Technology Trends event coming to city next month

April 29, 2015
Third Year, 16th Issue
33 pages
This week
Plastics plant, 154
jobs coming to
Glasgow site. 3
Natural gas
coming to DuPont
Experimental
Station. 6
Fiber network
companies to
merge 18
Development Digest - A look
at a key industry in state.
11-17
Technology Trends event
coming to city next month
A
new event, Top Tech Trends (and the
leaders making it happen) is slated for May
20 at Capital One in Wilmington. The
event is presented by the Technology Forum of
Delaware.
“Each year, futurists and tech consultants define
the global technology trends that are changing the
way we live and work. We believe that the Delaware
technology community is playing a surprisingly important role in driving these trends,” a release from
the Technology Forum stated.
The event is expected to include technology offerings from the University of Delaware, Christiana
Care and others. Also appearing at the event will be
technology leaders.
The release continued, “We believe that the Delaware technology community is playing a surprisingly important role in driving these trends forward. Delaware area firms are inventing new technologies
to enable these trends, others are leveraging new technologies to create new products and services, and still
others are making these new technologies accessible
to the rest of us in the region.”
Continued on next page
Look at technology trends coming to city on May 20
From previous page
Trends to be featured at the downtown Wilmington event include:
- Internet of Things (Wearables and Connected Devices)
- 3D printing and advanced manufacturing
- Clean energy and sustainable technologies
- Applications of technology in retail and banking
- Analytics, big data and cloud computing
- Immersive Content and Game Technology
Members of Tech Forum have identified these technologies and will honor and
spotlight innovators in more than 10 trends and introduce more than 30 leaders
in our community, many new to the public.
“The Technology Forum of Delaware is looking forward to our first Tech Trends
event that will showcase the leaders and technology in our local area. This event
will provide a unique forum for our members and community to experience the
incredible innovation and creatively that we have right here in Delaware,” said
Rick Sommer, chair of the Tech Forum.
The event will include demonstrations of some technologies and gets under way
at 5:30 p.m. on the 20th..
Registration is online at http://www.techforumde.org/event-1801227. The trends event comes after a successful Idea Challenge in February that drew
a crowd of nearly 150.
Idea Challenge teams came up with ideas aimed at improving Wilmington
and aiding young, tech-savvy residents moving to the city. The winning entry
featured a “Beacon” that would include everything from Wi FI access to video
screen information on events at locations in downtown. The Technology Forum
holds monthly education, information and networking events.
Plastics plant, 154 jobs coming to Glasgow site
Z
acros America Inc. formally announced
on Tuesday that it will move its Hedwin
Division, along with 154 manufacturing jobs,
from Baltimore to at site in Glasgow.
It has been widely reported that Hedwin had
settled on the Pencader Corporate Center site, which
had been the site of a plastics company that moved
operations elsewhere. Click here for Business Daily
stories on Hedwin.
The relocation is a victory for Delaware, which has
seen a steep decline in manufacturing employment
since the state lost both auto plants in 2008 and
2009.
Hedwin was launched in Baltimore in 1946 and
has been a pioneer in the packaging and containment
industry. The company’s “Winstead Process” was
developed for molten sheet thermoforming used
to develop plastic heat-sealing for the company’s
Cubitainer product line.
“The manufacturing sector of 2015 looks much
different than the one of even a decade ago. Whether
it’s a packaging and safety equipment maker in
Seaford, a chicken processing plant in Milford or
a pharmaceutical firm in Wilmington, Delaware
is home to a wide variety of excellent companies
that offer well-paying jobs and are poised for future
growth,” Gov. Jack Markell said. “Hedwin has a long
history of innovation, and we look forward to helping
them continue to break new ground over the years to
come.”
Hedwin is a global provider of flexible and rigid
packaging solutions for cosmetics, food, flavoring,
industrial medical, pharmaceutical and sanitary
markets. In 2014, the company was purchased by
Fujimori Kogyo Co. Ltd., a Japanese converter
of flexible films and packaging. During the same
year, Hedwin became a division within Fujimori’s
ELECTRONICS
RECYCLING
DATA
DESTRUCTION
Located in New Castle, DE | 302.262.9905
subsidiary, Zacros America. The company has
distributors in 36 cities nationwide and works closely
with customers that include Healthcare Diagnostics,
one of its new neighbors Pencader.
“When we looked at potential sites for Zacros
America, Delaware had the best workforce and the
right location,” said Maurice LeCompte, vice
president and chief operating officer for the Hedwin
Division of Zacros America. “We felt that Delaware
wanted to promote manufacturing more than the
other options we were considering. “
Batteries included: SolarCity offers $1 billion fund for business
S
Cooperative about 25 miles west of Newark near Rising Sun, MD. Old Dominion supplies, Greenwoodbased Delaware Electric. It is the latest in a series of
collaborations between SolarCity and Credit Suisse.
The financial service giant is also involved in SolarCity’s new MyPower loan program. The program
allows homeowners and businesses to finance systems
with no money down, while sharing in the revenues
from feeding power into the electric grid.
olarCity has formally launched a fund that
includes an investment and expertise from
financial services giant Credit Suisse.
The fund is expected to finance more than $1 billion in commercial solar energy systems for businesses, schools and government organizations in the U.S.
Some systems are expected to use batteries that aim
to reduce expensive electrical peak use charges that
come when utilities have to buy electricity on the
spot market.
Continued on next page
The ribbon cutting at Delaware City.
Earlier this month, SolarCity opened its second
Delaware operations center near Newark in an effort
to gain more rooftop real estate at homes and businesses in northern Delaware.
Solar City, which is based in northern California,
opened an operations center in Seaford, DE about a
year ago. The company has about 70 operations centers.
In 2013, Solar City installed a commercial system
in Delaware City in New Castle County. The system
is expected to save the municipality $1 million over a
20-year period.
Delaware and the city of Wilmington rank as
among the largest solar power producers in the nation on a per person basis, thanks in part to large
commercial and utility installations. SolarCity and
Credit Suisse firt announced the commercial fund
in February and began funding the first projects in
late March. The fund, believed to be the largest of
its kind, is expected to finance more than 300 megawatts of new commercial solar projects over the next
two years.
The 300 megawatts is roughly equivalent to the
power production of a natural-gas powered generating plant now under construction by Calpine in
Dover or less than a third of the capacity of a larger
gas-fired plan being buil by Old Dominion Electric
Battery back-up could cut peak electricity demand
From previous page
that are used in its automobiles. That technology is
expected to to be used in batteries that could become
MyPower marketing literature claims the program
the key to solar systems powering homes and busiwill allow home-owners and businesses to stabilize
electric bills. Those bills have not gone down a graet nesses after the sun goes down. The batteries could
deal, despite lower fuel prices, due to continuing in- also be used in providing power during periods of
creases in costs required in upgrading an aging electri- peak demand, typically in the summer months. Over
the longer term, batteries in a growing number of
cal grid.
electric or hybrid automobiles could be used for storCritics have also claimed Delaware’s alternative en- age of electrical power.
ergy mandates have led to high electric rates that are
The University of Delaware is currently testing a
hurting efforts to attract business. vehicle to grid system using specially modified electric BMW mini autos. Partners in the project inThose mandates include the increased use of soclude NRG, which has a solar power operation and
lar energy. More recently, critics have softened their
is one of Solar City’s competitors and PJM, the grid
views on solar, due to a sharp reduction in cost and
operator for Delaware and other areas in the East and
increased efficiency of panels.
Midwest.
The SolarCity fund will help businesses in installing
An array of vehicle solar batteries can store the
systems such as ZS Peak, a mounting system that can
equivalent of the energy usage for several homes. UD
allow SolarCity to reduce commercial project build
is looking for ways that this technology can be used to
time from multiple weeks to a few days, and DemandLogic, a battery storage system that allows busi- balance out supply and demand on the grid.
nesses to further reduce energy costs by using stored
“Continuing technology improvements, cost reducelectricity to meet periods of peak demand.
tions and strong financing support from partners like
Credit Suisse are making solar economically attractive
SolarCity’s chair and co-founder is Elon Musk,
to a growing number of businesses across the U.S.,”
heads electric car maker Tesla.Tesla and Panasonic
said Brad Buss, SolarCity’s chief financial officer. “Sois building a $1 billion plant in Nevada that aims to
reduce the cost and increase the efficiency of batteries larCity has installed more than 1,800 commercial
solar projects in 21 states—and we’ve barely scratched
the surface of the addressable market.”
