Delaware Business September-October 2012

DELAWARE

PLUS:

BUSINESS

in • Successes Suc Public Pub Education

September/October 2012

• The Green Guide

$3.00

GUIDE TO

Health +Fitness Improve your Mind, Body and Spirit this Fall

A Publication of the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce

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WHEN YOU’VE BEEN AROUND AS LONG AS WE HAVE,

YOU TEND TO LEARN A FEW THINGS. Especially about what people want from a bank.

How does a bank stay in business for 180 years?

By knowing what’s important to its Customers. That’s why we provide Delaware’s largest free ATM network1. Free checking.

Free debit card transactions2. And a standard of service you won’t find anywhere else. Where can you find a bank like this?

At your nearest WSFS. Call us at 1-888-WSFSBANK or visit us online at wsfsbank.com.

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Free ATM transactions for WSFS Customers at WSFS ATMs. Multi-currency international transaction fee applies to ATM and debit card transactions. ©2012 Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB | Member FDIC 2

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Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/wsfs.

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Delaware Business and The DSCC wishes goodbye and good luck to former staffers Denee Crumrine and Lisa Prickril.

Departments President’s Message .............................. 2 Change is on our minds this season.

In this Issue Features GREEN GUIDE .......................................................................................................... 33 Ten local companies are doing their part to make Delaware a greener place.

Did yours make the cut?

EDUCATION .............................................................................................................. 39 After all the handwringing and impassioned speeches about the need for reform, what about the success stories in public schools? There’s plenty to celebrate. BY LARRY NAGENGAST

Legislative Priority .................................. 3 Time to Ask Questions about Delaware’s Economic Future 2012 Member-to-Member Discount Coupons ................................................... 6 Member News and Notes ...................... 9 Delaware Business meets the king of compost, UD’s new campus STAR, and Winterthur’s revamped greenhouse. All that, and much more.

Q&A: Delaware Hospice CEO Susan Lloyd Nonprofit Spotlight: YMCA Delaware Business Spotlight: Kumon Academy Welcome New Members ...................... 22

HEALTH + FITNESS.................................................................................................. 51 Self-improvement is on our minds this fall. Let our panel of experts explain how you can improve your mind, body and spirit. BY EILEEN SMITH DALLABRIDA

Chamber Scene ..................................... 24 Newsbites ............................................... 55

Correction: In the May/June 2012 issue of Delaware Business, the listing for Saul Ewing LLP, part of the “Guide to Legal Services” article, was incorrect. It should have read: “Saul Ewing LLP has 240 attorneys providing sophisticated legal services from offices in 11 locations along the East Coast. Our Delaware attorneys provide bankruptcy and restructuring, environmental, real estate, land use and zoning, litigation, public finance and general business advice to regional, national and international businesses and nonprofits, individuals and entrepreneurs.” Delaware Business regrets the error.

Calendar ................................................. 57 Affiliates Update .................................... 59 Manufacturing........................................ 60 Chamber Committees .......................... 62 Chamber Member Benefits ................. 63 For Assistance, Contact the Chamber .......................................... 64

On The Cover Improve Your Mind, Body + Spirit this Fall.

DELAWARE BUSINESS

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Volume 17, Number 5 / Delaware Business (USPS 012098) (ISSN 153253542) is published bi-monthly by the DSCC Center for Business Management. Subscription price is $18 a year (included in membership dues). Known office of publication is 1201 N. Orange St., Suite 200, Wilmington, DE 19801.

Periodicals postage paid Wilmington, DE 19850. Postmaster: Send address changes to Delaware Business, c/o DSCC Center for Business Management, P.O. Box 671, Wilmington, DE 19899-0671. Telephone (302) 655-7221.

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DELAWARE

Message from the Vice President Although the official start of autumn comes on September 22, we all know that for most people the fall season really begins the day after Labor Day. This is when we leave behind the relaxed summer season and begin to pick up the pace—whether its the final, furious Rich Heffron stretch of the baseball season or the renewed focus on the alwaysintense football gridiron.

This time also signals the beginning of a new school year, the restart on the selling season, and yet another election cycle. In short, this is a time to focus on newness. In this vein, Delaware Business shifts its focus to the relatively new sector of the business community: green industry in Delaware. Though some will always remain suspicious about making business greener, efforts to preserve the environment while reducing energy consumption is never a bad thing. This month, Delaware Business takes a look at 10 member companies that are doing their part to make our state a little greener. See page 33 for more. There is always a small but vocal group uncomfortable with change, but we continue to find companies like Croda, Evraz Claymont Steel, TD Bank, and many more that are making innovative changes to the way we produce and use energy.

Personal newness is also a reflection of self-improvement.

And many of our Chamber members are focused on just that: creating a newer, better you. Flip to our cover story on page 51, and hear what our DSCC member experts have to say.

As I noted above, it’s back-to-school time for Delaware students, and we’re happy to have Mark Murphy installed as the state’s new Secretary of Education. Murphy, along with Gov. Jack Markell, sat down with contributing writer Larry Nagengast to examine the newly installed Delaware Comprehensive Assessment System, and why we should be encouraged by its results. For that, and more educational success stories, turn to page 39.

It’s also a time of transition here at the Chamber, as we bid farewell to our president and CEO Jim Wolfe, who retired in August. We thank Jim for his years of service here, and promise to bring our members new and exciting things as we move forward. Thanks for reading.

BUSINESS EDITORIAL STAFF William R. Allan Chairman

A. Richard Heffron Interim President

Matt Amis Managing Editor

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Tony Allen Bank of America

Chip Rossi Bank of America

IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIRMAN

Sylvia Banks DuPont

Richard D. Rowland Rowland, Johnson & Co., PA

Thomas J. Cooper Cooper Realty Associates

Ernie Dianastasis CAI

Dennis M. Salter Summit Realty Advisors, Inc.

CHAIR ELECT

Donald T. Fulton George J. Weiner Associates

Fred C. Sears, II Delaware Community Foundation

CHAIRMAN

William R. Allan William Allan & Assoc., LLC

Hinton Lucas DuPont

Pierre du Pont Hayward University of Delaware

VICE CHAIR

Mark Stellini Assurance Media TREASURER

Alan Levin Delaware Economic Development Office

Barry Crozier Belfint, Lyons & Shuman

William E. Manning Saul Ewing LLP

Mark Turner WSFS Bank Michael S. Uffner AutoTeam Delaware Richelle Vible Catholic Charities of Delaware

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Linda Ammons Widener University School of Law

Tyrone Jones AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP

Chad Moore The Bellmoor

Julian H. Booker Delmarva Broadcasting Company

Chris Kenny ShopRites of Delaware

Bret Morris A.R. Morris Jewelers

David B. Brown Potter Anderson & Corroon, LLP

Bernhard Koch AAA Mid-Atlantic

Theodore J. Prushinski Citizens Bank

I.G. Burton i.g. Burton & Co., Inc.

Richard H. LaPenta Insurance & Financial Services, Ltd.

Michael Ratchford W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc.

Timothy J. Constantine Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield

Robert J. Laskowski M.D. Christiana Care Health Systems

John S. Riley Ashland, Inc.

Charlie Copeland Associates International, Inc.

Renee Lewandowski Agilent Technologies

E. Andrew DiSabatino EDiS Company

Michael MacFarlan TD Bank

Orlando J. George, Jr. Delaware Technical & Community College

Cathy MacFarlane ING DIRECT

W. Laird Stabler, III Laird Stabler & Associates, LLC Gary R. Stockbridge Delmarva Power Clinton Walker Barclaycard US

Martha S. Gilman Gilman Development Company

Scott Malfitano CSC - Corporation Service Company

Robert V.A. Harra, Jr. Wilmington Trust Company

Nicholas Marsini PNC Bank, Delaware

Robert W. Whetzel Richards, Layton & Finger

John E. Healy III Healy Long & Jevin, Inc.

John McCarthy AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP

Katie Wilkinson Fulton Bank

William S. Wallace JPMorgan Chase

Harry L. Williams Delaware State University

Michael Houghton Paul M. McConnell Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell, LLP McConnell Development, Inc.

STAFF Marianne K. Antonini Senior Vice President A. Richard Heffron Senior Vice President, Interim President Janine G. Sorbello Senior Vice President & Executive Director, The Partnership John H. Taylor, Jr. Senior Vice President & Executive Director, DPPI

Matt Amis Communications Manager Cheryl Corn Executive Assistant to the President Senior Vice President Communications Katie Dunn Communications Specialist Linda D. Eriksen Accounting Associate Greg Gross Director of Government Relations

Chuck James Account Executive Arlene Simon Account Executive Bill Stephano Director of Membership Patrina Wallace Information Administrator Kelly Wetzel Events Manager

ADVERTISING SALES / Miller Publishing, Inc.

Fred Miller President

DELAWARE STATE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 1201 NORTH ORANGE STREET, P.O. BOX 671 • WILMINGTON, DE 19899-0671 (302) 655-7221 • (800) 292-9507 • WWW.DSCC.COM

The mission of the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce is to promote an economic climate that strengthens the competitiveness of Delaware businesses and benefits citizens of the state. The Chamber will provide services members want; it will serve and be recognized as the primary resource on matters affecting companies of all sizes; and it will be the leading advocate for business with government in Delaware.

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PHOTO BY DICK DUBROFF/FINAL FOCUS

LEGISLATIVE PRIORITY

Time to Ask Questions about Delaware’s Economic Future

BY RICH HEFFRON

EACH ELECTION SEASON, the Delaware Business Legislative Priority column makes the point that elections have consequences, and that it is important for State Chamber members to be involved in the election process. Candidates for public office need funding and volunteers, and State Chamber members are in a position to provide both of those to candidates that understand the issues that affect economic development and growth. Our efforts have paid off in recent elections with a number of business-savvy candidates rising to the top of both major parties to Delaware’s federal, state and local offices.

Several issues could have an enormous impact on policies that affect Delaware’s economic future, both in the long- and short term.

Short Term Federal, state and local government fiscal policy. Projections show that the federal, state and several local governments are facing deficits for the next few budgets years. How these budgetary shortfalls are addressed will have a direct affect on the Delaware business community. The treatment of fees, taxes and spending priorities will be in the forefront of administrative and DELAWARE BUSINESS

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legislative decisions. These short-term choices will have longterm consequences.

Public safety. The situation in the City of Wilmington is dire.

And there are indications that other areas of our state are beginning to see an uptick in violence, primarily when it’s related to illicit drug trade. Businesses will not locate—and consumers will not visit—areas where they do not feel safe. This is a problem that must be addressed now; long term solutions are not a viable alternative.

Land use policy. Overly restrictive land use regulations had minimal effect when the economy was growing. Compounded by the weakened economic conditions of the last five years, restrictive land use policies have made job creation through business expansion all but impossible in parts of Delaware. It is necessary to review these policies and make the changes necessary to allow responsible development.

The continuing escalation of health care and workers compensation costs. These added expenses are strangling small business. With the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, business leaders and owners are struggling to determine future costs and obligations. The federal and state governments need to 3

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Legislative Priority move quickly to implement new laws so businesses can process information properly. The cooperative efforts of the private and public sector in applying of innovative means of controlling health care costs need to be expanded.

Burdensome, unnecessary and outdated regulations. At all levels of government, these are cited by economists and business leaders as a drag on economic growth. Governor Jack Markell has already started addressing the issue by issuing an executive order

Delaware’s economic future hinges on the decisions made by our government leaders.

Now is the time to ask those seeking your support what they believe in. requiring state agencies and departments to review regulations every three years. Federal and local governments need to follow the governor’s lead.

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Long Term Infrastructure expansion and improvement. These are essential to economic development, and the needs are numerous. They include communication, energy, transportation, technology, and water and waste-water projects. The investigation into utilizing private/public partnerships needs to be expanded. The expansion of the Port of Wilmington onto the Delaware River so as to take advantage of the deepen channel is specific public/private partnership that can serve as the introduction of this concept that has been successfully adopted in other jurisdictions.

Improvement in public education. This remains an important short- and long-term goal. Measureable improvement has been made, but we are not nearly where Delaware needs to be. The relationships between the traditional public school systems and charter schools need to be clearly defined. This determination will provide more certainty to the future of the public school system.

Green energy. Evaluating which types of green energy and industry are both practical and possible is an ongoing process.

Delaware should look to be a leader in exploring the technological advances that will help make these decisions.

Coastal Zone Act. It is time to take a serious look at the almost 40-year-old Coastal Zone Act. There is an opportunity to tweak the statute in a way that will allow clean manufacturing and related businesses to expand or locate in abandoned industrial sites area within the coastal zone.

Delaware’s economic future hinges on the decisions made by our government leaders. Now is the time to ask those seeking your support what they believe in. How they plan to address these issues is more important than ever.

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DELAWARE BUSINESS

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2012 Member-to-Member

Discount Directory Delaware State Chamber of Commerce members offer savings on the benefits and services they provide through this directory. The following list of offers can be used to help your business. This list is updated throughout the year on the Chamber’s Members-Only section of the Web site, www.dscc.com. Some restrictions may apply. Call the business directly for additional details on its offer. To promote your own business with a member-to-member discount, call (302) 576-6566 or e-mail dscc@dscc.com.

AGORANET, INC. AgoraNet provides web site design and development services and custom software programming. Since 1996, AgoraNet has been a leader in using cutting edge technology to help organizations and businesses of all sizes spread their message and sell their products.

AUTOTEAM DELAWARE - DELAWARE CADILLAC, SAAB, SUBARU, KIA Auto

BACK TO BASICS LEARNING DYNAMICS Since 1985, the award-winning tutors and instructors at Back to Basics have provided children and adults with exceptional one-on-one tutoring, small group workshops and enrollment in our unique private school.

BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU Business association.

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Contact: Betsy Warren 314 E. Main St. Newark, DE 19711 (302) 224-2475 Fax: (302) 224-2552 sales@agora-net.com

10%

Contact: Michael Uffner 1606 Pennsylvania Avenue Wilmington, DE 19806 (302) 656-3100 muffner@autoteamdelaware.com www.autoteamdelaware.com

10%

Contact: Beverly Stewart 6 Stone Hill Road Wilmington, DE 19803 (302) 594-0754 beverly@backtobasicslearning.com www.backtobasicslearning.com

FREE HOUR

Contact: Carol Tomlinson 60 Reads Way New Castle, DE 19720 (302) 230-0112 x14 Fax: (302) 230-0116 E-mail: ctomlinson@delaware. bbb.org

NO APPLICATION FEE

DSCC members will receive 10-percent off a first design or development contract.

