DBT unveils inaugural Delaware 222 list

There is a long-running joke in the First State that the supposed six degrees of separation are more like two or three degrees here.

Simply by naming your high school, community pool or local youth sports league, there is a good chance that you’ve encountered, or know someone who’s encountered, just about anyone in Delaware.

But to be frank, Delaware is a growing place – and growing fast in many corners.

With a population now over a million people, our degrees of separation are beginning to inch a little higher. And if you’re one of those new transplants, it may take you just a little bit longer to get the lay of the land and start to meet the right people.

That reality is partly why Delaware Business Times is unveiling its inaugural Delaware 222 list of the state’s most impactful business, nonprofit and civic leaders.

You’ll find a who’s who of many of the state’s most important, and up-and-coming, leaders across a variety of industries, each chosen by DBT’s editorial staff over months of debate.

Our list won’t feature Hollywood celebrities who have long left their Delaware home or certain occupants of the White House – we think they get plenty of publicity as it is. It also won’t feature any elected officials, because frankly we’re not looking to endorse or criticize any political party or official.

Our list does feature those who are creating jobs here, serving populations in need or helping to shape the state’s public policy of the future.

The inaugural publication landed in subscribers’ mailboxes this week and single copies are available for purchase and mailing by calling 302-656-1809. We’ll be rolling out profiles of our list online throughout the year.

There’s every possibility that we’ve missed key people across the state, and I hope you send me a note at jowens@delawarebusinesstimes.com about who you think should be on our 2025 list. We’ll be updating the list every year, retaining some names and replacing others to keep the list as informative as possible.

And why 222? Honestly, we liked the sound of it while it supplies enough space to fit our objective. Plus, it has great SEO.

Jacob Owens

Editor, Delaware Business Times

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

JC Barker, Delaware Symphony Orchestra

Tina Betz, City of Wilmington Arts

Brandon Cooke, OperaDelaware

Gayle Dillman, Gable Music Ventures

Michael Dudich, Biggs Museum

Sara Ganter, Rehoboth Art League

Molly Giordano, Delaware Art Museum

Patti Grimes, Freeman Stage

Kristina Kambalov, First State Ballet Theatre

Neil Kirschling, Delaware Arts Alliance

Pam Manocchio, The Grand Opera House

Kate Ransom, Music School of Delaware

James Ray Rhodes, Christina Cultural Arts Center

Leslie Shaffer, Delaware Contemporary

Carl Shaw, Wilmington Public Library

Matt Silva, Delaware Theatre Company

Halsey Spruance, Delaware Nature & Science Museum

Chris Strand, Winterthur

BANKING & FINANCIAL SERVICES

Elizabeth Albano, Artisans Bank

Ronald Baron, Del-One FCU

Ben du Pont, Chartline Capital

David Gillan, County Bank

Van Hampton Jr., True Access Capital

Tom Horne, JPMorgan Chase

Mark Hutton, M&T Bank

Rodger Levenson, WSFS Bank

Don Mell, JPMorgan Chase

Abby Mrozinski, Wilmington Trust

Denny Nealon, Barclays Bank

Paul Ricci, Best Egg

Chip Rossi, Bank of America

Donna Vieira, Sallie Mae

Joe Westcott, Capital One

Katie Wilkinson, Fulton Bank

BIOPHARMACEUTICAL

Andrew Cottone, Adesis

Michael Fleming, Delaware BioScience Association

Herve Hoppenot, Incyte

Vance Kershner, LabWare

Eric Kmiec, CorriXR Therapeutics

Kelvin Lee, NIIMBL

Kris Vaddi, Prelude Therapeutics

BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS

Bob Chadwick, New Castle County Chamber of Commerce

Carol Everhart, Rehoboth & Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce

