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Jack Riddle
President, Director and
To meet the needs of ALOFT management, Sussex County Chief Lending Officer
officials and DTCC invested in the Aviation Maintenance Community Bank Delaware
Technology program, where students learn to maintain the
airframe and powerplant of an airplane. Graduates then
become licensed by the Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA). Q: As both a bank
This has reduced the need for contracted labor by director and a
companies such as ALOFT. In addition to becoming member of Delaware’s
FAA-certified airframe and powerplant maintenance Council on Development
technicians, graduates can also become lead technicians, Finance, what opportunities do you see for Sussex
aircraft inspectors and maintenance controllers County business development growth?
“This is just one example of our local institutes of higher
learning ensuring that they are graduating a quality A: With the Council on Development
workforce to meet the needs of our local employers,” said Finance, we’re an advisory committee to
Bill Pfaff, Director of Economic Development for Sussex the Division of Small Business. We review projects,
County.
grant and loan applications for folks. We want to
The County donated the land near where ALOFT support everybody in the state, but my goal is to
AeroArchitect operates its business at the airport to help bring some of that state money to Sussex County.
get the project off the ground. A $1.5 million building The legislature gives us money each year, and we
was constructed with private and state funding, and try to deploy it in ways to create jobs. Show us
an additional $1.1 million in equipment was provided more projects in Sussex! That’s my message.
through federal and state resources.
Between what the local banks, County and State
provide, there’s a lot of resources out there to help
businesses grow. I see our county continuing to
grow.
Community Bank Delaware is what I call a 50/50
bank: we do consumer products, construction
loans and all types of business loans—equipment,
real estate, SBA loans, USDA financing. All our
lenders and decision makers are here. So, I know
things about Seaford and Milton and Millsboro.
We’re just focused on the needs and operations in
Sussex County.
We recently celebrated a project in Dewey Beach,
where we helped a 10-year employee buy a
business, and the Small Business Administration
helped him do it.
As for Sussex, who wouldn’t want to live here? It’s
a safe place to be. We’ve got beautiful recreational
opportunities. The economy is still good. We have
a lot of folks who like to come down here and
recreate—and move, and I don’t see it slowing
down.

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