10% off service and/or parts up to $100. One coupon per customer per visit. Not valid with any other offers.

One free hour of tutoring ($52$58), with discount given at the end of one month of services

Application fee waived when your company applies for BBB accreditation and mentions DSCC membership ($40 value).

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Member-to-Member Discount Directory

COURTYARD BY MARRIOTT NEWARKUNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE Lodging accommodations and conference services.

DELAWARE EXPRESS SHUTTLE & TOURS Trust Delaware Express to get you where you are going. With more than 100 dedicated drivers supported by professional dispatch, safety, customer service and maintenance teams, we are the largest and most trusted airport shuttle and executive transportation provider with 20 years or more experience in Delaware.

Contact: William Sullivan 400 David Hollowell Drive Newark, DE 19716 (302) 737-0900 E-mail: billsull@udel.edu

50%

Contact: Gerry Frenze 2825 Ogletown Road Newark, DE 19713 (302) 454-7800 ext 616 Fax: (302) 454-9885 E-mail: sales@DelExpress.com www.DelExpress.com

10%

50 Percent Off Meeting Room Rentals at Courtyard by Marriott Newark – UD

DSCC members and their employees receive a 10-percent discount on airport shuttle services to the Philadelphia Airport when making reservations on the State Chamber ground

And now, as a member of the global GO Airport Shuttle net-

transportation portal on www.

work, the world’s largest door-to-door airport shuttle company,

dscc.com’s Member-to-Member

Delaware Express is expanding to offer regional services as well.

Discount page.

ENVIRONMENTAL ALLIANCE Environmental Alliance, Inc. is a full-service environmental consulting and engineering firm providing environmental due diligence for real-estate transactions, remedial investigations, remediation system design installations and operation and maintenance services.

GEORGE J. WEINER ASSOCIATES GJWA creates innovative and cost-effective insurance programs for individual clients as well as customized employee benefit plans for our business clients.

Contact: Mike Vanderslice 5341 Limestone Road Wilmington, DE 19808 (302) 234-4400 Fax: (302) 995-0941 E-mail: mvanderslice@ envalliance.com www.envalliance.com

10%

Contact: Louis Memmolo Red Clay Center at Little Falls 2961 Centerville Rd., Suite 300 Wilmington, DE 19808 (302) 658-0218 Fax: (302) 998-4590 E-mail: lou@gweiner.com www.weinerbenefitsgroup.com

WELLNESS COMMUNICATION CAMPAIGN

Environmental Alliance offers a 10-percent discount from our published rate sheet exclusively for DSCC members.

A free employee communication campaign includes custom branded wellness newsletters, posters and handouts promoting healthy eating, exercise and wellness. New material provided monthly. Also includes access to comprehensive web portal.

GREATER GEORGETOWN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE The Greater Georgetown Chamber of Commerce is the third largest chamber in Southern Delaware, linking business with community.

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Contact: Karen S. Duffield 140 Layton Avenue Georgetown, DE 19947 (302) 856-1544 Fax: (302) 856-1577 E-mail: info@georgetowncoc.com www.georgetowncoc.com

$25 Receive first-year discounted dues of $125 (regularly $150) or a free Web site link for one year (a $25 value).

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Member-to-Member Discount Directory

PAYROLL MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE Payroll service.

RICHARDS PAVING, INC. Paving

ROCKWELL ASSOCIATES Rockwell Associates is a premier financial service organization in Wilmington, established in 1965, with proven professionals who are caring, conscientious people – the kind you depend on. Rockwell Associates can help with retirement and college funding, income protection, tax and estate plans, executive compensation and group benefits.

Contact: Jim Paoli 153 E. Chestnut Hill Road, Suite 210 (302) 456-6816 Fax: (302) 456-6812 E-mail: jpaoli@pmapayroll.com www.pmapayroll.com

10%

Contact: Sherri Soreth 9 Bellecore Drive New Castle, DE 19720 (302) 328-5828

5%

Contact: Carolyn Humphrey 1521 Concord Pike Brandywine, DE 19803 (302) 655-7151 Fax: (302) 655-3042 E-mail: chumphrey@htk.com

FREE REPORT

of our services.

Contact: Jennifer Simon 130 Hickman Road, Ste. 10 izing in the most unique fine foods - combining them together Claymont, DE 19703 with just the right packaging.

(302) 792-2515 Jennifer@Simonandco.com www.SimonandCo.com

Contact: George Irvine (302) 831-7858 www.pcs.udel.edu/organizations/ associations.html

Professional and career development certificate programs. To

DSCC members can receive a free comprehensive personal or business financial status report along with a list of any recommendations that may be helpful.

15% Members receive 15% off Unique Gift Baskets & Gourmet Foods - Corporate Gifting

10% Members receive a 10-percent discount on Professional Education Certificates from the University of Delaware

see what programs are being offered, go to www.pcs.udel.

Professional & Continuing

edu/organizations/associations.html.

Computer Consulting Services

charges.

percent off up to $100 on any

We are a gift and specialty food mail-order business special-

VENTURE TECH CONSULTING

payroll services with no set-up

DSCC members receive five

SIMON & CO.

UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE PROFESSIONAL & CONTINUING STUDIES

Ten-percent discount on all

Studies.

Contact: Rand Callahan PO Box 12903 San Luis Obispo, CA 93406 (888) 806-9221 E-mail: rcallahan@ venturetechconsulting.com

40% 40% off Remote Monitoring Services 7/15/2012 Discounted pricing plan for up to 40% off Remote Monitoring Services from Venture Tech Consulting to Delaware State Chamber Members.

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Member

news&Notes Bruce Blessing’s compost enriches local farms, golf courses, and many more sites.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY BLESSING GREENHOUSES

The King of Compost MILFORD’S BRUCE BLESSING GROWS TASTIER VEGETABLES, ENRICHES THE SOIL AND ENVIRONMENT BY JACK HOBAN

››

Whoever said you can’t turn chicken manure into chicken salad never met Bruce Blessing. Blessing, owner of Blessing Greenhouses and Compost Facility in Milford, turned a sea of chicken waste into premium, earth-friendly compost.

Blessing’s operation produces nutri-

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ent-rich compost that winds up on golf courses and farms. He sells his retail products to gardeners and landscapers from his Milford flower stand. “So far, the response from our customers has been great,” says Blessing, who earned an Organics Material Review Institute certification for his compost.

For decades, nitrogen pollution—primarily from chicken manure—has been the Chesapeake and Delaware Bay’s number one polluter. When it rains, nitrogen from manure runs off the land into nearby waterways or drains into the water table. Composted land handles rain differcontinued on 11

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Member

news&Notes When completed, UD’s Science, Technology and Advanced Research Campus will provide students with state-of-the-art facilities.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY TEVEBAUGH & ASSOC.

A STAR is Born FORMER CHRYSLER PLANT TRANSFORMED INTO UD SCIENCE HUB

››

The iconic five-point star that signified the former Chrysler site in Newark is now commemorated in the name of the University of Delaware’s new campus—the Science, Technology and Advanced Research (STAR) Campus.

In the first phase of the project, UD hopes to transform the site into a “healthy community by design,” where health is not only the topic of research, education, and clinical programs, but also a way of life, complete with fitness facilities, walking and biking paths, and cafes serving healthy food.

The University acquired the 272-

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acre site in 2009 and has since cleared everything but the administration building and a small portion of the manufacturing plant. In the coming months, expansion and transformation of that structure will take place.

E.A. Delle Donne Associates & Bancroft Construction, in partnership with UD, will develop 103,000 square feet on the northern end of the structure. The remaining 100,000 square feet of the existing building will be renovated and developed to accommodate medical- and health care-related retail tenants during Phase Two of the project.

What UD does on the STAR campus

will impact all Delawareans, as a critical mass of experts and resources is brought together to make the state a healthier place for all of us.

Plans for the Health and Life Sciences Complex on the STAR Campus include interprofessional education programs for health care students and for the current health care workforce. On-site clinics will provide convenient and comprehensive healthcare for UD employees and the community. Additionally, there will be a number of translational research initiatives with the University’s partners in the Delaware Health Sciences Alliance.

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What UD does on the STAR campus will impact all Delawareans, as a critical mass of experts and resources is brought together to make the state a healthier place for all of us.

The new campus will foster collaboration and provide space for state-of-theart equipment that can be shared by the scientific community. It will facilitate new models for strategic business partnerships in a variety of areas, including clinical care, health and wellness, and devices and materials. Similarly, new educational opportunities will open up in the form of internships, service learning, training, and cooperative learning.

To make the existing building more suitable for clinical, research, and academic activities, the architect, Tevebaugh Associates of Wilmington, has added two-story wings of 45-foot- wide space on the front and north end of the building.

This column-free space will allow greater flexibility in providing areas for large classroom, clinic and assembly spaces.

The two wings connect at the corner of the building in a two-story glass-walled student lounge and gathering space. The exterior walls of the building will be clad in limestone masonry units with bluegreen window walls. Located at the main entrance, the building will provide a contemporary gateway to the STAR campus.

The Chrysler assembly plant was a very important part of the local and regional economy for decades, and what UD is about to launch on the STAR Campus will play a similar role in the decades to come.

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Blessing, a former farmer, knows how to create healthy soil. PHOTO PROVIDED

BY BLESSING GREENHOUSES

Compost continued from 9 ently. When mixed with soil, the soupedup soil acts like a sponge, allowing water to drain slowly through it, absorbing pollutants and cleaning the water as it empties into nearby waterways.

Blessing grew up on a farm in Houston, Delaware. Forced into action at a young age, he never anticipated a future in farming. “My dad never made much money farming but there was always plenty of food on our table,” he says. “He saw something noble in growing the food that fed your family.” After deciding that he had no future in farming, Blessing worked a number of jobs, most associated with the chicken industry.

Blessing discovered his compost blend by trial and error. While mixing batches of potting soil for his flowers, the idea for premium compost appeared.

Blessing eventually settled on a product with a 10-1 carbon to nitrogen ratio. He

claims the higher nitrogen content gives his compost more oomph. Handled separately, Blessings’ ingredients are pretty rancid: poultry and hatchery waste, rotting grass clippings and decaying leaves. But mixed together they become a fine, black, odorless material that acts like a multi-vitamin for the soil.

“The key to our compost are the consistent ingredients,” Blessing says.

“Other composts are made from whatever comes through the gate that day. But because of our proximity to the chicken processing houses, we get a consistent mix of chicken byproducts to use in our compost.”

Blessing knew that if he was going to be competitive in the market, he needed a quality process to make his products.

He developed an in-vessel system where he could mix consistent batches of compost and then let it cure for 12 months.

For more, visit www.blessingsblends. com.

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Member

news&Notes GUEST COLUMN:

An Employer’s Guide to Health Care Law

BY WIER & ALLEN, P.A.

››

On June 28, 2012, the United States Supreme Court handed down its 5-4 decision that largely found President Barack Obama’s health care reform law, The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, constitutional. This article will discuss the Court’s ruling on the PPACA, and the implications of that decision on employers. As liberals celebrate Chief Justice John Roberts’ ruling and declare the health care debate definitively over, Mitt Romney pledges that if he is elected, he will act to repeal it on his first day in office. Regardless of the outcome of future politics, business owners must take steps to comply with the new law which is a daunting 2,700 pages long.

The crux of the PPACA is the individual mandate, which requires that most Americans have health insurance by 2014. It is estimated that over 30 million uninsured individuals will be provided affordable coverage and an estimated 6 million people will obtain coverage through Employer-Sponsored Insurance.

As such, the PPACA establishes American Health Benefit Exchanges, provides Federal subsidies for exchange insurance premiums and cost-sharing requirements, provides temporary tax credits for small businesses that offer health coverage, imposes penalties on some individuals who forego coverage, and imposes penalties on employers with more than 50 employees who do not offer health insurance to workers.

Depending on the size of the company, the PPACA requires that employers offer “affordable” coverage to their full-

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Regardless of the outcome of future politics, business owners must take steps to comply with the new [health care] law which is a daunting 2,700 pages long. time employees or face a fine for each uninsured employee. The law defines “affordable” as when the employee’s contribution toward the employer’s lowest-cost-self-only premiums do not exceed 9.5 percent of the employee’s household income.

Beginning in 2014, states will be required to create a regulated and competitive marketplace for buying health insurance. These Health Benefit Exchanges will serve as a marketplace for purchasing insurance. Businesses with 100 employees or less will be able to purchase insurance through the Exchange in

their respective state. Beginning in 2016, Delaware has the option to limit access to the Exchange to those companies with 50 or fewer employees.

If your company has less than 50 employees, you have several options.

You can continue to provide the type of health insurance you provide now, if any, from a private health insurance plan. Or, you can switch health insurance plans and participate in the Exchange in your state. Another avenue for small businesses with fewer than 50 employees is to forego offering health insurance as they are not required by law to provide

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it. If that happens, employees will have the option to purchase insurance through the individual market and can access state sponsored Exchanges or face penalties.

If you are a larger company, specifically one that employs 50 or more employees, there is a major decision before you that could have a significant impact on your bottom line. You can either sponsor a health care plan for 100 percent of your full-time employees, or pay $2,000 in penalties per individual employee for the number of full-time employees in excess of 30. For example, if a company employs 51 full-time individuals, their options would be to provide health care coverage to all of those employees or pay $42,000 (21 employees at $2,000 per employee) annually in fines. The National Federation of Independent Business reports that the average health insurance premium cost in the small group market is $4,260 for individual coverage and $11,100 for family coverage. Small employers with fewer than 50 employees currently pay on average 86 percent of the total cost of single employee health insurance and 65 percent for family coverage.

The Agency for Health care Research and Quality, Center for Financing, estimates that 43 percent of companies with less than 50 employees offer health insurance to their employees, while 96 percent of companies with more than 50 employees offer health insurance.

