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.
The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) announces that Chris L. Kenny, CEO of Delaware Supermarkets Inc., will join the Commission as a public representative. Kenny is a Delaware business leader and philanthropist with a mission to provide his community with engaging, action-oriented thought leadership on the greatest issues affecting the state. Kenny is the CEO of his multigenerational family business Delaware Supermarkets Inc., owning and operating six ShopRite supermarkets and is currently celebrating their 25th year in business. As current and former board member for over a dozen non-profits, Kenny offers unique insights into business, entrepreneurship, the food industry, Delaware issues, and the state’s community.
Peggy Del Fabbro, CEO of M. Davis & Sons Inc., has been appointed to serve as first Vice Chair on the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council Forum, a select group of leading women business owners from across the country advising the nation’s largest third-party certifier of women-owned businesses, WBENC. As a member of the Forum, Fabbro will be building a network with women business owners from across the country, increasing business opportunities, sharing insights and expertise, and serving as the voice of more than 16,000 WBENC-Certified Women’s Business Enterprises (WBEs). Fabbro will also be serving in an advisory capacity on the WBENC Board of Directors.
Shore United Bank President & CEO Scott Beatty, Jr. has been named by the Daily Record’s Power 30 for the year 2020. This list showcases the top 30 leaders in Maryland’s banking and financial services.
The COVID-19 pandemic presented the banking industry with the incredible challenge to do its part in safeguarding the nation’s economy. This includes businesses in need of financing to stay open and make payroll, as well as individual customers in need of assistance.
“Our execution of the federal Payroll Protection Program was our biggest success. Our staff literally worked every weekend, all day, and all night to make sure our customers got the support they so desperately needed. Through the two rounds of the program Shore United Bank processed 2,454 loans totaling $196 million. We know this saved many businesses from failure,” says Beatty on the topic of Shore United Bank’s biggest success during the pandemic.
Choice Hotels International, Inc., one of the world’s largest lodging franchisors, has appointed Donna Vieira to its board of directors. Vieira is executive vice president and chief commercial officer at Sallie Mae where she oversees the company’s top line revenue growth, credit, pricing and loss mitigation, as well as products, sales, marketing, customer and digital experience, and business development. Previously, she was chief marketing officer of consumer banking and wealth management at JPMorgan Chase.
“Donna is an exceptional executive with a depth of experience in marketing and broader general management roles across the financial services sector. Her expertise in consumer-focused businesses will be a superb fit on our board,” said Stewart Bainum, Jr., chairman of the Choice Hotels board of directors.
Patrick Pacious, president and chief executive officer, Choice Hotels, further noted, “Donna is a highly-regarded leader, and we are very pleased to have her join the board. In her career, she has led organizations of scale, helped successfully elevate their brands and guided transformational success.”
Prelude Therapeutics Inc. announced the appointment of Martin Babler to its Board of Directors. Babler brings to Prelude over 25 years of pharmaceutical and biotech experience, most recently serving as President and CEO of Principia Biopharma until its acquisition by Sanofi S.A. in October 2020. Babler will serve as a member of the Audit Committee of the Board.
“We are delighted to welcome Martin, a deeply experienced industry leader, to the Prelude Therapeutics Board of Directors,” said Kris Vaddi, PhD, CEO of Prelude. “We look forward to leveraging his vast expertise as we continue to advance our novel pipeline of internally discovered therapeutics aimed at addressing several cancers with high unmet need.
Delaware State University (DSU) has appointed two alumni to lead its renowned Approaching Storm Band and other instrumental groups – Sidney Sessoms, Jr. as its new Director of Band, and Vincent Adkins as the Assistant Director of Bands.
Sessoms attended DSU from 1980 -1985. After serving as the interim Band Director at DSU in 1988, Sessoms served as the Director of Bands at Lincoln University (MO), Clark Atlanta University and Livingstone College, the latter of which he also served as interim Chair of the Music Department and Music Faculty.
Sessoms led the Clark Atlanta University percussion ensemble’s performance during the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, performances for the Atlanta Hawks Basketball Team, and a number of national and international commissioned works, including works performed by the Australian Symphony Orchestra, Berkeley Institute – Hamilton, Bermuda, and the Salisbury Symphony Orchestra.