SolarCity installed more commercial solar capacity
in the U.S. than any other provider in 2014, according to GTM Research’s most recent U.S. PV Leaderboard. More information is online at www.solarcity.
com and the company can be followed on Facebook
& Twitter. Click here for Business Daily stories on
solar power in our nearly 5,000-article archive.
DuPont to switch Experimental Station to natural gas
I
n coming weeks, Delmarva Power will begin
a natural gas expansion project funded by
DuPont Co. to establish service for the DuPont
Experimental Station near Wilmington.
The research site’s boilers use fuel oil, an energy
source that was once less expensive than natural gas.
Converting the DuPont Experimental Station to
natural gas has environmental benefits, according to a
Delmarva release.
The conversion will eliminate sulfur dioxide
emissions from the site and is expected to result
in a nearly 30 percent reduction in carbon dioxide
emissions. That is t equal to removing 4,500 cars
from highways. It will also eliminate 1,000 oil tank
truck deliveries to the DuPont Experimental Station
each year. Total cost of the project was not disclosed.
The DuPont Experimental Station will take advantage of lower natural gas prices to fire its employers.
through Friday. Delmarva Power is working with
DuPont to manage the project and comply with
safety in all areas where the two organizations are
involved.
Traffic is congested in the area, due in part to the
The project was approved by regulatory authorities failure to rebuild the Tyler McConnell Bridge over the
including but not limited to DNREC and DelDOT. Brandywine, due to environmental and neighborhood
The station is near Brandywine Creek. As new gas
issues. Everything possible will be done to protect the
discoveries came into production in Pennsylvania,
environment along the path in compliance with local,
natural gas prices have become less volatile than in
state and federal regulation, a Delmarva Power release
the past, leading industrial companies to look at
stated. The project is expected to be completed by
converting their boilers to the fuel.
late 2016 at the Experimental Station, which is the
home of dicoveries that include nylon and Kevlar.
Construction is expected to alter traffic patterns in
the surrounding area at various times from Monday
Ashland spin-off Solenis opens headquarters
at Three Beaver Valley Road office building
A
n Ashland spin-off announced the opening
its new headquarters in north Wilmington.
“It has been an exceptionally busy time as we continue to build this business inside and out,” stated
John Panichella, CEO. “The new headquarters will
further enhance the Solenis’ corporate identity and
Solenis, a global producer of specialty chemicals
for the pulp, paper, oil and gas, chemical processing, culture that we are working hard to develop around
the world. As we continue to build and strengthen
mining, biorefining, power and municipal markets
is now based in 39,000 square feet of space at Three our organization, we will continue to rely on our
Beaver Valley Road, off Route 202, near the Pennsyl- proven leadership, industry expertise and market-focused research and development to lead the industry
vania line.
in analyzing and solving water and process challenges
and support our customers with innovative products
The headquarters will be the home for about 120
and services, just as we have in the past.”
employees working at the company that was previously known as Ashland Water Technologies. Space is
The company’s Wilmington Research Center will
available for expansion.
remain at its current location at 500 Hercules Road
.
Following the opening of its European headquarters in Wilmington.
last fall in Schaffhausen, Switzerland, the opening of
The company has 30 manufacturing facilities strathe world headquarters is one more step in a series of
tegically worldwide and employs a team of approxiactions that the company has taken since it was acquired by a fund managed by private investment firm mately 3,500 in 118 countries across five continents.
For additional information about Solenis, please visit
Clayton, Dubilier & Rice on August 1, 2014.
www.solenis.com.
In addition to the office openings, Solenis recently
acquired Clearwater Specialty Chemicals in North
America as well as a paper chemical business from
CBC in India.
Ashland acquired Hercules, Incorporated in 2008.
A number of Solenis’ businesses, such as paper chemicals, were core holdings of Hercules, which was a
spin-off of DuPont after the break-up of its explosives monopoly.
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DuPont acquires Taxon in bid to boost crop business
D
uPont has agreed to acquire Taxon
Biosciences, Inc. as the Wilmington-based
company works to stay on the cutting edge
of agriculture.
Matt Ashby and Jasper Rine, with the objective of
developing a microbial genomics platform to solve
critical challenges in agriculture, energy and health
sciences.
The company has intellectual property estate in the
field of microbial consortia and microbial genomics
products which will contribute to the development
DuPont is facing a proxy battle for four board seats of new DuPont seed treatment, foliar and soil
with Trian that have major implications on its future application products for important row crops, fruits
and vegetables.
course. CEO Ellen Kullman continues to make the
case that DuPont is delivering results and investing in
“The acquisition of Taxon will complement and
faster-growing business lines.
enhance our in-house microbial discovery programs,”
said Frank DeGennaro, director of DuPont
“In 2014, the businesses in DuPont’s Agriculture,
Biologicals. “With this added capability, we expect to
Nutrition & Health and Industrial Biosciences
accelerate our time from discovery to market and we
segments sold more than $1 billion in biological
are field testing biological discovery leads identified
solutions across four market sectors. Our in-house,
cross-business venture, DuPont Biologicals, draws on by Taxon this year.”
Terms or annual revenues for Taxon were not
disclosed.
our world-class science and deep understanding of
food and production agriculture markets to deliver
value-added crop biological solutions,” said Executive
Vice President James Borel. “Taxon has built a
leading technology platform for the discovery of
microbial based products that will further strengthen
our capabilities in biologicals.”
Based in Tiburon, Calif., near San Francisco,
Taxon was founded in 2000, by microbial geneticists
“DuPont has a legacy of innovation, and we are
excited to join the company in transforming the
future of global agriculture through crop biologicals,”
said Glenn Nedwin, CEO of Taxon Biosciences,
Inc. “Our unique technology platform coupled with
DuPont’s robust research capabilities and positioning
across several markets makes the integration of Taxon
into DuPont a natural fit and will support DuPont’s
ability to bring new products to the market, faster.”
Crop biologicals include microbes, plant extracts,
and other natural substances used to control pests
and improve plant health, quality and yield.
As part of an integrated management approach
to control pests, biologicals can provide more
choice and flexibility for growers, and complement
solutions for growers available from DuPont Crop
Protection and DuPont Pioneer.
For more information, log on to www.taxon.com.
dining
Plant-based restaurant chain coming to Route 202 & Newark
A small restaurant chain, inspired by the healthy food movement, is expanding to northern Delaware this year.
HoneyGrow will open restaurants on Main Street in Newark
and Concord Pike in north Wilmington. The company is now
looking for managers for its Delaware locations.
The Main Street site is at the former Delaware Book Exchange,
while the Concord Pike location is at the Concord Gallery shopping center near the Brandywine Town Center complex.
things through nourishing foods,” the post noted. Honeygrow
now has locations in Philadelphia, Bala Cynwyd, Radnor and
Cherry Hill in the Delaware Valley.
Also slated to open this year are locations in Hoboken, NJ
and the University of Pennsylvania area in west Philadelphia.
Cinco de Mayor - the backstory
For those of us who grew up in the Mountain West, it is still
a little jarring to see the Mardi Gras atmosphere surrounding
Hibachi, a Japanese steak place, closed its doors at that shopping center not too Cinco de Mayo. In the past, the victory of Mexican forces in one battle over the
long ago.
French was a low-key celebration.
The menu features stir fry, salads, juices and related fare and claims it does not
have a freezer on the premises.
The company’s website projects a summer opening for a location at 58 E. Main
Street in Newark and fall for the location at 5609 Concord Pike.
According to the website, HoneyGrow was founded by Justin Rosenberg in
Philadelphia in 2012.“As a newly converted proponent of a plant-based diet and
tired of non-colorful lunch experiences, Justin decided to rid himself of the confines of his cubicle and pursue a life that spoke to his passion: creating awesome
Like many of the victories in the American Revolution, the meaning was symbolic as the French ended up occupying Mexican City for a few years after Mexican forces were defeated.
Problems in Europe, guerrilla warfare and the prospect of the US not wanting a
European power in its backyard after Civil War led the French to turn tail.
The popularity of Mexican beer is credited in some quarters to the current
celebrations. The day is now important to the bottom line to many Mexican
Continued on next page
Cinco de Mayor and Burger Month
From previous page
food establishments,
both family owned and
chains.
It is also a reminder to
check out those establishments that are serious about their offerings.