It is believed that market pressures could drive companies, especially those with more than 50 employees, to purchase insurance rather than incurring the penalty even if it proves more costly.

However, it has been long debated whether companies will choose to pay

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Se pt e m be r/ Oct o be r 2012

What is Health Care Law and Does It Affect Me? For years, many have believed that Health Care law primarily dealt with medical malpractice lawsuits and was strictly limited to doctors and hospitals. However, it is undeniable that Health Care law now affects nearly every American in the United States. The health care industry is no longer limited to health care practitioners. It has expanded to include hospitals and hospital systems, public and private insurers, small and large employers, employees, pharmaceutical and device manufacturers, individual practitioners who treat patients, and the patients themselves. Health Care law affects all of us. Existing and proposed federal, state, and local laws, rules, and regulations will dramatically impact all those in the health care industry. As a result, Wier & Allen, P.A. will be providing a series of articles on the different aspects of Health Care law and how it affects members of the Chamber.

the fine due to the fact that it will cost less than purchasing insurance, and employees can access their own individual health care through the system.

Employers may also cap the number of full-time employees they hire or reduce the salary of employees to adjust for the increased health care costs. Failure to provide benefits or reduction of salaries could hurt a company competitively, especially those in highly competitive markets seeking qualified employees.

Needless to say, companies that are already operating at a slim profit margin or operating in the red could be in for a tough haul due to their inability to absorb the high cost of insurance and having to unfortunately dedicate valuable resources to paying penalties. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and Joint Committee on Taxation has estimated that starting in 2014, there will be a reduction in the number of employees that currently receive health insurance from their employers, dropping by 7 percent, and mainly impacting individuals

earning lower wages and being employed by small business owners.

On the other hand, if a company has less than 25 employees, it is possible that it could reap the benefit of tax relief.

Starting back in 2010, companies that pay for a large portion of health care premiums qualify for a tax credit. Beginning in 2014, this credit could be as large as 50 percent of premiums if its employees have average salaries of $50,000 and if it participates in an Exchange. Companies employing less than 10 employees with average employee wages below $25,000 are eligible to receive a 100 percent tax credit. However, the Federal government will view a sole proprietor as an individual who is required to purchase health insurance or pay an annual penalty for not complying with the law.

A possible unintended consequence, and one that has been a point of debate regarding the impact on employees, is the scenario in which an employer chooses to eliminate its health care plan and opts to continued on 19

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Member

news&Notes The Magic Numbers CHRISTIANA CARE LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN TO EDUCATE ABOUT CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE

BY STEPHANIE FITZPATRICK

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Amongst a sea of health care awareness campaigns, it can be hard to know which diseases and health problems that could affect you, and how you can prevent them.

Earlier this year, Christiana Care Health System launched the “Know Your Numbers” Campaign to educate the public about cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in the United States—and soon to be the leading cause of death throughout the world.

Over the past two decades, the ageadjusted mortality for cardiovascular disease has decreased 25 percent.

This decrease is related in large part to better management of risk factors, something the “Know Your Numbers” campaign addresses. However, this trend is changing because of the growing epidemic of obese and overweight people, which affects two-thirds of the U.S. population. The campaign is part of an attempt to reverse this trend again, using the knowledge that improving awareness about better lifestyle choices can decrease occurrences.

“One way to change behavior is to legislate it,” says Dr. Edward Goldenberg, Christiana Care’s Director of Preventive Cardiology. “The other way is to deliver a consistent message.

That’s what the ‘Know Your Numbers’ campaign is all about.”

Originally started by the American Heart Association, the “Know Your

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Numbers” campaign aims specifically at raising awareness about the key numbers that put you at high risk for cardiovascular disease.

Chief among them are blood pressure, blood sugar, weight, cholesterol, and waist size. The majority of people whose health care numbers are above those listed below experience a number of medical issues that increase their risk of heart problems.

“Smoking and weight are the two leading causes of heart disease,” Goldenberg says.

Currently, there are a large variety of programs that exist in Delaware to combat the growing rate of heart disease.

Already partners with the American Heart Association, Christiana Care intends to meet with the Delaware Healthcare Association and Department of Health and Human Services in the near future in hopes of creating a more unified message and having a larger impact.

“I volunteered myself to attempt to bring hospitals, state government, and other agencies together to combat this issue,” Goldenberg says.

Christiana Care also offers a free health counseling service that begins with an online screening. Of the people who have participated in this service, one-third have made significant lifestyle changes. To participate in the screening, visit www.christianacare.org/hearttest.

Are you at risk?

Test your numbers: Optimal Blood Pressure: less than 120/80 Blood Sugars: less than 100 LDL (bad cholesterol): less than 100 HDL (good cholesterol): over 40 in men/over 50 in women Weight: Body Mass Index (BMI) less than 25 (not a percentage) Waist Circumference: Depends on race Asian: 35 for men/31 for women All other races: 40 in men/ 35 in women

Additionally, the hospital cafeterias have marked each food product with color-coded apples to indicate their nutritional value – red meaning not healthy and green meaning healthful.

The hospital and its other partners hope this campaign will raise awareness about the magnitude of this health issue—and provide the public with tools to remedy the situation. Yet, Dr. Goldenberg notes that there is no replacement for educating children about eating healthy, setting healthier industry standards (such as banning smoking on company property), and having personal responsibility in lifestyle choices.

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PLEASE JOIN CHAIR ANDREA THOMSON FOR THIS YEAR’S FESTIVITIES 1990 P.S. du Pont Crawford Greenewalt Joseph Tatnall

2000 Charles M. Cawley John A. Krol 2001 Werner C. Brown John W. Rollins, Sr.

1991 Oliver Evans Wilbert & Genevieve Gore

2002 T. Coleman du Pont Robert W. Gore

1992 Alexander E. Giacco George Lobdell

2003 John B. Campbell Sally Hawkins

1993 Joesph Bancroft Irving S. Shapiro

2004 Leon N. Weiner Marvin (Skip) Schoenhals

1994 Jack Burris Arther S. Carota E.I. du Pont

2005 Leonard W. Quill Leon F. Slocomb, Jr.

1995 Joshua & Thomas Gilpin Edward Goett

2006 Murray Berstein Foster Friess

1996 Walter S. Carpenter David D. Wakefield

2012 LAUREATES

1997 Joshua Heald Edgar S. Woolard, Jr.

Arkadi Kuhlmann Jim Kelly

1998 Carolyn S. Burger Harry Levin

2007-2008 Alan B. Levin Frank J. McIntosh 2009 Craig A. Rogerson Dian C. Taylor 2010 Carol A. Ammon Mark A. Suwyn

1999 Fredrick G. Krapf, Jr. Bernard J. Taylor II

2011 Alan R. Burkhard James A. Wolfe

Thursday, September 27, 2012

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Member

news&Notes Re-writing History WINTERTHUR TO UNVEIL RENOVATED HORTICULTURAL CENTER

BY STEPHANIE FITZPATRICK

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Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library, set amidst a 1,000 acre preserve and surrounded by picturesque landscape, has become a must-see attraction for people in the area and around the world. Whether visitors are interested in history, art, or horticulture, the reasons to visit the charming estate—and the former home to Henry Francis du Pont—are endless.

Come October, there will be yet another exciting reason to visit Winterthur: a newly constructed Brown Horticultural Learning Center. Formerly the home of a 3,000-square-foot tropical greenhouse, the center will now serve as an educational hub for community members and Winterthur staff. Specifically, the Brown Horticulture Learning Center will be available for horticultural programming, meetings and special events, demonstrations, displays for garden clubs, schools, community and senior groups, business partners, and more.

The idea for the project grew out of an increasing interest of garden supporters to engage in educational programs. “[Several years ago] we began drop-in programming where people could take informational classes. We noticed enthusiasm for the programming and wanted a place for additional hands-on activities.

Board Members Alice Cary Brown and W.L. Lyons Brown shared enthusiasm for the project,” says Chris Strand, a garden and estate director at Winterthur and one of the key leaders throughout the learning center’s development.

In fact, Alice Cary Brown and W.L. Lyons Brown shared so much enthu-

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The Brown Horticultural Learning Center is yet another exciting reason to visit Winterthur. PHOTO COURTESY WINTERTHUR MUSEUM, GARDEN AND LIBRARY.

siasm that they donated $1 million to make this vision a reality.

“As I learned about Henry Francis du Pont’s vision for his garden at Winterthur, I realized there is a need for a dedicated space where all ages can come and learn about his legacy and explore horticultural topics,” Alice Cary Brown says.

“The Brown Horticulture Learning Center offers a unique, state-of-theart educational resource for Winterthur members and the community, offering a range of science-based learning opportunities for children and adults under the expert instruction of Winterthur’s horticultural staff,” says David Roselle, Winterthur’s executive director.

One of the priorities for the project has been to stay true to the historic look and feel of the original greenhouse. To that end, organizers commissioned architectural firm Moeckel and Carbonnel Associated, led by Michael Carbonnel, re-used much of the material from the original building to help preserve its character.

A “green” space in every sense of the word, they have used very little new materials in the construction. They were even able to preserve the beautiful stone wall across the front side of the original greenhouse.

The official opening will take place on October 1.

“This is a big moment,” Strand says.

“We think that Henry Francis du Pont would be pleased, as the Center continues Winterthur’s rich tradition of preserving history for future generations while providing enhancements that will allow us to reach new audiences.”

On October, Winterthur will also host a family Truck and Tractor Day, an opportunity to see the new facility and enjoy seasonal treats such as apples, ice cream, and more. Additionally, over the next several months, Winterthur will introduce new and different programming including classes led by arborists, floral arrangers, garden designers and more. For more info, visit www.winterthur.org or call (302) 888-4600.

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AARP: An Important Conversation Has Begun and You’ve Earned a Say GUEST COLUMN:

BY LUCRETIA B. YOUNG, AARP STATE DIRECTOR

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Delaware is the First State in many ways: a place of new beginnings, fresh ideas and innovation for so many businesses and families. Which is why we’re so proud to have held conversations about the future of Medicare and Social Security right here in Delaware.

While Washington continues to talk about the future of these vital programs behind closed doors, hundreds of Delawareans have made their voices heard. Nationwide: More than 2.2 million people have had the opportunity to express their views.

We call this effort You’ve Earned a Say, because we believe that Delawareans, like all Americans, have spent their lives paying into these programs and deserve to know what changes are being considered on how to strengthen these programs for future generations. The next President and Congress could determine the future of Medicare and Social Security. The public deserves to understand all sides of the debate, the pros and cons—without the political jargon and spin—in order to speak out about how they feel the proposed changes will impact their future.

If you’re wondering why this conversation matters to the business community, it’s because the health and financial, retirement security of the people who work at Delaware’s businesses could be at stake.

Medicare is facing financial challenges.

Ever-rising costs in the broader health care system and the Medicare fund that pays hospital bills will face a shortfall in 2024.

AARP is committed to working toward

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a solution that ensures Medicare continues to guarantee that future seniors have affordable, quality health care. Social Security can pay all promised benefits until 2036, and after that, it can pay 75 percent.

AARP is committed to working toward a solution so that all Americans who pay into Social Security can continue to count on the guaranteed benefits they worked for all their lives. At AARP, we want to ensure that you have the information you need on these issues, and that you have the opportunity to make your voice heard.

There are nearly 173,000 Delaware residents who depend on Social Security benefits to help pay the bills every month, and over 149,000 whose families count on Medicare to help them afford health care, including guaranteed coverage for doctors, hospitals and prescription drugs.

That’s why we’re going to ensure you have easy access to information about the programs and the challenges that Medicare and Social Security recipients face.

If you look at the numbers, these programs play a vital role in our state’s economy. According to AARP’s Public Policy Institute, the Medicare program spent an estimated $1.32 billion on health care services in Delaware last year. In addition, $1.9 billion in social security benefits were paid to Delawareans 65 and older, which also injected money into our economy and businesses statewide.

These programs matter to individuals, businesses and our state’s economy.

More importantly, your voice matters.

For more than a year, the President

and Congress have been talking about changes to Medicare and Social Security. Now, there are many options on the table that our Congressional delegation will be considering. Social Security and Medicare are the foundation of income and health security in retirement for most Americans – a role that has become even more important in today’s tough economy. Congress needs to hear how these programs have an affect on Delawareans and all Americans.

AARP will make it possible for our elected officials to hear your voice. When you visit www.earnedasay.org, you can easily contact your representatives by email. We will also give you straightforward information on the issues which can help you when sharing your ideas about how to strengthen these programs.

In this national conversation, you can tell your Congressional delegation how these issues will impact you, your family, your business and your work.

Washington needs to hear from you. The future of Medicare and Social Security is a debate about people’s lives—about our lives, and you’ve earned a say.

AARP will collaborate with Delaware First Media to hold Gubernatorial and Congressional candidate debates on October 16 and 17.

The candidates will make their views known to voters on the important issues of Medicare and Social Security. Watch online at www.wdde.org.

Lucretia B. Young

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Member

news&Notes Compassion in Care Q&A WITH DELAWARE HOSPICE CEO SUSAN LLOYD

BY KATIE DUNN

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Susan Lloyd was honored recently by the National Hospice Foundation for her work as president and CEO of Delaware Hospice. In a career that spans two decades, Lloyd has guided the organization as it developed and grew to serve more than 3,000 families in Delaware and in Southern Chester and Delaware Counties in Pennsylvania. Delaware Business had the opportunity to sit down with Lloyd and get an inside perspective on the amazing work Delaware Hospice does providing compassionate end-of-life care and services to families.

what “home-based care” is. People were not familiar with what a hospice was, let alone have experience with it. We were really in our start-up years and I think over time, people have come to recognize the value of the service we provide to the patient that we care for. In addition to that, the family that we’re caring for is an important distinction in hospice care.

We focus on the family as a unit of care. Supporting the caregivers after they have lost their loved ones is what hospice care is all about.

How important are your volunteers?

How did you get started in hospice care?

I’m a registered nurse by background.

I’ve always had an interest in homebased services. I was a home care nurse after working in a hospital setting.

I found that this was where my love was. The environment in health care, when you go in an institution or any sort of hospital, you’re on their turf. When the patient leaves that setting, the real world starts. How are they going to stay compliant with what the doctor feels is appropriate to maintain their health and deal with their illness? We can be pretty independent individuals, so in the real world we need a lot of guidance on what would be best.

