More Than 25 Students to Visit Prospective Area Employers

New Castle, DE – Gov. Jack Markell will address the employment landscape encountered by young people with disabilities during Disability Mentoring Day activities hosted by the Department of Health and Social Services, the Department of Education, the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and, for the sixth year, the University of Delaware’s Center for Disabilities Studies.

“Our expectation for young people with disabilities is that they get job exploration experiences like Disability Mentoring Day,” Gov. Markell said. “We know that young people who participate in such transition services are more engaged in planning their careers and will be ready for the world of work.”

More than 25 people with disabilities, including students from UD and the Christina School District and clients from DHSS’ Division of Developmental Disabilities Services and the Division for the Visually Impaired, will meet the governor and spend much of the day learning about different careers and networking with potential employers.

Two young women with disabilities, Alyssa Cowin, an operations support specialist with DHSS’ Office of the Secretary, and Julia Hensley, a recent graduate of Appoquinimink High School, helped to plan the day’s events.

Disability Mentoring Day kicks off 8:30 a.m. at the Courtyard hotel with remarks by Newark Mayor Polly Sierer, Department of Health and Social Services Secretary Rita Landgraf, keynote speaker and self-advocate Elizabeth Weintraub and Center for Disabilities Studies Director Beth Mineo. After their job site visits, students will return to the hotel for a recognition ceremony and closing remarks from Ms. Cowin, Secretary Landgraf and Gov. Markell.

Disability Mentoring Day is a national effort held on the third Wednesday in October to promote career development for people with disabilities through hands-on career exploration, on-site job shadowing and peer mentoring. The joint effort this year by DHSS, DOE, DVR and CDS to promote the goals of Disability Mentoring Day have nearly doubled the number of young people registering to meet with area businesses. The collaboration also marks the first steps to turn Disability Mentoring Day in Delaware into a statewide event.

Gov. Markell devoted his one-year chairmanship as head of the National Governors Association to increasing employment opportunities for people with disabilities across the country,

When:  October 15, 2014 (Disability Mentoring Day)

Gov. Markell speaks/appears from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.

Students visit job sites from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Where:  Courtyard  Newark-University of Delaware, 400 Hollowell Drive, Newark, DE.

Student worksite visits happen throughout New Castle County.

Contact: Victor Schaffner at CDS, 302-831-3038, or vschaff@udel.edu

Wilmington, DE – Highlighting the state’s fiscally responsible approach, all three credit ratings agencies announced this week that Delaware has received a triple-A credit rating, the highest mark a government agency can achieve.

In issuing their determinations, Moody’s Investors Service, Fitch Ratings, and Standard & Poor’s Rating Services recognized the strength of Delaware’s economy and labor market, as well as the state’s fiscal practices, such as maintaining significant reserves and providing frequent revenue forecasts. Moody’s specifically noted the addition of 9,600 new jobs in the last year, including steady growth in the state’s financial sector. The agency also mentioned strong financial management “characteristics” and “policies” to support the rating decision.

Fitch echoes those findings, adding that Delaware’s recent employment growth has exceeded the nation’s. Fitch reports that “growth through August 2014 has been very positive with the state recording a 2.7 percent year-over-year employment growth rate compared to 1.8 percent for the nation.”

“The reports released by the agencies affirm our progress in strengthening Delaware’s economy, while budgeting responsibly,” said Governor Jack Markell. “Combined with job growth that has consistently outpaced the national average and the recognition of Delaware as one of the top two states for the new economy, the triple-A ratings show Delaware is well-positioned for continued success. However, our work is never finished. We must continue efforts to ensure our workers have skills they need to compete for jobs and our entrepreneurs have the support they need to start and expand their companies.”

In its analysis, Standard and Poor’s pointed to Delaware’s “relatively diverse economy,” “strong financial and budget management,” “consistently strong general fund reserves,” “moderate overall debt burden,” and “well-funded pension system.”

Delaware has now earned the top rating from all agencies for the past 14 years, including through the recent economic recession and ongoing recovery.

“Delaware has maintained its triple-A ratings through some challenging economic cycles in large measure due to our disciplined adherence to responsible fiscal practices,” said Secretary of Finance Thomas J. Cook. “Confirmation of our rating translates to the lowest cost of capital, which permits greater investment in the essential infrastructure that is essential to attracting new business and spurring job creation.”

