Josiah Marvel Cup winner Tom Carper is obvious choice after 50 years of public service

WILMINGTON — Former U.S. Senator — not to mention former state treasurer, Congressman, and governor — Thomas R. Carper has received the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce’s highest honor: the Josiah Marvel Cup.

The honor is named in memory of the Honorable Josiah Marvel, who reorganized and served as the first president of the Delaware State Chamber in 1913. As a tradition, the recipient of the Marvel Cup is kept secret until the night of the dinner.

In a separate announcement, the Honorable Nancy W. Cook was presented with the Dick DiSabatino Award, established in the mid-1990 to recognize significant accomplishments to shape opinion and public policy in Delaware. Cook concluded her formal career in public service as the longest-serving woman in the Delaware General Assembly. She was the first elected female Democratic Delaware State state senator, after having taken the seat in 1974 after the death of her husband Allen J. Cook. She served the area west of Dover for 36 years under seven governors

Carper’s far-reaching impact on the state

Carper dedicated himself as a public servant for nearly 50 years before turning over his seat last week to former Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester.

“No man has had a more influential, longer lasting, or farther-reaching impact on Delaware’s political landscape than that achieved by my friend and wingman Tom Carper,” said U.S. Senator Chris Coons. “He has accomplished so much for so many, regardless of party or alignment. Now that he has stepped away from a life of public service, we know two things: we will have to work overtime to fill the shoes he left behind; but we can also take solace in knowing he will never truly retire, and we will see him on a mic again soon.”

As is the case with other past winners, it takes a while and a lot of space to recap Carper’s list of accomplishments.

After moving to Delaware and obtaining an MBA from the University of Delaware, he was elected state treasurer in 1976, where he led the development of Delaware’s first cash management system. He then served five terms as Delaware’s lone congressman in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Carper’s strong focus on economic development

In 1993, Carper stepped into the role of Delaware’s 71^st Governor with a strong focus on economic development. During his two terms, he is credited with the prevention of the closure of the General Motors and Chrysler plants; the recruitment of AstraZeneca’s U.S. headquarters; signing legislation that elevated Delaware State College to Delaware State University; creation of the Delaware Workforce Development Board; and spearheading of the development of Wilmington’s Riverfront. As Governor, more jobs were created in his administration than any eight-year period in Delaware history.

“Tom Carper has devoted his life of service to bestowing the full force of his attention and power upon those who need it most in Delaware,” remarked Dr. Tony Allen, president of Delaware State University. “He is the reason you now know the once-named Delaware State College as today’s Delaware State University, an organization with more students enrolled than at any other time in the university’s history.”

Carper returned to the nation’s capital in 2001 to serve four terms in the U.S. Senate. He helped co-author the legislation that had a transformative impact on Delaware and the nation, including the Affordable Care Act, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Inflation Reduction Act, Water Resources and Development Acts, and the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.

During his time in Congress, Carper was described by many as a pragmatic, bipartisan leader. Carper has often said, “Bipartisan solutions are lasting solutions.”

“I first met freshman Congressman Tom Carper in 1983, and we have worked off and on together since.  He has always dedicated himself to the betterment of all Delawareans, and he lives the fundamental truth that the best way to uplift someone is with a good job,” said DSCC President Michael Quaranta. “With that as his North Star, he has worked tirelessly to help businesses up and down the state where and when he can.”

A former naval flight officer in the U.S. Navy, Carper served three tours of duty in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. He remained in the U.S. Naval Reserve as a P-3 aircraft mission commander for another 18 years and retired as captain. He was the last Vietnam veteran in the U.S. Senate.

A staunch advocate for veterans, Carper played a pivotal role in the passage of the most historic expansion of veterans’ health care benefits in the nation’s history—the PACT Act, passing the Post 9/11 GI Bill, which enhanced education and training benefits to veterans and their families, and expanding and improving VA health care services in Delaware.

Previous Josiah Marvel Cup recipients

The last five winners of the award are Gary Stockbridge (2024), Stacey Mobley (2023), Fred Sears (2022), Major General (Ret.) Francis Vavala (2021), and Gerret and Tatiana Copeland (2020).

The Delaware State Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to promoting an economic climate that strengthens the competitiveness of Delaware businesses and benefits citizens of the state. Founded in 1837 as the Wilmington Board of Trade, the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce has a long history as the largest, most influential business organization in the state.