Choptank Transport, a third-party logistics company headquartered in Preston, Maryland, attended the University of Maryland’s Celebration of Scholarships on Friday, April 27, 2012, where Choptank Transport announced it has finalized a scholarship endowment program with the University of Maryland.

(L-R) Scott Jarrett, Choptank Transport Corporate Trainer and Brian Shook, Executive Director for Alumni Engagement and Philanthropy, University of Maryland

The $50,000.00 fund, officially named the “Choptank Transport Business Scholarship,” is now available to any University of Maryland undergraduate student who attends the Robert H. Smith School of Business.

The goal of the scholarship is to provide aid to business students interested in future employment opportunities, including, but not limited to, the field of transportation and third-party logistics.  This is a growing field that provides solutions between manufacturers and carriers.

The scholarship hopes to further the education of local students who otherwise might not have the opportunity.  “Maryland’s ability to produce talented business graduates has given us many qualified associates at Choptank,” explained President Geoff Turner.  “We’re proud to support the University and hope this scholarship will help attract students to our industry.”

The annual scholarship requires students to reapply every year, and is available for students pursuing any business major.   The application process begins in mid-March (spring break) through the last week of classes in early May.  For more information, go to http://advancement.umd.edu/celebration/showScholarship.php?main_id=1480

Preston, MD– Choptank Transport, a leading Third Party Logistics provider specializing in truckload and less-than-truckload transportation of general freight, as well as specializing in transporting perishable and on-time sensitive commodities out of Preston, Maryland, held an open house for their newly expanded offices on December 9, 2011.

The event, which hosted over 65 people, attracted the attention of community leaders, elected officials, current customers and potential job applicants.

Nearly doubling their size, Choptank Transport plans on hiring over a hundred new people in sales and logistics for the new 9,000 square foot addition that began construction in April of 2011.  The hiring process will be staggered over the next year and a half with candidates coming from many different backgrounds such as sales, recent college graduates, and other freight-related positions.

Anyone wishing to apply for a sales or logistics coordinator position should visit the Choptank Transport website at www.choptanktransport.com and click on the “Join our Team” tab to fill out an on-line application.  Choptank Transport is an EOE (equal opportunity employer).

Choptank Transport’s open house and ribbon cutting ceremony was a great success on December 9, 2011.  Representatives from state and county government made appearances as well as customers, carriers and potential employees. 

Choptank Transport Wins Best Broker of the Year Award

PRESTON, MD – Choptank Transport, a full service logistics provider in Preston, Maryland, has been awarded “Best Broker of the Year – 2011” by the National Association of Small Trucking Companies (NASTC) at its annual conference today in Nashville, Tennessee.

“Receiving this prestigious award from NASTC is an honor,” says President/CEO Geoff Turner of Choptank Transport, “and is a direct reflection of our talented staff working diligently with our excellent carriers to satisfy the needs of our customers.”

NASTC represents over 2,700 trucking companies in the U.S. and Canada that employ over 50,000 drivers collectively. Every year, NASTC publishes a Best Broker Directory to help their members stay loaded. Once a year, they select a “Best Broker of the Year” which recognizes the top brokerage that exemplifies the ideal business partnership with their carriers.

This year’s conference was entitled “It’s all About the Driver” and Choptank Transport embodies this sentiment.  Choptank has established several programs over the years specifically with carriers in mind, such as: fast payments with direct deposits, quick pay options, COMDATA advances for fuel, and 24/7 access to our Carriernet load board where carriers can bid on, accept or decline freight online. We have always believed in making it as easy for the carriers as possible in order to build solid relationships with top-notch drivers.

David Owen, President of NASTC commented, “Choptank’s background has led to a unique understanding and appreciation of how small trucking operates.  Their success and reputation is due to the positive relationships that have developed from that experience.” 

Choptank Transport has been a NASTC member since 2005 and is located in Preston, Maryland.  The company specializes in truckload, refrigerated and frozen, van, flatbed and less than truckload freight. Choptank Transport also offers intermodal capabilities and warehousing.