How have you seen Delaware Hospice grow?

Twenty-five years ago, people would call the organization wanting to know

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They are the backbone of what we do. Our volunteers are actually a tremendous resource to the organization.

They are 800 in number and obviously a very strong force for us in providing care at the bedside, working in the office, fundraising, and being a companion to the caregivers. We are very fortunate to have that kind of resource. One of the things I find most gratifying working here is that when things evolve, life goes on. We have kids we take care of through our New Hope program and they often become counselors for other kids as they grow into adults. They remain involved by volunteering for other families. That is real human connection and I find that amazing. People think of hospice care as a death experience but it’s really about holding the hands of people and moving forward and walking with them.

Delaware Hospice CEO Susan Lloyd has guided the organization through tremendous growth, and was honored recently by the National Hospice Foundation. PHOTO BY ABBY SAYEG

How do you and your employees stay positive in what can be a pretty difficult atmosphere?

It’s true that our patients are dealing with an illness that will take their lives, so we experience loss here. We support one another. We make sure we take time to acknowledge that, specifically by remembering patients we’ve cared for and the experiences we had with them. We make sure people have time away from the work that they do and experience their own lives. People think of us as a group dealing with death. But really, we are dealing with a stage of life that is important to provide support to people going through. As a family experiences an illness, they essentially

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open their arms to us and allow us to walk through that journey with them.

We engage with the family for another year after the patient’s death and we get to see things come full circle. It’s very rewarding work. I think people who have experienced Delaware Hospice care are always amazed at the comprehensiveness of the services we provide here.

Our organization was established to meet a community need. So identifying what those needs are and trying to fill them is always a challenge. We have the traditional reimbursement systems of Medicaid, Medicare and private insurances. But if you want something in addition to that, than you have to figure out the resources.

What does the future of hospice care look like?

How will hospice care be affected by the health care mandate?

As the baby boomers come along, we expect they are going to want different things from the hospice care community.

They are going to want to be much more engaged in decisions around their care and choosing their options for end-of-life care. I think they are going to be drivers a lot more than the generation before them. We know that there are a lot of people who will have a need for these services. We’re well aware that they are probably going to opt into it with a different focus than we’ve seen before.

Every health care provider is going to be affected by the changes the new legislations have brought about. The first thing that we see is the need for better coordination of care and services, probably more so than ever. We’re looking to really partner with our other health care providers in the community so we can provide all the comprehensive services that each of us individually have available to provide to patients and families. We want to effectively make sure they get their services and that we minimize the disruption and duplication for them.

How does it feel to be recognized by the National Hospice Foundation?

It was a very, very nice honor. My staff put me in for this, which is remarkable.

I was very gratified by that, and a little embarrassed. I am really proud of the workers of this organization, the first ones by the bedside. My role has always been to support that. I’m so proud of what they have done in the community and what they continue to do and how they continue to grow. The fact that they would take a couple of minutes to recognize my part in that was very, very nice.

Switching gears a little, what kind of business challenges have you been through?

Well on the business side, resources are always an important issue for us.

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What is the difference between hospice care and other end-of-life care?

Hospice care is very specifically aimed at end-of-life care and there is a specific expertise that organizations have.

Delaware Hospice is the only not for profit hospice in the state of Delaware.

We are really concentrated on meeting the needs of the community, so we do specific needs assessments to see what people feel they need from their endof-life care services. Delaware Hospice has expanded to create services like the Transitions Program which is for seriously ill patients that need help out in the community and not necessarily ready for hospice care.

Health Care Law continued from 13 pay the fine. This puts the employee in a precarious situation to either purchase their own insurance or have to pay a penalty. In 2014, the annual penalty will be either $95 per adult and $47.50 per child (up to $285 per family), or 1 percent of the family income, whichever is greater. In 2015, the penalty increases significantly to $325 per adult and $162.50 per child (up to $975 per family), or 2 percent of the family income, whichever is greater. In 2016 and later years, the penalty is $695 per adult and $347.50 per child (up to $2,085 per family), or 2.5 percent of the family income, whichever is greater.

It is imperative to be prepared for the after-effects of the Court’s ruling and the PPACA. Meet with your legal counsel, insurance provider and your accountant to make sure you are in compliance with the law. Make sure you are able to anticipate increased costs and possible tax advantages.

Position yourself to take advantage of any opportunities while reviewing employment projections and contribution strategies.

Wier & Allen, P.A. practices in the areas of health law and labor and employment. The Firm provides a variety of legal services to business owners and health care providers, including compliance with federal and state laws and regulations, litigation defense in employmentrelated disputes, and counseling on a number of other business management issues.

Dick Wier

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Member

news&Notes Sonali Pandit assists students inside the Bear chapter of Kumon Academy. PHOTO BY NICK WALLACE

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

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Kumon Academy

Sonali Pandit has been a teacher for a long time.

In her native India, Pandit announced to her family one Sunday that she would give up her free time on the weekend to teach another young girl how to read.

“My grandmother was very politically involved,” Pandit says. “And my mother had a degree. I was also taught a woman should be educated, she should stand on her own feet, be independent.”

And so it began. First, she taught a peer in India. Later, when she moved to the U.S., she launched a story time program at a Hindu temple in Hockessin.

Finally, her passion culminated into two Kumon Academy Math and Reading Center franchises in Delaware, which she runs primarily as a one-woman shop (her husband handles the billing).

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BY APRIL HALL

In India, Pandit worked in sales and marketing before receiving a degree in chemistry. She used the degree for working in a pharmaceutical lab. She moved to the U.S. in 2001 and went on to study nuclear medicine, which she used with patients in at a local cardiologist’s office. It was during this time she started the program at the temple and realized her true love for education.

“Kumon was exactly what I was doing at the temple, but I would be getting paid,” Pandit says. She completed the application process for the franchise, the extensive training program and continues her training at conferences and seminars across the country.

Kumon, which was founded by a math teacher in 1954 in Osaka, Japan, subscribes to the Kumon Method of

Learning, which extols independent learning, creative thinking and analytical skills. More than 16 million students worldwide have experienced the results of the Kumon Method.

Since opening her Bear location in 2008 and Hockessin site in 2010, Pandit has helped more than 1,000 students, Pandit says.

“We call it instruction, not teaching,” Pandit says of the Kumon method. “We want to make students self-learners. We break each concept down by self-teaching and if they have trouble with a concept, we take them back stewps to what they know.

“You read a recipe and you do it, but you do it again and again. By doing the program yourself, you learn. If you have a motivated child, he can rise quite quickly.”

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NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT

YMCA of Delaware

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BY APRIL HALL

exercising more and eating more healthFor most people, the YMCA conjures images of swim classes ily, full-blown Diabetes may be avoided.

In January Medicare will start reimbursing and weights, or at the very least, a for that program and the organization is ubiquitous Village People song. But in also working with local healthcare providDelaware, the YMCA’s reach and influers for reimbursements. ence is far greater.

Graves says this ounce of prevention Michael Graves, the 25-year president of the YMCA of Delaware—the only statewide YMCA in the country—says the mission of the organization fits into three major headings: youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.

One of the Y’s nine branches statewide is at 10th and Walnut streets in Wilmington. An all-youth branch, it is staffed as a “curfew center” at night. If police pick up young people breaking the city’s curfew, they are taken to the Y instead of the police station where they can meet with officers, counselors and sign up for a series of classYouth development is a key es with their parents. If the classes component for Michael are completed, any charges filed for Graves and YMCA Delaware. curfew violations are dropped.

PHOTO BY ABBY SAYEG If children do go astray, however, the YMCA also serves as a could save Delaware business owners resource center, helping juvenile offendthousands of dollars in healthcare costs ers in Family Court and encouraging kids for employees who develop Diabetes to get back on track with their education later in life. when necessary. The organization also Finally, in the realm of social responprovides childcare at 45 different sites sibility, the YMCA is taking on training throughout the state.

35,000 Delawareans on the signs of As for healthy living, the YMCA is children’s sex abuse and what steps to implementing an initiative to educate take to help. people about Type II diabetes. One-third In a two and a half hour training sesof all adults in the U.S. are pre-diabetic, sion, in person or online, adults can find Graves says, and through a performanceout how to recognize a child in danger. based reimbursement program, the Y is “Adults just don’t know what to do trying to show that by losing extra weight,

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about it,” Graves says, adding all adults are welcome to be trained. “We need police and fire and UPS driver, journalists, the older woman in your neighborhood who always knows who’s coming and going. You need to get enough of the adults that are around.”

Besides its great social programs, the YMCA is a hefty Delaware employer, with jobs for about 2,500 people, the bulk of whom are part-time and many who are seasonal, working at camps or as lifeguards.

The organization’s non-profit funding comes largely from membership revenue from its 80,000 statewide members and program revenue, Graves says. The balance is via public support, endowments and government grants, with a little less than 1 percent from the United Way.

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1.

1. The DSCC’s Chuck James cuts the ribbon on a new Wilmington location for Northwestern Mutual on May 22.

State Chamber SCENE 2.

2. DSCC chairman Bill Allan and retired DSCC president Jim Wolfe share a laugh at a May 24 Leadership Breakfast at Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library. Photo by Nick Wallace.

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3.

3. Keynote speaker Carol Ammon, founder of Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc., addresses the crowd at a May 24 Leadership Breakfast.

Photo by Nick Wallace.

4. Charlie Tomlinson of Delaware Today, Sandy Drzewicki of Jos. A. Bank Clothiers, and Ralph Petti of Continuity First do some networking at a June 5 Networking Breakfast at Diamond Technologies in Wilmington. Photo by Abby Sayeg.

4.

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State Chamber SCENE 5. The crowd acknowledges

5.

all the interesting people in the room during a June 5 Networking Breakfast at Diamond Technologies in Wilmington. Photo by Abby Sayeg.

6. Patrick Carroll of the Delaware Humane Association and special guest Casey take in the excitement at the 2012 Small Business Conference and Endof-Session Legislative Brunch on June 14 at the Dover Sheraton.

Photo by Abby Sayeg.

6.

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7.

Se p t e m b er / Oc t o b e r 2012

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7. Michael Waite of Blood Bank Delmarva

8.

and Jenni Fleck Jones of Belfint, Lyons & Shuman, P.A. network at the 2012 Small Business Conference and End-of-Session Legislative Brunch on June 14 at the Dover Sheraton. Photo by Abby Sayeg.

8. Charlie Copeland of Associates International asks a question of keynote speaker Giovanni Coratolo of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce during the 2012 Small Business Conference and End-ofSession Legislative Brunch on June 14 at the Dover Sheraton. Photo by Abby Sayeg.

9. U.S. Representative John Carney and State Senate Pro Tempore Tony DeLuca share a laugh during the 2012 Small Business Conference and End-of-Session Legislative Brunch on June 14 at the Dover Sheraton. Photo by Abby Sayeg.

9.

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State Chamber SCENE 10.

10. Jim Wolfe and Rich Heffron present the inaugural Small Business Guardian Award to State Representative Greg Lavelle during the 2012 Small Business Conference and End-of-Session Legislative Brunch on June 14 at the Dover Sheraton. Photo by Abby Sayeg.

11. Jim Wolfe and Rich Heffron present the inaugural Small Business Guardian Award to State Senator Robert Venables during the 2012 Small Business Conference and End-ofSession Legislative Brunch on June 14 at the Dover Sheraton. Photo by Abby Sayeg.

11.

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12.

12. State Senate Pro Tempore Tony DeLuca ran though legislative news and updates during the 2012 Small Business Conference and End-of-Session Legislative Brunch on June 14 at the Dover Sheraton.

Photo by Abby Sayeg.

13. Speaker of the House Robert Gilligan was honored for his years of service in the state legislature during a special ceremony at the 2012 Small Business Conference and End-ofSession Legislative Brunch on June 14 at the Dover Sheraton. Photo by Abby Sayeg.

13.

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State Chamber SCENE 14. Chuck James of the

14.

DSCC helps Jos. A. Bank Clothiers in Greenville with its grand re-opening ceremony on June 7.

15. Bob Liberato of Emory Hill strikes a pose with brewmeister Sam Calagione at the annual Evening Mixer at Dogfish Head Brewery in Milton on June 20.

16. Cortez Brokenbrough of Delaware Skills Center loads up during a July 17 Networking Breakfast at Ronald McDonald House of Delaware. Photo by Abby Sayeg.

15.

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16.

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Green Guide

Green is Great 10 Great Green Initiatives from Member Companies

BY KATIE DUNN AND MATT AMIS

Al Gore aside, no single person or corporation is going to save the planet from environmental catastrophe. Instead, we all must do our part.

Delaware Business proudly salutes Chamber member companies that have taken the reigns and made our little corner of the globe a little bit greener. Below, 10 of our favorite green initiatives sparked from member companies.

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Green Idea No. 1

EVRAZ Claymont Steel Improves Air Quality As one of the nation’s largest producers of custom steel plate (its annual capacity is more than 500,000 tons), Evraz Claymont Steel can boast some prodigious output.

But one byproduct it would like to reduce is air pollution. That’s why the facility is undergoing construction on state-of-the art air pollution control equipment. Think of it as a sophisticated air filter.

“It uses state-of-the art, Teflon-coated bags to clean the process emissions and discharges to the air on the outside,” says Tomasz Wesolowski, director of environmental services. “There’s nothing better on the market, and it meets or exceeds state, federal and international environmental standards.”

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Green Guide Evraz Claymont Steel

The improvement is part of a consent decree between DNREC and the company, which has committed to continue technology upgrades that improve air quality. The decree required additional dust control capacity at the plant and its “melt shop” by adding an additional new baghouse which will almost double the plant’s particulate collection and filter system by August 2014.

The Claymont plant also replaced its old combustion system housed in its reheat furnace and installed a more energy efficient oxy-fuel furnace, which also lessens greenhouse gas emissions.

In concert, the changes will improve air-quality significantly in Claymont and surrounding areas.

Green Idea No. 2

Croda Taps Cherry Island Landfill On June 7, under the watchful eyes of Governor Jack Markell and DNREC Secretary Collin O’Mara, Croda Inc., officially began construction on an ambitious, $6 million landfill-gas-to-energy project at the Croda Atlas Point chemical manufacturing plant in New Castle.