Ayanna Khan, Delaware Black Chamber of Commerce

Sergio Morales, Delaware Alliance of Latino Entrepreneurs

Mike Quaranta, Delaware State Chamber of Commerce

Dina Vendetti, Central Delaware Chamber of Commerce

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION

Chris Baker, George & Lynch

Chris Buccini, Buccini/Pollin Group

Rob Buccini, Buccini/Pollin Group

Louis Capano IV, Capano Management

Ed Capodanno, Delaware Association of Builders & Contractors

Neal Dangello, Newmark

Pete Davisson, Jackson Cross

Ernie Delle Donne, Delle Donne & Associates

Peggy Del Fabbro, M. Davis & Sons

Brian DiSabatino, EDiS

Larry DiSabatino, DiSabatino Construction

Greg Ellis, Patterson Woods

Wills Elliman, Newmark

Carmen Facciolo, NAI Emory Hill

Michelle Freeman, The Freeman Companies

Thom Harvey, Harvey Hanna & Associates

TJ Hanna, Harvey Hanna & Associates

Bill Holloway, Bernardon

Rich Julian, Eastern States Group

John Kaczowka, CBRE

Kevin Kelly, Leon N. Weiner & Associates

Jeff Lang, Lang Development

Joe Latina, LMT Real Estate

Bill Lingo, Jack Lingo Realtor

Greg Pettinaro, Pettinaro

Greg Sawka, Bancroft Construction

Chris Schell, Schell Brothers

Preston Schell, Ocean Atlantic

Bryon Short, Delaware Contractors Association

Dennis Silicato, Silicato Development

Jamie Vari, JLL

Tripp Way, DSM Commercial

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Alysse Bortolotto, New Castle County Chamber of Commerce

Mike Bowman, Delaware Technology Park

Kurt Foreman, Delaware Prosperity Partnership

Rob Herrera, The Mill

Stephanie Johnnie, Pete du Pont Freedom Foundation

Liz Keller, Committee of 100

Renata Kowalcyzk, Wilmington Alliance

Scott Malfitano, Delaware Workforce Development Board

Megan McGlinchey, Riverfront Development Corporation

Linda Parkowski, Kent Economic Partnership

Bill Provine, Innovation Space

Brett Saddler, Claymont Renaissance Development Corporation

Fred Sears, Council on Development Finance

EDUCATION

Tony Allen, Delaware State University

Dennis Assanis, University of Delaware

Mark Brainard, Delaware Technical Community College

Todd Clark, Widener Delaware Law School

Phillip Closius, Wilmington University School of Law

Jean Dahlgre, Delaware College of Art & Design

LaVerne Harmon, Wilmington University

Paul Herdman, Rodel Foundation

Colleen Perry Keith, Goldey-Beacom College

Levi Thompson, University of Delaware College of Engineering

ENERGY & UTILITIES

Rob Book, Delaware Electric Co-Op

Jeff Householder, Chesapeake Utilities

Doug Mokoid, Delmarva Power

Drew Slater, Energize Delaware

Dian Taylor, Artesian Water

FOOD & BEVERAGE

Javier Acuna, Hakuna Hospitality Group

Tyler Akin, Le Cavalier

Marc Ashby, Ashby Hospitality

Sam Calagione, Dogfish Head Brewery

Antimo DiMeo, Bardea

Kevin Finn, Iron Hill Brewery

Carl Georigi, Platinum Dining

Jeff Gosnear, Grotto Pizza

Scott Kammerer, SoDel Concepts

Chris Kenny, ShopRite of Delaware

Matt Kern, One Coastal

Carrie Leishman, Delaware Restaurant Association

Gianmarco Martuscelli, Martuscelli Restaurant Group

Michael Meoli, Meoli Companies

Lee Mikles, OMG Hospitality

Steve Montgomery, Starboard

Alisa Morkides, Brew HaHa!

