Members of the O’Hare team, located in Ocean Pines, were recipients of the Chairman’s Gold Circle for Berkshire Hathaway PenFed Realty for the 2015 calendar year. Pictured, from left, are Terri Bracciali, Senior Regional Vice-President; Sharyn O’Hare, Team Leader; Dan O’Hare; Carole Spurrier; and Kevin Wiles, president of Berkshire Hathway HomeServices PenFed Realty, Mid-Atlantic Region. Submitted Photos
Real Estate Team Honored
BERLIN — Berkshire Hathway PenFed Realty Mid-Atlantic Region announced the O’Hare Team was awarded the elite status of the Chairman’s Gold Circle based on sales performance for the 2015 calendar year.
The Ocean Pines Team, consisting of team members Dan O’Hare and Carole Spurrier and team leader Sharyn O’Hare, was 15th overall in the entire Mid-Atlantic region, which encompasses approximately 1,200 agents in Maryland, VA and DC.
“We have high expectations this year,” said Team Leader Sharyn O’Hare. “We have recently expanded our team to provide better service to our buyers and sellers, and are working to increase our presence on the Internet through social media and our website www.OceanPinesHomes.com. Active in the local real estate market since 1979, I know the market. Working together as a team, we are able to bring strong marketing skills and Internet presence that cannot be matched. All full-time agents, the O’Hare Team provides outstanding service to each and every one of our clients.”
Last year the O’Hare Team raised over $2,400 for CASA, a local court appointed special advocate organization for children in Worcester County.
Lower Eastern Shore Heritage Council Executive Director Lisa Ludwig, left, presented Worcester County Tourism Director Lisa Challenger with the 2016 Best Heritage Interpretation Award for her creation of the interpretive guide “Cape to Cape Scenic Byway, A Guide to Delmarva’s Coastal Corridor.”
Award Presented
SNOW HILL — Worcester County Tourism Director Lisa Challenger was recently recognized by the Lower Eastern Shore Heritage Council for the 2016 Best Heritage Interpretation Award for her creation of the interpretive guide “Cape to Cape Scenic Byway, A Guide to Delmarva’s Coastal Corridor.”
The guide outlines the recreational, cultural and historical aspects of Delmarva’s coastal corridor from Cape Henlopen, Del. to Cape Charles, Va.
“It is intended that the Cape to Cape Guide will stimulate growth in tourism among small Delmarva communities through site visits, recreational activities, lodging, dining and other traveler services and activities,” Challenger said.
The handbook, which will help residents and visitors develop individualized, self-guided expeditions to remote tidal back creeks, upland forests, small historic villages and outdoor recreation areas also highlights museums and cultural sites along the 120-mile coastal stretch. In addition, this guide will help stimulate new educational public projects, such as thematic lecture series and fixed interpretive signs in small communities.
Challenger, who was also appointed last year by Governor Larry Hogan to the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority Board, received the Maryland Heritage Award in 2010 and the Bright Idea Award in 2015 for developing partnerships and implementing innovative approaches that are having a profound impact on the promotion of heritage tourism on the Lower Eastern Shore.
Coalition Receives Grant
BERLIN — Community Cats Coalition of Worcester County (CCC) announced it has been awarded a $5,000 grant from the Petco Foundation to support its “Spay the Bay, and Neuter the Nanticoke” program for cats.
CCC is a non-profit organization devoted to the rescue, care and adoption of stray, feral and abandoned cats. Since 2009, CCC has spayed/neutered over 5,000 cats, helped residents of Worcester, Wicomico, Delaware and Virginia keep their pets in their homes as well as offered assistance to those who are feeding and caring for outdoor cats.
Project Awarded
SALISBURY – Fisher Architecture LLC has been awarded the New Residential Construction Award for the Bayview Grand Condominium project on 6th Street in Ocean City.
“The new Bayview Grand Condominium project is a welcome addition to downtown Ocean City,” said Glenn Irwin, executive director of the Ocean City Development Corporation. “The project’s use of fiber cement board siding, deep porches, well screened first floor parking, and pitched roof are all attributes for this project receiving the OCDC’s New Residential Construction award this year.”
The five-story building has a total of six units, each with covered parking. The units range from 2,400 to 3,500 square feet. The top units are two story with a master bedroom above. These units have a walk out balcony with dynamic views of the bay. The Fisher Architecture team designed the condominiums to include a bayfront swimming pool, a Boardwalk at the water’s edge and located the building to capture a wide range of panoramic views.
“We are honored to receive this award from such a worthwhile organization,” said Keith Fisher, Fisher Architecture LLC. “It truly took a team effort to bring this project from concept to completion. The team we worked with was professional, on point and made the execution and ease of delivery a seamless process.”
This is Fisher Architecture’s fourth OCDC award. In 2014 it was awarded the “Facade Project” for the Marina Deck on 306 Dorchester Street as well as “Business Assistance Project” for DeLazy Lizard Brew Pub on 25 Philadelphia Avenue. In 2015, it was awarded the New Residential Construction Award for the Island View Townhomes project at 307 5th Street.
Director Named Top Executive
OCEAN CITY — Melanie Pursel, executive director of the Greater Ocean City Chamber of Commerce, was named Maryland Chamber Executive of the Year this week. The award is presented annually by the Maryland Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives, a professional development organization of 35 local chamber leaders in the state.
In announcing Pursel’s award, 2016 MACCE President Paul Frey, who serves as the president/CEO of the Hagerstown/Washington County Chamber, said, “Melanie is an extraordinary chamber executive. Not only has she led the Ocean City Chamber to high levels of effectiveness and success, but she also served as MACCE President in 2015, providing new energy and direction for our volunteer organization.”
Pursel was nominated by the chairman of her board of directors, Brett Wolf, who is president of Professional Mortgage Services, Inc. in Ocean City. He noted, “Melanie works tirelessly on a day-to-day basis to improve our chamber in all facets of operations.” He noted the wide variety of challenges facing any chamber executive in dealing with a diverse membership base and multitude of events, committees and activities local chamber manage. “We typically don’t have major challenges,” he said. “That is a testament to Melanie’s preparation and diligence.”
In addition to gaining financial success and extinguishing a mortgage for her chamber, she was an integral part of the effort this past General Assembly session for the Longer Summer initiative. The initiative was a public relations and advocacy campaign calling for a post-Labor Day school start. While the bill failed to get out of committee due to a 5-5 vote, Pursel was pleased with amassing partners and funding from throughout the state on an issue that dramatically impacts tourism and other economic opportunities in Maryland.
Pursel has grown the Ocean City Chamber to nearly 900 dues paying members and has formed important partnerships with a variety of entities and organizations including the Hotel-Motel-Restaurant Association, Ocean City Development Corporation, Wallops Island Space Coast Tourism Initiative, state and local elected officials and other local and regional economic and tourism organizations. Pursel is a past recipient of the Maryland Tourism Coalition’s Audrey Davenport Hospitality Person of the Year Award. She served as 2015 MACCE President and represented that organization on the Maryland Chamber board until this week when Frey took the volunteer position.