Choptank Transport Wins The Gazette of Politics and Business Exceptional 53 Business Award

Bethesda Awards Ceremony Attracts Business Executives from across Maryland

Gaithersburg, Md. – The Gazette of Politics and Business released its list of the 53 top businesses and organizations in the State of Maryland. The program, produced by The Gazette P&B, acknowledges the top 53 businesses and organizations in Maryland based on criteria that included the recipient company’s annual revenue and employee growth as well as noteworthy product or service innovations, community service efforts, how they have steered their way through the economic downturn, and how the companies portrayed themselves as “good places to work.”

Choptank Transport ranked 11 out of over 100 applications. The company was recognized for its exceptional growth, innovation, and community service programs that include Feeding America sponsorships, participation in Caroline County’s Character Counts program, as well as the Maryland Special Olympics’ Polar Bear Plunge.  In addition, Choptank has demonstrated remarkable innovation with an advanced new logistics software platform that has significantly improved efficiency and customer visibility.

 “To make the 53 list is a great accomplishment,” said Cliff Chiet, publisher of The Gazette P&B.  “This year’s list features companies from the State of Maryland that have had success in a wide variety of fields, and each company deserved recognition of their accomplishments.” Choptank Transport will be profiled in a special section as part of the Friday October 21, 2011 edition of The Gazette of Politics and Business.

About The Gazette
The Gazette of Politics & Business publishes weekly reaching over 20,000 business owners and politically savvy subscribers. The Newspaper focuses on the business and political news of the State of Maryland and is commonly recognized as the leading newspaper covering political activities at the state capital. The Politics and Business Gazette is the state’s “must read” newspaper for news about the business and political affairs in the State. The Gazette of Politics & Business is owned and published by the well-known Suburban Maryland top-rated Gazette Newspaper that distributes community newspapers in more than 50 communities in Montgomery, Frederick, and Prince George’s counties in Maryland. Boasting a readership as high as 90 percent, The Gazette publications reach about 1.5 million readers. Part of the Community Newspaper Group of Post-Newsweek Media Inc., a division of The Washington Post Company, The Gazette has been publishing weekly newspapers in the Maryland suburbs since 1959.

 Choptank Transport, a locally based Eastern Shore logistics company, was awarded the contract to handle all of the logistics for the entire setup and tear down of the Baltimore Grand Prix race course safety barrier walls.

This was a unique job that included the transportation of 2,200 12-ft long jersey barriers, each weighing 9,300 pounds – a combined weight of over 20,000,000 pounds of concrete. In addition, Choptank Transport delivered all of the fencing and tire barriers that line the course.  The fencing spanned the entire length of the course whereas the tire barriers were placed in high-risk areas to help soften any impact. The total job consisted of approximately 650 tire pallets, each containing 25 bundled, interlocking tires. 

Upon completion of the race on September 4, 2011 tear down began.  It was estimated to take a full 30 days to completely dismantle. Choptank Transport was able to finish the job in just two weeks using a professionally trained staff of experienced logistics coordinators and top-rated carriers.  

About Choptank Transport

Choptank Transport is a full-service logistics provider specializing in truckload freight.  The company offers refrigerated, dry van, flatbed and LTL services as well as warehousing and intermodal capabilities.  With over 25 years of experience, Choptank has over 10,000 carriers under contract, around the clock dispatch and over 25 locations nationwide.  Located in Preston, Maryland, Choptank Transport is one of the fastest growing businesses on the eastern shore.  For more information, visit their website at www.choptanktransport.com.

About the Baltimore Grand Prix

The inaugural Baltimore Grand Prix took place Friday, September 2 through Sunday, September 4, 2011. Encompassing a 2.0-mile temporary street course, the Indy cars reached speeds of 180 mph, traveling through the heart of Baltimore’s downtown.  To read more about the event, visit their website at http://baltimoregrandprix.com/

BSP TRUCKING
Congratulations to Ashok and Indie of BSP Trucking (shown L-R, holding their award!)