The goal? Convert gas from the Cherry Island Landfill into fuel to operate Croda’s plant. The re-claimed landfill gas will provide the plant with enough renewable energy to power 55 percent of the plant’s operations, or the energy equivalent of 3,500 homes. The reduction of Croda’s carbon footprint will be the same as removing 33,000 cars from the road. All that from a landfill.

The worldwide chemical supplier invested $5.5 million in the project, with another $500,000 chipped in via a grant from the Delaware Energy Efficiency Investment Fund (EEIF) Program, administered through DNREC’s Division of Energy and Climate.

One more bonus: the creation of 20 construction jobs. The project is expected to be completed by September.

Green Idea No. 3

TD Bank LEEDs the Way TD Bank

Croda

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TD Bank strives to be as green as its logo.

That’s why, since 2010, the banking giant has focused on creating LEED-certified branches and buildings. TD built its first LEED-designed store in 2010, and currently has 44 LEED-certified stores and buildings (and about 60 additional ongoing projects) in its roster.

Its newest store in Rehoboth Beach is the first store in Delaware that is LEEDdesigned. As of press time, it was yet awaiting official LEED confirmation.

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design—a rating system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council) evaluates buildings for their overall environmental performance in six areas: sustainable sites, water use, energy efficiency, materials and resource use, indoor environmental quality and innovation and design.

At TD Bank, LEED certification was attained thanks to solar drive-thru canopies, teller counters made of 80 percent recycled material, reduced potable water use, and construction waste recycling.

“By building energy-efficient, green stores, we can reduce our energy consumption, save money, and operate our business in a more sustainable manner,” said spokeswoman Judith Rusk. “We are proud of what we’re doing to be kinder to the environment, and are happy to say that we are a carbon neutral organization.”

May / Jun e 2012

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Green Guide Green Idea No. 4

Blue Rocks Install Eco-Friendly Light Bulbs While Mr. Celery already adds a slight greenish hue to the Wilmington Blue Rocks, the Frawley Stadium tenants got a little greener last season when they renovated 125 lighting fixtures with a more energy-efficient model.

The T5 Retrofit Kit, provided by City Electric Supply and The Green Savings Company LLC, is the most energy-efficient lighting solution on the market, and aims to reduce the Rocks’ lighting costs by 68 percent annually. A retrofitted conversion from T12 bulbs to T5 bulbs allowed the building to keep its current fixtures while introducing new bulbs, according to assistant GM Andrew Layman.

It also earned the organization a valuable $5,500 energy-efficiency lighting rebate from the Delaware Sustainable Energy Utility.

Frawley Stadium, built in 1993, had utilized outdated T12 fluorescent bulbs. With new eco-friendly and energy-efficient bulbs lighting the way, the future of the Blue Rocks looks even brighter.

Wilmington Blue Rocks

Green Idea No. 5

CSC Ingeo Eliminates Paper Waste In late 2011, Corporation Service Company—a local and international leader for business, legal and financial services—acquired Ingeo, a Utahbased company that specializes in eRecording. It’s a process that effectively eliminates paper wherever possible in corporate settings by scanning and storing documents digitally—something that could prove very useful to CSC’s corporate clients when it came time to file myriad paperwork with government agencies.

“In essence, we are the middle person between large submitter banks, title companies, law firms and the county governments,” says CSC vice president Scott Malfitano. What we have done is create an online (paperless) process to transfer documents to be recorded. We remove paper, increase processing time, get payment to the counties the same day.”

CSC Ingeo is today connected to 500+ Counties Clerks and County Recorder of Deeds departments across the country, helping them cut down on paper and postage, and streamlining electronic payment. Any rejected documents are flagged online and sent with an alert back to the bank or title company.

“We file well over two million documents a year,” Malfitano says. A few well-known customers include Bank of America, Citibank, Wells Fargo, PNC, JP Morgan Chase and SunTrust.

Green Idea No. 6

The News Journal Prints on Recycled Paper Delaware’s most-read daily newspaper, with a circulation of roughly 114,435 (131,796 on Sundays) goes through about 850 metric tons of DELAWARE BUSINESS

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The News Journal paper every month. That’s a lot of paper. Thankfully, the News Journal and its parent company Ganett source paper from mills that recycle.

“It can go anywhere from as low as 20 to 100 percent recycled,” says production director Rod Arnold.” It really depends on where we’re getting it at the time.” The average recycled paper content: 34 percent.

Arnold says the newspaper has been printed on recycled paper for at least 10 years, and for the past 15 years it has utilized soy-based color inks instead of harmful petroleum products.

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Green Guide Emory Hill

“We don’t really publicize it as we used to,” Arnold says. “I think the readers just take it for granted.”

Green Idea No. 7

Emory Hill’s LEEDership Qualities

EDis/Sunday Breakfast Mission

At most construction sites, there is a chance of doing environmental damage. Emory Hill Companies have taken measures to dramatically reduce that probability. The company received the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of Delaware 2011 Best “Green” Project Award for its work on the Delaware Tech Energy House at the Owens Campus in Georgetown.

The building was constructed to be energy and storm efficient similar to the way a person would like their home to be built. The project was awarded a LEED Platinum Certification, making it the second facility to receive the award in the state of Delaware.

The Royal Farms chain of convenience stores is another project where Emory Hill has gone green. The chain wanted to minimize destruction to the environment when building new stores, and partnered with Emory Hill to take the steps to minimize their impact. All newly constructed stores are now LEED certified. The newest store in the works—which will also include a car wash—will brings about even more green solutions to discover.

Green Idea No. 8

EDiS Helps Sunday Breakfast Mission Go Green When the Sunday Breakfast Mission wanted to get the most bang for their buck while constructing its new Women and Family Center, the Wilmington homeless shelter looked to the “Green Cents” program at EDiS. The goal of the program—helmed by one of the oldest construction companies in Delaware—is to make a building as economically and energy efficient as possible.

EDiS first had to clean the site of hazardous materials; as a Brownfield site, it was not fit to build upon. Once construction began, a rubber roof to reflect light, a triple-pane, low-heat glass for windows, low-flush toilets and motion activated hallway lights all contributed to making the Women and Family Center a super green building.

After construction was complete, there was still the job of furnishing each room in the building. EDiS adopted a room and used only reclaimed products to furnish it. The Sunday Breakfast Mission family was thrilled with the new center and the “green” work of EDiS. Saving money on energy costs can, in fact, be quite thrilling.

Green Idea No. 9

UD’s Garden in the Shade

University of Delaware

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On top of Colburn Lab at the University of Delaware sits a garden over 4,000 square feet of vegetation and recycled rubber walkway tiles that provides more than an awesome aerial view. The garden was first created to give relief to engineering students from hot days after the air conditioning was turned off for the season. After almost four years of hard work, the garden was finally completed in June 2012.

Dr. Annette Shine and Chad Nelson were the faculty leads of the gardening crew that also consisted of students from the College of Se p t e m b er / Oc t o b e r 2012

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Engineering and the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

The plants act as a natural heat shield, absorbing and deflecting the sun’s radiation. They have helped lower the classroom temperature by 5 or 6 degrees and also delay the high heat of the day a few hours when fewer classes are in session.

So far in 2012 alone, the rooftop garden has prevented 10,500 gallons of storm water from going into the White Clay Creek Watershed and reduced the emission of carbon dioxide to the environment by 1,212 pounds. As an added bonus, each month the University saves on the cost of energy to cool the rooms under the garden’s domain. Dr. Shine noted that the energy savings are more than her 2,000 square foot air conditioned home’s consumption.

Delaware Technical Community College

Green Idea No. 10

DelTech Learning to Build “Green�

There exists a high demand for skilled technicians who know their way around energy efficiency.

Delaware Technical Community College’s Innovation and Technology Center recently launched a world-class manufacturing skills program focused on energy-efficient manufacturing and facilities maintenance.

Manufacturers agreed that in order to have a healthy business, there is a need for the specific type of skilled training that this program now provides. DelTech worked with manufacturers across the state for support in identifying the critical needs of our local businesses and training the skilled workforce that can fill those jobs locally.

DelTech has secured the equipment, developed new training programs DELAWARE BUSINESS

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and created customized programs to fit local manufacturers’ needs. Most of the costs were covered by a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor.

Some of the green programs include weatherization and environmental safety. Training includes a range of hands-on learning and e-learning laboratories that hone job-ready skill sets. Students put theory to practice in classrooms built to mirror the real world. The program officially began in August with students envisioning a green future. â– 37

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Guide to Education

Bright Ideas Innovations, new test results, signal improvement in public schools

BY LARRY NAGENGAST

A NEW SYSTEM for assessing student performance, improving test scores and the creation of new programs to spur student achievement have Gov. Jack Markell and state education officials anticipating continued progress during the new school year.

“The results we’re seeing show that progress is possible when we focus on what matters most, the children in the classroom and the teachers and principals that help them learn,” Markell says.

“It’s incredibly important that we continue to build on the momentum we have now,” says Mark Murphy, who succeeded Lillian Lowery in May as the state’s secretary of education. “We’re seeing thousands more children being successful, showing proficiency in meeting reading and math standards. It’s very encouraging, and we need to build on that.”

The 2011-12 Delaware Comprehensive Assessment System (DCAS) results showed substantial increases in reading and math proficiency for students in grades 3 through 10. Reading proficiency increased from 61 percent of all students in 2011 to 73 percent this year; for math, proficiency increased from 62 percent of all students to 72 percent. Performance at “advanced” levels, the highest in the rating system, increased from 35 percent to 41 percent in reading and from 23 percent to 29 percent in math.

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In addition, the test results showed greater improvement in both reading and math for both African-American and Hispanic students than for nonHispanic white students, and for low socioeconomic status students when compared with their counterparts—indications that the “achievement gap” between the groups is narrowing.

DCAS results also showed increased proficiency rates in both social studies (grades 4 and 7 were tested) and science (grades 5, 8 and 10) but those gains were smaller than those shown in reading and math.

Murphy points to three broad-based initiatives that are contributing to improved performance: the development of professional learning communities (PLC), multiple testing opportunities through DCAS, and expanded leadership and development coaching.

The Professional Learning Communities, set up last year in each school, give teachers assigned to the same grade or subject area a 90-minute time block each week to discuss the progress their students are making and strategies to keep them moving forward, Murphy says.

Helping drive the PLC effort is the more sophisticated data available through DCAS, which is administered to all students three times a year, in fall, winter and spring. The tests themselves are computer-adaptive, with 39

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Guide to Education the difficulty of questions adjusting according to the responses students give to previous questions. The immediate feedback provided to students, parents and teachers makes it easier to identify strengths and weaknesses and adjust teaching strategies to better meet student needs.

Several coaching initiatives, according to Murphy, are helping principals develop leadership skills and giving them more time to focus on academic priorities.

Through the state’s $119 million Race to the Top federal grant, the state last year hired nine “development coaches� to work once a week with principals in 60 schools and to provide some district and county-level training programs. This year, the coaches will work in about 75 schools, including about 50 of the buildings served last year and 20 to 25 new ones. Their duties include working with principals on teacher development and evaluation issues, Murphy says.

Another 28 schools had the benefit of a “school administration manager,� or SAM, last year. The SAM takes on duties related to the school’s operation, giving the principal more flexibility to work on academic issues.

Better leadership means better support for teachers, and that translates into improved growth for students, Murphy says.

Murphy, who met with key stakeholders in each of the state’s 19 school districts during June, says educators had identified several new programs that appear to have an impact on improving test scores.

They include the creation of the New Tech Academy at Seaford High School, an acceleration program that gives special attention to lagging students in the Smyrna School District, and the introduction of Singapore Math curriculum in the Brandywine School District.

NewTech, an instructional system that relies on project-based learning, originated in Napa, Calif., and has been replicated in more than 60 schools in about 15 states, says Stephanie Smith, the Seaford School District’s public information officer. About half of the school’s ninth- and 10th-grade students volunteered for the new tech program last year, and 11th grade will be added this year, she says.

In project-based learning, Smith says, two subjects are taught together and students work in groups on projects that incorporate concepts integral to both subject areas. In one class, combining biology and language arts, students used their science skills to solve a murder mystery patterned on the Crime Scene Investigation television series.

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“We’ve seen significant differences in DCAS scores, especially among freshmen compared to those in traditional classrooms, and attendance in New Tech is about 3 percent higher,� she says.

Smith says Seaford identified New Tech as a workable concept through its association with Innovative Schools Inc., a Wilmington-based nonprofit that researches successful school models nationwide and helps replicate them in Delaware. Throughout the school year, Innovative Schools assisted Seaford officials in building connections with the national New Tech Network, training teachers on new instructional methods and building community partnerships, says Debbie Doordan, the group’s executive director.

The acceleration approach used in Smyrna may seem counter-intuitive but three years of using the strategy has produced improved test scores for children who need extra instruction in the summer, says Sandy Shalk, the district’s director of instruction. Rather than use summer school to review topics the students did not learn well the previous year, about one-quarter of the time is spent on remediation and three-quarters on acceleration,

“We’re seeing thousands more children being successful, showing proďŹ ciency in meeting reading and math standards. It’s very encouraging, and we need to build on that.â€? introducing new materials that the students will be learning during the first quarter of the new school year. “It’s not a panacea for everything,â€? Shalk says, “but when students feel success after they have been struggling, they just grow with it.â€?

In Brandywine, math scores in the elementary grades have improved since the Singapore math program was introduced district-wide in fourth through sixth grade in the 2010-11 school year after three years as a pilot program, says Sally Todorow, the district’s math coach. Last year the program was broadened to reach from kindergarten through seventh grade, she says. Singapore math, Todorow says, strikes a balance in teaching both procedures and concepts, while the math curriculum previously used focused primarily on concepts.

School officials anticipate continuing to build on several innovations that got their start in the past year.

To train aspiring principals, Innovative Schools and the Department of Education adapted a program created by the New York City Leadership Academy to implement a 15-month program that placed six future principals in intern-like positions last year. Another six candidates joined the program’s second cohort this summer. Those who complete the program must commit to working three years as a principal or assistant principal in a high-need school.