Media Contact:

Josh Berkman

Beckerman

jberkman@beckermanpr.com

201-465-8029

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Governor Jack Markell, Senator Coons and other Public Officials Join Ingerman for Groundbreaking at Newark, Delaware’s Alder Creek

Construction Begins on Delaware’s Newest Affordable Housing Community

Newark, DE. (Oct. 9, 2014) — Delaware Governor Jack Markell, Senator Chris Coons and Newark Mayor Polly Sierer were among the officials who joined representatives from Ingerman today to break ground on Alder Creek, Delaware’s newest affordable housing community. Other attendees included State Representative Paul Baumbach, DSHA Director Anas Ben Addi, HUD Regional Administrator Jane Vincent, Newark Housing Authority Executive Director Marene Jordan, Ingerman Development Principal David Holden and Capital One Vice President Thomas Houlihan.

Once built, Alder Creek will include 56 one- to four-bedroom apartment homes in 13 two-story buildings. Each residence will have a private entrance, front porch, rear balcony or patio, and ample parking. The buildings will be situated so as to create a large community green that will allow for active and passive recreational opportunities.

“It’s exciting to see the Alder Creek development put spade to soil and begin construction,” said Governor Markell. “This new community will help meet the area’s pressing need for affordable housing and will have a positive impact on residents including families with small children.”

Alder Creek will also feature a community building which will house a meeting room, laundry facilities, a fitness center, maintenance space and an after-school program, supported by full-time, on-site maintenance and management staff. The community building will house the community’s leasing office as well.

Families with children will be able to enjoy a large, state-of-the-art playground and will benefit from a comprehensive services program that will be established — complete with a part-time coordinator — to bring in outside service providers.

“Ingerman prides itself on developing housing communities in regions and neighborhoods where they can make a difference,” said Brad Ingerman, President and CEO of Ingerman. “We’re honored that so many statewide and local leaders joined us to break ground, which is indicative of the widespread support and partnership that have made this project possible.”

Alder Creek is being built on a site that has, for years, been a “brownfield.” Rather than abandoning it, Ingerman, along with the Delaware State Housing Authority, HUD and the Newark Housing Authority decided to put the site to use in a way that could serve the common good. The community is being financed through federal tax credits, a bank loan and funding for environmental cleanup from the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.

“When government and the private sector work together to meet the interests of our citizens, great things can happen,” said Sen. Coons. “Alder Creek is an example of how vision can become reality if there is a spirit of partnership. In this case, we are realizing the potential of a conveniently located, but neglected, parcel of land to build a community that provides new housing options for families of moderate means.”

Ingerman is currently compiling a contact list of prospective residents for this new development. Individuals interested in joining the list or learning more about the development can call 302-607-7470.

About Ingerman

For more than two decades, Ingerman has been developing, building and managing award-winning multi-family communities throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. Founded in 1988, the Company has developed 85 communities consisting of more than 6,700 residential units with total development costs in excess of $1 billion.

The Company’s seasoned team of real estate and construction professionals utilizes state-of-the-art architectural design, cutting-edge, environmentally conscious construction and an array of modern amenities in the development of each community. Through a commitment to responsible development practices, Ingerman works to enhance the sustainability of its communities with several green initiatives.

For more information, please call 856-662-1730, Ext. 100.

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Dover, DE – The Delaware Senate today unanimously confirmed the nomination of James Collins to serve as Chief Information Officer of the Department of Technology and Information (DTI), replacing Jim Sills, who recently assumed the role of president and chief executive officer of Mechanics and Farmers Bank after serving as DTI CIO since 2009. The Governor issued this statement following the confirmation:

“Today’s unanimous vote by the Senate affirms the skills and talents James Collins possesses to lead the Department of Technology and Information as its Chief Information Officer.  He is not only qualified to serve in this position from his years and depth of experience in the fields of IT and data and information systems security, but also because of his commitment to ensure that Delawareans continue to receive the highest standard of service throughout the state.”

Dover, DE – The Delaware Senate today unanimously confirmed the nomination of Judge James T. Vaughn, Jr. to serve as a Justice on the Delaware Supreme Court, replacing Justice Carolyn Berger, who retired on September 1. The Governor issued this statement following the confirmation:

“Justice Vaughn is an accomplished and well-respected jurist whose integrity and commitment to justice are second to none. I believe he will make an outstanding addition to the Supreme Court, and I thank the members of the Senate for their consideration and swift confirmation of his nomination.”