The award “Carrier of the Month” is picked using two criteria – volume and service.  Even though BSP Trucking is fairly new to Choptank, they have done a FANTASTIC job for us!  Thanks, BSP!

South Sioux City, NE – Great West Casualty Company, as part of the 2010 National Safety Awards Program, recently presented to Choptank Freight Lines the “Gold” award.

The National Safety Awards program recognizes carriers in similar operations (truckload and less than truckload) with awards based on their year-end preventable accident results.  Carriers are eligible to receive a Platinum, Gold, Silver, or Participatory award.  This past year, the National Safety Awards program drew over 800 participants across the country.

Choptank Freight Lines is a subsidiary of Choptank Transport and is the asset-based division of the company. Choptank Transport is a nationwide, full-service logistics provider offering truckload, refrigerated, dry van, flatbed, and LTL transportation as well as warehousing and intermodal services.  

Great West Casualty Company is the nation’s leading provider of property and casualty insurance for the trucking industry.  With over 50 years of experience, Great West offers risk management, underwriting, claims, and loss control services exclusively to the trucking industry.  Great West is headquartered in South Sioux City, Nebraska, and has regional offices in Meridian, Idaho; Bloomington, Indiana; Knoxville, Tennessee; and Arlington, Texas.

ATLANTA, GA – Choptank Transport is pleased to announce the appointment of James Lee as Vice President of Brokerage Services to be located at our new regional office in Atlanta, GA.

Lee brings with him a wealth of industry knowledge. He began his career as the Sales/Transportation Manager for Del Monte Fresh Fruit Company for the Mid-Gulf Region.  For the last 22 years he has worked with Cargo-Master (now Greatwide Freight Brokerage) first as a Regional Vice President and later as the Vice President of Legal Affairs.  He is an active member of TIA (Transportation Intermediaries Association) where he is a frequent speaker at member events. 

“I joined Choptank Transport because of their long standing reputation in the brokerage industry,” says Lee.  “With (Atlanta’s) central location, there is just an enormous amount of freight that moves to, from, and through this city. It only makes sense that Atlanta would be an excellent location for a new regional office.”

Lee is a graduate of the University of South Alabama with a degree in Marketing and Business Law and a minor in transportation. 

In addition to heading up sales and operations at the new location, Lee will also assist our corporate office in Preston, Maryland with various compliance and business related issues. 

“I hope to use my education and experience to help better insulate the company, as well as its carriers, against the many possible negative impacts that can occur in the transportation industry,” says Lee, “such as adverse claims management and vicarious liability, which is a very hot topic in the brokerage sector with the advent of CSA 2010.”

(L-R) Steve Covey, Al Turner, Geoff Turner, Steve Ford

26th October 2010 | Posted in News

The October issue of Frozen & Dairy Buyer Magazine features Choptank Transport’s award for “Logistics Partner of the Year” from Feeding America.

By William Cassidy (Journal of Commerce)

REFRIGERATED TRUCKING  isn’t what it used to be, and that’s a good thing for Choptank Transport, a third-party specialist in temperature-controlled transportation.  “Most 3PLs won’t admit it, but we love a chaotic market,” said Steve Covey, vice president of sales and marketing. Managing chaos, he said, “That’s why we’re here.”

Heightened concern over food safety and a fragile economic recovery are transforming refrigerated transportation, introducing a level of uncertainty that challenges shippers and carriers and creates opportunities for 3PLs.

Industry practices have changed dramatically in the past few years, Covey said, facilitated by advances in refrigeration and logistics technology. That’s putting more pressure on the 3PL. Carriers’ rates are up about 10 percent year-over-year. Shippers are demanding greater visibility into their supply chains, asking not only for a trailer’s location but also for the temperature inside that trailer and the condition of the freight. Choptank updates customers three times a day.  