Distance learning and videoconferencing took significant steps forward last year. The Red Clay school district built studio-like distance learning labs at A.I. du Pont High School and the Conrad Schools of Science, enabling students at both schools to take the same class, taught by a single teacher.

The district’s education foundation is raising funds for additional labs, which could be set up this school year at the shared Charter School of Wilmington/ Cab Calloway School of the Arts building and McKean High School, Se p t e m b er / Oc t o b e r 2012

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S EITZ C ONS UL T IN G , L L C Superintendent Merv Daugherty says. And Cape Henlopen High School, among others, made extensive use of videoconferencing, scheduling more than 20 virtual field trips to locations hundreds of miles from the school.

The 2012-13 academic year will be significant for the charter school segment of the public school system.

The State Board of Education has recently approved a new application form and framework, updating the criteria for approving new charter schools and monitoring the performance of those already in operation. The governor’s office has also created a task force to recommend improvements to the state’s charter school law, which has been largely unchanged since its adoption in 1995. Its report is expected to be ready before the General Assembly reconvenes in January.

Also this fall, the Community Education Building Corp. will begin reviewing applications from charters interested in moving into the new Community Education Building near Rodney Square in downtown Wilmington. The nine-story building, formerly part of the Bank of America office complex, is expected to house four charter schools, starting in September 2013.

During the coming school year, educators will be paying close attention to the details as they implement new programs, and the state “will make sure our teachers and principals have the resources they need to meet the needs of our students,” Murphy says.

By keeping a sharp focus on classroom needs, Markell says, “Our kids will be ready to compete with kids from around the world.” ■

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Superstars in Education W

Janine Sorbello of The

Partnership, Inc. hands out trophies to the students of Richardson Park Learning Center.

The 2012 Superstars in Education winners take a bow

Curtain Call X

The Superstars Hit

the Road program included a stop at McKean High School.

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Superstars in Education W

The students of Richardson Park

Learning Center display proudly their Superstars in Education banner.

X

Students and faculty of the Capital

School District were honored during the Superstars in Education Hit the Road assembly.

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Superstars in Education

X

The Capital School District

W

X

McKean High School

Nellie H. Stokes

Elementary School

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Superstars in Education

Top left: Caesar Rodney School District Top right: H.B. du Pont Middle School Center: Central Middle School Bottom: Richardson Park Learning Center

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Guide to Health and Fitness Glenn Moore of the Delaware Swim and Fitness Center says facing challenges at the gym can lead to improved health. PHOTO BY ABBY SAYEG

Mind, Body + Spırit Improve upon all three this fall, with help from the DSCC experts

BY EILEEN SMITH DALLABRIDA

WE CAN’T SEE IT, yet we know it’s there—that link between the mind, body and spirit.

Achieving a healthy outlook in all three elements helps us to lead happier lives. It also can boost our ability to build successful businesses and other organizations.

At Delaware Swim and Fitness Center in New Castle, swimmers who want to take the plunge into water challenges learn how to control their breathing and keep anxiety at bay. That’s a lesson to remember on dry land, if you are trying to keep a company afloat.

“If carbon dioxide builds up in the body it sends a panic signal to the brain,” says Glenn Moore, chief operation officer. “We teach swimmers to exhale as soon as their head hits the water and to turn their head and inhale after every three strokes.”

Swimming also is a life-long pursuit. Unlike ice hockey and other contact sports, you are never too old to play. And like a diverse company, everybody is invited into the pool. At Delaware Swim, there are adults in DELAWARE BUSINESS

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beginner swim classes. Andrew Gemmell, the state’s only member of the 2012 Olympic team, trains there.

Plus, the more you swim, the easier it will be to fit into your bathing suit.

Simply treading water burns 11 calories a minute, the same as a brisk jog.

“It’s a great aerobic workout, as well as relaxing, a way to empty your mind of the stresses of the day,” Moore says. “Swimming also is beneficial because you don’t have the stress on your joints that you do with running.”

TIP: Looking for a low-impact workout? Here’s a healthy way to make waves. In chest-deep water, face the wall of the pool. Grab the edge with your left hand. Place your right palm, with your fingers pointing down, below the water line. Put your feet and knees together and extend your legs behind you. Kick like a dolphin, starting with your mid-section and hips, then your thighs and knees. Keep going for 30 seconds.

At Hockessin Athletic Club, members have an array of fitness activities to choose from, including cardio kick boxing, cycling and weight training.

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BEEBE MEDICAL CENTER DELIVERS FOR DELAWARE

In addition to methods for making your heart pump harder, HAC offers outlets for members to get their minds and spirits in shape. A one hour mind and body yoga class focuses on developing deep breathing and increasing stability and a wider range of motion—both on and off the mat.

Connecting movement and breathing help to relieve mental stress and physical tension.

HAC’s menu of massage services have proved so popular that the club is expanding the department to include more massage rooms.

“Massage is great for relaxation, yet it has a lot of medicinal purposes,” says Craig Bohn, massage director. “There is a power to touch and kindness and care.”

HAC’s approach to massage focuses on mind, body and spirit, a philosophy that is taken seriously. All references to pampering and fluff have been removed from the massage center’s marketing materials. Therapists are instructed not to engage clients in conversation, unless the client wants to talk. Lighting is subdued.

“It’s like meditation,” he says. “You aren’t thinking about your grocery list.”

Massages are tailored to meet various needs. Pre-natal massage helps to reduce the swelling and discomfort often associated with pregnancy. Bohn traveled to Hawaii to work intensively with an athlete training for the grueling Iron Man triathlon, which combines a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride and a 26.2-mile marathon run.

“He moved up 250 places in the race,” he recalls. “He said he could not have done it without his massage regimen.”

At HAC, massage therapists worked with a gymnast who had given up the sport due to severe chronic back pain, providing weekly massages for 10 consecutive weeks. Several months later, Bohn reports he is free of pain and has returned to the gym.

“Massage is part of a wellness regimen,” he says. “Massage has helped veterans suffering from PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder). Preemies gain weight faster if they have massage.”

Beebe Medical Center is a leader in providing comprehensive healthcare services—whether it’s inpatient care and surgical procedures or outpatient services at locations just around the corner from where you live.

The collaborative teamwork of our staff, physicians, volunteers and friends brings exemplary care and innovation to the people who reside in or visit Delaware.

BEEBE DELIVERS QUALITY AND INNOVATION Beebe’s specialty services and programs rank among the best in the state and in the nation. Some of our specialty services and programs are listed below:

• An exceptional orthopaedics program • Superior cardiac and vascular services that use the latest technologies • Tunnell Cancer Center, known across the region as the choice to make for cancer treatment • Gastrointestinal specialty services and procedures including bariatric surgery To read about the accolades for our medical specialties, please visit Beebe Medical Center’s website at www.beebemed.org.

BEEBE DELIVERS CONVENIENCE Beebe Health Services are never far away. Outpatient services offer flexible scheduling in multiple locations throughout Sussex County. Services are located on our main campus in Lewes, and in Rehoboth Beach, Milton, Georgetown, Long Neck, Millsboro, and Millville. Beebe also offers home health services.

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TIP: If you are looking to massage therapy to address a specific physical concern, schedule regular visits. “You will start to see more results when you have massage on an ongoing basis, perhaps once a month,” Bohn says. “The results are cumulative.”

Services include:

• Beebe Lab Express (7 locations) • Beebe Imaging (X-Rays, MRI, CT scans, Ultrasound, Mammography, etc.)

• Beebe Rehab (Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Speech and Language Pathology) • Wound Care Services • Diabetes Management • Home Health Agency

Lewes, Delaware www.beebemed.org

302-645-3300 EXCELLENT PEOPLE. EXCELLENT CARE.

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Guide to Health and Fitness Health care systems also are integrating services that address body, mind and spirit. For example: Bayhealth offers a monthly series, Steps to Healthy Aging Clinics, at Kent General Hospital in Dover. Topics include cardiovascular health, eating light around the holidays and making your home safer in order to reduce your risk of falls and other accidents. Bayhealth sponsors quarterly classes at Milford Memorial Hospital.

At Christiana Care’s Eugene du Pont Preventive Medicine & Rehabilitation Institute in Greenville, patients will find a managed approach to weight loss. The team includes a doctor, registered dietician, psychologist and fitness trainer who take a comprehensive approach to weight loss, balancing medicine, nutrition, mental health and exercise.

The Consumer Health Resource Center in the medical library at St. Francis Hospital in Wilmington is open to the public. There is an extensive selection of consumer health books, in addition to wellness materials, fact sheets and DVDs on healthy lifestyles. The resource center also includes information published in Spanish.

At the Sunday Breakfast Mission in Wilmington, homeless men, women and children are offered faith-centered support to heal their bodies, minds and spirits.

Many of the people who come to the mission suffer from mental illness, alcoholism and drug addictions. Because people who have lived on

the streets often don’t have access to health care, there is a medical clinic at the mission every Tuesday. They also can look forward to clean clothes and nutritious meals.

“They can smell the aroma of food and know that they will have good things to eat,” says Rev. Tom Laymon, president and CEO. “Their plates will be full and they can enjoy conversation when they eat, just like anybody else.”

Establishing an atmosphere of calm and safety is essential. Each person who comes into the mission is welcomed. Walls are painted in soothing greens and blues.

“They are greeted with a smile,” Laymon says. “There are no angry reds or dark browns on the walls. Everything feels light.”

Most successful businesses and organizations have best practices, established procedures that help work to flow. That also rings true at the mission, where people whose lives have spun out of control thrive in an atmosphere of stability.

“There’s a routine,” Laymon says. “Education, recreation, worship.”

The spiritual connection is the glue that binds physical and mental wellbeing together.

“Our belief in God underlies the whole formation of what we do,” he says.

TIP: Establish a culture of warmth and serenity. Paint the walls in the workplace in calming colors. Make it a policy to greet colleagues, customers and clients with respect and kindness.

When it comes to the future of your Medicare and Social Security, you’ve earned the facts.

Now with AARP’s online tools, fact kits, and community conversations across the country, it’s easy to get the facts and get involved. While Washington talks behind closed doors, we’re bringing the conversation to you, because you’ve earned a say.

Get the facts and join the conversation at earnedasay.org .

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Guide to Health and Fitness

BECAUSE OUR DOCTORS KNOW HOW TO TREAT YOU WELL,

CHOOSE NANTICOKE.

OUR PHYSICIANS’ SPECIALTIES INCLUDE:

• Cardiology • Critical Care Medicine • Endocrinology • Family Practice & Pediatrics • Gastroenterology • General Surgery • Hematology • Interventional Cardiology • Medical Oncology • Nephrology

• Neurology • Occupational Health • Orthopaedics • Pulmonology • Radiation Oncology • Sleep Medicine • Urology • Vascular Surgery • Wound Care & Hyperbarics

To find a physician near you, call 1-877-NHS-4DOCS. www.nanticoke.org

HEALTH SERVICES

Always Caring. Always Here.

801 Middleford Road, Seaford, DE 19973 • 302-629-6611

Cancer Community Support Delaware offers cancer patients and their loved ones a secure setting to air their feelings with a licensed therapist.

“It’s daunting to receive a cancer diagnosis and everybody can benefit from support, no matter how many relatives and friends you have, no matter how strong a faith community a person might have,” says Sean Hebbel, program director.

The organization has offices in Dover, Greenville and Lewes. Support groups typically are scheduled for about two hours for each session, although they frequently are shorter. Patients are asked to commit to attending at least three sessions.

“You wouldn’t skip a doctor’s appointment to go to the mall,” Hebbel says. “We believe appointments here are just as important.”

Patients can nurture their physical, mental and spiritual health through yoga and tai chi, which harness gentle, flowing movements to enhance flexibility and reduce stress.

“When people first come to us, their faces might be drawn and their bodies are tense,” he says. “When they leave, they are not so tense.”

Occasionally, the group offers instruction in mindful self-hypnosis, a heightened state of awareness in which the mind is open to positive thoughts.

“It’s for relaxation but a lot of people have learned to control their pain through self-hypnosis,” Hebbel says.

TIP: Commit to giving a new healthy behavior three tries. “If you only do something once and it isn’t a great experience, people tend to give up on it,” Hebbel says. “After three times, you will have a much more realistic view.” ■

She could use your help to fight her breast cancer.

Giving blood gives her a future.

Please call

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1 888 8-BLOOD-8 to make an appointment.

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Newsbites Precision AirConvey Welcomes New Regional Sales Manager

Belfint, Lyons & Shuman’s Donna McClintock Honored by Rotary Belfint, Lyons & Shuman, P.A. announced that Donna L. McClintock, CPA was recognized at Christiana Rotary’s annual induction ceremony as a Paul Harris Fellow and was inducted as the 2012/2013 Treasurer of Club.

Paul Harris Fellow recognition was created in memory of Paul Harris, the founder of Rotary, as a way to show appreciation for contributions to the Rotary Foundation’s charitable and educational program. A Paul Harris Fellow is an individual who contributes $1,000 or in whose name that amount is contributed. The Paul Harris Fellow serves as an advocate of the Foundation’s goals of world peace and international understanding.

Kevin J. Conte joins YMCA of Delaware as Chief Financial Officer The YMCA of Delaware announced that Kevin J. Conte has joined the organization as its new Chief Financial Officer.

“Effective immediately, we welcome Kevin to our staff at the YMCA of Delaware Association office, and look forward to his guidance and leadership.

Kevin’s nineteen years at Wilmington Trust exposed him to every facet of

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Precision AirConvey, Inc., the industry leader in trim and scrap removal systems, welcomed its newest Regional Sales Manager, Kevin Callaghan.

Callaghan will be responsible for managing existing accounts and driving new business development efforts among converters and manufacturers in the Midwest region.

Callaghan brings to PAC an extensive background as both a sales engineer and territory manager with experience in industrial manufacturing and energy production. Callaghan’s extensive history of success with managing capital equipment projects will be instrumental in territory and key account expansion.

Richards Layton and Fred Cottrell Named Among The World’s Leading Patent Practitioners

Richards, Layton & Finger and firm director Frederick L. Cottrell III have been selected to appear in the inaugural edition of IAM Patent 1000 – The World’s Leading Patent Practitioners.

