Delaware Deep Dive

This episode is sponsored by the Delaware River and Bay Authority.

Delaware is filled with innovative workforce development programs that take people from where they are to where they want to go. In this episode, we sit down Cathy Kanefsky of the Food Bank of Delaware and Quentin Liningham of Walmart, both of whom represent organizations that provide people with the needed skills to step into a successful career path. We will explore how their respective programs are filling a need and addressing workforce gaps in the community.

The Inc. 5000 is a list of the 5,000 fastest-growing private companies in the United States – and there are several on the list from Delaware! The list is based on revenue growth rate and job creation. We sat down with Mac Macleod from Carvertise and Chris Burkhard from Placers, both companies on the Inc. 5000 list, to discuss entrepreneurship and explore how these CEOs scaled their business, fostered positive company culture, and meaningfully engaged employees in their company's success.

It’s the newest hot-button topic in the business world: artificial intelligence. Many of us have been using it in the workplace for years without realizing it, but with the rise of programs like Chat GPT and Google AI, the topic has risen to the forefront of conversation. In this episode, Bernardo Tiburcio of DuPont and Patrick Callahan of LabWare will explore the integration of AI in the business world, its current impact, future potential, and how it can enhance workplace efficiency.

In Delaware, the phrase "Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anything" has become all too familiar in the housing industry. Fluctuating interest rates, material costs, and inventory have made housing a hot topic of discussion in the First State. The demand for various types of housing—affordable, workforce, senior, and seasonal—is great to support the needs of Delawareans. Sitting down at the table are Preston Schell of Ocean Atlantic Companies and Logan Herring of the WRK Group, who will explore the triumphs and shortcomings of housing in Delaware, and what’s next on the horizon.

Delaware is embracing its moment in the spotlight. With a growing population, a surge in businesses choosing the state for growth and relocation, a flourishing culinary scene, a thriving commercial airline, and a myriad of upcoming events, Delaware is fast becoming a premier destination to live, work, and play.

Join us as Jen Boes from the Greater Wilmington Convention and Visitor’s Bureau and Stephen Williams from the Delaware River and Bay Authority explore how the First State can harness this momentum and turn it into a lasting success story.

Conversations with Kelly is back for season three! Stay tuned for the premiere on October 17th! Stay up to date on www.dscc.com/podcast.html

America is in the midst of a massive labor reallocation. Employers are struggling to find qualified talent, and employees are trying to keep up with rapidly developing technologies.

The solution? Upskilling. Training our future and current workforce with the skills they need to meet these demands. Today, we talk about the steps employers are taking to give their employees stackable skills, how universities and other educational institutions are evolving beyond traditional degree pathways, and the movement of those who want to learn new skills and change career direction. 

At the table are Colleen Morrone – president and CEO of Goodwill of DE & DE County, and Dr. Darren Blackston, executive director of adult & continuing education, workforce development and training, assessment, and the connected degree program at Delaware State University.

It takes a lot to be a successful leader. The Marvin S. Gilman Superstars in Business program has been recognizing those small business leaders in the Delaware community for 25 years. Sitting down at the table today to discuss what makes a great leader is Brian DiSabatino, president and CEO of EDiS Company and Marie Holliday, managing director at Cover & Rossiter, both of whom lead businesses who have won the Superstars in Business award twice.

This week, we're sitting down with Senator Sarah McBride and Verna Hensley, the vice president of public affairs at Easterseals Delaware and Maryland's Eastern Shore, to discuss how to effectively get in touch with busy elected officials, and how advocates—for businesses or otherwise—can work with legislators for positive changes. We’ll also explore the power of storytelling in advocacy, and why building relationships with your policymakers could be easier than you think.

The push to legalize recreational marijuana in Delaware has been going on for almost a decade, and despite previous vetoes by Governor Carney, it has passed within the legislature again. But what would the impact of legal, recreational marijuana be for Delawareans? 

At the table we have Peter S. Murphy from Saul Ewing, LLP—a lawyer who advises cannabis industry clients on licensing applications and compliance,—and John Gooden, president and COO of M. Davis & Sons. This episode explores what the new Delaware “green rush” might mean, both for employers who may have hesitations and for those who are ready to join the industry. 

NOTE: This episode was filmed prior to the passage of House Bill 1 & 2. As of April 1, 2023, both bills are waiting for action by Governor John Carney. To learn more and stay up-to-date on recreational marijuana in Delaware, visit www.DSCC.com/LegislativeJournal or contact our policy director, Tyler Micik at [email protected].