b'EnvironmentalEastern RegionHampton Inn & Suites, Fruitland | September 14-15, 2023The Class of 23 enjoyed perfect weather for their Environmental/Eastern Region session that kicked off with a trip to the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. They learned about the complex as a whole and about how seawater rise is already affecting the marshes. They then traveled to the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Sciences Horn Point Laboratory where they were welcomed by Dave Nemazie 11, Chief of Staff and Executive Director of Government Affairs, and took a fascinating tour of the oyster hatchery. After lunch the class stopped at The Packing House in Cambridge, the last remaining factory from the Phillips Packing Companys empire of food packing. There, class members took part in the programs first ever panel discussion about the Cannabis industry in Maryland with Jacqueline Jacquie Cohen Roth 18, Joy A. Strand 17, and Darryl Hill, CEO/Chairman at TilStar, LLC. The day ended with a visit to Laytons Chance Vineyard and Winery where class members were welcomed by Jennifer W. Layton 14, Jeneral Manager, and William Layton, Winemaker. There they took tours of the farm, grapevines, and wine making operation. A delicious dinner sponsored by the Maryland Broadband Cooperative topped off the day. On Friday, the class toured P&G Farms, Inc., which grows chickens for Perdue. Following that was the annual tour of the Perdue Processing Facility in Salisbury, the largest employer in the area. Lunch was held at and sponsored by Salisbury University and President Carolyn Lyn Lepre 23. During lunch, a panel discussion was held regarding agriculture and the environment. The last stop of the session was at the Salisbury University Rommel Center for Entrepreneurship which was opened in 2021 to assist with launching new businesses while building a community of entrepreneurs to support each other for economic development and job creation. There they heard from Palmer Gillis 00, who donated the building to Salisbury University. THANK YOU TO OUR REGIONAL SPONSORSEaston UtilitiesChick-Fil-AFarm CreditMaryland Broadband CooperativeSalisbury Universitywww.leadershipmd.org33'