In the past several
years, a number of dining spots have opened that reflect the diversity of
food from our southern neighbor. Sadly, reviews of
this cuisine are relatively few and the casualty rate of
restaurants is relatively high.
There are too many spots that offer overly bland
food in reaction to the mistaken belief by many diners that authentic food is overly hot.
Iron Hill brings back Burger month
Beginning on Friday, May 1, all 11 Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant locations will celebrate National
Burger Month with 31 Daily Burgers.
Every patron will receive a Burger Month Punch
Card, and for every five burgers, you’ll receive a $15
reward to use on their next visit to Iron Hill.
“At Iron Hill, we love pairing food with our beers,
but the ultimate pairing will always be a beer and a
burger – which is why we look forward to celebrating
National Burger Month each year,” says Director of
Brewing Operations Mark Edelson. “We have a lot
of fun trying to top the previous year’s selections, and
this year is no exception, with old favorites joining
brand-new-for-2015 burgers on our calendar.”
Trending
The following stories in
DelawareBusinessDaily.com recorded
the most visits in the past week.
1. Healthy food cafe coming to northern
Delaware
2. Shareholder service recommends voting
for two members of Trian DuPont proxy
slate
3. (Photo gallery) Cabela’s opens store near
Christiana Mall
Founded in 1996 by home brewers Kevin Finn and
Edelson and restaurateur Kevin Davies, Iron Hill
Brewery & Restaurant has grown from one restaurant
and brewery to 11 locations. Iron Hill brews its own
beer at each location and menu items can cary a bit
between restaurants.
4. (Gallery) Three notables to receive
Common Wealth Awards
In 2014, Zagat named Iron Hil the most popular
restaurant in Philadelphia. Iron Hill has grown over
the years from that one location.
7. Christiana Mall area moves into the fast
lane
Iron Hill has been adding a location every year or
two. Of late, no announcement has been made on
future locations. Click here for a list of the 31 different burgers. - Doug Rainey
9. Media Insider: WDEL FM conversion
deserved more notice
5. Essay: A swift or lengthier end to the
DuPont we once knew
6. DuPont acquires Taxon in effort to stay
ahead of the curve in agribusiness
8. WDEL goes on air at KISS FM slot
10. Fiber companies to merge in $1.9
billion deal
Flight to quality continues in office leasing market
T
he flight to quality is continuing in
both the office leasing and sales market in
northern Delaware. North Wilmington
(Route 202) is showing the greatest momentum with
encouraging signs coming in the city of Wilmington.
“ Route 202 is on fire,” says Rick Kingery, vice
president at Colliers in Wilmington. Kingery and
other brokers noted the vacancy rate has dropped
along the corridor, which had been hit by corporate
downsizings at AstraZeneca and elsewhere.
Class B owners face choices
The Collers report for the first quarter noted the
continued move toward higher end office space by
tenants in New Castle County. That is leaving landlords of some Class B buildings with the option of
upgrading or even demolishing buildings.
The big news of late has come in the north Wilmington (Concord Pike) area.
“Overall, it seems as if the New Castle County office market has finally recovered from the recession.
Tenants are not only active in the market, but they
have an actual intent to relocate,” said Neal Dangello, senior managing director at Newmark, Grubb,
Knight, Frank. “Moreover, there has been growth in
some existing companies (SevOne and Nemours) and
new businesses (Kelmar Associates) have set up camp
here in northern New Castle County.
The 202 corridor has also been the site of office
real estate sales, with 3 Beaver Valley Road and more
recently the Delaware Corporate Center sold at prices
that reflect a surging market. (See story, this section).
In the past year, the AstraZeneca sold its South
Abessinio’s purchase of the Rollins high rise for a
Campus to JPMorgan Chase and the once vacant
Rollins Building, now the Applied Bank Center, is at reported $10.5 million is beginning to look like a
bargain as the building nears full occupancy.
or near full occupancy with continuing reports that
Wells Fargo is taking remaining space. AstraZeneca
Dave Morrison of NAI Emory Hill, New Castle,
earlier sold the building to Buccini/Pollin Group,
which in turn sold it to local banker and real estate
Continued on next page
investor Rocco Abessinio.
STAR campus sees
more leasing activity
From previous page
says the overall office leasing market could be more
vibrant.
“It’s old news, but Delaware lost a lot of jobs,”
Morrison says.
More people in less space
Other factors include employers squeezing more
workers in less space and technology that allows less
space to be used. One example is laptop computers
that are replacing large desktop systems and workers
working from their homes a day or two a week.
One side effect of more employees being put into
less space is a strain on surface parking at suburban
office complexes. More parking ramps are likely, Morrison says.
Compiled by Joseph Gilbert, NGKF
Morrison agrees that north Wilmington is the strongest market. He also notes that Buccini/Pollin Group
has plans for the sprawling Concord Plaza office park
in north Wilmington that include retail and apartments as well as office space that is likely to be upgraded.
Another success story, according to the first quarter
Newmark Grubb Knight Frank report from Research
Director Joe Gilbert is the STAR Campus of the University of Delaware.
From previous page
development digest
Optimism for downtown Wilmington
part to the demolition of the Jefferson Plaza building
The STAR
Campus saw strong activity after worries in downtown.
a year ago that the former Chrysler Administration
“I couldn’t be more optimistic,” Kingery says of
Building was struggling to gain traction in the mardowntown. He adds that the pieces are being asket.
sembled for a more vibrant downtown as Buccini/
Glasgow Medical Center and Newark’s IndepenPollin adds apartments that will bring in more young
dence Prosthetics-Orthotics Inc. moved into the
people who want access to transportation options that
69,321-square-foot office have building.
include the train station.
From previous page
SevOne comes to STAR Campus
The legal market, which drove growth in downtown
leasing for a time, has slowed down somewhat, broTechnology company SevOne is slated to occupy
50,000 square feet this summer and Delaware Tech- kers say. Fewer law practices are being spun off from
nology Park Laboratory Incubator could occupy up to existing firms.
10,000 square feet in coming months, virtually filling
Law firms are also changing their office configuraup the building.
tions and eliminating law libraries, leaving more room
Leasing is said to be running ahead of schedule at
without more square footage.
the site being developed by Delle Donne and Associates and built by Bancroft Construction Co.
Bankruptcy law concerns
Downtown Wilmington is also showing promise,
according to Kingery of Colliers. One positive sign
came with a reduction of Class B office space, due in
Another concern is legislation on the location
Continued on next page
Lingo Asset Management announces WSFS, Fresenius leases
in-class office building is intended to attract.” Lingo
developed and built the three-story, Class A, multitenant office building in 2014-2015.
Jack Lingo Asset Management, Rehoboth Baech,
announced that it has completed two office lease
transactions at the newly constructed Lingo
Professional Center in Rehoboth Beach.
The building features a glass entrance and lobby,
well appointed common areas, and visibility along
Coastal Highway.
No square footage figures were listed.
Lingo signed two new long-term office leases with
Fresenius Medical Care and WSFS Bank. JLAM
was represented by Jack Lingo, Inc Realtor in both
transactions, while Fresenius was represented by
Gregg D’Ascanio and Mike Milone of Blackmore
Realty Group.
Bill Lingo, principal at Jack Lingo Asset
Management said “We welcome Fresenius Medical
Care and WSFS Bank to the Lingo Professional
Center. They are both premier tenants that this best-
Stable market forecast for 2015
the balance of 2015,” according to the firm. “As has
always been the case in this market, a few larger leases
of bankruptcies cases that could lead to fewer firms
choosing Delaware. While crime remains a big story may sign this year that could grow occupancy significantly in the near term. But, these leases are far from
in the city, brokers say safety is not a huge concern
with employers and landlords. Amenities, such as caf- certain and a large vacancy swing may not be in this
eterias and secure parking, ease those fears. Also crime market’s future for 2015.”
remains relatively low in downtown.
The Colliers report stated that the” suburban market is primed to have a strong 2015 as an influx of
As for the remainder of the year, the report from
Newmark, Grubb, Knight Frank is modestly upbeat. new debt sparks an increase in renovations. Price wars
for non-trophy office space in downtown Wilmington
“Demand is expected to remain relatively stable for will continue as landlords fiercely compete on rents”
From previous page
The third floor of the Lingo Professional Center is
still available for users seeking office space.
Jack Lingo Asset Management is a commercial and
residential development firm based in coastal
Delaware.
Tenant, tenants sought for Five Below site in New Castle
H
arvey Hanna & Associates is now
marketing one of the state’s largest
distribution center sites.
