DBA Digest for April 5, 2024

2024 Teach Children to Save Day - Instructional Video Now Available

You volunteered for this year's Teach Children to Save Day, but now you're wondering: "How do I teach a class to a room full of inquisitive 4th graders?" Not to worry! The 2024 Teach Children to Save Day instructional video is now available. Teaching Pro, Judy Austin, from the Center for Economic Education and Entrepreneurship, provides step-by-step instruction and helpful tips to make this year's lesson fun and memorable for the students and you, too! Watch the video via the link below. You can also find the lesson plan and this year's comic book there, too!

Women Connect - April 25! Registration Now Open!

Registration is now open for the next Women Connect Network event, April 25, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Wilmington University Brandywine Campus! Featured sessions include Philanthropy – Ages and Stages; Women in Business; and, special remarks from Dr. LaVerne Harmon, President of Wilmington University. In addition there will be a showcase of locally women-owned businesses and a networking breakfast!

The Women Connect Network serves as a catalyst to engage, empower and connect women in the Financial Services Industry. Women Connect brings together women from various specialties to support ongoing professional development, collaborate with other dynamic professionals, and engage in communities across Delaware.

Sponsorships available!

DBA 129th Annual Meeting & Dinner,

May 9th - Rene Perez, Financial Crimes Expert, Keynote Speaker!

You won't want to miss the 129th Annual DBA Meeting & Dinner, May 9th at the DuPont Country Club. The keynote speaker for the evening will be Rene Perez, the National Director of Financial Crimes Sales & Financial Crimes Consultant with Jack Henry^sm. Rene has 23+ years of experience in the financial crimes industry and subject matter expert on financial crimes. He and has spoken at many major conferences including ACAMS®, Jack Henry Connect, and SAS’s Global Financial Crimes Conference. Rene has also written many different publications on Financial Crimes matters affecting the U.S financial sector.

The deadline for sponsorships is fast approaching! Join these prestigious sponsors: Bayard; Belfint Lyons Shuman; The Delaware Community Foundation; The Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh; Mayer Brown; McCollom D'Emilio Smith Uebler; Pinion; Potter Anderson Corroon; Richards Layton Finger; RKL CPA; S&P Global; Santora CPA Group; VISA; Weiner Benefits Group; and, Young Conaway.

Bank table sponsorships are also available. Join Capital One, Discover Bank, First Citizens Community Bank, M&T Bank, PNC Bank, and, Wilmington Trust.

Dynamic Presentation Skills - April 30th

Are you aware that people can fear public speaking even more than dying? For those who want to conquer this common fear and those who already speak in front of groups but would like to do so with greater ease and effectiveness, this course can help! 

​Designed to put participants at ease while challenging them to apply concepts they’re learning (yes, by actually speaking), this course gives them essential tools for affecting others with their sales presentations, public speeches, presentations at meetings, and other speaking opportunities. Join Linda Comerford, Comerford Consulting for this valuable on-line course via Zoom Tuesday, April 30, 2024 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM. $199/per person ($249/non-members)

Get a FREE preview session - March 26 from 4:00 – 5:00 PM EST. Sign up below!

Breaking Bad Habits - May 14th

Bad habits—everyone has them. But unlike biting fingernails or a leaving cap off the toothpaste, bad writing and communication habits can be especially problematic in the business world. Why? Because those writing, speaking, and interpersonal communication habits are seen and heard by so many others, often daily. The result is that aware of it or not, everyone develops a communication reputation. Join Linda Comerford, Comerford Consulting for this valuable on-line course via Zoom, May 14, 2024: 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Just $99 per person for DBA members/$149 per person for non-members.

The U.S. Small Business Administration recognizes Fulton Bank as an Export Lender of the Year

Claire Ehmann, Deputy Associate Administrator for the SBA Office of International Trade, at left, presents the Export Lender of the Year Award to Fulton Bank President Angela Snyder.

Fulton Bank is a community bank headquartered in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, with operations in New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. Fulton’s SBA department is a central component of the Bank’s Commercial Lending line of business, with Export Working Capital Program (EWCP) solutions delivered to small business exporters in collaboration with the Bank’s International Group which provides an array of financing and payment services to their internationally focused clients. EWCP is an integral component of Fulton Bank’s comprehensive line-up of SBA offerings and typically accounts for 10% - 15% of Fulton’s annual SBA loan volume.

Bank of America Private Bank Market Minute

Major U.S. equity markets closed an impressive Q1 2024 last week. The S&P 500 had its best start to the year since 2019, up 10.2% over the quarter, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nasdaq Composite up 5.6% and 9.1% respectively. Ten of 11 sectors in the S&P 500 ended the quarter in the green last Thursday, half of which logged double digit gains. The Large-cap Index has shown some signs of broadening: Over the quarter, top sector performers included last year’s leaders, Communication services and Information Technology, in addition to Energy, Financials, and Industrials. Meanwhile, the S&P 500’s equal weighted counterpart gained 3.7% in March, beating the S&P 500’s monthly performance for the first time since December.

Jenifer Jurden is a Cartoonist from Wilmington who has graciously provided her Planet Jurdy cartoons for the DBA Digest. Jurdy® is her other-worldly "Hero of Happyness" whose cartoons bring levity to humans worldwide.

Morris James Launches Full-Service

Corporate/M&A Practice

In a strategic move designed to enhance its corporate transactional, advisory, and governance capabilities, Morris James is proud to announce the formation of its new Corporate/Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) practice, marking a significant enhancement in the firm's service offerings. The foundation of this strategic expansion results from the integration of three seasoned corporate and M&A attorneys from Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP with experience advising on matters with an aggregate value in the hundreds of billions of dollars.

"Our firm is committed to providing comprehensive and robust corporate law services to our clients. The arrival of these outstanding attorneys enriches our capabilities, ensuring that we continue to provide our clients the highest level of services," said Keith Donovan, Managing Partner of Morris James. "This expansion is a testament to our dedication to meeting the evolving needs of our clients and emphasizes our commitment to being at the forefront of corporate law in Delaware and beyond."