Adkins earned a bachelor of science in Music from Delaware State University in 1988 and a Master’s Degree in Education Media Technology from Full Sail University in 2009. Adkins has taught music and band to public school students for 32 years, and brings to DSU expertise in drill design, marching fundamentals and jazz. He is also an instrumentalist for the Delaware Symphony Orchestra, where he is also a Board member. “I am excited to give back to an institution that gave me so much,” Adkins said.
Richards, Layton & Finger directors Robert Burns, Kevin Gallagher, Susan Hannigan, and Travis Hunter have been named on the 2021 Benchmark Litigation 40 & Under Hot List. Benchmark recognizes the “best and brightest litigators” aged 40 and under who were involved in some of their firms’ most noteworthy matters and earned praise from their clients and peers. With four honorees, Richards Layton has more attorneys listed on the 40 & Under Hot List than any other Delaware firm.
Burns, Gallagher, Hannigan, and Hunter have worked on many of the most significant, high-profile cases arising in Delaware. They have been involved in complex appraisal matters, contractual disputes, high-value mergers and acquisitions, intellectual property and trade secrets disputes, fiduciary duty claims, corporate governance and control issues, and other commercial disputes.
Dr. Samuel Swisher-McClure recently joined Delmarva Radiation Services and Beebe Healthcare as a new Radiation Oncologist. He is currently seeing patients at the Tunnell Cancer Center on Route 24 in Rehoboth as well as the South Coastal Cancer Center near Millville.
Dr. Swisher-McClure has expertise in the use of intensity modulated radiation therapy, image guided radiation therapy, stereotactic body radiotherapy, and proton beam therapy. He has extensive experience caring for patients with a wide range of cancer types.
“I am strongly devoted to helping patients and their families deal with the challenges of a cancer diagnosis,” said Dr. Swisher-McClure. “I view it as an honor and privilege to serve as one of their physicians during such a difficult time. I always strive to provide the highest level of care for my patients, and to care for them as if they were members of my own family.”
The Beau Biden Foundation for the Protection of Children announced the appointment of two new members to its Board of Directors, Viola Vaughan-Eden and Michelle D. Shepherd. “We are honored and proud to officially welcome Dr. Vaughan-Eden and Michelle Shepherd to our Board of Directors,” said Patricia Dailey Lewis, executive director of the Beau Biden Foundation.
Vaughan-Eden is a clinical and forensic social worker who serves as a consultant and expert witness in child maltreatment cases – principally sexual abuse. She is Associate Professor and PhD Program Director with The Ethelyn R. Strong School of Social Work at Norfolk State University.
Shepherd is an independent consultant working in the financial services industry and will serve as the Beau Biden Foundation’s Board Treasurer. Shepherd retired from Bank of America as the company’s East Division Executive in 2008. During her tenure,she also served as the company’s Senior Privacy Executive and sat on the Management Operating Committee and the Global Diversity and Inclusion Council.
Prior to her time at Bank of America, Mrs. Shepherd spent 20 years with MBNA where she last served as a Group Executive and member of MBNA’s Executive Committee, overseeing sales and marketing for the U.S. credit card business, including the company’s in-house advertising agency.
Diamond State Financial Group is pleased to announce that Wm. Jason Hagerman recently earned the Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA) Designation from the Exit Planning Institute (EPI). The CEPA designation is a noteworthy achievement and further establishes Jason as an expert exit planner in the marketplace today. Hagerman is an Associate Partner at Diamond State Financial Group.
The Bridge, a Delmarva-based radio station serving Delaware, Maryland, the Eastern Shore of Virginia, and South Jersey, has hired Mandy Wallace as Community Engagement Specialist. Wallace has lived in Delmar all her life, and still resides in “the town too big for one state.” In her role as Community Engagement Specialist, Wallace partners with Ben Sorrells, the Director of Community Engagement, to develop and deepen The Bridge’s commitment to regional non-profit organizations, churches, and individual listeners.
The Bridge has also hired Alison Kristunas as its new Development Director. Kristunas is a native of Wilmington and a graduate of Wilmington University with a Master’s degree in Management and Organizational Leadership and bachelors in Psychology. In her new role, Kristunas will work with donors to match resources with ministry opportunities through The Bridge broadcast and community outreach initiative
Matt Bittle has joined Planned Parenthood of Delaware as their public affairs manager. In this role, he will help coordinate the organization’s advocacy, spread the word about Planned Parenthood’s services, and interact with state officials to influence policy. Prior to joining Planned Parenthood, he spent seven years as the government and politics reporter at the Delaware State News in Dover.
