[Not a valid template](Photos by Doug Rainey)
The Delaware State Chamber Annual Dinner Monday night reinforced its status as the state’s top business event on a night that featured breaking news on DuPont and Chemours.
The 900 or more attendees who braved the frigid temperatures relished the chance to grab a moment with busy business people and government leaders. Before business gets under way in Dover.
Over the years, the format of the event at the Chase Center on the Riverfront has changed, with the state’s congressional delegation and others offering their salutations via video, rather than rushing in from the nearby Amtrak station.
Keeping the event on schedule was a top priority on a night when Clemson and Alabama were battling for the national championship.
None of this stopped U.S. Sen. Tom Carper from offering his thoughts at the end of the evening. He said was taking allotted time from junior Sen. Chris Coons and that indeed appeared to be the case as he made a plea to repair, but not replace the Affordable Care Act. (Obamacare).
Coons, according to Carper, was meeting with the transition team of President-Elect Donald Trump
One tradition remains in place – the announcement of the Josiah Marvel Cup. The name of the recipient is never revealed before the dinner, not the easiest thing to do when it comes to summoning family members from out of state to attend the dinner.
This year was no exception as a stunned community leader and philanthropist Carroll Carpenter accepted the honor.
Carpenter has largely worked behind the scenes over the years, but was instrumental in the growth of Christiana Care and the Helen F. Graham Center.