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.
Gregory Friedman, CFO and EVP of Corteva, has announced his intent to retire from the organization.
“Greg’s expert and thoughtful leadership of our Finance organization helped establish a solid foundation for Corteva’s future as a strong, independent leader in global agriculture,” said James C. Collins, Jr., CEO of Corteva.
“Corteva has a strategy that is working, as its industry-leading pipeline continues to drive growth and the benefits of our work over the past few years will accelerate earnings improvement starting this year. With the company well-positioned to deliver a strong 2021 and on track to deliver on its mid-term targets, I felt the completion of the Company’s fourth quarter earnings was the right time to announce my retirement from Corteva,” said Friedman.
“I have had many incredible opportunities in my time at DuPont, Pioneer and Corteva. For me and my family, I believe this is the right time to retire from Corteva and I have complete confidence that the Company will continue to deliver significant value to our shareholders and meaningful benefits to our customers — and the planet — in the near-term and over the coming years.”
Carrie Leishman, president of the Delaware Restaurant Association, has joined the board of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF). The NRAEF is the philanthropic arm of the National Restaurant Association that is dedicated to enhancing the industry’s training and education, career development and community engagement efforts. The NRAEF and its programs work to Attract, Empower and Advance today’s and tomorrow’s restaurant and foodservice workforce.
Brian Carney, co-founder of RiversEdge Advisors, has become the 3rd person in Delaware to complete the Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA) Program through the Exit Planning Institute (EPI). The CEPA Program is the most widely accepted and endorsed exit planning program available, focused around cross-functional consulting and value acceleration.
As the need for business exit planning has grown in recent years, Carney entered into this program to better prepare clients for the eventual transition of their business.
Kyle J. McGee, director of Grant & Eisenhofer’s (G&E) environmental litigation group, has been appointed to the firm’s Executive Committee.
McGee joined G&E immediately after completing a research degree in 2009, where he was part of a team of lawyers in acase against Merck that led to a $688 million recovery. McGee was also part of the G&E team representing plaintiffs in a headline class action against Volkswagen, Audi, and Porsche over the automakers’ deceptive diesel emissions software, which necessitated the recall of more than a half-million vehicles in the U.S.; the eventual settlement was valued at some $15 billion.
Under McGee’s leadership, the environmental litigation group has recovered substantial damages from polluters and manufacturers of toxic industrial contaminants, including a $52 million recovery on behalf of the D.C. government related to the contamination of the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers.
“It’s a pleasure to add Kyle to our Executive Committee,” said G&E co-founder and managing director Jay Eisenhofer. “Since arriving fresh out of law school, Kyle has made a steady march forward through the firm, contributing significantly to our successes in whistleblower matters and consumer cases, and more recently establishing our environmental group, which is certain to expand further under his direction.”
McGee commented on the importance of advancing his group’s docket. “Our environmental litigation clients are public agencies and offices waging a critical fight to roll back decades of indiscriminate contamination of the natural environment and to shift the financial burden of restoring the environment back where it belongs, with the private companies that profited off those injuries,” he said.
Erica Nemser, CEO of Compact Membrane Systems, has been appointed to chair the Delaware Sustainable Chemical Alliance (DESCA) board of directors .
Nemser will begin serving her term in February 2021 taking over from Bryan Tracy, who has held the position since 2017. Tracy will continue to serve on the Board, working on specific projects focused on building the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem and fostering collaborative relationships.
Nemser joined the DESCA Board in 2020 and has worked closely with the team on DESCA’s strategic focus and newer initiatives, including the recently launched Tech2MarketSM Program for early-stage startups. Says Dracy, “Erica has been a great addition to our Board and her background and expertise are perfectly aligned to help guide the organization to its next stage of growth.”
Prior to leading Compact Membrane Systems, Nemser spent 13 years at McKinsey and Co., developing expertise in product strategy, product launch, portfolio management, new company growth and risk management strategy for innovative products with long development cycles. She led several internal strategic initiatives for McKinsey, including best practice consulting and talent management.
Ward Keever IV, president and CEO of Covenant Wealth Strategies, and his team >have been named to LPL Financial’s Executive Council. This award is presented to the top LPL Financial-affiliated advisors nationwide. “We congratulate Ward and his team on this achievement, which exemplifies excellence in the financial services industry. Executive Council advisors represent the highest level of service that a financial advisor can provide to their clients and communities,” said Dan Arnold, president and CEO of LPL Financial.
