[new_royalslider id=”71″]Former Delaware Chief Justice Norman Veasey received the Josiah Marvel Cup from the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce at the organization’s annual dinner on Monday night.
Former Gov. and Cong. Mike Castle and Supreme Court Justice Randy Holland helped to present the award, which is given annually for service to the community and state. The award is named in honor of a founder of the present-day State Chamber and an architect of the state’s corporate legal system. The award was first presented in 1951.
Veasey was nominated for Chief Justice by then-Gov. Castle after serving as a lawyer with the Wilmington firm of Richards, Layton and Finger. He also served as an assistant attorney general from 1961 to 1963. He became chief justice in 1992.
Veasey has been in the news in recent days after a panel he headed made its final report into the influence of political contributions into government decision-making, sometimes known as “pay to play.” Veasey took heat in some quarters for not recommending prosecution and forcefully responded to the criticism.
Keynote speaker was David Cohen, executive vice president of Comcast, controlling owner of NBC and the nation’s largest cable company. Comcast employs more than 1,000 in Delaware.
The company got its start when Philadelphia resident Ralph Roberts bought a small cable company in Tupelo, Miss.
Cohen a friend of Gov. Jack Markell and former Chief of Staff for former Philadelphia Mayor Ed Rendell, praised the work of the governor in growing the economy. Cohen, a Democrat, made a quick note to the scandal involving the administration of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, praising Markell for not having any bridge delays during his drive to the Chamber dinner.
Cohen said Comcast has made $350 million in investments in broadband and other areas in Delaware since 1996.
Cohen made a pitch for expanding the use of broadband into lower income communities, noting what he sees as a growing “digital divide” that is leaving many behind.
Comcast offers Internet Essentials, a program that offers broadband at a cost of less than $10 a month to those with lower incomes. The program was launched in Delaware and now provides broadband to 1 million low income Americans.
Interim President Rich Heffron said the state’s economy had another tough year in 2013, although he noted that the unemployment rate in the state was an improvement from the figures reported during the recession.
Gov. Jack Markell agreed that more needs to be done to improve the state’s economy. He called for more partnerships between business and education to enhance the quality of the workforce.
The governor said he will announce initiatives aimed at improving the economy.
A special guest at the event was Rachad Bouhlal U.S. Ambassador to Morocco. That nation exports $5.6 million annually in citrus to Delaware, with that figure expected to increase, due to trade agreements.