Recently, the company hosted a breakfast walking
tour of the Twin Spans Business Park. On hand were
business and political leaders eager to see “blue collar
jobs” that comes with distribution operations.
Harvey Hanna, which is based in Newport, hopes
is to replace long time tenant, Five Below, with one to to Massachusetts. The Twin Spans Business Park has
been a distribution center for Five Below since June of
four new tenants at the New Castle site.
2007. The company doubled its space in 2010.
The fast-growing retailer of items with a price of tag
Five Below employs 175 at the site, according to an
of $5 or less is currently leasing 421,291 square feet
earlier Delaware Business Bulletin story.
of warehouse space at the business park and will be
moving its distribution center to a larger site across
Twin Spans Business Park has a roster of well
the river in New Jersey this summer.
known companies (Tire Rack, Zenith Products,
Speakman Company) mixed with regional entities.
Five Below’s current space in Delaware allows for
processing 50,000 boxes a day, with 59 loading docks
It is located in New Castle, near I-95, I-295, I-495,
for truck trailers. Five Below is based in Philadelphia
Routes 9 & 13 and two miles south of the Delaware
and now has stores in an area extending from Texas
Memorial Bridge. The 421,291 square feet of
moffice and warehouse space will be available this fall
and can rented in its entirety or can be sub-divided to
accommodate up to four different leasees.
Harvey Hanna & Associates is a full-service
Commercial Real Estate Development Company,
featuring three million square feet of industrial and
commercial real estate in the mid-Atlantic region.
Company President, E. Thomas Harvey said the
company makes a great effort to get to know the
needs of tenants and to customize space to meet those
needs
Harvey and his business partner, Thomas J. Hanna
launched the firm to take advantage of sites close to
major population centers and Interstate 95.
Delaware is the home to large distribution centers
for Amazon in Middletown and Wal Mart in Smyrna.
Continued on next page
Buccini/Pollin buys Brandywine office properties
B
randywine Realty Trust has sold two
Delaware office complexes.
Philly.com reported Brandywine sold Delaware
Corporate Center on Concord Pike and Christiana
Office Park, a multi-building complex south of
Newark for a reported $51 million.
Buyer was Buccini/Pollin Group of Wilmington
Buccini/Pollin has been in a buying mode in the area
Space can be divided
From previous page
However, there is a lack of large sites along
I-95 in Delaware. As a result, companies
like IKEA, Rite Aid, Restoration Hardware,
Kohls and now Five Below are opting for
distribution locations in adjacent states.
Adjacent states and counties also offer financial
incentives.
Commerce Drive buildings south of Newark
north of Wilmington, snapping up the Bellevue Park tenants. Earlier this month, it was announced that 3
Corporate Center last year for a reported $60 million. Beaver Valley Road, near the northern end of Concord
Pike was sold to an investor for $62 million.
The Delaware Corporate Center is believed to be
nearly fully occupied. However, the Commerce Drive
That building houses Farmer Insurance and more
site is less than 70 percent occupied after Computer recently the world headquarters of a Solenis, the
former Ashland-Hercules water chemicals business.
Sciences Corp. vacated space.
(See story on Solenis in this issue)
The center houses AAA Mid Atlantic and other
Three Delaware brokers,
firm win awards
Three NAI Emory Hill
commercial real estate agents
received awards recently in the
“Best Of 2014” Mid-Atlantic Real
Estate Journal Awards in the midsized real estate firm category.
Killian
Neil Kilian, CCIM, SIOR, was
awarded Largest Office Lease
for his lease of Pencader VII in
Newark. Kilian represented the
landlord in the lease of 79,184 s/f
of office space at 110 Lake Dr. to
Siemens.
Morrison
Dave Morrison, CCIM, was
awarded Third Largest Office Sale
for the sale of a 10,000 s/f office building at 616 N.
Glenwood Avenue in Smyrna to Smyrna Corporate
Kids, LLC for use as a day care center.
Jon Hickey was awarded Third Largest Industrial
Sale for the sale of Clifford Brown Walk, an 83,000
s/f, four-story warehouse building
and two acres of adjacent land
along the Brandywine River in
downtown Wilmington. The
building is going to be repurposed
into an 80-unit residential
development to be called The Lofts
at Clifford Brown Walk.
Wohlsen names SVP
Wohlsen Construction Company
announced that Kenneth D.
Noreen has been promoted to
Senior Vice President. In this role
Ken will oversee the senior living
market sector for Wohlsen, provide
support and expertise to Wohlsen’s
Hickey
Noreen
Kilian, Morrison and Hickey
regional offices to assure senior
were also recognized among the
living client needs are being met,
Top 20 brokers in leases and sales in the Mid-Atlantic and to lead expansion strategies into new markets.
region.
Prior to joining Wohlsen in 2013, he spent 26 years
In addition, NAI Emory Hill was recognized as
in the senior living industry as a provider, developer
one of the “Best Places to Work” in the “Giving
and consultant. During his career, he has provided
Back” category for placing a high priority on giving
development and operational leadership to numerous
back to the community. The firm and its employees
retirement community start-ups, as well as major
are involved in many charitable and community
repositioning projects, representing over $700 million
events representing a variety of local and regional
in construction.
non-profit, school and religious organizations.
Organizations include: Goodwill of Delaware &
Founded in 1890, Wohlsen Construction provides
Delaware County, Easter Seals, March of Dimes of
construction management, general contracting and
DE, the American Diabetes Association of Delaware design/build services. The company maintains full
,the American Cancer Society, the Mary Campbell
service offices in Lancaster, Harrisburg and Media,
Center Special Olympics and others.
PA, Wilmington, Baltimore, and Parsippany, N.J
finance
Wealth manager Atlantic Trust opens office in Wilmington
A
tlantic Trust, the U.S. private wealth
management division of Toronto-based
CIBC, announced that it has received a
Delaware limited purpose trust charter.
The office enables the firm to offer trust services
beyond that already provided by its national trust
company. CIBC is a large Canadian bank and
financial services company.
“As a leading advisor to families of wealth, Atlantic
Trust is pleased to offer this important and valuable
new trust service that can help our clients protect and
maximize their wealth,” said Jack Markwalter, CEO
of Atlantic Trust. “We’re so pleased to introduce this
service and to announce that it’s being led by two
senior and experienced professionals already in our
firm, people who know our clients very well and their
expectations on quality and service.”
Leading the Delaware trust team are Dee Ann
Schedler, managing director and head of Atlantic
Trust’s Wilmington office, and Gabrielle Bailey,
wealth strategist and director of Delaware Trust
Services.
“Although our status as a nationally chartered trust
might have been sufficient, we decided that the more
prudent way to go was to also obtain a Delaware
trust charter,” said Markwalter. “Other states have
attractive trust laws, but Delaware has always been
considered a preferred jurisdiction for trust and
estate attorneys because of its trust law flexibility and
significant body of case law and excellent Chancery
Court.”
Schedler has 28 years of industry experience and
joined the firm in 2004. Bailey has more than 15
years of industry experience and joined Atlantic Trust
in 2003. Reema Antonelli also recently joined the
Wilmington team as a senior client service manager.
Click here to register
May 20,
Capital One,
Wilmington
technology
High-speed data networks to merge in $1.9 billion deal
M
assachusetts-based Lightower Fiber Networks and Fibertech
Networks will merge in a $1.9 billion deal.
Fibertech, which serves mid-sized areas in the East Coast and Central states, has
a growing presence in Delaware. The company has a data hub “hotel’ in Wilmington and extended its network downstate to include Dover and Georgetown.
Click here for previous stories.
The agreement is an all-cash transaction valued at $1.9 billion, which will be
funded through a combination of equity and debt. Lightower’s existing financial
backers, Berkshire Partners, Pamlico Capital and ABRY Partners, will each provide additional equity to support the transaction. The combined company will be
led by current Lightower CEO, Rob Shanahan.
The merger is subject to regulatory approvals and is expected to close in the
third quarter of 2015.
merged. In addition, we plan to continue to invest capital in these regions for additional network expansion.”
