The Delaware State Chamber of Commerce awarded the Josiah Marvel Cup Award to attorney O. Francis “Frank” Biondi at its annual dinner on Monday night.
The event, held at the Chase Center on the Riverfront, attracts more than 900 business leaders, elected officials, and state dignitaries.
The Marvel Cup Award was established in 1951 to honor a Delawarean, who has made an outstanding contribution to the state, community, or society. The State Chamber’s highest honor is named in memory of Josiah Marvel, who reorganized and was the first president of the State Chamber in 1913-1914.
The award was originally presented to Marvel upon his retirement and has been imprinted with the name of each recipient. The identity of the winner is not announced until the award is presented at the Annual Dinner.
Biondi was instrumental in putting together and passing the legislation to create Delaware’s Financial Center Development Act of 1981. The legislation is credited with creating 30,000 and perhaps many more jobs.
Biondi is known for his ability to reach across the aisle and collaborate with people from both parties. Biondi has served in many capacities to assist in the formulation, drafting and implementation of the most important State initiatives of the last several decades.
Biondi was admitted to the Delaware bar in 1958 and has served as president of the Delaware State Bar Association and Delaware Bar Foundation. He has served as chairman of the Crime Reduction Task Force, vice chairman of the Delaware Agency to Reduce Crime, co- chairman of the Commission on Delaware Courts 2000, and a former Wilmington City Solicitor.
Biondi was a Senior Partner of Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell LLP before his retirement in 2001.