Junior Achievement honors four Delaware entrepreneurs

Leadership, ethics, community service, developing partnerships, living the American dream.

They are all part of the mission of Junior Achievement, a statewide organization dedicated to promoting those qualities through business-oriented extra curricular programs through Delaware’s schools.

In this 100th anniversary year of the private, nonprofit organization, Junior Achievement recently presented Hall of Fame honors to four individuals at Wilmington Country Club.

Honored were prominent Delaware banker Calvert Morgan, deceased broadcast entrepreneur Tom Draper, and Draper’s daughter and son-in-law, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery founders Mariah and Sam Calagione.

All were honored for their spirit of entrepreneurship, individual achievements in business, and devotion to community service.

Chesapeake Utilities Chief Executive Officer Jeffry Householder and WSFS bank’s Executive Chairman Mark Turner introduced Morgan, an 18-year member of Chesapeake’s board of directors.  “Cal is a tough, conservative, risk averse member of our board who has brought a strong sense of environmental sustainability to our company.”

Turner provided an overview of Morgan’s career.

A Milford native - as are Tom Draper and Mariah Draper Calagione - Morgan graduated from University of Delaware in 1970 and went to work for Bank of Delaware as a commercial lender. By 1987, at age 39, Morgan had risen to the bank’s presidency. When the bank merged with PNC, he became chief executive officer of that national-caliber bank and held that position until he retired in 2003. 

Retirement didn’t last long. WSFS President Skip Schoenhals soon lured Morgan back to work by dangling a special advisor position before him at a practice tee on the golf course. Morgan ran with that position and soon found himself as vice chairman of WSFS’s board. 

Morgan began his thanks for the award with acknowledging his lifelong friendship with Tom Draper.  “He was the epitome of an entrepreneur and is deeply missed for the positive impact he had on the communities he served and on the people who worked with him.”

Morgan expressed great pride in being part of the phenomenal growth of WSFS bank in recent years.  “It became that superbank that I envisioned when I first started out with Bank of Delaware.”

He remembered the advice his father gave him the day before he left Milford to start his banking career in the big city of Wilmington. “He told me to always remember where I came from, to maintain my entrepreneurial thinking and use whatever achievements I reached to mentor and guide future leaders. That’s why I’m so glad Chesapeake Utilities and WSFS are such strong supporters of Junior Achievement.”

Simpler introduces Draper

Former Delaware State Treasurer Ken Simpler Jr. spoke about his friend and mentor Tom Draper. “He would have been over the moon to share this night with his daughter and son-in-law.  He built a great broadcasting enterprise over 40 years and was always an innovator and pioneer with his newsplex, his chopper and with his other print and digital initiatives. He believed in and invested in people and was proud of those who worked for WBOC.”

Simpler noted that Draper was a conservationist with thousands of acres of farmland and woods in permanent preservation, a philanthropist who contributed generously to many educational, historical and preservation causes, and always stressed the responsibility and moral obligation he felt to serve the community.

Tom’s older son, Hank, accepted the award on behalf of his father who died suddenly in 2017 after being struck by a vehicle while riding his bicycle. “My dad would be humbled, excited and proud.  Thanks to Junior Achievement for this honor and thanks on his behalf.” 

State Auditor Kathy McGuiness introduced Mariah and Sam Calagione.  She was a steady supporter of Dogfish Head Craft Brewery’s initiatives in Rehoboth Beach through her many years as a city commissioner.  

“They have become one of the nation’s most popular craft breweries; but we know them, they belong to us, they started here in the First State.” 

She noted Dogfish Head’s  unconventional approach to their craft, their willingness to take risks, becoming a team and Sam and Mariah’s unwavering belief in themselves.  She noted that the Calagiones worked hard to change Delaware law so they could become the state’s first brew pub and quoted from the preface of Sam’s book Brewing Up a Business: “Entrepreneurs are fueled by taking risk and wanting to make a mark in the world.”

Sam acknowledged Draper’s role in his life.  “He’s the greatest mentor in my business career. I remember the first board meeting we had when Tom became a member.  He sat there reading the financials and looked up: ‘Sam,’ he said ‘cash is king and you’ve got no cash!”

Sam then chronicled the rise of Dogfish as the smallest craft brewery in the nation when they started 25 years ago. Soon that cash scenario changed.  “There were 24 craft breweries then; now there are 8,000. We have stood on the shoulders of our co-workers to achieve our collective success. We’ve always searched out young leaders whose skills complemented ours and who believed in industriousness.  Those are values that Junior Achievement promotes - celebrating and nurturing.” 

Sam noted that even with the recent merger with Boston Beer Company of Sam Adams fame, “we still only represent two percent of this nation’s domestic beer business. Collaboration is still important to us.  We collaborate with other brewers nationally and locally such as Revelation and Dewey Beer Company. That’s another value that comes up in Junior Achievement a lot. And finally, we believe in giving back to the communities that give you sustenance.”

With that, Sam handed the mike to Mariah who thanked her mother, Rachel, for her support throughout the years and the importance and success of Dogfish Head’s philanthropic arm, Beer and Benevolence.  

“Working with our co-workers we have helped build 20 Habitat for Humanity houses, we’ve supported the development of trails throughout Delmarva, landscaping at Milton Historical Society.”  She noted that their largest contributions have gone to the Delaware Nature Conservancy. “This year’s Dogfish Dash - with more than 2,500 participants - generated $185,000 for the conservancy.  Over the course of the dash’s history, we’ve contributed just short of a million dollars to land conservation.”

Mariah noted that Dogfish’s brews are now distributed in 27 different states.  “It just shows you what a culture of community connections can do. With some of the proceeds of our recent merger with Boston Beer Company we are setting up a Beer and Benevolence Foundation.  We’re looking forward to lots more benevolence and, hopefully, lots more beer.”