People on the Move Sept. 4

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.

William Northey

William Northey, PhD, chief operations officer of Connections Community Support Programs Inc. has been appointed to the position of president and CEO. Northey has been serving the organization in that role on an interim basis since founder and former CEO, Catherine Devaney McKay, announced her retirement in October of last year.

Northey has served in various roles at Connections since 2005, championing clinical innovation, data analytics and informatics, and competency development. Most recently, he has worked with the Leadership Team at Connections to operate efficiently at scale and to improve the delivery of valuable behavioral health care to the citizens of Delaware.

“I am incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished in such a short time especially with the challenges that the pandemic has created,” Northey said in a statement. “The entire organization has stepped up to ensure both the physical safety of our clients while providing the behavioral health services they need throughout the state.”

In the decades prior to becoming the COO at Connections, Northey, a licensed marriage and family therapist, served in a number of academic and research positions, including faculty appointments as Drexel, Wilmington, Northcentral, Bowling Green State, Amridge and George Washington universities, and directed the research programs at the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy and the Philadelphia Child and Family Therapy Training Center.

Lauren Bigelow

Lauren Bigelow is the new director of marketing and events for Thompson Island Brewing Company in Rehoboth Beach, one of SoDel Concepts’ 12 restaurants in Sussex County.

Bigelow, who has a craft beer background, will handle marketing and events for the brewpub.

“Lauren brings so much skill and experience to the team,” said Matt Patton, who oversees the beer program for SoDel Concepts, in a statement. “Her diverse background demonstrates her interest in continually learning about a variety of subjects.”

Before Bigelow entered the marketing field, she was a legislative associate in Maryland. She also worked in development for Light House, a homeless shelter in Annapolis.

“I love the fact that it is constantly evolving,” Bigelow said in a statement. “The beer world today is so different than it was 10 years ago. That evolution keeps the industry interesting.”

“We are thrilled about having Lauren on our team and encourage you to keep an ear out for all of the fun things we have planned at Thompson Island,” Patton added.

Bigelow lives in Milford with her husband and dogs Taco and Minion.

Cheryle Casino, MSW, a longtime social services professional and Goodwill of Delaware team member for the last seven years will transition into the role of program manager, leading the development and implementation of the Train to Gain adult training program. In previous roles with Goodwill of Delaware, Cheryl successfully developed and led the Beyond Jobs and Employment Supports programs as a case manager where she provided services to qualifying individuals 18 years and older with barriers to employment, delivering positive outcomes for dozens of individuals and families throughout the state. She also oversaw Goodwill’s team member food pantry, which supplies food to more than 200 families each year.

Kenan Hilyard is joining the Workforce Initiative Support Specialist implementing the new Train to Gain program alongside Cheryl Casino. As a 2020 graduate of the University of Delaware with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, Kenan is currently studying for a bachelor’s degree in sociology and a master’s degree in clinical psychology, also at the University of Delaware. Prior to completing his undergraduate studies, Kenan interned with Baylor Women’s Correctional Institution in New Castle, Delaware and spent summers tutoring children in the Chester Children’s Chorus Summer Learning Program.

Shirlene Davis will join as the family resource coordinator for Goodwill’s Employment Supports Program, filling the role vacated by Casino. In this role, Davis will provide intensive case management services to qualified individuals in New Castle County to help them obtain employment, manage their personal finances, and secure a stable living environment. Shirlene is a 2017 graduate of Wilmington University with a bachelor’s degree in behavioral science. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in social work at Widener University, and aspires to become a licensed clinical social worker and mental healthcare provider.

Steve Lyons

Steve Lyons has joined Artisans’ Bank as a senior vice president and chief financial officer. Lyons brings more than 15 years of financial services industry experience to Artisans’ Bank. Most recently, Lyons held the position of chief financial officer at MidCoast Community Bank, prior to the bank’s recent merger with First Citizens Community Bank. 

“Steve joins us with a deep and varied background in bank finance and is well positioned to contribute to Artisans’ mission,” said Beth Albano, president and CEO of Artisans’ Bank, in a statement. “We are excited to welcome Steve to the bank’s leadership team.” 

“I am happy to be part of Artisans’ Bank’s long history of being a respected, stable, and community focused institution serving the state of Delaware and its surrounding markets,” Lyons said in a statement. “I look forward to supporting the Bank, and its Associates and Customers.” 

Steve lives in Wayne, Pa., with his wife and children. 

Myunghee Geerts

Myunghee Geerts has been appointed as a director of Cover & Rossiter, P.A.

Recognizing her contributions, Marie Holliday said in a statement, “In the short time Myunghee has been with us, she has become a highly valued and integral part of our firm’s present and future success.”

Geerts joined Cover & Rossiter’s tax department in December 2018. She is passionate about helping businesses prosper. Growing up, she observed firsthand what it takes to operate a small business, as her dad was an entrepreneur. This entrepreneurial spirit has led Geerts to launch a new advisory service line at Cover & Rossiter called Growth Management Consulting, a one-stop solution for developing sustainable growth strategies that help clients address the full range of challenges they face every day.

Geerts earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Michigan State University and a Masters of Business Administration degree from the University of Delaware. She is a certified public accountant in Delaware and Pennsylvania.

David deBruin

David deBruin, an attorney with Gawthrop Greenwood, has been named the “Lawyer of the Year” in Criminal Defense by Best Lawyers 2021 in Wilmington.

This award from Best Lawyers recognizes individual lawyers with the highest overall peer feedback for a specific practice area and geographic region. Only one lawyer is recognized as the “Lawyer of the Year” for each specialty and location.

Today Media is pleased to announce that Lisa Minto has joined Delaware Business Times as advertising director.

Lisa comes to Delaware Business Times from APG Media, where she served for seven years, most recently as regional advertising manager of the Cecil Whig in Elkton. Additionally, she served for three years as marketing and advertising manager for Calvert Retail/Kitchen and Company in Montchanin. Prior to that, Lisa worked for Gannett as a key accounts representative at the News Journal for three years.

In her Delaware Business Times role, Lisa will lead the sales team’s efforts to develop and implement marketing programs for advertisers across DBT’s print, event and digital platforms.

Lisa acquired a Bachelor of Arts from Penn State University. She lives in the Newark area with her husband and three children.