Why We Bet on Wicomico

'Why We Bet on Wicomico' was the theme at SWED's 58th Annual Meeting held recently at the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center. More than one hundred twenty-five members and guests heard the personal stories of Jenny Hoffman (COO of Azure Flight Support) and Andrew Draznin (CEO of Al-Tech Associates) behind entrepreneurship, mentorship, investment and community. While Jenny and Andrew represent two very different businesses, both shared the stories of what brought them to Wicomico, the people who helped them in their careers, why they continue to invest here and what the future holds. SWED's Executive Director provided an overview of the year and an outlook for 2027. Thank you to all who attended and our sponsors for their unwavering support.

First Shore Federal

Perdue School of Business

Hebron Savings Bank

SVN Miller Commercial Real Estate

Avery Hall Insurance

Taylor Bank

Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce

Maryland Department of Commerce

Pohanka of Salisbury

Shore United Bank

The Insurance Market

Salisbury University

GMB Architects / Engineers

City of Salisbury

Wicomico County, Maryland

Other Posts:

TEDCO Venture Funds Invest $500,000 in HopFlyt

By Dave Ryan • October 29, 2026
Congratulations to Team HopFlyt! Located in Salisbury, Maryland, HopFlyt is developing autonomous, long-range, hybrid-electric, vertical takeoff and landing aircraft to enable long endurance operations in challenging environments. The company is building next generation aircraft designed to combine the range and efficiency of fixed-wing aviation with the flexibility of vertical flight. Link to Press Release

MD Comptroller Visits AMT School at SBY

By Dave Ryan • February 20, 2026
SWED was pleased to host Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman for a tour and visit to the recently opened Aviation Maintenance Technician School at the Salisbury-Ocean City: Wicomico Regional Airport. The school, operated by the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, is a 12 month, FAA Part 147 Certified school that prepares students for Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) certification, a highly valued and respected credential in the aviation industry.

Transportation as an Economic Catalyst

November 11, 2025
'Transportation as an Economic Catalyst' was the theme at our 57th Annual Meeting held at the Wicomico County Youth & Civic Center. More than one hundred attendees networked and heard updates and strategies to drive economic growth from Tony Rudy (Director of Aviation at SBY Airport), Cliff Grunstra (Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer of Carload Express) and SWED Executive Director David Ryan (substituting for David Pierce of NASA's Wallops Island Flight Facility due to the government shutdown). John Hickman and Ashley Panagakos of BEACON at Salisbury University provided results of an Economic Impact study of the Port of Salisbury. The study found the Port has an overall annual economic and employment impact of $225 million and 600 jobs in Wicomico County, respectively. Annual Report 2025-2026