“Today, shippers are making decisions about how to go to market each day,” Covey said. “As a 3PL, you have to make sure you can grow with these shippers,” he said. “You have to move with the flow of business, and right now it’s pretty quick.”  

“We’re not a small company anymore, ”he said. “We’ve got more than 100 people on our team,” including employees, drivers and agents. But Choptank Transport hasn’t outgrown its roots on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, not far from the Choptank River and Chesapeake Bay. The company’s headquarters — on the southern edge of the town of Preston, population, 566 — is next to fields and farms that produce the crops and poultry it helps shippers transport.

Read more… (request the full-length PDF at harriet.mills@choptanktransport.com)

 Preston, MD– Choptank Transport has been awarded 14^th place out of over 100 companies vying for a place in The Gazette of Politics & Business’s “Exceptional 53” recognition program.

 Companies were judged on their organizational growth, innovation, and community service. The applicants included public, private, profit and non-profit organizations and were representative of over 9 counties and over a dozen industries. 

“I applaud these exceptional Maryland businesses that are consistently on the leading edge of innovation and doing their part to help through their pro-active community service programs. To make the 53 list is a great accomplishment,” said Cliff Chiet, publisher of The Gazette P&B.

The third annual awards ceremony, held Wednesday September 15th at the Hyatt Regency in Bethesda, attracted a large crowd of appreciative attendees eager to celebrate the accomplishments of the top 53 companies. The award featured a keynote speech by 2008 Pro Football Hall of Famer Darrell Green, sponsored by Comcast Spotlight and Comcast Business Class, which preceded a lavish dinner and networking activities at the hotel.

“We were thrilled to make the cut and especially pleased to rank in the top 15 when there were so many qualified applicants,” said Harriet Mills, Marketing Manager at Choptank Transport.

About The Gazette
The Gazette of Politics & Business publishes weekly reaching over 20,000 business owners and politically savvy subscribers. The Newspaper focuses on the business and political news of the State of Maryland and is commonly recognized as the leading newspaper covering political activities at the state capital. The Politics and Business Gazette is the state’s “must read” newspaper for news about the business and political affairs in the State. The Gazette of Politics & Business is owned and published by the well-known Suburban Maryland top-rated Gazette Newspaper that distributes community newspapers in more than 50 communities in Montgomery, Frederick, and Prince George’s counties in Maryland. Boasting a readership as high as 90 percent, The Gazette publications reach about 1.5 million readers. Part of the Community Newspaper Group of Post-Newsweek Media Inc., a division of The Washington Post Company, The Gazette has been publishing weekly newspapers in the Maryland suburbs since 1959.

The Lion Award is given to the highest acheiver in sales for any given month. For August, Jim Kirlin had the greatest gain in profits, more than any other sales team member. Congratulations, Jim!

Choptank Transport of Preston, Maryland was named “Logistics Partner of the Year” by Feeding America at the recent Food Sourcing and Operations Conference in Chicago, Illinois on August 23 and 24, 2010.

“Being recognized by Feeding America is a great honor for Choptank and our employees,” said Geoff Turner, President and CEO. “Even more gratifying is the fact that our hard work and service directly effects the needs of millions of people across the country, and we are honored to be a part of it.”

Feeding America is the nation’s leading domestic hunger-relief charity, supplying food to more than 37 million Americans annually, 14 million of which are children and 3 million seniors.

Choptank Transport is a full-service transportation provider specializing in truckload, refrigerated/frozen, van, flatbed and LTL freight services. Headquartered in Preston, Maryland, Choptank offers intermodal and warehousing capabilities as well. We have over 25 locations nationwide with over 10,000 carriers and 24/7 dispatch.

David Bruce

Rick Vandegrift

 PRESTON, MD – Choptank Transport is pleased to announce the addition of David Bruce and Rick Vandegrift to the company’s national sales team.

Bruce comes to Choptank Transport with over 20 years of sales experience, the last 10 in the food and beverage industry. Prior to this, Bruce started and managed his own home-based business, Auto-Masters Inc., dealing with the auto industry.  He lives in Laurel, Delaware, with his wife of 25 years and two daughters and a son. 

