The Bank of Delmarva President/CEO John W. Breda recently announced the recent $500 donation to Justin’s Beach House (JBH), located in the Bethany Beach area where families with cancer can have a place of respite and enjoy family time. The bank’s employees contribute money to a Casual Day Fund in order to dress casually on Fridays throughout the year. The monies collected are then donated to nonprofits. Above, Branch Manager Amy Sensey is pictured with JBH Event Coordinator Bob Lueckel. Submitted Photos
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Certification Earned
BERLIN – Taylor Bank has announced Marketing Manager Tori Grundman recently attended ABA Bank Marketing School and was awarded the Certified Financial Marketing Professional (CFMP) certification.
Tori Grundman
Earning the CFMP requires extensive experience and education in the field of financial services marketing, and the passing of a rigorous and comprehensive exam. The CFMP exam covers many areas including financial principles, laws and regulations, market research, characteristics of marketing plans, and marketing components. Maintaining the CFMP requires an ongoing commitment to continuing education.
“Earning the CFMP certification validates Tori’s experience, discipline and depth of education in bank marketing,” said President and CEO Raymond M. Thompson. “It’s a designation that is well deserved and one we are all proud of.”
Grundman has been with Taylor Bank for seven years and is responsible for overseeing the bank’s marketing efforts. She is a graduate of Southern New Hampshire University, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Studies.
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Contractors Completes Work
SALISBURY — Gillis Gilkerson announced the completion of a 65,859-square-foot interior fit out at 600 Glen Avenue in Salisbury, completing a conversion of the property to a self-storage facility. The facility is being professionally managed by CubeSmart, one of the three largest operators of self-storage properties in the United States.
“The addition of this storage facility to Salisbury is an investment in our city, its economic development and our business network,” said Dwight Miller, president.
The fit out of the former manufacturing facility included an exterior insulation and finish system, an aluminum storefront, mechanical and electrical services, new lighting and fire protection. Gillis Gilkerson Project Manager Tyler Barnes and superintendent Charlie Morris completed the renovation in six months.
Gillis Gilkerson purchased 600 Glen Avenue, the former site of Labinal Power Systems, a 160,000-square-foot building on 12 acres in Salisbury in March 2017. In September of 2018, Gillis Gilkerson completed site improvements and exterior renovations including new storefront windows and doors along the front face of the building. Pure Family Fitness now owns and occupies 60,000 square feet of the building.
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Business Honored
LEWES, Del. — The U.S. Small Business Administration’s Delaware office has honored Patricia Rivera with the 2019 Minority-Owned Business of the Year Award. The Lewes resident is the founder of Hook PR & Marketing, an agency for changemakers and organizations that solve tough challenges with innovative services.
Patricia Rivera
The recognition is the second award that Rivera has received in a year. In December 2018, she accepted the 2018 Entrepreneurial Woman of the Year Award from the New Castle County Chamber of Commerce.
Rivera came to the United States from Bolivia when she was 7. Her Sussex County-based company, founded in 2007, helps organizations capture their stories, build their brands and deliver their message in multiple languages.
“As the industry transitioned from legacy print media and channels into a sophisticated digitally integrated universe, Patricia emerged as a leader in her community in adopting the best of technology and making it available for small businesses to stay competitive in the marketplace locally and globally,” wrote Antara Dutta, a former SCORE Delaware president, in her nomination letter. “She survived economic downturns with her commitment to innovation and ability to embrace change with grace.”
Hook PR & Marketing has clients statewide, including the Delaware Higher Education Office, $tand By Me, Telamon Corporation, NCALL Research and Perdue Farms.
Active in the community, Rivera sits on the board of the Delaware Alliance for Nonprofit Advancement and the Delaware Hispanic Commission. She is president of the board of La Esperanza.
“I’m extremely honored,” said Rivera, a graduate of the University of Tennessee. “I’ve been fortunate to have talented, smart women as mentors. They’ve challenged me, encouraged me and helped me grow as a businesswoman and a person.”