 31 years of service. James starts with Read Aloud Delaware on January 6, 2020, and comes from Coded by Kids where he served as director of business development. A combat veteran of the Iraq War, James previously served as a Public Information Officer for the Newark Police Department.
Kevin M. Utz, AIA, and Joseph M. Kott, AIA, of Becker Morgan Group have passed their professional exams to become licensed architects.
• Utz graduated from Marywood University in 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in architecture and has been with the firm for four years. He is an active member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Chesapeake Bay, serving as president-elect on the board of directors. Since joining Becker Morgan Group, Kevin has developed a concentration in commercial facilities, taking an active role in many of the firm’s large projects, most notably the award-winning Datwyler Pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Middletown.
• Kott is a graduate of Temple University, holding a master’s degree in architecture (2017) and a bachelor’s degree in facilities management (2014). He joined the firm in 2018 and has five years of professional experience with a concentration in hospitality. Outside of the office, Joe is an adjunct professor and a member of the Architectural Advisory Board at Delaware Technical Community College. Most recently, Joe has been involved with the Ocean City Convention Center Expansion and Improvements in Ocean City, Maryland.
Tenish Gregory has been promoted to director of operations for the CenDel Foundation. In her new role, she will be responsible for helping to grow CenDel’s portfolio of community-focused funds; building and maintaining relationships with fundholders and CenDel stakeholders; and managing the day-to-day operations of the Foundation and the CenDel Building in downtown Dover.
Brittany L. van Veen, Assoc AIA, has joined Becker Morgan Group’s Newark office as an architectural and interior designer. She holds a master’s degree in architecture with a concentration in Design Technologies from The Catholic University of America. With more than 12 years of design experience, Brittany has a wealth of experience with projects throughout Delaware and Pennsylvania, with an emphasis on K-12, including the renovation of Bayhealth’s Primary Care facility and the Ocean City Convention Center expansion and improvements.
Wenona Sutton recently joined Catholic Charities as the director of community relations. Sutton previously worked with Special Olympics and held the role of assistant director of communications for the Special Olympics USA team. From 2014 to 2019, Sutton worked for Special Olympics Pennsylvania as its marketing communications manager.
John Sorkvist has joined NAI Emory Hill where he specializes in working with investment sales and helping businesses with their leasing and disposition of assets. John has spent the last several years of his career in the NYC investment sales market working with family offices and institutions. His past experience covers almost every vertical of the industry from multi-family to luxury condos and includes industrial and mixed-use properties.
Easterseals Delaware & Maryland’s Eastern Shore recently welcomed Penny Saridakis of Greenville; Joan Sharp of Wilmington; and Mike Tretina of Magnolia to its board of directors.
• Saridakis serves on the board of directors at ChristianaCare; co-chair of the Young Friends of ChristianaCare; member of the board of directors of Leadership Delaware; and a member of the board of trustees
of Ursuline Academy.
• Sharp founded River Family Advisors, LLC, where she currently works. She received the 2012 Governor of Delaware’s Outstanding Volunteer Award and was published twice on Forbes.com, “Put
the Client First,” and “Gifting to Kids.”
• Tretina is the senior vice president and CFO at Bayhealth Medical Center in Dover. He was previously vice president and CFO at Mary Greeley Medical Center in Iowa. He is a Fellow at Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA).
Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell LLP announced 16 attorneys associated with the firm have been admitted to the Delaware bar.
• Nader Amer (Corporate and Business Litigation)
• Emily A. Bryant-Álvarez (Corporate and Business Litigation)
• Cameron P. Clark (Intellectual Property Litigation)
• Koah M. Doud (Commercial Law Counseling)
• Jason A. Fruchter (Corporate Counseling)
• Michelle Fu (Corporate Counseling)
• Miranda N. Gilbert (Corporate and Business Litigation)
• Joseph P. Halsey (Business Reorganization and Restructuring)
• Sarah P. Kaboly (Corporate and Business Litigation)
• Andrew Moshos (Intellectual Property Litigation)
• Sarah E. Simonetti (Intellectual Property Litigation)
• Hallie Snyder Sacchetta (Corporate Counseling)
• Sara Toscano (Corporate and Business Litigation)
• Brett S. Turlington (Business Reorganization and Restructuring)
• Gage Whirley (Corporate and Business Litigation)
• Andrew Workman (Business Reorganization and Restructuring)
Andrew R. Vara has been appointed as the U.S. Trustee for Ohio and Michigan (Region 9). He will replace Daniel M. McDermott, who is retiring after 30 years of government service. In addition to his appointment in Region 9, Mr. Vara also will continue to serve as the U.S. Trustee for Region 3 (Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania) on an interim basis.
Joseph D. Farris, Justin T. Hymes, and Zachary C. Woerner of Potter Anderson have been admitted to the Delaware bar.
The Lewes office of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Gallo Realty was named the top office in the franchise network’s Southern region for gross commission income during the third quarter of 2019. The Southern region consists of 17 states, from the mid-Atlantic to the South. The Lewes office was also awarded first place in the Southern Region for total units sold. In addition to the company awards, the Lee Ann Wilkinson Group of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Gallo Realty earned several sales production awards for the third quarter of 2019.