“The combination of Lightower and Fibertech is a win for customers by enThe combined company will own and operate a, fiber-based network throughabling us to serve more locations, across a wider area, and with more service opout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Midwest. The company will offer customers
tions – all with the same superior level of reliability and customer support,” stated more than 30,000 route miles of fiber network providing access to nearly 5,000
Rob Shanahan, CEO of Lightower. “Lightower and Fibertech have built disContinued on next page
tinct networks in their respective regions that will be very complementary when
Fibertech expands network in Delaware
Current Lightower Fiber Networks investors inwireless towers and almost 13,000 locations, includ- clude Berkshire Partners, Pamlico Capital, and
ABRY Partners. Current Fibertech Networks invesing commercial buildings, data centers, financial
exchanges, content hubs and other communications tors include Court Square Capital Partners.
facilities.
Financing has been provided by J.P. Morgan and
“This merger between our two high growth com- Highbridge Principal Strategies, LLC. Ropes &
Gray, LLP is providing legal counsel to Berkshire
panies is a very positive development for both orPartners and Lightower.
ganizations, both customer bases and both sets of
From previous page
employees,” said John Purcell, CEO of Fibertech.
“Bringing together these two talented teams under
an integrated leadership group will be a great cultural fit, while also broadening opportunities and
career growth for employees.” Fibertech is based in
Rochester, NY.
Lightower and Fibertech both currently offer
fiber-based e portfolios comprised of Ethernet, dark
fiber, wavelengths, Internet access, private networks
and co-location services.
Court Square is being advised by Evercore Partners, Inc. and TD Securities in the transaction, with
Dechert LLP providing legal counsel.
Last month, Lightower also announced its acquisition of ColocationZone – an enterprise-class data
center provider in Chicago.
The market in this region is increasingly competitive with cable and programming giant Comcast,
focusing on business customers.
Both companies also offer industry-specific soluThe issue of Internet access for consumers and
tions for financial services, health care, government,
small businesses seemed to be at the heart of oppoeducation, media, content providers, wireless and
sition to the merger of Comcast and Time-Warner
wireline carriers, and also cloud and data center
cable. The companies walked away from the deal
connectivity.
last week.
Additional terms of the deal were not disclosed.
iBio says Texas company
to produce fibrosis drug
for early-stage trials
iBio, Inc. has engaged Texas-based Caliber
Biotherapeutics LLC to produce materials for
clinical development of the first of iBio’s proprietary
anti-fibrosis products.
iBio is based in Newark and develops plantbased technologies for proteins that could be used
in vaccines and other drugs. Fibrosis refers to
conditions where heart and other muscles turn into
fiber.
Privately held Caliber’s production will be used for
toxicology studies and initial human clinical trials
of IBIO-CFB03. Caliber operates the largest plantbased protein production site.
iBio is the exclusive worldwide licensee of the
patents developed by Dr. Carol Feghali-Bostwick for
therapies against fibrotic diseases.
Feghali-Bostwick, is collaborating with iBio for the
development of various applications of her invention
to address systemic sclerosis, idiopathic pulmonary
fibrosis, and scleroderma. She is the Kitty Trask Holt
Endowed Chair and Professor of Medicine in the
Division of Rheumatology and Immunology at the
Medical University of South Carolina.
media insider
‘Awesome video’ emerges from Gannett corporate event
The existence of the video was first revealed by
media observer Jim Romenesko, perhaps with the
help of a Gannett employee who found the video on
GoogleDocs.
News Journal owner Gannett wants the world, or
perhaps its workforce, to know it is an awesome media company.
Taking center stage for the lip sync rock band was
Gannett CEO Gracia Martore, joined by top executives.
We’re News Journal insiders
Martore pulled down more than $12 million while
presiding over a painful restructuring process that
required editorial staff to reapply for their jobs.
Speaking of awesome, we received an invitation a
while back to become part of the inner circle, so to
speak from Editor Susan Leath.
Those not rehired were often replaced with less
experienced staff. The News Journal underwent the
process, which is now being undertaken at the Daily
Times and its weeklies on Delmarva.
One reason for the video was the separation of
Gannett’s growing digital properties (Cars.com) and
TV stations and the troubled legacy newspaper and
website business. The digital business will be known
as Tegna.
Gannett wanted to send out the message that is
more than a collection of TV stations, newspapers
and related websites.
The video was probably part of a team-building
exercise as it is loaded with cringe-worthy features
including a misspelling of the word commission and
one exec advising to “turn that frown upside down,”
which some might interpret as a reference to morale
problems at various properties.
Click on the photo above to access the video. The
video may not be available should Gannett decide it
does not want it online.
It’s known as The Insider, part of a strategy by the
N-J and other newspapers to better connect with subscribers.
Earlier in the spring, a couple of government reporters held a coffee get-together in downtown Wilmington.
Included are deals that include a lunch for a selected
number of subscribers at the News Journal offices on
Basin Road, New Castle later this week and discount
tickets to a Phillies game. - Doug Rainey
DuPont fires back after investor service backs Peltz’s nominees
I
5-year periods were 17%, 78% and
nternational Shareholders Services endorsed
160%, all in excess of our proxy
two of Trian Fund Management’s selections for
the DuPont Co. board. The actions of the service peers and the S&P 500.
are closely watched in corporate battles. DuPont
And during current management’s
shares rose on the news.
tenure, DuPont has delivered
total shareholder returns of 266%
Trian’s head Nelson Peltz is seeking a seat on the
compared to 159% from the S&P
board as well as three others. His nomination was
500 and 133% from our proxy
Peltz
flatly rejected by DuPont.
peers.[i] We also have delivered a
740 basis point expansion in segment-adjusted operating
DuPont issued the following statement that
margins,[ii] while returning approximately $14 billion
claimed ISS was not correct in its assessment:
of capital to our shareholders since 2009. The actions
the Board has taken to transform DuPont are producing
We strongly believe ISS reached the wrong conclusion
results, clearly visible in the 19% adjusted operating EPS
in failing to recommend that shareholders vote on
compounded annual growth rate of our ongoing, postthe white proxy card FOR all 12 of DuPont’s highlyqualified and experienced director nominees by ignoring spin business – which translates into 188% growth in
the success of our transformative strategy and the value- adjusted operating EPS.[iii]
experience, would deprive DuPont’s Board of critical
skills that are central to DuPont’s purpose and value
proposition. Furthermore, Trian has a well-known
practice of establishing a ‘shadow management’
team, which would be committed to advancing this
agenda, derailing DuPont’s progress on our strategic
transformation plan.
We urge shareholders to protect the value of your
investment and to prevent Trian from pursuing its valuedestructive agenda. Please vote FOR all 12 of DuPont’s
highly qualified directors on the WHITE proxy.
At one point, DuPont said one member of the Trian
slate was qualified to serve on its board.
Some investors in DuPont have been seeking a
peaceful resolution of the battle before the company’s
annual meeting in mid-May and there have been
destructive nature of Trian’s break up agenda, as well as
suggestions that a compromise might involve two
Importantly, DuPont’s Board has the right mix of
dismissing the fact that the addition of Trian’s nominees
would remove critical experience from DuPont’s Board. experience and skills required to lead a global science and members from the Peltz slate.
This demonstrates a fundamental lack of understanding technology company of DuPont’s scale. Each director is
Some institutional investors have expressed support
of our business and the needs of a global science company. extremely qualified and brings unique experiences that
for the Peltz slate, with others siding for DuPont.
are highly beneficial to DuPont. Unseating directors
who bring important skills such as corporate governance
We are confident that shareholders will do their own
Peltz has continued to claim that the company
analysis and believe they recognize that DuPont has the experience, science and technology acumen, regulatory
should sell off other businesses and reduce overhead
and government relations knowledge, emerging market
right strategy and right Board to continue overseeing
and non-core functions such as the operation of a
growth experience, global manufacturing and supply
the successful transformation of DuPont. DuPont’s
hotel and country club in the Wilmington area.
chain knowledge and environmental management
shareholder returns during the last 1-year, 3-year and
kudos (business honors)
Delmarva Poultry Industry honors growers, supporters
G
rowers and supporters of Delmarva
Peninsula’s chicken community were
honored earlier this month at the annual
banquet of Delmarva Poultry, an 1,800-member
organization.
During its 59th banquet, DPI recognized outstanding chicken growers and three individuals for their
work on behalf of the chicken industry.
The J. Frank Gordy, Sr. Delmarva Distinguished
Citizen Award, DPI’s highest honor, was presented
industry. He was recognized for his leadership in the
to Jenny Rhodes of Queen Anne’s County, MD.
many environmental issues and challenges that faced
Rhodes, a chicken grower and University of Maryland the chicken industry.
