A Week In Business – November 6, 2020

Beer Fest A Success

OCEAN CITY – By all accounts, the Shore Craft Beer Fest last month was a huge success with 93% of attendees coming from out of town for the sold-out event.

“Ocean City Development Corporation (OCDC), the Town of Ocean City and Shore Craft Beer wanted to produce an event that complied with Worcester County’s parameters in this COVID world. We also wanted to showcase the world class beauty of our oceanfront location and the world class beers and craft beverages in our region,” said Ann McGinnis Hillyer, CEO of Shore Craft Beer. “We were able to once again produce a sold-out event that drove business into the hotels, bars and restaurants. We showcased the OC Bay Hopper and delivered a fun craft beer experience to our visitors.”

There were 48 individual hotel packages sold at participating hotels which included two wristbands and two facemasks. The VIP seated Shore Craft Beer Fest was restricted to 250 people. Shore Craft Beer sold tables to groups rather than individual tickets. Each member of a group had to arrive together and remain seated when drinking or eating. Everybody was required to wear masks when standing or moving through the park. Brewers visited the tables and talked to participants throughout the event. The Street Kitchen food truck produced an Oktoberfest menu and Full Circle Duo added music ambience throughout the event. Carey Distributing and Eastern Shore Distributing facilitated the beer purchases and helped ensure a mix of beverages for participants. Vendors set up for masked shopping. Volunteers waited on each table, bringing all participants a new craft beer or craft beverage every 15 minutes during the three-hour event.

Glenn Irwin, executive director of the OCDC, a co-sponsor of the event and recipient of the net revenues to its nonprofit organization, was thankful for the event.

“We are very appreciative of all the help we received in this very unusual year. While our revenue is not what it has been with our usual Shore Craft Beer Fests, the event enabled us to once again showcase the beauty of Sunset Park and the adjacent waterfront as well as downtown Ocean City while bringing business to our town,” Irwin said.

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New Chamber Leader Named

OCEAN CITY — The Greater Ocean City Chamber of Commerce announced Lachelle Scarlato has been chosen as the new executive director. The executive director is responsible for coordinating and directing programs and strategies formulated by the executive committee and the board of directors to achieve the goals of the chamber and the community. She will begin her new position Nov. 23.

Raised in Eastern Baltimore County and a graduate of Dundalk High School, Scarlato spent every summer vacationing in Ocean City with family. She holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration and has been the owner of several businesses in Harford County over the last 20 years. Scarlato has been the deputy director of Economic Development for Worcester County since the fall of 2019.

“There is no place more beautiful and unique to live than Worcester County. It provides opportunities for both personal and professional experiences that cannot be offered anywhere else. To be able to return to a place that holds a lifetime of cherished memories and work in partnership with the community that provided those memories is an opportunity that will be forever cherished and honored in my daily work now with the Greater Ocean City Chamber of Commerce,” she said.

A committee comprised of members of the chamber’s executive board and the board of directors conducted the search to find the perfect leader to fulfill the mission of the chamber.

“I believe that the experience, knowledge, personality, ideas and energy that Lachelle brings will be a tremendous asset to our chamber, our members and our community,” said Greater Ocean City Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors Chair Toni Keiser.

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Advisor Earns New Marks

BERLIN – Nicholas C. Craven, a financial advisor with Montgomery Financial Services, has been authorized by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards (CFP Board) to use the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and CFP® certification marks in accordance with CFP Board certification and renewal requirements.

The CFP® marks identify those individuals who have met the rigorous experience and ethical requirements of the CFP Board, have successfully completed financial planning coursework and have passed the CFP® Certification Examination. CFP® professionals also agree to meet ongoing continuing education requirements and to uphold CFP Board’s Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility, Rules of Conduct and Financial Planning Practice Standards.

“Ever since I began my career at Montgomery Financial Services, becoming a CFP® professional has been an priority of mine,” said Craven. “It has been a remarkable experience and I am so grateful for all of the knowledge and skills learned along the way. I’m thrilled to be able to share this enhanced level of expertise with both current and prospective clients of our firm.”

Craven, 26, has been a professional in the financial services industry for five years. Craven earned a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Bucknell University where he was also a member of the football team.