Jim O’Donoghue, OMG Hospitality

Bobby Pancake, High 5 Hospitality

Alex Pires, Highway One

Scott Stein, Bardea

Michael Stiglitz, Two Stones Pub

Eric Sugrue, Big Fish Restaurant Group

Xavier Teixido, Harry’s Savoy

GOVERNMENT

Jeff Bullock, Delaware Department of State

Judge Colm Connolly, U.S. District Court

Judge Eric Davis, Delaware Superior Court, Complex Commercial

Shawn Garvin, Delaware Department of Natural Resources & Environmental Control

Karryl Hubbard, Delaware Department of Labor

Nicole Majeski, Delaware Department of Transportation

Chancellor Kathaleen McCormick, Delaware Court of Chancery

Col. William McDonald, Dover Air Force Base

Regina Mitchell, Division of Small Business

Justice CJ Seitz Jr., Delaware Supreme Court

HEALTH CARE

Susan Lloyd, Delaware Hospice

Nick Moriello, Highmark Delaware

Dr. Lynn Morrison, Brandywine Counseling & Community Services

Mark Mumford, Nemours Children’s Health

Terry Murphy, Bayhealth

Dr. Janice Nevin, ChristianaCare

Chris Otto, Delaware Nurses Association

Bruce Sachais Blood Bank of Delmarva

Penny Short, TidalHealth Nanticoke

Dr. David Tam, Beebe Healthcare

LEGAL SERVICES

Faiz Ahmad, Skadden Arps

Robert Brady, Young Conaway

Doneene Damon, Richards, Layton & Finger

Keith Donovan, Morris James

Kate Harmon, Delaware State Bar Association

Michael Hoffman, Tarabicos Grosso & Hoffman

Michael Houghton, Morris Nichols / DEFAC

Bill Lafferty, Morris Nichols

Kathleen Furey McDonough, Potter Anderson & Corroon

Tom McGonigle, Barnes & Thornburg

Lisa Schmidt, Richards, Layton & Finger

Shawn Tucker, Barnes & Thornburg

Rod Ward, CSC

MANUFACTURING

Ed Breen, DuPont

Dora Cheathem, Delaware Sustainable Chemistry Alliance

Mark Newman, Chemours

John Panichella, Solenis

Phillip Pylar, Mountaire Farms

Bret Snyder, W.L. Gore & Associates

Yushan Yan, Center for Clean Hydrogen & Versogen

MEDIA & MARKETING

Pete Booker, Delaware Public Media

Jerry DuPhily, TSN Media / Out and About

Mike Feeley, The News Journal

Konrad La Prade, Delaware State News

Mac Macleod, Carvertise

Rob Martinelli, Today Media

Paul Pomeroy, Aloysius Butler & Clark

Jet Phynx, Jet Phynx Films

Chris Rausch, Cape Gazette

Patricia Rivera, Hook PR

Lisa Scott, OneMagnify

Sandy Taccone, Blue Blaze Associates

Wendy Scott, Blue Blaze Associates

Ivan Thomas, DE.TV

Greg Watkins, All Hip Hop

NONPROFIT

Sheila Bravo, Delaware Alliance for Nonprofit Advancement

Jennifer Cohan, Leadership Delaware

Stuart Comstock Gay, Delaware Community Foundation

Gerret Copeland, Philanthropist

Tatiana Copeland, Philanthropist

Mary Dupont, La Plaza Delaware

There du Pont, Longwood Foundation

Rob Eppes, Junior Achievement Delaware

Brother Ronald Giannone, Ministry of Caring

Logan Herring, REACH Riverside

Cathy Kanefsky, Food Bank of Delaware

Maria Matos, Latin American Community Center

Colleen Morrone Goodwill of DE & Del County

Jarrett Royster, YMCA of Delaware

Kenan Skelnar, Easterseals of Delaware & Eastern Shore

Michelle Taylor, United Way of Delaware

Dave Tiberi, Donate Delaware

John Wellons, Boys & Girls Club

SPORTS

Angie Eliason, DE Turf

Larry Meli, Delaware Blue Coats

Chrissi Rawak, University of Delaware

TECHNOLOGY

Zakiyyah Ali, Tech Council of Delaware

Desa Burton, Zip Code Wilmington

Patrick Callahan, CompassRed / LabWare

Patrick Callihan, Tech Impact

Stephanie Eldridge, Code Differently

Markevis Gideon, NERDiT NOW

Tariq Hook, Code Differently

Alexandr Vinokurov, M&T Bank

TOURISM & HOSPITALITY

Jen Boes, Greater Wilmington Visitors & Convention Bureau

Pete Bradley, Kent Tourism

Vince DiFonzo, TKo Hospitality

Tom Kramedas, Axia Hospitality

Scott Thomas, Sussex Tourism

Jess Welch, Delaware Tourism

Stephen Williams, Delaware River & Bay Authority

Go to Source:https://delawarebusinesstimes.com/news/delaware-222-2024-unveil/

Author: Jacob Owens