Extension Educator, has been a leader in the chicken
industry and agricultural community for many years.
The DPI Medal of Achievement for an elected official went to Maryland State Senator Jim Mathias.
The Edward H. Ralph DPI Medal of Achievement Mathias was recognized for his support for the chickwas presented to Jeff Smith, who lives near Ocean
en industry and the farming community.
City. Smith, director of Environmental Services for
Perdue Incorporated and previously with Mountaire
DPI recognized 12 outstanding poultry producers.
Farms, led DPI’s efforts during the past dozen years
Selected by their companies from Delmarva’s more
on the many environmental issues facing the chicken than 1,600 poultry growers, this year’s recipients are:
- Bruce and Erin Bartz, Tuckahoe Farm, Denton,
MD - Amick Farms
- Connie Carmean, Laurel, DE - Mountaire Farms
-Mohammad Iqbal, Cottonwood Ranch, Bloxom,
VA - Perdue Foods
Carol Johnson, Loockerman Farm, Bridgeville, DE
- Allen Harim
James and Christina Kurtz, Christina Kurtz Farm,
Snow Hill, MD - Tyson Foods
Robert and Lise Masten, Mispillion Farm, Milford,
DEe - Allen Harim
The Murphy Family, Bellview Farm, Rhodesdale,
MD - Mountaire Farms
Deosarran and Rohinee Singh, Hi-Way Farm, Laurel, DE- Mountaire Farms
Continued on next page
kudos (business honors)
From previous page
Roland and Janice Todd, Roland,
Roasters Farm, Federalsburg, MD - Perdue Foods
The winning organizations were seRonald and Ellen Vanculin, White
lected via a public voting process.
Stone Farm, Galena, MD - Perdue
Foods
More than 8,000 votes were tabulated
and the results were as follows:
Billy and Vivian West, West Acres,
Emerging Business of the Year
Tyaskin, MD - Mountaire Farms
Scot and Tammy Wharton, S & T
Farm, Millsboro, DE - Perdue Food
Nearly 700 people attended the DPI
banquet.
Small Business Chamber honors 19
businesses
The Delaware Small Business Chamber (DSBC) recognized 19 Delaware
small businesses at its Blue Ribbon
Awards Ceremony earlier this month.
Best Trade Company
Horizon Electric (Voter’s Choice)
New Life Floors (Merit Award)
merce (Voter’s Choice)
Perfect Wedding Guide (Merit Award)
Best Restaurant of the Year
Aqua Sol (Voter’s Choice)
Blue Crab Grill (Merit Award)
Best Website
NorthDelaware Happenings (Voter’s
Choice)
Juggling Hoffmans (Merit Award)
Customer Service of the Year
Ed Oliver’s Golf Club (Voter’s Choice)
Get Life Coaching (Merit Award)
Best 55 and Over
Perfect Wedding Guide (Voter’s Choice)
AFP Insurance (Merit Award)
Painting with a Twist--Newark (Voter’s
Choice)
Delaware 87ers (Merit Award)
Community Involvement of the Year
Delaware 87ers (Voter’s Choice)
WSFS Bank (Merit Award)
Non-profit Award of the Year
Goodwill of Delaware & Delaware
County (Voter’s Choice)
In Her Shoes (Merit Award)
Home-Based Business of the Year
Blue Hen Bed & Breakfast (Voter’s
Choice)
New Life Floors (Merit Award)
Best Woman-Owned
Thirty-One Gifts -- Lisa Ayers (Voter’s
Choice)
Geneva Fonda Photography (Merit
Award)
Franchise of the Year
Painting with a Twist--Newark (Voter’s
Choice)
Kona Ice of Elkton/North Newark
(Merit Award)
Best Retail
Kirk’s Flowers (Voter’s Choice)
Fusion’s Taster Choice (Merit Award)
Best Marketing
Middletown Area Chamber of Com-
Best Man-Owned
Get Life Coaching (Voter’s Choice)
Image Wine Cellars (Merit Award)
Best Young Professional
Dom’s Pizzeria (Voter’s Choice)
Smooth Fusions Films (Merit Award)
Continued on next page
kudos (business honors)
He said Kjellerup suggested building the outreach
and education complex after learning that the research wing had become too cramped, particularly
after Stroud Center expanded its mission to include
education and watershed restoration.
From previous page
Best Veteran-Owned
Handyman Matters (Voter’s Choice)
The Kyle Group (Merit Award)
Most Memorable Member
Lois Hoffman (Voter’s Choice)
Neil Stalter (Merit Award)
Operational Support Person of the Year
Zachary Agney, ZZ House Design and Print (Voter’s
Choice)
Taj Jones, Cartridge World (Merit Award)
Administrative Support Person of the Year
Samantha Kane, Creative Travel (Voter’s Choice)
Arline Docherty, Goodwill Industries of Delaware &
Delaware County (Merit Award)
Stroud Water Research Center dedicates
wing in honor of Dansko founders
Stroud Water Research Center recently dedicated
the Cabot-Kjellerup Public Outreach Wing of its
Moorhead Environmental Education Complex in
honor of Dansko co-founders Mandy Cabot and Peter Kjellerup, who have been long-term supporters of
the Center.
Kjellerup also made the first donation to kick start
the building’s fundraising drive. He also insisted,
along with Sweeney, that - in keeping with Stroud
Center’s mission - that the building would have to
be LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design) Certified. Dansko’s nearby headquarters, in
West Grove, PA is LEED Gold Certified.
He encouraged Stroud Center’s board of directors and executive staff to settle for nothing less than
LEED Platinum certification—the highest, most dif“When you look around at the names on the differficult level to achieve.
ent spaces of this building, it’s like a who’s who in the
“The Blue Ribbon Awards gives DSBC a chance to history of Stroud Water Research Center,” said BerDansko is an employee-owned footwear company
applaud and promote the vital network of small busi- nard W. Sweeney, Ph.D., executive director of Stroud
and a founding member of B Corporation. The B
nesses in Delaware,” said Bob Older, DSBC founder Center. “Our spaces are named for people who have
stands for benefit.
a deep and personal connection to our work and misand president. “These winners exemplify the hard
work and dedication it takes to operate a small busi- sion. That’s why I’m really happy to see Peter and
Member companies meet rigorous standards for
Mandy’s names on our public outreach wing because
ness successfully. Also reflected is the impact they
social and environmental performance, accountability
have on the audiences they serve, who show their ap- without their support, we wouldn’t be standing in
and transparency.
this beautiful building today.”
preciation by voting.”
kudos (business honors)
Common Wealth Award winners
Three achievers were honored for their lifetime
accomplishments with the 36th Annual Common
Wealth Awards of Distinguished Service. The awards,
presented last week, recognize individuals who have
enriched modern culture through their professional
and personal endeavors. The 2015 Common Wealth
Award recipients are:
• Jon Bon Jovi, lead singer of Grammy Awardwinning rock band and humanitarian, for Public
Service;
• Edward Norton, award-winning actor,
screenwriter, director, producer and philanthropist,
for Public Service;
• Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia, for Mass
Communications.
The honorees were recognized at the Common
Wealth Awards ceremony hosted by The PNC
Financial Services Group at the Hotel du Pont in
Wilmington..
Shown from left are PNC Regional President
Nicholas Marsini, Bon Jovi, Norton and Wales.
County Chamber names
annual award winners
The New Castle County Chamber
of Commerce has announced
its annual award winners. These
individuals will be honored at the
chamber’s Annual Awards Luncheon
on May 14 at the Waterfall Catering
and Special Events center on
Philadelphia Pike near Wilmington.
Click here to register. The winners Bavol
are:
Entrepreneur of the Year Award
Todd Bavol - Integrity Staffing, Newark.
Entrepreneurial Advocate of the Year Award
Posthumously Awarded to David Freschman
Wallace Johnson Community Service Award
Paul and Linda McConnell
McConnell Companies Ambassadaor of the Year Award
Will Webber, Newark, Keller Williams Realty.
Calvert Comfort now One Hour Heating
C
alvert Comfort is now One Hour Heating &
Air Conditioning. The company joined a national
heating and air conditioning company with
independently owned and operated locations throughout
North America.
Evans Farms, a third generation
family farm near Bridgeville, is
adding new share options for its
2015 Community Supported
Agriculture (CSA) program,
including two traditional share
box options and two CSA Club
Card options.
One Hour ranked #1 in the HVAC services category in
Entrepreneur magazine’s Franchise 500..
