Introducing DSCC's Kent & Sussex Counties Advisory Committees

by James DeChene

As part of the State Chamber's Strategic Plan, created by staff and the Board of Directors last year, one of the initiatives included greater emphasis on engaging our members across the state. We questioned how we could be targeted in our outreach, and our plan included engaging members in each of the counties to help us inform our members on not only what the State Chamber is up to, but also to hear from our members on what issues are important to them.

Last week, staff met with the newly created Advisory Committees in both Sussex and Kent counties. The meetings highlighted that while many of the issues our members face are universal (the looming budget deficit or the impact of a minimum wage increase), each county zeroed in on issues specific to their geography.

In Sussex, tourism was the main focus of the discussion, but included issues such as infrastructure (the need for better east/west transit and public transportation) since much of the tourism and retail workforce lives in the western part of the county since it's cheaper to live there than at the beach. Items also included the potential of DEDO becoming a public private partnership and the impact felt by tourism.

In Kent, the focus was on workforce development, specifically in the manufacturing community. Multiple attendees related how difficult it has been to recruit employees in technical fields and the hurdles they face to expand as a result. Members heard about workforce training programs available at DelTech, and with those discussion will come a plan on how to get skilled workers where they are needed.

The goal is to have quarterly meetings with our Advisory Committees to continue the conversation on areas where businesses are seeing success, and where new issues are cropping up. We look forward to reporting back and we would like to thank our Advisory Committee members for taking the time to meet with us and share their ideas and concerns.

Kent County Advisory Committee:
Chris Baker, George & Lynch
Rob Book, Delaware Electric Cooperative
Buff Bruno, Edgewell Personal Care
Justin Cressler, KraftHeinz
Judy Diogo, Central Delaware Chamber of Commerce
Jerry Esposito, Tidewater Utilities - Chair
Sue Garson, WSFS Bank
Michael Gast, M&T Bank
Ron Gomes, Painted Stave
Ken Hoffmann, PSCI
Bob Keck, Calpine (Garrison Energy Center)
Neal Nicastro, PPG
Larry Rohlfing, Fulton Bank
Justina Sapna, Delaware Technical Community College
John Van Gorp, Bayhealth Hospital
Stu Widom, Calpine
Harry Williams, Delaware State University
Lincoln Willis, The Willis Group LLC
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Sussex County Advisory Committee:
Bill Allan, Delaware Community Foundation
Rob Book, Delaware Electric Cooperative
Barbara Brewer, Atlantic Sands Hotel
Kevin Broadhurst, Comcast
Lynn Brocato, Greater Seaford Chamber of Commerce
Tommy Cooper, Cooper Realty
Michael Elehwany, Miller Metal
Carol Everhart, Rehoboth Beach – Dewey Chamber of Commerce
Juan Flores, Invista
Judy Johnson, Fulton Bank
Richard Kenny, ShopRites of Delaware
Alan Levin, SoDel Concepts
Kristie Maravali, Bethany-Fenwick Chamber of Commerce
Sean McKeon, Mountaire Farms
Chris Moody, Delaware Technical Community College
Chad Moore, The Bellmoor Inn & Spa - Chair
Chris Perdue, Perdue Farms
Betsy Reamer, Lewes Chamber of Commerce
Rob Rider, O.A. Newton
Rhett Ruggerio, Ruggerio Willson Associates
Jo Schmieser, Chamber of Commerce of Milford
Mark Stellini, Assurance Media
Scott Swingle, WSFS Bank
Alex Sydnor, Beebe Hospital
Scott Thomas, Southern Delaware Tourism
Chris Willett, M&T Bank