The IAM research team interviewed financial services. His impeccable work attorneys and clients in 50 key jurisdicrecord and achievements at the bank tions around the globe to identify the are indisputable,” said Michael lawyers and law firms that P. Graves, president of the companies turn to when only YMCA of Delaware. “I know the best patent work will do.

Kevin will be a tremendous Cottrell practices in Richards asset to the YMCA, and we’re Layton’s Litigation Department, glad he’s here.” focusing on intellectual propKevin graduated from the erty, antitrust, products liability University of Delaware and and commercial law. He speaks received his MBA from Duke frequently on Delaware District University. He resides in northFrederick L. Cottrell Court practice, Delaware intelIII ern Delaware with his family. lectual property and patent law,

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Newsbites and dispute resolution. IAM Patent 1000 notes that Cottrell is “a respected figure who has cultivated superb relationships with out-of-state firms and the judiciary.”

National Honors for Delaware Today Magazine Delaware Today magazine recently received national honors from the National Federation of Press Women (NFPW), earning several top awards in the 2012 National Federation of Press Women Communications Contest. Three members of the Delaware Today editorial team and affiliated freelancers earned a total of four honors, all ranking first or second place.

Editor-in-Chief Maria Hess captured first place for her November 2011 personality profile featuring Jennifer Behm, titled “Cooking up a Storm.” Managing Editor Drew Ostroksi earned first place awards for both his headline writing and his column “302 First,” while freelance writer Mary Pauer received second place honors for her special article, “We Do Dirt.”

The National Federation of Press Women is a nationwide organization comprised of both men and women engaged in careers across the communications spectrum.

Each year, the communications contest provides a competitive outlet in a wide variety of categories that ultimately encourage and reward excellence in communication. “We are humbled by the awards,” says Hess. “It inspires us to keep up the momentum and to improve our craft.”

Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children Among “Most Wired” Hospitals The Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children has again been recognized among the “Most Wired” hospitals and health systems in the U.S. for 2012 by Hospitals and Health Networks magazine. Being named to the annual Most Wired list is a coveted distinction that recognizes a hospital’s meaningful use of health information technology. This is the second year in a row the duPont Hospital for Children has been recognized with this award.

In the 2012 survey, 1,570 hospitals were represented--approximately 27 percent of all hospitals nationwide. Just 154 hospitals were awarded “Most Wired” status. Nemours/ Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children was the only Delaware hospital and the only Delaware Valley children’s hospital to win “Most Wired.” Hospitals & Health Networks is the flagship publication of the American Hospital Association. This is the 14th year Hospitals & Health Networks has named the “Most Wired” Hospitals and Health Systems.

Judging criteria looked at progress in adoption, implementation and use of information technology in the four areas of infrastructure, business management, clinical quality and safety, and care continuum. Nemours was previously recognized for its use of information technology. In 2011 the Healthcare Information & Management Systems Society (HIMSS) Analytics awarded Nemours its Stage 7 award—the highest level of attainment in adopting electronic medical records. Less than 1 percent of the nation’s 5,000 hospitals share this distinction.

Morris Nichols’ Rick Alexander Named One of the Top Ten Most Highly Regarded Corporate Governance Lawyers in the World Rick Alexander, member of the Morris Nichols Delaware

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Rick Alexander

Corporate Law Counseling Group and Chair of the firm’s Executive Committee, has been named one of the top ten most highly regarded corporate governance lawyers worldwide by The International Who’s Who of Corporate Governance Lawyers

2012. Rick was recognized from among 485 other corporate governance lawyers from 50 countries who stood out in survey feedback received from clients, inhouse counsel and fellow private practitioners. He is the only Delaware lawyer, and one of only five U.S. lawyers named to the top list.

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Order of the First State Awarded to Bruce M. Stargatt, Esquire The law firm of Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor, LLP announced that Bruce M. Stargatt, Esquire has been awarded the Order of the First State by Governor Jack Markell. The award is the highest honor for meritorious service granted by the governor.

“Bruce is a great Delawarean and I’m proud to have gotten to know him over the last decade,” said Governor Jack Markell.

“His impact on Delaware is far-reaching

and his commitment to serving others is inspiring. It is with great pleasure and gratitude I award him with the Order of the First State.”

Throughout his career, Bruce Stargatt has served the State, the Delaware Supreme Court and the citizens of Delaware with great distinction, and his efforts have had a huge impact on the quality of life of Delawareans.

Mr. Stargatt came to Delaware with the Delaware Air National Guard, and after completing his tour of service as a Legal Officer in the Guard, he started his Delaware legal career. Before long,

he became a founding partner of Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor, LLP, which would become one of Delaware’s most prominent law firms.

As a practicing lawyer, Mr. Stargatt was also active in the community and he was often called upon by the Courts for voluntary service to help improve the delivery of legal services for the benefit of all Delaware citizens. The Delaware Supreme Court sought Mr. Stargatt for important projects to keep Delaware in the forefront of the evolution of the law. He served as a volunteer on the Supreme Court continued on 58

Calendar of Events SEPTEMBER 5

7:30 am-9:30 am

For more information, please contact

Evening Mixer

Location: Wilmington University New

Kelly Wetzel at (302) 576-6586 or

5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Castle Campus

kwetzel@dscc.com

Location: Nicola Pizza, Rehoboth Beach

For more information, contact Katie Dunn

For more information, please contact

at (302) 576-6578, or kdunn@dscc.com

OCTOBER 22-26

Delaware Principal for a Day Week

Kelly Wetzel at (302) 576-6586 or

SEPTEMBER 27

All day

11th Annual Tabletop Mixer

Location: All schools throughout

SEPTEMBER 6

5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Delaware

Chamber Chase Golf Tournament

Location: Chase Center on the Riverfront

For more information, call Janine Sorbello

All Day

For more information, please contact

at (302) 576-6575

Location: Kings Creek Country Club,

Kelly Wetzel at (302) 576-6586 or

Rehoboth Beach

kwetzel@dscc.com

OCTOBER 23

Kelly Wetzel at (302) 576-6586 or

OCTOBER 2

Networking Breakfast at the Christiana Mall

kwetzel@dscc.com

Networking Breakfast at Janssen’s

7:30-9:00 a.m.

7:30-9:00 a.m.

Pre-registration required

SEPTEMBER 11

Location: Jannsen’s Market, Greenville

For more information, please contact

Women in Business Forum with Dr. Kathleen Matt

Pre-registration required

Kelly Wetzel at (302) 576-6586 or

For more information, contact Kelly Wetzel

kwetzel@dscc.com

9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

at (302) 576-6586 or kwetzel@dscc.com

kwetzel@dscc.com

For more information, please contact

OCTOBER 25 – 26, 2012

Location: DSCC Board Room For more information, contact Katie Dunn

OCTOBER 16

Government Affairs Retreat

at (302) 576-6578 or kdunn@dscc.com

Chamber Leadership Breakfast Series with Leo Strine

Location: Atlantic Boardwalk Hotel,

SEPTEMBER 19

7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.

For more information, contact

Small Business Alliance Workshop: “What Apps You Need”

Location: University & Whist Club,

Rich Heffron at (302) 576-6563 or

Wilmington

rheffron@dscc.com

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Rehoboth Beach, DE

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Newsbites continued from 57 Advisory Committee of the American Bar Association Standards for Criminal Justice. As Chair of the Delaware Appellate Handbook Committee, he headed a team that produced a detailed set of instructions for the filing and handling of civil and criminal appeals from every Delaware Court. He was also appointed by the Supreme Court to be Chair of the Delaware Supreme Court’s Rules Committee. His work has been a benefit for every Delaware resident, every user of Delaware Courts and for the Court itself.

National Kidney Foundation – Delaware Preps for Wilmington Kidney Walk The Wilmington Kidney Walk is a non-competitive walk focusing on education and prevention of kidney and urinary tract diseases, and the awareness of the need for organ donation. Nearly 1,000 walkers from all over Delaware are expected to participate at the Riverfront in Wilmington on Sunday, October 14, in hopes of raising over $105,000 for local kidney patients.

Free food, drinks, live entertainment, raffles, and even a Doggie Costume Contest will take place at Dravo Plaza, starting at 8:30 a.m. People of all ages are invited to stroll approximately one mile along the river. To register for the 2012 Wilmington Kidney Walk, please visit www.kidneywalk.org, or call 215-923-8611 for more information.

CARE PROVIDER I truly care about helping my customers succeed succeed.

Let me help you market with Delaware’s number one ad source and you’ll be well on your way.

Nicole Causi Automotive Account Executive ncausi@delawareonline.com (302) 324-2647

DELAWARE’S DIGITAL AND PRINT LEADER The News Journal Media Group provides targeted multi-platform solutions for local businesses.

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Affiliates UPDATE SMALL BUSINESS ALLIANCE Nominations Open for the 2012 Gilman Bowl Award

BY DENEE CRUMRINE

“I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the leaders of the Small Business Alliance. I was deeply honored, surprised and humbled by the events of last week. At a loss for words, it was impossible to comprehend fully and be able to explain to the audience the meaning of the Gilman Bowl.”

– 2011 Gilman Bowl Award Winner, Michael Uffner of AutoTeam Delaware.

Technologies; DiSabatino Construction Company; Environmental Alliance, Inc.; George J. Weiner & Associates Friend: Community Service Building, Inc.; Delaware Community Foundation; Parcels, Inc. Marketing & Advertising Design: Mease Communications Printing: Associates International, Inc. Promotional Media & Application Hosting: Delmarva Broadcasting Company Print & Online Media: Delaware Today Video: Teleduction Gift Sponsors: Healy Long & Jevin and Delmarva Broadcasting Company Awards: A.R. Morris

DELAWARE RETAIL COUNCIL Retail Sales Take a Hit

BY GREG GROSS

The Delaware State Chamber of Commerce Small Business Alliance is now accepting nominations for the 2012 Gilman Bowl. This award of distinction is given to an individual who has made outstanding contributions to the small business and nonprofit community of Delaware. The prestigious Marvin S. Gilman Bowl will be presented at the annual Superstars in Business Awards luncheon on November 14, 2012. Dan Butler, chef and owner of Piccolina Toscana, Deep Blue and other premier Delaware restaurants will keynote the luncheon held at Hotel du Pont.

Criteria for nomination: • Must be an individual (businesses of note should apply for the Superstars in Business Award at ssb.dscc.com).

• Must be a member, or part of an organization that is a member of the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce. Member must be in good standing.

• Individual should be an exemplary leader in the business community whose efforts and/or achievements have contributed to, supported and/or sustained the goals and success of small businesses in Delaware.

• Nominations are open to all Delawareans and can be made by any organization or individual in the state.

SPONSORS (as of 8/2/12) Platinum: M&T Bank Diamond: The Gilman Family Gold: Belfint, Lyons & Shuman; Colonial Parking, Inc.; Delaware Economic Development Office; EBC Carpet Services Corp.; Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware; PNC Bank Silver: Assurance Media, LLC; AutoTeam Delaware; Dukart Management/ McDonald’s; Glenemede Trust Company; Gunnip & Company; MySherpa; New Castle Insurance; Vandemark & Lynch, Inc. Bronze: AB+C; Back to Basics Learning Dynamics; Diamond DELAWARE BUSINESS

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In June, news that retail sales fell for yet another month had economists concerned that consumer spending won’t improve much for the rest of the year. Retailers that are accustomed to a slight bump in receipts at the end of the summer (think back-to-school shoppers) had little optimism that the bump would materialize—an especially grim outlook since retailers routinely use the late-summer wave as an unofficial gauge for what the holiday shopping appetite might hold.

Retail sales dropped 0.5 percent in June, and created the first threemonth stretch of declining sales since 2008. Sales figures released by the country’s biggest retail operators—Costco Wholesale, Target, and Macy’s— all fell below expectations. Sales for gasoline continue to fall. Sales of furniture, cars, building materials and restaurant meals dropped too. Sales of cars and car parts fell 0.6 percent, while the figure was worse for furniture and building materials, underlining the persistently sluggish housing market.

All indicators for the retail downturn point to slow job growth.

Consumers, still saddled with debt from the housing bubble, aren’t getting raises. Household debt is till twice as high as the gross domestic product, just as it was in 1982, when the U.S. also experienced a serious recession.

Income per capita has risen only 0.4 percent in the first five months of this year.

Yet, retailers are hopeful that an upturn is in the making. They believe firmly that job and income growth are still positive, albeit sluggish. The recent string of gloomy economic news creates headwinds for President Obama, who is running for a second term this year. Three years after pledging an economic recovery, growth has been weak. The national unemployment rate has been stuck around 8.2 percent, and manufacturing activity shrank unexpectedly in June.

The International Monetary Fund readjusted its U.S. growth forecast slightly downward from its April estimates for this year and next. It now expects GDP to grow by 2 percent in 2012 and 2.3 percent in 2013.

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DEMEP Profile

Very Impressive: Unique Impressions, DEMEP Spur Growth

BY EILEEN SMITH DALLABRIDA

UNIQUE IMPRESSIONS is a full-service seller of imprinted products catering to a broad spectrum of organizations, including businesses, schools, nonprofit groups and sports teams.

The company was launched in 1988 and initially targeted sororities and fraternities on the University of Delaware campus in Newark. A founding partner, Donna O’Dell Hoke, got the inspiration for the business while working at a Greek store at her alma mater, Penn State University.

“I had friends at UD, who told me they had to go to University of Maryland to buy things for their sororities and fraternities,” she recalls. “I immediately made a note to myself to open a store in Delaware.”

The business clicked with the collegiate set and grew steadily over the years. Unique Impressions branched out, adding product categories, including event favors, promotional materials and one-of-a-kind items for individuals. The company can embellish clothing with vinyl lettering, embroidery, print screening or a combination of all three. Unique also sells engraved items, such as key chains, picture frames and money clips.

Over the years, the payroll grew to 10 full-time employees who make most products in-house, sewing embellishments, screening T-shirts and even applying rhinestones. The base of part-timers, many of them college students, fluctuates widely, from 45 during back-to-school and holiday sea60

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sons to four workers when school is not in session.

Last year, Unique began gearing up for a growth spurt, targeting mid-range customers that would provide a new stream of income, but without the deep discounts and quick turnarounds often demanded by the largest customers.

“We were intentionally growing our client base and we needed to be ready to meet those new deadlines,” Hoke recalls.