 “The experience at Choptank has been great so far,” said Bruce. “I know I can go to anyone here if I have a question and get help. I look forward to a long and great career at Choptank.”

Vandegrift has spent his entire life working in sales or customer service. He joins Choptank from Cowan Systems LLC, where he was employed as their driver lease manager. Prior to that, Vandegrift spent over 10 years in sales management at Safety-Kleen.

“I enjoy the sales and service arena and the aspect of helping clients reach their goals,” Vandegrift said. “I have found everyone to be very professional at Choptank Transport and look forward to becoming a serviceable part of the team.”

Choptank Transport’s President, Geoff Turner, along with one other transportation representative, met with 18 Eurasian delegates on Tuesday, June 8, 2010 at the Department of Commerce in Washington D.C.

The purpose of the meeting was to share information regarding industry trends and innovations in the United States. The goal also was to provide American companies an opportunity to be directly involved in Eurasia’s transition to a market-based economy by forming business relationships with professionals from the region.

“This meeting was an excellent opportunity to network with Eurasian logistics professionals who can assist with furthering the reach of the services Choptank can provide,” commented Turner.

Organized by the Special American Business Internship Training program (SABIT) under the umbrella of the U.S. Department of Commerce and the International Trade Administration, the meeting included nine Eurasian countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.

“The visiting delegates seemed especially interested in employee training, tax policies as related to transportation, and ways to make themselves attractive as partners with U.S. companies,” said Turner. Other topics discussed included financial management, procurement of third-party logistic services, and supply chain management.

PRESTON, MD– Choptank Transport has been officially declared one of only seven transportation brokers in the United States to have the distinction of being a 5-Diamond Broker, meeting all performance, credit and bonding requirements of both the Transportation Intermediaries Association and Internet Truckstop®.

The new program is indicative of the size of the surety bond a company carries. A 5-Diamond Broker carries a $250,000.00 surety bond when the law only requires brokers to carry a $10,000 surety bond.

In the freight brokerage business, customers want to know that the broker they have chosen to move their freight is both stable and reliable. Carriers too are concerned with the financial security of the company who has commissioned them to carry the freight. The 5-Diamond Broker designation is a clear indication to both parties that the broker is financially stable and has taken extra steps, above and beyond what is required of them to prove their performance and good credit standing.

Choptank is one of the first transportation companies to become a Diamond Broker, officially joining on April 29, 2010

The U.S.’s eastern shoreline supports a thriving produce market, with fertile land, longtime growers, and bustling growth around our nation’s capital. High demand and plentiful produce make the mid-Atlantic region a hot spot for the fresh fruit and vegetable trade. Read the article …MD, DE and Washington, D.C.

In this months online edition of Growing Magazine, Steve Covey talks about the importance of relationships with produce growers.  Read more ….

A determined and hard working individual, Green was soon promoted to a sales position in January. He has already acquired several new accounts.

“There are a lot of things I like about working at Choptank. I enjoy the variety… facing something new every day. I especially like being able to help customers out when they are in a bind.It’s a challenge, but rewarding.”

Choptank Transport provides transportation to over 150 Feeding America locations.  The Feeding America Network Summit, Unity 2010, took place April 6 – 9 in Lost Pines, Texas.  Choptank Transport was there with a booth display full of information on our company and its services.  There were three representatives from Choptank on site, Geoff Turner (President/CEO), Bill Reynolds (National Sales) and Erin Wheatley (Logistics Coordinator).  Erin was interviewed for an on-site video, “Why is Hunger Unacceptable to You?” Watch the video Why is Hunger Unacceptable to You?

Mo Shearer (L) receives the New Customer Award from Vice President, Steve Covey (R), for bringing on his first new customer since he came on board with Choptank  just a few short weeks ago.

 

Brian Wozny and Julie Church are the latest winners of Choptank’s prestigous President’s Club Award.

