Rosen named to the estate planning hall of fame
Belfint, Lyons & Shuman, CPAs (BLS) announced that the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils (NAEPC) recognized Jordon N. Rosen as an entrant into the Estate Planning Hall of Fame and as a recipient of the Accredited Estate Planner (Distinguished) designation for 2020.
Rosen is one of only seven estate planning professionals to receive this prestigious award in 2020, which is given annually in recognition of lifetime achievement and outstanding contributions to the practice and profession of estate planning within the professional disciplines of accounting, insurance, and financial planning, law, philanthropy, trust services, and academia. Rosen provides tax consulting and compliance services to the firm’s higher net worth clients and business owners. He is the Past President of the National Association of Estate Planners and Councils (NAEPC). He has served as president of the Delaware Estate Planning Council and the Chester County, PA Estate Planning Council.
Ball named Vice President of Construction Quality
Wohlsen Construction Company announced Roger Ball’s promotion, from Vice President of Construction for the Delaware Valley Region to Vice President of Construction Quality.
Ball received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Bucknell University and his Masters of Business Administration degree from Cornell University and has worked in the Mid-Atlantic construction market for over 31 years.
Burch named Delaware Association of Realtors president
Mia Burch has been installed as the 2021 president of the 4,000-member Delaware Association of Realtors (DAR).
As president, Burch will serve as the official spokesperson for the association on issues related to the real estate industry and local residential and commercial markets in Delaware.
She also will represent DAR and its members on the National Association of Realtors (NAR) Board of Directors and at local, state, and national functions.
The full slate of 2021 DAR officers includes President-Elect Susan Giove (Sussex County); Vice President Monica LeBlanc (Kent County), Treasurer Kevin Thawley (Sussex County), Immediate Past President Beau Zebley (Kent County), and Secretary Wesley Stefanick, DAR Chief Executive Officer.
Directors installed include the following: Kent County: Steve Schmidt, Rosalia Martinez, and Jean Dowding; New Castle County: Carl Wahlig, Linda Cole, Chuck Lax, Brian George, Janine Emanuele-Seaton, and Denise Forman-Gaines, Gail Renulfi; and Sussex County: Sandi Bisgood, George Thomasson, Judy Dean, and Chrissy Steele, Adriane Gallagher, Tiffany O’Malley, and Bob McVey.
Mihalko named Erskine Financial Services chief operating officer
David Mihalko has joined Erskine Financial Services, Greenville,
(EFS) as the chief operating officer, he focuses on planning, forecasting, analytics, credit, compliance, and risk management.
“Dave brings more than 30 years of credit card issuing experience to EFS.
Dave cofounded PartnersFirst Affinity Credit Card Services with me, and he
built and managed the entire credit, compliance, fraud, processing,
marketing, credit products, cardholder service, and financial management
systems from 2007 to 2014,” said EFS Founder and CEO Hal Erskine. “His
experience will provide EFS clients with immediate value as they build new
and refine existing Cobrand credit card programs.”
David came to Erskine Financial Services from Newark-based Sallie Mae,
where he was most recently senior director for demand analytics and
strategy.
A graduate of Widener University with an MBA from Saint Joseph’s University,
Dave also worked for Chase Card Services from 2005-2007 as a senior manager.
He also spent 11 years at MBNA America Bank with Erskine in a variety of
analysis and leadership positions.
Erskine Financial Services (EFS) works with cobrand and affinity partners,
banks, credit-card networks, and processors in three primary categories –
strategic planning and execution, portfolio growth and optimization, and
deal coaching. Over the last six years, it has helped MasterCard, Major League Baseball, Boy Scouts of America, National Hockey League, PGA Tour, WSFS Bank, Texas Rangers, Philadelphia Phillies, and San Diego Padres.
Whisman Giordano & Associates hires senior accountant
Whisman Giordano & Associates, LLC announced the hiring of Senior Accountant, Carolyn Craven.
Craven comes to Whisman Giordano with over 10 years of experience. She is a graduate of the University of South Carolina, Moore School of Business, where she was a double-major in both Accounting and Finance. Her specialties are audits and attest services, defined benefits, not-for-profit organizations, and private equity hedge funds.
PanGro Development names partner
Fatmir “Frank” Jasharaj was recently made partner in PanGro Development, Wilmington.
PanGro Development is a contracting company specializing in the renovation of older homes with European craftsmanship.
Department of Health and Social Services announces leadership changes
Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) Secretary Molly Magarik announced five leadership changes for the organization involving four divisions and one of the department’s Deputy Secretary positions.
Sarah Noonan Davis, who has served in leadership roles at the University of Delaware and Westside Family Healthcare, has been named Deputy Secretary for Special Populations, Strategic Planning and Innovation. She will oversee the Divisions of Services for Aging and Adults with Physical Disabilities, Substance Abuse and Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities Services, Visually Impaired, and Management Services.
She replaces Lisa Bond, who left DHSS for a position in the private sector.
In addition to the Deputy Secretary announcement, Secretary Magarik also announced these leadership changes:
Dava Newnam, who has been Director of the Division of Services for Aging and Adults with Physical Disabilities (DSAAPD) and has served in various roles at DHSS for 20 years, has been named Director of the Division of Management Services (DMS). Newnam will serve as the department’s Chief Operating Officer, with responsibilities of managing a $3 billion budget and 3,500 employees.
Melissa Smith, who has been Deputy Director of the Division of Services for Aging and Adults with Physical Disabilities (DSAAPD) since November 2018, has been named its Director.
Thomas Killian Jr., who has been serving as Regional Director of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, has been named Director of the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health (DSAMH
Faith Mwaura, who has been a Senior Social Services Administrator in the Division of State Services Service Centers (DSSC), has been appointed as its Deputy Director. Mwaura, who has been with the division since 2010, previously served as Social Services
Mwaura replaces Cynthia Manlove, who retired after almost 40 years.
Delaware Association of Realtors names legislative affairs chief
Amanda Kelly Thompson has been named Director of Political and Legislative Affairs at the Delaware Association of Realtors (DAR).
Thompson served as Deputy Finance Director for Sen. Tom Carper’s 2018 re-election campaign, and before that as a legislative intern with Carper. She was a Graduate Research Assistant at the Homeless Planning Council of Delaware, and undergraduate research assistant at the Center for Community Research and Service at the University of Delaware (UD). She earned three degrees from UD.
In her position at DAR, Thompson will direct DAR activities in the legislative, political action committee fundraising, and political arenas.
Berkshire Hathaway Fox & Roach welcomes associates
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach, Realtors Christiana Office, welcomed James Gibson as a sales associate. He is a member of the New Castle County Board of Realtors and he serves New Castle and Kent counties.
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach, Realtors Greenville Home Marketing Center, welcomed Regan Walsh as a sales associate. She has been licensed since 2017 and was formerly with Long & Foster.