But there was one large obstacle to growth. Unique had run out of room. There wasn’t space for more equipment or materials that would be needed to fill that anticipated need.

To identify ways to make the space and the staff more efficient, the company turned to the Delaware Manufacturing Extension Partnership.

Accredited by the National Institute for Standards and Technology, DEMEP’s mission is to substantially improve the quality, productivity and profitability of manufacturers in the state by identifying, transferring and implementing best practices.

“Lean concepts are universal. They apply to a steel mill, a doctor’s office or an embroidery shop,” says Steve Quindlen, DEMEP’s executive director.

“We have seen small businesses benefit enormously from lean training and Unique Impressions is a shining example.”

All full-time employees received training in 5-S processes. Introduced in Se p t e m b er / Oc t o b e r 2012

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Japan, 5-S focuses on effective organization and standardized procedures to simplify the work environment, reduce waste and activities that don’t add value to the product, while increasing quality, efficiency and safety. The 5-S principles translate to: Straightening, Systematic cleaning or Shining, Standardizing, and Sustaining.

Two DEMEP field agents, Lisa Weis and Jim Jones, meticulously mapped the movements of workers as they went about their tasks. What they saw looked like spaghetti, with swirls of pathways instead of direct, linear routes.

Their mission was to analyze the workflow and devise strategies for cutting out unnecessary steps.

“Wasted steps add up to wasted time,” Jones says. “If you can squeeze out that inefficiency, you will be more productive.”

Setting up a computerized embroidery machine was a time-consuming process because the screen used to program the equipment was located across the room from the machine.

“The two monitors were 10 feet away from one another,” Hoke recalls.

“We just turned that giant machine around so the monitors are now two feet from each other.”

Valuable space on the second floor was consumed with storing merchandise that couldn’t be sold, including slightly damaged goods or articles whose personalization included an error.

“Some items were perfect, but out of style,” Hoke recalls. “College-age customers are very fickle when it comes to fashion.”

Unique Impressions reclaimed that space by donating, selling or tossing passé merchandise. The business gained even more room when an outdated embroidery machine was sold for scrap.

On the administrative front, DEMEP agents suggested transitioning from paper orders to electronic records.

“When a piece of paper travels from the original order, all the way through the process to accounting, there are many opportunities for that paper to get lost,” Jones says.

Electronic records also reduce the odds that a worker will misinterpret an order due to an individual’s handwriting.

In a business producing personalized pieces, errors are costly. Mistakes can render merchandise worthless or result in expensive alterations.

With a new emphasis on efficiency and procedures to measure performance in place, rework orders decreased 30 percent.

Increased accuracy also has resulted in reducing wasted material by nearly 5 percent, Hoke says.

“That might not sound like much but it really adds up,” she says.

Still, the business hasn’t completely done away with paper.

“There are times when it makes more sense to take a picture of a T-shirt and draw on it instead of trying to describe that you want the design a little above the left chest,” she says.

In the retail space, the counter was reconfigured from a surface about the width of a desk into a long, horizontal bar.

“You can entertain many customers at a time, rather than have people line up single file,” Jones notes.

Merchandise was rearranged in order to make shopping more intuitive.

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Instead of mingling various categories of goods, merchandise is grouped.

“Giftware with giftware, sportswear with sportswear,” Hoke says.

An added bonus: the new layout makes the store appear more spacious.

The shipping department was consolidated from separate stations into a single, linear space. To keep the surface streamlined, only the most commonly used tools are placed on the line. Rarely used tools are stored separately.

Overall, orders are up 15 percent. Sales have increased 20 percent.

Because machinery is arranged more efficiently, set up times have been reduced by about one-third.

“With the unique and innovative ideas generated during the improvement event they were able to increase productivity and reduce waste, which allowed them to take on more work with their existing resources,” Jones says.

In coming months, Unique plans to buy additional lettering machinery that will enable the business to take on more orders. The business also will hire one additional full-time employee, plus several part-timers.

“The increase in business has given us a more comfortable cash position,” Hoke says.

There also has been a positive impact on the company culture. Lean principles are now part of Unique’s job training procedures.

“We talk about efficiency, when we didn’t before,” Hoke says. “It is an important part of the way we do business.”

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CHAMBER Committees & Forums State Chamber members play a visible, active role in the business community by serving on committees. If you would like to get involved, contact the committee’s Chamber representative or register online at www.dscc.com.

Ambassador Committee: The Ambassador Committee is a specially chosen group of volunteers that assists in increasing membership and retention, and acts as a liaison between the State Chamber staff and the membership at large. Contact: Chuck James at (302) 576-6562 or cjames@dscc.com.

Benefits & Services Committee: This committee identifies group-oriented benefits, such as health care coverage, dental and vision care, discounted office supplies, phone service, direct mail, radio advertising and much more to help Chamber members be healthy and competitive. Contact: Denee Crumrine at (302) 576-6564 or dcrumrine@dscc.com.

Education & Development Committee: This committee provides practical, valuable and affordable education and development programs to help existing members and potential members be more successful. Contact: Denee Crumrine at (302) 576-6564 or dcrumrine@dscc.com.

The Employee Relations Committee: This committee meets each month and brings in knowledgeable experts to discuss ever-changing labor and employment laws and regulations that impact all Delaware businesses. The interaction between speakers and committee members provides a cost-effective and efficient way to obtain up-to-date information that helps employers create or modify personnel policies and procedures before legal problems arise. Contact: Greg Gross at (302) 576-6568 or ggross@dscc.com.

Environmental Committee: Working closely with the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC), members are involved in the review and shaping of environmental legislation and regulation. Contact: Greg Gross at (302) 576-6568 or ggross@dscc.com.

Health Care Committee: Members discuss key health care issues facing Delaware businesses and provide feedback to the Chamber legislative team to assist in formulating policy.

Contact: Matt Amis at (302) 576-6566 or mamis@dscc.com.

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Holding Company Committee: Provides a forum to discuss issues affecting Delaware holding companies on the state and national levels. Contact: Matt Amis at (302) 576-6566 or mamis@dscc.com.

Legislative Forum: Members, lobbyists and legislative representatives work together to address legislative issues of interest to Chamber members. Monthly lunchtime meetings feature guest speakers who cover current topics of interest to the business community. Contact: Greg Gross at (302) 576-6568 or ggross@dscc.com.

Tax Committee: This committee reviews tax legislation and lobbies for the reduction of personal and business taxes in Delaware. Contact: Greg Gross at (302) 576-6568 or ggross@ dscc.com.

Transportation Committee: The transportation committee creates a unified voice when making recommendations to the Delaware Department of Transportation. Contact: Greg Gross at (302) 576-6568 or ggross@dscc.com.

Women in Business Forum: The Women in Business Forum was formed to forge relationships, break boundaries and build a better business environment for women in our community.

Former guest speakers include First Lady Carla Markell, Gov. Ruth Ann Minner, Family Court Chief Judge Chandlee Kuhn, State Reps. and Sens., and business leaders. Contact: Katie Dunn at (302) 576-6578 or kdunn@dscc.com.

Young Executives Committee: The Delaware State Chamber of Commerce’s newest committee was formed to encourage young executives in Delaware to be involved in the Chamber, network with other young professionals and further their business growth. The Young Executives Committee, for professionals between the ages of 21 and 40, aims to develop Delaware’s young workforce through professional business networking and personal growth. Contact: Denee Crumrine at (302) 576-6564 or dcrumrine@dscc.com.

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Delaware State Chamber of Commerce

SMALL STATE. BIG BENEFITS. The State Chamber Health Plan The cost of employee health care is a top concern among Delaware business owners. DSCC has devised an affordable, quality health care plan for its members. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Delaware announced new reduced rates and added an additional lower-cost plan choice. Visit www.dscc.com/healthplan. htm today or call (302) 576-6580 for more details.

bers). Call (302) 655-7221 for more information.

Prescription Drug Discount Card The Delaware Drug Card will provide savings of up to 75-percent on prescription drugs at more than 50,000 pharmacy locations across the country. The Delaware Drug Card has no restrictions to membership, income or age, and you are not required to fill out an application. This program helps all residents of Delaware afford their prescription medications. For more information, go to www.dscc.com/rxdiscount.htm.

DSCC Affinity Credit Card with WorldPoints Rewards The DSCC affinity card by Bank of America is a business credit card offered exclusively to State Chamber members that also offers a rewards program for discounted airline tickets, free hotel nights and car rentals and more. The Chamber affinity card with WorldPoints® lets members combine points from personal and business cards to get rewards even faster. Call (800) 5988791 to apply, mention priority code FABLHRAQ.

Discounted Cell Phone products and Service State Chamber members can get a 10-percent discount from T-Mobile on qualifying monthly recurring charges and other special offers. Email Melissa Williams at melissa.williams2@tmobile.com to learn more about this benefit.

Dental and Vision Plan Dominion Dental Services provides dental and vision benefits on a group and individual basis with competitive, member-exclusive rates. Dental care coverage for most diagnostic and preventive services is 100 percent with up to 80 percent coverage for restorative care including fillings, root canals, crown and bridge work, periodontal treatment, oral surgery and more. Go to www. dscc.com/chamber/dental_plan.aspx or call (888) 518-5338 for more information. No application fee for DSCC members.

Notary Service Did you know that Notary Public services are free for Chamber members? Call (302) 655-7221 to make an appointment to stop in for a notary seal on your documents.

Delmarva Broadcasting Company Fifteen-percent in bonus airtime on commercial orders placed by new advertisers on any Delmarva Broadcasting radio station.

Contact Mike Reath at mreath@dbcmedia.com or call (302) 4782700 for more information.

Constant Contact Email Marketing Service State Chamber members are eligible to receive discounts on their Constant Contact account subscriptions. Members can save 20-percent if they prepay for 6 months and 25-percent if they prepay for 12 months. That is a 10-percent deeper discount than what is available to other customers. To sign up, visit the Constant Member-to-Member Contact link on the State Chamber’s Discount Directory members-only page or call (866) 876-8464 to activate your member discount.

State Chamber members offer substantial savings on products Access full details on these benefits of and services to fellow members. membership in the members-only section To see the full list of discounts of the DSCC website. For more informaonline, visit www.dscc.com tion about obtaining your company’s and click on Member2Member members-only login credentials, please Discounts. email webmaster@dscc.com.

W.B. Mason Office Supplies W.B. Mason offers Chamber members exclusive deep discounts off their most commonly used items. Discounts are up to 90 percent. Contact Doreen Miller for more information at doreen. miller@wbmason.com or (888) 926-2766, ext. 8358.

Blood Bank Membership Member companies with five employees or less are offered unlimited group coverage in the Blood Bank of Delmarva. Call (302) 655-7221 for more information.

Certificate of Origin Documents Certificate of Origin documents are $20 for Chamber members ($100 for non-mem-

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For Assistance,

CALL THE CHAMBER The State Chamber of Commerce staff works for you, serving nearly 2,800 member companies and organizations statewide.

This State Chamber staff directory lists phone numbers and Email addresses, as well as individual areas of responsibility.

If you need business assistance or information, please don’t hesitate to call.

A. Richard Heffron Sr. Vice President Government Affairs/ Interim President Marianne K. Antonini Sr. Vice President Finance & CFO Janine G. Sorbello Sr. Vice President Education & Exec. Director, The Partnership Business Mentoring Alliance Principal for a Day Superstars in Education

576-6563 rheffron@dscc.com

576-6567 mantonini@dscc.com 576-6575 jsorbello@dscc.com

John H. Taylor, Jr. 576-6590 Sr. Vice President & jtaylor@dscc.com Exec. Director, Delaware Public Policy Institute Matt Amis Communications Manager Delaware Business Production Website Health Care Committee Holding Company Committee

576-6566 mamis@dscc.com

Katie Dunn Communications Specialist Women in Business Young Executives Committee Benefits & Services Committee Education & Development Committee

576-6578 kdunn@dscc.com

Cheryl Corn Sr. Vice President Communications Executive Assistant to the President

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Linda D. Eriksen Accounting Associate

576-6569 leriksen@dscc.com

Gregory L. Gross Director of Government Affairs Employee Relations Committee Environmental Committee Legislative Forum Tax Committee Transportation Committee

576-6568 ggross@dscc.com

Chuck James Account Executive Ambassador Committee

576-6562 cjames@dscc.com

Arlene M. Simon Account Executive

576-6576 asimon@dscc.com

Bill Stephano Director of Membership Patrina Wallace Information Secretary

576-6574 bstephano@dscc.com 655-7221 pwallace@dscc.com

Kelly Wetzel Events Manager

576-6586 kwetzel@dscc.com

Miller Publishing, Inc. Fred Miller President, Miller Publishing, Inc. Advertising Sales

576-6579 fmiller2@dscc.com

576-6572 DELAWARE STATE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

ccorn@dscc.com

1201 N. Orange Street, P.O. Box 671 Wilmington, DE 19899-0671 (302) 655-7221 / Fax (302) 654-0691 (800) 292-9507 Kent & Sussex counties www.dscc.com Blog: dscc.wordpress.com facebook.com/delawarestatechamber flickr: flickr.com/dscc twitter: @Destatechamber

May / Jun e 2012

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CELEBRATE WITH THE

SUPERSTARS IN BUSINESS

Small Business, Great Big Event

YOU’RE INVITED Join us for the 2012 Marvin S. Gilman Superstars in Business Awards

Wednesday, November 14, 2012 11:15 am to 1:30 pm Hotel DuPont – Gold Ballroom Register online at www.dscc.com Keynote Speaker: Dan Butler, Chef/Owner, Piccolina Toscana For more information, visit www.dscc.com/superstarsinbusiness Sponsorships and advertising opportunities are available.

Call (302) 576-6564 for details.

Applications are still open and due no later than August 24, 2012. Apply at ssb.dscc.com.

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We take your leading role very seriously.

Because we know you need flawless behind-the-scenes execution to perform at your best.

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Institutional Client Services Nick Adams 302.299.3015 experience@wilmingtontrust.com Š2012 Wilmington Trust Corporation. Affiliates in Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Vermont, Washington DC, Amsterdam, Cayman Islands, Channel Islands, Dublin, Frankfurt, London, and Luxembourg.

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