The former Calvert was founded by Delaware native Chris
Lenhard, a master service technician who founded the
company in 1991 in the garage of his home.
“I am always looking toward the future and how to best
serve our customers and employees. By joining a national
company, we can offer new products and services and our
employees can benefit from the training and systems. One
Hour Heating & Air Conditioning has a strong national
reputation for offering on-time service, a 100% satisfaction
guarantee and employees who are background checked and
drug tested. This is a great fit for us because it’s everything we
stand for and offer,” said Lenhard, who is general manager
and technical trainer. Partner, David Murray will remain as
sales and system design manager.
The new company will continue to operate from the
current Calvert location. The company has about 40
employees. Lenhard and his partners are also affiliated
with Benjamin Franklin Plumbing® serving the greater
Evans Farms joins
2015 Community
Agriculture Program
Wilmington area and Lincoln Oil, a residential heating oil
delivery company.
“We are pleased to welcome Chris, David and the entire
team to the One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning family.
The caliber of this company is impressive and we look
forward to working with them in this next chapter for their
business,” said Mark Baker, president of franchise. Lenhard said he will keep his commitment to community
service as the major corporate sponsor for the Newark
National Little League and the annual coat drive to benefit
the Ministry of Caring in Wilmington.
One Hour had operated locally for several years in Newark
under the ownership of the Boulden family. In 2013, their
company was re-branded as Boulden Brothers.
CSA aims to put locally
sourced foods on more tables in
Delaware.
Throughout the 18-week
farming season that runs from
early June through October,
Evans Farms allows members
of the program the opportunity
to test their culinary skills with
a variety of local produce and
meat that comes fresh-harvested,
pre-packed and ready to go in
the traditional CSA share box.
To participate in the Evans
Farms CSA program, visit
EvansFarmsProduce.com or call
302-245-5525.
people
Click here to view the online
gallery
Levin to head HR at SoDel Concepts
Fernandez-Moreno has been working out of Ashland’s Wilmington office.
Morris promoted at TechSolutions
Dan Levin has been promoted
to director of human resources for
SoDel Concepts, which has eight
coastal restaurants, Plate Catering
and Big Thunder Roadside Kitchen, a food truck.
Levin
In this expanded role, he will continue to lead Specialty Ingredients and will assume additional management responsibility for Ashland Performance Materials. Specialty Ingredients and Performance Materials
will continue to operate, and report their financial
results, as separate commercial units. The leadership
change does not reflect any shift in the company’s
strategy or approach to portfolio management and
capital allocation, a release stated.
TechSolutions, Inc., a northern
Delaware provider of technology
support to area businesses, has pro- Morris
moted office administrator Mary
Morris into the position of Service Manager.
Levin, who grew up in Wilmington, attended the Art Institute of Philadelphia where
he studied the culinary arts. He received his certificaHer primary responsibilities will include ensuring
Tyre named M&T VP
client satisfaction, workflow coordination, and techni- tion in human resources from George Mason University. As director of human resources, he’s responsible
cian management and development.
M&T Bank announced the profor the 500 plus employees and staff.
motion of Debora L. Tyre to an
Morris previously worked for Avon Products in
Administrative Vice President for
their IT department. Initially hired by Avon as a PC Ashland’s Fernandez-Moreno gains additional
Banking Services Operations in
support technician, she ultimately became responsible duties
M&T’s Millsboro facility.
for email and network administration.
Ashland Inc. announced that Luis FernandezTyre earned a BS in Business
Tyre
Moreno, senior vice president of Ashland and presiIn addition to her prior experience in IT, Morris
dent of Ashland Specialty Ingredients, has been pro- Management from Wilmington
has worked as a sales administrator, rental manager
College. She has more than 35 years of experience in
moted to the newly created position of senior vice
and office manager. She also spent six years in the
president of Ashland and president of the Chemicals the financial services industry.
Army National Guard, achieving the rank of SerContinued on next page
Group.
geant.
people
From previous page
DuPont Tralee plant manager
named
DuPont has appointed Joe Guerrieri as plant manager at its Performance Polymers operations at
Tralee Park, Newark.
Two joins Bernardon Haber
Hollowqy
Bernardon Haber Holloway Architects announced two new additions to the team at the firm.
Meridyth Karr, AIA, LEED AP
In this leadership role, he will
of Coatesville, PA is a Registered Karr
oversee production of DuPont™
Architect who graduated from
®
XXX
Kalrez perfluoroelastomer parts,
Penn State University in 2005
and management of more than 185
with a Bachelor of Architecture,
DuPont Tralee Park employees.
and minors in both Architectural
History and Italian. Previously,
Guerrieri is a DuPont veteran with over 24 years of Karr worked for Watkins Archimanufacturing and supply chain leadership experitect, Ltd. in Fleetwood, PA.
ence. Prior to joining Tralee Park, he served as Du ®
Pont™ Corian unit manager at DuPont Yerkes, the
As a LEED AP with specialties
®
North American manufacturing home of Corian
in Building Design + Construc- VanBennekon
solid surfaces based in Buffalo/Tonawanda, N.Y.
tion, Homes, and Operations +
Maintenance, Karr formerly acted as the chair of the
He is a native of Ohio and holds a Bachelor of Sci- Berks Lancaster Branch of the USGBC Central PA
ence degree in Chemical Engineering from Rensselaer Chapter.
Polytechnic Institute, Troy, N.Y.
Additional volunteer work includes serving as an
event coordinator for Maysie’s FarmFest 2011, 2012
and 2013, as a member of the Board of Directors for
the Yocum Institute for Arts Education, and as a participant in that organization’s annual ‘Dancing with
the Reading Stars’ from 2013-2015. Angel VanBennekom of Newark, has joined the
firm as a Marketing Assistant. VanBennekom will be
working directly with the firm’s Marketing Coordinator and Business Development Director to support
the marketing, public relations and social media goals
of the firm.
VanBennekom graduated Summa Cum Laude from
the University of Delaware in 2014.
She holds an Honors B.A. with Distinction in English, and she has provided web, video, and graphic
design services throughout northern Delaware.
She previously worked as a Marketing Assistant for
Info Solutions LLC in New Castle, DE.
She is also active in the regional theater community,
having participated in productions with the Delaware
Shakespeare Festival, the Wilmington Drama League,
and UD’s Resident Ensemble Players, to name a few.
Continued on next page
people
From previous page
Noel joins Convention & Visitors Bureau
Thalia Andre-Noel has joined
the Greater Wilmington Convention & Visitors Bureau as a Visitor
Counselor. Andre-Noel will also
assist with managing GWCVB’s
website calendar of events.
Noel
Services Fox & Roach, Realtors
Newark Office, welcomes Nicole
McKenzie as a Sales Associate.
McKenzie is a member of the New
Castle County Board of Realtors.
Nine join Oean Atlantic Atlantic
Sotheby’s
Freeman
Ocean Atlantic Sotheby’s International Realty (OASIR) announced
the recent addition of nine Realtors
Andre-Noel currently owns and
manages Mistress of Spice in Newark, a gourmet spice to their team in Coastal Delaware.
blends production and retail company. She has also
Pati Freeman’s background inbeen very involved with the Parent Teacher Association at Albert Jones Elementary in Newark where she cludes extensive experience in both
construction and real estate. In her
served as the PTA President. early career, she worked as a new
Rife
homes sales representative before
Andre-Noel attended the Fashbecoming part owner of a smallion Institute of Technology in
scale construction company, gaining experience in
New York City and the Art Instinew home construction, home remodeling and comtute of Fort Lauderdale.
mercial renovations. She also spent years as an Office
Manager for a large general contractor in the WashMcKenzie joins HomeServices
ington, DC Metro area.
McKenzie
Berkshire Hathaway Home-
Dale Rife is a 20+ year former
financial services Marketing and
Relationship Management executive. Having worked with some of
the nation’s largest corporate, government, and not-for-profit entities, Rife has the marketing, strategic business planning, and contract
negotiation skills to ensure a home
Connelly
buying and selling experience of
the highest professional caliber. He
received his Bachelor’s Degree from
the University of Delaware, and has
served in multiple leadership positions professionally and personally. His partner, Jack Kofoed, also
an Ocean Atlantic Sotheby’s Realtor, specializes in preparing homes
for sale through his in-house OA- Monigle
SIR professional staging team.
