Villone named credit card head at Barclays
Barclays US Consumer Bank, Wilmington, announced the appointment of Doug Villone as Head of US Cards and Partnerships.
Villone will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the bank’s consumer credit card programs and Barclays’ strategic partnerships with more than 20 brands.
This is a homecoming for Villone who worked for the US Consumer Bank from 2007 to 2018 in various leadership roles that spanned credit card partnership management, operations and chief of staff to the CEO.
He re-joins Barclays following five years at Goldman Sachs where he served most recently as the Global Head of Operations for Marcus, its consumer-branded business. Earlier in his career, Villone managed credit card programs for HSBC Card and Retail Services and Bank of America (previously MBNA).
Villone will join Barclays in late April. He will be based at Barclays US Consumer Bank’s headquarters located in Wilmington.
Villone succeeds Bob Highland, who is set to retire from Barclays in May after 15 years with the bank.
Speedway promotes Dover track’s Hosfelt
Speedway Motorsports announced a promotion for longtime Dover Motor Speedway official Jim Hosfelt.
Hosfelt is the vice president of safety and security at Dover Motor Speedway and director of safety and security for Speedway Motorsports.
Hosfelt joined Dover Motor Speedway in 2014 after serving as chief of the Dover, Del., police force, capping a 26-year career with the department. Hosfelt supervises the speedway’s expanded public safety department and coordinates partnerships among local, state and federal law enforcement and transportation agencies.
In addition to Dover’s annual NASCAR events, Hosfelt leads security operations for the Firefly Music Festival, held annually on speedway property.
In his new role, Hosfelt will continue managing security and public safety efforts for over while serving as a security liaison on behalf of all Speedway Motorsports facilities with NASCAR and federal agencies.
Hook PR and Marketing adds partners
Hook PR & Marketing added to its leadership team, CEO Patricia V. Rivera announced.
Joining Rivera as new partners and co-owners are Dora Jane Barwick, chief operating officer, and Jessica Bell, chief marketing officer.
Barwick, who has worked with Hook for five years, including in a role as content and operations director, has a background in organizational leadership, administrative management, and marketing.
Bell previously ran her own marketing consulting firm, led communications for the Delaware Alliance for Nonprofit Advancement, and worked in marketing, design, writing and client support in the real estate, legal and broadcast industries.
Hook, traditionally based in southern Delaware, is opening offices in Wilmington and the Washington, D.C., region in 2023.
The agency is a past recipient of the prestigious U.S. Small Business Administration’s Delaware Small Business Awards.
Rivera continues to fully own and operate the translation business, which has been rebranded as Hook Multilingual & Translations (hookmultilingual.com).
Corn named Easterseals VP of Development
Easterseals Delaware & Maryland’s Eastern Shore recently welcomed Cheryl Corn, of Hockessin as Vice President of Development.
Corn most recently served as the Senior Director of Major and Planned Gifts at Delaware Tech where she worked with the President to cultivate new relationships for the college.
Prior to joining Delaware Tech, she was the Chief Operating Officer at the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce and served in various roles over her many years with the organization. She earned a business degree in Economics from Baylor University.
Steele installed as Realtors Association President
Chrissy Steele, a Sussex County Realtor and Coastal Regional Manager with Northrop Realty, was installed on Friday as the 2023 president of the 4,500+ member Delaware Association of Realtors.
Steele a Past President of the Sussex County Association of Realtors.
The full slate of 2023 DAR officers includes: Steele; President-elect George Thomasson (Sussex County); Vice President Denise Forman Gaines (New Castle County), Treasurer Jake Lipton (New Castle County), and Chief Executive Officer and Secretary of the Board Wesley T. Stefanick.
ABC announces award winners
Associated Builders and Contractors of Delaware announces annual awards.
Jeff DiSabatino of DiSabatino Construction in Wilmington is this year’s recipient of, the ABC Charter Cup, ABC’s highest award. DiSabatino Construction is an ABC founding member.
DiSabatino has served on the Board of Directors and held every office in the association iincluding Chairman of the Board in 2019. He is a second-generation leader of ABC from his family. His father, Larry served as Chair in 1989 and 1990. He also served a three-year term on the ABC National Board of Directors.
This year’s winner of the Associate/Supplier Member of the Year is Steve Burnett, Hockessin, of CBM IFS Insurance. This award is given to the individual that has made a significant contribution to the association through committee involvement and sponsorship of ABC events.CBM IFS Insurance has been an avid supporter of the association and part of its yearly sponsorship program for all of our events.
Throughout the years, Burnett has been an active supporter of education and training, leading members through the maze of insurance and bonding in various seminars and classes.
Lorri Grayson of GGA Construction in Middletown was elected as the new Mid-Atlantic Region Vice Chair during ABC National Board Meeting in San Diego, CA. She will be assuming this 2-year role as of January 1, 2023.
