A Week In Business – February 4, 2022

Company Promotions Announced

WILLARDS – Deeley Insurance Group, an independently-owned insurance agency, is excited to announce the promotions of Cindy Hall to Executive Vice President and Matt Jones to Vice President of Sales.

Biz A

Cindy Hall

Cindy Hall joined Deeley Insurance Group in 2016, and was promoted to VP of Sales in 2017. She has more than 25 years of leadership experience with Fortune 500 companies within the food services and hospitality industries.

“Cindy’s secret weapon is her relentless positivity,” agency President Laura Deeley Bren notes. “People just enjoy talking with her, even about insurance! Her optimistic energy supports our whole team and drives us to succeed.”

Cindy has an education degree, which supports her desire to continuously learn, promote team building and help individuals achieve their goals.

Matt Jones joined Deeley in 2019 as Personal Lines Manager and was promoted to Sales Manager in March of 2020,

Biz B

Matt Jones

expanding his support to Commercial Lines, on-site Claims specialists and all Client Advisors.

“Matt’s depth of knowledge is an amazing asset,” reflects Bren. “His calm demeanor and the peace of mind he brings our clients embodies our promise to help them Be Sure.”

Before joining Deeley, Matt worked for 10 years in personal lines insurance and financial services.

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Commercial Property Purchased

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – Brandon Heaver, Advisor with SVN Miller represented a local buyer in the purchase of Big Lots located in Williamsburg, VA. Big Lots, along with The Home Depot, is currently an anchor to Victory Village, a 175,000 SF shopping center located on Mooretown Road.

Heaver represented the Salisbury-area private equity partnership in their search for a qualifying 1031-exchange property. His search encompassed investment opportunities throughout the eastern and midwestern United States.

“Brandon made the comprehensive search for qualified properties, negotiation and settlement process seamless and straightforward on this complex, two-part deal. From early-stage financial analysis, through the scheduling of inspections and fielding questions throughout, Brandon consistently went above and beyond to make sure all the elements of these deals came together,” said the buyer.

Big Lots’ most recent quarterly earnings report showed that net sales increased 8.1%, sales in the company’s e-commerce and omni-channel platforms increased more than 130% year over year, and gross profit jumped 8.1% year over year. With just under 10 years remaining on the lease, and scheduled annual increases, the investment proved to be financially beneficial. The deal settled on November 23, 2021.

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Financial Education Grant

NEW CASTLE, Del. – Easterseals Delaware & Maryland’s Eastern Shore recently received a grant from Capital One to support financial empowerment of people with disabilities. The grant will support a financial education program that will benefit participants in Easterseals day programs for adults with physical and intellectual disabilities.

The program is hosted virtually so all program participants and Capital One employee volunteers, who host the program, are able to participate in this interactive and fun class that supports the fundamentals of financial empowerment.

“Easterseals depends on the support from our local community to continue to provide inclusive, quality and engaging programs,” Ken Sklenar, Easterseals President/CEO, said. “We are grateful for Capital One’s commitment to supporting our mission so that people with disabilities and seniors can live, learn, work and play in our communities.”

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State Commission Appointment

SALISBURY – Kathryn M. Fiddler, DNP, MBA, RN, Vice President of Population Health at TidalHealth, was recently appointed by Governor Larry Hogan to serve on the Maryland Commission for Women.

Biz C

Kathryn Fiddler

The Commission for Women is a 25-member board established by state law and charged with the responsibility to study the status of women in our state; recommend methods of overcoming discrimination; recognize women’s accomplishments and contributions; provide informed advice to the executive and legislative branches of government and direct attention to critical problems confronting women.

Commissioners are appointed by the Governor with the consent of the State Senate and serve four-terms without compensation.

Dr. Fiddler joined TidalHealth in 2016, and is responsible for leading its Population Health efforts health system and in the community.

She provides leadership for Patient Care Management teams at TidalHealth Peninsula Regional and TidalHealth Nanticoke and Care Coordination for the Peninsula Regional Clinically Integrated Network.  She also has responsibility for the Richard A. Henson Research Institute, School Based Wellness Clinics, Alice B. Tawes Nursing and Rehabilitation Center and Assisted Living, as well as collaborative community efforts including the Salisbury Wicomico Integrated First Care Team (SWIFT) community paramedic program, the Wagner Wellness Van and partnership with the Living Well Center of Excellence.

Dr. Fiddler holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree, a Master’s of Science and Bachelor’s in Nursing degree, both from Salisbury University and an MBA from University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.

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Local Mechanic Recognized

GEORGETOWN, Del. – On Monday January 17, 2022 Mr. Robert Orin Danzi was presented “The Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award” from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The brief, private event took place at Danzi’s current business office/hangar at Sussex Aero Maintenance on the Delaware Coastal Airport, Georgetown, Delaware. Fellow aviators and mechanics surprised Danzi when they arrived early in the afternoon. They returned his Biography/Resume and gave him their letters of recommendation, which were part of the nominating application submitted last October. Then, from the FAA they presented him a “Certificate of True Copy,” a complete airman file on him, beginning December 1969 (just 2.5 years after his high school graduation) ending October 10, 2021.  This is a “Blue Ribbon” package of research documents, detailing over 50 years of Danzi’s steady employment, completed and sealed by the Airmen Certification Branch of the Federal Aviation Administration, Department of Transportation. And last, Danzi’s colleagues presented him with “The Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award” in recognition of “50 years of exemplary aviation maintenance experience, distinguished professionalism and steadfast commitment to aviation safety”.

The letters of recommendation written in October 2021 by local aviators and mechanics (Hunter H. Harris, Mathew Sager, Paul E. Nuwer II, and Larry D. Kelley) all echo Danzi’s long standing, high level of aviation maintenance, trustworthy expertise, and steadfast dedication to aircraft safety, as well as his respect in the aviation community, which is a very tight knit group here on Delmarva.

Normally, the FAA would arrange for a public presentation, at a suitable FAA or industry function. An appropriate FAA representative would present the award to Danzi in formal recognition of his achievement. However, because of COVID, that could not take place. Nor could the local hangar/aviation club host even a semi-formal event for many months, also due to COVID, especially here in Delaware. So instead, Robert Danzi’s aviation colleagues held their own private event, in respect for their friend, 1/17/22, which they will all remember forever.

Now that the presentation is over and recorded, the FAA will post the name of Robert O. Danzi, Selbyville Delaware, January 2022 Master Mechanic Award, to the electronic Roll of Honor.