Donna Connelly was a member of the New York
Police Department for 21 years, ultimately becoming
a Government Liaison to the Sate Department and
Continued on next page
people
From previous page
Secret Service. Through this experience, she was recruited by one
of the Top 10 Fortune 500 companies, to aid in the safety of their
Board of Directors’ travels in the
US and abroad for national and
overseas business. She held this
position for five years, leaving her
with knowledge of a diverse range
Pack
of personalities and places. She
brings with her a Certification in
Landscape Design from the Bronx
Botanical Gardens in New York.
She prides herself on her keen
knowledge of the value of both
landscape and hardscape, and the
importance of not only a building
structure, but also the surroundings that complete a home.
Bennett
Lucy Monigle joined Ocean Atlantic Sotheby’s in
March. She is a graduate of Worcester Preparatory
School in Berlin, MD, she continued her education at
Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina. After spending a year and a half at Kate Spade New York
as a nationally ranked sales associate, Lucy joined i.g.
Burton Mercedes Benz as a sales
consultant. Working within the
automotive industry, she honed her
communication, organizational,
and negotiation skills.
Dolores Pack is a native of Bergen County, New Jersey. She was a
marketing consultant in the town Burton
of Montvale, NJ. She has a real
estate license in New Jersey
In her spare time, Dolores is involved with several local restaurants
and committees, including UNICO, the Italian American Association, Peoples Place, Womenade and
Believe in Tomorrow, and has done
fundraising for the American Can- Caron
cer Society.
Norman Bennett had a 33-year government career
landed him in Washington, DC in 1991. Norman’s
career as a Senior Executive at the U.S. Department
of Agriculture (USDA) was not only rewarding but
also required top notch negotiation skills, non-stop
customer service for constituents, and impeccable in-
tegrity in all business matters. Much of his career at
USDA was spent as a Statistician, where attention to
detail and problem solving were of the utmost importance. Bob Burton has an Associate Degree in Manufacturing Engineering from Delaware Technical Community College. After three years working at National
Cash Register, Bob moved to Columbia, MD and
spent a long career working for Litton Industries
and later for Northrop Grumman as an Operations
Program Manager, where he was responsible for
$10,000,000 manufacturing budgets. Burton earned
his Bachelor of Science in Manufacturing Management from University of Maryland’s University College.
Bob obtained his Delaware Realtor license in 2012
and is now a member of The Oldfather Group of OASIR.
Teresa “T.C.” Cason is a top-performing agent in
the region. Her first three years in the industry totaled more than $20 million. Holding a master’s degree in Business Administration, she focuses on resiContinued on next page
people
From previous page
dential, investment and development/builder real estate,
providing an exceptionally high level of customer service
to her clients.
Cason has received her ABR, SRES and new GREEN
designations and is actively pursuing her CRS designation. Now a member of The Oldfather Group, she also
teaches classes to first-time home-buyers and investors.
Lisanne Kane has an understanding of real estate from Kane
her background as a former Regional Manager in mortgage finance.
She also served as Construction Office Manager for her father, a custom
home builder, and has followed in the footsteps of her mother, a Realtor for
nearly 30 years. Kane ran an avian rescue for 25 years, enjoys volunteering with cancer patients, fundraising with her doves, horseback riding and creating art. She has
worked as a Realtor since 2009. As part of The Oldfather Group of OASIR, she enjoys helping clients
search and identify the right property and is committed to providing excellent client service.
business licenses
Editor’s note: Business licenses are
issued in Delaware as a revenue raising
tool.
Professional Services
WILMINGTON, DE 19801-3342
UNCORKED CANVAS PARTIES LLC
1477 SUNNYSIDE RD
SMYRNA, DE 19977-3615
THE ROOM 806 SALON
629 W DIVISION ST
DOVER, DE 19904-2701
UNIQUE PRO-CO, LLC
1301 BIRCH LN
WILMINGTON, DE 19809-2464
THE ROOM 806 SALON
629 W DIVISION ST
DOVER, DE 19904-2701
UNISEARCH INC
1780 BARNES BLVD SW
OLYMPIA, WA 98512-0410
THE WINN-WINN SOLUTION
223 HAZEL DR
BEAR, DE 19701-1960
TOWLES TIFFANY
BLEU RAVEN STUDIO
105 W CHURCH ST
SELBYVILLE, DE 19975-2005
TRANSFORMATION HOME CARE LLC
21 W LEXTON RD
NEW CASTLE, DE 19720-8824
UNITIS ALISON
ALISON A UNITIS
535B HUDSON AVE
BETHANY BEACH, DE 19930-9085
URBAN DIRT LLC
20815 SAPP RD
MILFORD, DE 19963-4249
USA-CHINA YOUTH FRIENDSHIP
ASSOC
53 STUART DR
DOVER, DE 19901-5815
TRIFFY SAM P
APPLIANCE MASTER
35755 EGRET RD
SELBYVILLE, DE 19975-4108
WALK IN URGENT CARE INC
266 S COLLEGE AVE
NEWARK, DE 19711-5235
TUNNELL AND RAYSOR P A
770 KINGS HWY
LEWES, DE 19958-1704
WALTERS KENPO
250 NORTHDOWN DR
DOVER, DE 19904-9757
TUNNELL AND RAYSOR P A
32892 COASTAL HWY UNIT 1
BETHANY BEACH, DE 19930-3788
WAZLAVEK BRAD D
WAZCORP
103 E SPRUCE ST
SEAFORD, DE 19973-2506
TYLER MEGAN
900 N KING ST STE 320
Restaurant
THREE STRANDS ENTERPRISE, LLC
CHICK-FIL-A AT MIDDLETOWN (DE)
701 S RIDGE AVE
MIDDLETOWN, DE 19709-4653
TK LTD
BRANDYWINE CATERING
1410 BALTIMORE PIKE
CHADDS FORD, PA 19317-9486
Retail
TYZMA LLC
129 HOCKESSIN DR
HOCKESSIN, DE 19707-2071
WE R WIRELESS
28665 DUPONT BLVD
MILLSBORO, DE 19966-4784
TIGER STREAM INC
3513 CONCORD PIKE, SUITE 3100
NEWARK, DE 19702
TIRE KINGS, LLC
BRIDGEVILLE TIRES
18654 S MAIN ST
BRIDGEVILLE, DE 19933-3819
TP WIRELESS INC
122 LANTANA DR
HOCKESSIN, DE 19707-8800
VEER, INC.
PARTY CORNER
501 BRIDGEVILLE HWY
SEAFORD, DE 19973-1521
VILONE DENISE
CALIFORNIA DREAMIN
235 W LOOCKERMAN ST
DOVER, DE 19904-3247
VIMLABA ENTERPRISES INC
SCHOOLSIDE
905 E BASIN RD
NEW CASTLE, DE 19720-4253
WAWA INC
WAWA #864
18586 SUSSEX HWY
BRIDGEVILLE, DE 19933-4467
Finance Agency
TJM FINANCIAL GROUP LLC
617 N DUPONT BLVD
MILFORD, DE 19963-1099
Broker
TOUCHSTONE SECURITIES INC
1209 N ORANGE ST
WILMINGTON, DE 19801-1120
Mover
TRUELIESCC
9 DOVER CT
BEAR, DE 19701-1619
TRUE VINE TRANSPORTATION LLC
507 E RADISON RUN
CLAYTON, DE 19938-3836
VAPOR FEVER LLC
26839 RIVER RD
SEAFORD, DE 19973-4339
WAHOO TRANSPORTATION LLC
27665 AVALON DR
GEORGETOWN, DE 19947-6738
Wholesale
U S VENTURE INC
425 BETTER WAY
APPLETON, WI 54915-6192
Contractor
UNIVERSAL EXTERIOR
CONTRACTORS
2860 OGLETOWN RD
NEWARK, DE 19713-1857
WATTS BROTHERS CONTRACTING
LLC
32118 CONLEYS CHAPEL RD
LEWES, DE 19958-6022
Telecommunications
VAULT TELEPHONE INC
104R NC HIGHWAY 54 BLDG 183
CARRBORO, NC 27510-1559
Commercial Lessor
VEPCO PARK, INC.
VEPCO AUTO
PO BOX 2
CAMDEN WYO, DE 19934-0002
Sales Representative
VILONE DENISE
CALIFORNIA DREAMIN
235 W LOOCKERMAN ST
DOVER, DE 19904-3247
Motor Vehicle Dealer
VW AUTOS INC
408B MECO DR
WILMINGTON, DE 19804-1112