Grayson will represent all the chapters in the Mid-Atlantic Region on the National Executive Committee. The region includes, Delaware, 3 chapters from Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington DC. Lorri was ABC Delaware Chair in 2015 and is the second chapter member to hold this position. Ken Adams from PACE Electric was Vice Chair from 1998 – 2002.
Foster named Beebe’s chief people officer
Beebe Healthcare announced the appointment of Ashley Foster, as Senior Vice President and Chief People Officer.
In her role, Foster will provide strategic leadership for Beebe’s Human Resources and Organizational Development departments, which serve over 3,000 team members in care sites across Sussex County.
Her leadership will be instrumental as Beebe implements its strategic plan, focused on serving all people who live in, work in, visit, and seek care in Sussex County.
Foster comes to Beebe with more than 20 years’ experience as an accomplished and innovative executive in the field of Human Resources. Foster earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Master of Business Administration at the University of Delaware.
Wedderburn named Literacy Association executive director
The International Literacy Association announced today that ILA Interim Executive Director Nicola Wedderburn has assumed the position permanently.
Prior to taking the helm as Interim Executive Director in February 2022, Wedderburn served as Director of Business Development, during which time she oversaw ILA’s marketing program as well as membership, the chapter and affiliate network, customer service and partnership development.
Wedderburn’s previous appointment was historic for the nearly 70-year-old organization. She is not only the first Black woman to take the helm of ILA but also the first executive director of ILA born outside of the United States.
The International Literacy Association (ILA) is a professional membership organization of literacy educators, researchers and experts spanning 112 countries. The organization has been based in the Newark area for decades.
Goldey-Beacom director wins state award
Beth Kirker, director of career services, at Goldey-Beacom College is the recipient of a 2023 Visionary Award presented by the Delaware ACE (American Council on Education) Women’s Network (DAWN).
The Visionary Award is presented to one person from each member institution. Criteria for the award include a strong commitment to any aspect of higher education, community service, and the promise of future leadership.
Kirker currently oversees Career Services working with both students and alumni to help them develop professionally and attain their career-related goals.
Kirker joined Goldey-Beacom College in 2012 in Career Services and now holds the position of director. A life-long Delawarean, she is a graduate of the University of Delaware and joined the college after working in several financial services firms.
Delaware ACE Women’s Network (DAWN) is committed to the advancement of women leaders in higher education.
State names chief diversity officer
Richard M. Potter, Jr. to serve as the State of Delaware’s Chief Diversity Officer. He will oversee the Department of Human Resources (DHR) Division of Diversity and Inclusion and lead the state’s commitment to maintaining a state government workforce that is reflective of the state’s population.
As Chief Diversity Officer, Potter will impact every aspect of the state’s recruitment, training, mentorship and leadership development efforts. He will collaborate with state agencies and serve as a liaison to constituents and community partners, implementing initiatives that promote a diverse and inclusive work culture that represents all Delawareans.
He currently serves as the president of the NAACP Talbot County Branch in Maryland and the president of the Character Counts Mid-Shore Board of Directors.
Brockingtom named DSU registratrar
Delaware State University has announced the appointment of Jackie K. Brockington Jr. as it new University Registrar.
Brockington brings more than 18 years of higher education experience to the University in which he has led diverse teams in the areas of Academic Records/Registrar and Financial Aid.
Prior to his arrival at Delaware State University, Mr. Brockington served as the Associate Dean of Enrollment Services for York Technical College in Rock Hill, S.C. In that capacity, he oversaw that institution’s Academic Records/Registrar Office and its Financial Aid Office from 2019 to the beginning of 2023. From 2016 to 2019, he was the college’s Registrar.
Brockington has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Finance and a Master of Business Administration, both from Winthrop University.
Leadership Delaware appointments
Leadership Delaware, Inc. (LDI) announced the appointment of their new Chair and Vice Chair, as well as three new members of the Board of Directors.
Stepping into the position of Chair is Joel M. Brown, II. For the last three years, Joel served as Vice Chair of the Board and played a pivotal role in LDI’s leadership transition. A graduate of LDI’s class of 2016, he is the first LDI alumnus to become Chair of the Board.
Joining Joel as Vice Chair is Bianca Fraser-Johnson. Bianca has been a dedicated member of the Board of Directors and Advisory Board and, like Joel, is an alumna of the LDI program, graduating in 2010.
LDI is welcoming three new members to the Board of Directors: Patti Grimes, Terry Murphy, and Eugene Young, Jr.
Grimes is the Executive Director of the Joshua M. Freeman Foundation, Selbyville.
Murphy is president and chief executive officer of Bayhealth, Inc., and president and chief executive officer of Bayhealth Medical Center, Inc.
Young is the Director of the Delaware State Housing Authority, was appointed to his current position by Governor John Carney in May of 2021.