President’s Club Honorees are an Elite Group at Choptank. They are personally chosen by the president, Geoff Turner. Honorees are those employees who exemplify the highest level of performance in the industry.

-Superior Service
-Outstanding Growth
-Tenacity
-Enthusiasm
-Integrity
- Synergy

Brian Wozny and Julie Church are this quarter’s reicpients. Past winners include Charlene Keller, Steve Ford, Mike Barry, and Jenny Toomey.  A total of eight honorees (each with a guest) will be treated to a trip to the exclusive Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando, hosted by Geoff Turner!

Harriet Mills Joins Choptank Transport

Harriet Mills has been appointed as the new Marketing Manager at Choptank Transport.

Mills comes to Choptank Transport with more than 15 years’ experience in the fields of marketing and sales. Prior to joining the Choptank Transport’s team she was the Marketing Manager at JASCO where she handled all advertising and marketing related duties for North and South America as well as heading the global web brand initiative for JASCO worldwide.

“We are very fortunate to find someone of Harriet’s caliber,” said Steve Covey, Vice President of Sales at Choptank Transport. “Her experience will help drive our growth initiatives, and her personality is a wonderful fit in our team culture.”

Mills also has worked at Celeste Industries in Easton and The Bartley Collection in Denton, Maryland.

“I am really excited to come on board with Choptank Transport,” Mills said. “In an economy where everything seems to be slowing down, it is a thrill to walk into a business where the buzz and commotion on the floor is reminiscent of Wall Street.”

Choptank Transport was founded in 1984 as a full-service third party logistics broker specializing in refrigerated and van transportation. Providing transportation solutions throughout the U.S., Canada, and Mexico with over 10,000 carriers under contract and 24-hour dispatch, Choptank Transport is proud to have one of the fastest growth rates in the industry.

Choptank Transport Hires Two Summer Interns

Darren Felix and Margaret Roe have joined Choptank Transport as summer interns.

Darren Felix has joined the company as the Lead Generation Intern. He is a recent graduate of Salisbury University, with a marketing major and Spanish minor. His responsibilities will include generating new leads for the sales team.

Margaret Roe has joined the company as the Sales and Marketing Intern. She is a senior at Salisbury University, with a marketing major and history minor. Her responsibilities will include developing sales media, publicity and advertising, assessing customer and client satisfaction, and exploring the marketing goals and strategy.

This is the second year Choptank Transportation has had summer interns. Last year’s intern, Dan Green, joined Choptank Transportation this January as the Lead Generation Specialist.

Choptank Transport is a full-service freight management company specializing in refrigerated and van transportation. Choptank serves the United States, Canada and Mexico with over 24 locations and over 10,000 carriers under contract. Headquartered in Preston, MD, handling 30,000 shipments annually.

Choptank Transport opens office in Nashville

Courtesy of Chesapeake Publishing

April 29, 2009

Preston-

Choptank Transport announced it has established a Nashville satellite office to support the growing demand for freight management in that area.

“Our business continues to see tremendous growth both with new and exisiting customers. The expansion to Nashville was the next logical step to capitalize on this,” said Geoff Turner, president of Choptank Transport. “The new office will focus on the highly specialized produce market but will support our customers needs for other freight solutions as well.”

General Manager John Drukenmiller, who has 11 year of experience in all phases of produce transportation, will lead the new office.

“John’s extensive knowledge of this business and customer base bring so much to the table for our customers. We are excited about the potential for this operation under his leadership,” Turner said.

Veteran freight broker, Tom King, will coordinate the daily logistics activities for the new office. King is a well-known man in the Nashville transportation community, having worked in the industry and the area for the last 10 years.

Choptank’s new office is the next step of its growth and development plan, developed in 2008 to expand the company.

Choptank currently has more than 25 nationwide brokerage locations throughout the continental U.S.

