Mayor Mike Purzycki and Cultural Affairs Director Tina Betz will be inducted as 2024 Delaware Business Leaders Hall of Fame Laureates on October 8, 2024. The induction will take place at the Delaware Theatre Company in Wilmington. For more information, click here.
Hall of Fame Laureates serve as role models to young Delaware locals served by Junior Achievement of Delaware each year. With a focus on the Arts & Wilmington Riverfront, the inductees include Arts Entrepreneurs, Advocates, and a Riverfront development leader.
A little bit about the Laureates:
Tina Betz: Artist, Advocate, and Director of Cultural Affairs for the City of Wilmington
Christian Kanienberg: Artist and Entrepreneur at Wish Unlimited
Eunice LaFate: Artist, Entrepreneur, and Advocate of Lafate Gallery
Cleveland Morris: Delaware Theatre Company Founder
Michael Purzycki: Riverfront Development Corporation Director
The Delaware Business Leaders Hall of Fame was initially established with the Hagley Museum & Library to honor influential figures in the state’s economic and workforce development. Over time, it expanded to include small business owners and entrepreneurs. M&T Bank later helped shift the focus to recognizing current leaders who inspire Junior Achievement students through innovation and entrepreneurship. The selection process has become more diverse, with six Laureates of Color inducted between 2020 and 2023, and the pool of candidates continues to grow.
