Bank Leader Re-Elected
OCEAN CITY — The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) announced community banker Reid Tingle, President/CEO of Bank of Ocean City, was re-elected to
Reid Tingle
the ICBA Federal Delegate Board. ICBA is the nation’s voice for community banks.
“I am honored to be re-elected to represent our industry and help ICBA communicate the positive story of community banking,” Tingle said. “As relationship-based lenders, committed to ensuring the financial health of local consumers and entrepreneurs, community banks are central to creating communities of prosperity nationwide.”
In addition to helping shape and advocate ICBA’s national policy positions and programs, Tingle’s duties include engaging in grassroots activities in Maryland and serving as a liaison between independent community bankers and ICBA staff and leadership in Washington, D.C. He will also work to recruit new members to ICBA.
ICBA is the only organization dedicated exclusively to promoting the interests of locally operated community banks and savings institutions. With trusted financial expertise and high-quality customer service as their hallmarks, community banks offer the best financial services option for millions of consumers, small businesses and agricultural enterprises.
“Mr. Tingle is a dedicated advocate for his community, who is well-respected by his industry peers,” said ICBA Chairman Robert M. Fisher, president and CEO of Tioga State Bank. “We are fortunate to have Reid serve in this volunteer capacity in pursuit of creating an environment where community banks, and the communities they serve, continue to flourish.”
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Specialist Joins AGH
Jacqueline Messner
BERLIN – Endocrinology specialist Jacqueline Messner has joined Atlantic General Diabetes and Endocrinology Center this month from Frederick. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the Medical College of Georgia (now Augusta University) and a Master of Science from Georgetown University, with a family nurse practitioner (FNP) focus. Messner started practicing in 2010 and is certified through the American Association of Nurse Practitioners.
Messner’s practice is focused on diabetes and endocrine disorders, and she is also a certified diabetes educator. She believes her greatest gift is the education she provides to patients, which empowers them to manage their health.
Messner is a member of the Nurse Practitioner Association of Maryland, the American Association of Diabetes Educators, and the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. She teaches full time at Salisbury University in both undergraduate and graduate nursing programs.
She is currently accepting new patients at the Atlantic General Diabetes and Endocrinology Center. Appointments can be made by calling 410-208-9761.
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Merger Announced
BERLIN — ERA Martin Associates, local real estate brokerage in Salisbury, has partnered with Shamrock Realty Group of Ocean Pines to create the Shamrock Division, a branch of ERA Martin Associates.
ERA Martin Associates has been serving Delmarva’s real estate needs since 1985. Originally founded by Bill Martin, the brokerage has stayed locally – and family – owned and operated ever since.
“We are a traditional real estate company that provides a dedicated staff, innovative resources, industry expertise, and local connections with a global reach. We have a teamwork mentality and empower our agents’ careers by leveraging each other’s strengths,” said Joni Williamson, President at ERA Martin Associates. “We are beyond excited to welcome the Realtors at Shamrock Realty Group to Team ERA. They bring a unique set of skills and experiences that we cannot wait to collaborate with.”
Much like ERA Martin Associates, Shamrock Realty is an independent real estate company with deep family ties and a tradition of service dating back to its founder and broker, Gary James. Gary founded the company in 2006, together with Pam Wadler, vice president and associate broker. The company has expanded through the years, and currently has 24 affiliated Realtors. Shamrock Realty Group provides real estate services throughout the Lower Eastern Shore, while specializing in the Ocean City, Ocean Pines and Berlin markets. This partnership will allow both companies to expand their market shares and provide more opportunities for their agents to grow their businesses.
“The merging of our two brokerages just made sense,” said Gary James. “Our group of professionals has been growing. And the booming market since the COVID-19 pandemic proved that we needed more resources at our disposal. We are happy to have made such a beneficial relationship with the team at ERA Martin Associates.”
“We believe that it will be vastly advantageous to our agents to now have strong connections and a presence in both Worcester and Wicomico counties,” said Bill Martin, chairman and founder of ERA Martin Associates. “An exceptional real estate agent is an expert on the area that they serve. Now we’ll have almost 90 professionals serving the lower Eastern Shore, dedicated to knowledge, community, and service”.
Wadler added, “When we first began talking to Joni [Williamson], it was obvious that we shared the same values and passion for real estate. Despite their growing size, ERA Martin still has that family feeling that we maintain at Shamrock.”
Williamson said, “We are all Team ERA. We learn together, collaborate, and share ideas and knowledge. Working in a supportive, non-competitive environment allow us to celebrate each other’s successes. We are so excited for all of the future celebrations with the Shamrock Division.”
A ribbon cutting ceremony, hosted by the Ocean Pines Chamber of Commerce, will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 20 at the ERA Martin Associates Shamrock Division building. The ceremony and celebration will take place from 5-6 p.m. at 11049 Racetrack Road in Ocean Pines.
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Deputy Director Appointed
SNOW HILL – The Worcester County Commissioners appointed Gary Pusey as the new deputy director within Development Review and Permitting (DRP). Pusey stepped
Gary Pusey
into his new role on Oct. 8.
“Gary is a dedicated leader with a wide range of planning experience to bring to Worcester County,” DRP Director Jennifer Keener said. “He will be a valuable asset to our team, and I look forward to working with him.”
Pusey, brings more than 35 years of planning experience to this position. He has served as the planning director for Somerset County since 2010, where he oversaw planning, zoning, environmental regulations, housing programs, grant management, and building permit issuance and inspections. Prior to taking on that role, he served as the chief of long-range/transportation planning with the City of Salisbury and Wicomico County Government from 2002-2010, where his long-range planning activities included preparing and updating the comprehensive plans and other planning studies.
“Worcester County has long had a reputation for implementing high-quality planning efforts, which I believe is attributable to the efforts of the County Commissioners, Planning Commission and staff members, with valuable input from the public,” Pusey said. “I look forward to being a part of that process, and hopefully I can contribute to those efforts.”
He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in geography and regional planning from Salisbury University and a Master of Urban and Regional Planning degree from Virginia Commonwealth University.
The DRP deputy director is responsible for assisting the director with all aspects of development, review, permitting, and other functions, including staff supervision, and coordinating planning studies and documents, including the upcoming review of the Worcester County Comprehensive Plan.