Choptank Transport is named top Md. Family-owned business

U.S. Small Business Administration honors Preston company

Courtesy of Chesapeake Publishing

April 19,2009

Preston-

Choptank Transport recently learned it has been named the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Maryland Family-Owned Business of the Year, and will accept the award at a ceremony in Woodlawn on May 5.

The award comes a year after Choptank Transport was named the state’s Small Business of the Year by the Maryland Chamber of Commerce, which also nominated Choptank for its latest honor.

To be considered for the awards, the company has to be family owned and operated and have been passed on from one generation to another. Choptank Transport also had to provide financial statements to prove its success as measured by sales and profits, show how it increased employment opportunities for both family members and non-family members, demonstrate its potential for long-term success and economic growth, and show voluntary efforts it has made to strengthen its relationship with the community.

Vice President Steve Covey, who oversees business development and sales, said the company’s employees deserve all the credit.

“The employees here all wear many hats,” Covey said. “This award is all about them.”

Choptank Transport was founded in 1984 by G. Albert Turner after he took over ownership of A.W. Sisk & Son, Caroline County’s oldest exisiting company, which still operates in Preston. Turner is now the chief financial officer for Choptank Transport, and his son, Geoff Turner, is president.

“We’ve been very blessed to have such an intelligent and dedicated staff,” G. Albert Turner said in a press release. “They’re the fuel that’s empowered us to become the successful company we are.”

Geoff Turner said this award, along with the award the company won last year, is proof the company is going in the right direction.

“We believe in our people and we give them the power to make decisions, expand their knowledge and succeed, “ Geoff Turner said in a statement. “This is a proud moment for all of us at Choptank.”

Choptank Transport underwent an image makeover in 2007,  beginning with a new logo and expanding into a completely revamped Web site, a new community outreach foundation, national advertising campaigns, a recycling program and employee health awareness campaigns.

All of this has contributed to the company’s financial success- even in the middle of a recession, the company has posted 30 percent growth each year for the past three years.

Preston man meets Obama

Courtesy of Chesapeake Publishing

April 16, 2009

Preston-

“Lifelong Preston resident and new property owner Clark Harrison’s first home came with two extra incentives- an $8000 first-time homebuyer tax credit and a meeting with President Barack Obama.

Harrison was one of nine taxpayers who stood next to Obama during a press conference at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on Wednesday during which the president highlighted how stimulus bill tax breaks have helped American people. The press conference took place the same day people protested U.S. tax policy with tea parties, including one outside of the White House.

Harrison, 22, said he had been looking for a home for roughly a year-and-a-half before finding one in Preston. A three-year employee of Choptank Transport, Harrison obtained his mortgage through Easton Bank and Trust and was one of the first Marylanders to receive the $8000 credit, which applies to new homeowners who make their purchase before December of this year.

“That was a once-in-a-lifetime thing,” Harrison said of meeting the president. “I’ll never forget it.”

“He was like any other guy,” Harrison said of Obama, adding that the two shared some laughs when they cracked jokes back-and-forth.

Harrison said he spoke to the president about what he would be able to do with the money he saved.

“Whatever’s left helps me for odds and ends and all,” he said. Besides some home renovations, Harrison said he plans to use the money to install a shop out back, which also will help the economy by giving a contractor work. Harrison said he believes the tax cuts are a great idea and will help turn the economy around.

Harrison first received a call from the White House on Thursday, April 9. Believing it to be a prank call, he hung up, he said. When a woman from the White House called back Friday, April 10 and seemingly knew everything about him, he knew it wasn’t a joke, he said. He got the details earlier this week, then headed to the nation’s capital on Wednesday.

Harrison’s supervisor, Dave Regulski, described him as a “hardworking and intelligent young man,” in a press release. A resident of Preston all his life, Harrison is the son of Skip and Jenny Harrison, who live nearby, as does his brother Grant.

Back at the office in Preston yesterday, Harrison thanked everyone who set up his once-in-a-lifetime rendez-vous. It was great to meet President Obama and be able to shake his hand, Harrison said.

“That was awesome,” Harrison said.