(Kaitlin Newman/The Banner)
The 27-year-old musician grew up performing in her church and blends that influence with hip-hop and other stylings to create her own evolution of jazz
After seven years studying and performing music in Detroit, New York City and beyond, Sequoia Snyder considers it a blessing to be back in her Bowie home.

She runs through keyboard exercises in solitude in the corner of her bedroom. And she sits at the same piano she’s been playing since high school in her family’s recreation room while corralling her young niece from running around.

“I can’t quite put it into words,” Snyder, 27, told The Banner on the porch of her family’s home. “Just to be able to be there for my family and spend time with them … because they’re probably the closest people to me in my life. So, I mean, it’s done wonders for my mental health.”

It’s been the start the up-and-coming artist wanted when she moved home with her parents in her effort this past year to plant her musical flag where it all began.

She was born in D.C., and the family moved to Florida for a good chunk of her childhood before moving back to Prince George’s County when she was 10. Snyder got into D.C.’s prestigious Duke Ellington School of the Arts, where her sister also attended and her mother worked as an English teacher, to study vocal performance. But a year later she got hooked on playing piano and switched her focus.

“I’m already laughing because I wish, if one of my parents were here, they’d tell you I was always a pretty intense child,” Snyder said. “I was always trying to work hard to a goal too young.”

Snyder recalls her less-polished first encounter with the piano when she was just mashing keys while her mother and her side of the family rehearsed for services at First Baptist Church of Glenarden. She said her time in that church community tuned her musical ear and continues to shape her jazz compositions.

“The things that playing in church does for your intuition as a musician and does for your ear is unquantifiable,” Snyder said.

“Learning how to adapt and sense the energy in the room and be quick on your feet to pick up keys and pick up songs and pick up moods and flows that happen within a church service. That’s obviously the greatest skill to me that you can have as a musician.”

She attended Michigan State University and earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in jazz studies. The work ethic and culture around East Lansing, Michigan, were formative in how she wants to pursue music as a career, Snyder said. She ingratiated herself in the Detroit jazz scene and regularly returns to perform concerts there.

The flash of inspiration for her latest work, “Solus,” came in 2022 when Snyder, who also performs as “Redwood,” was waiting to board an airplane. In the airport terminal, she composed her part — a stirring melody that jogs and sprints as if moving to catch a flight you’re late for.


(Kaitlin Newman/The Banner)

She got bassist Brandon Rose and drummer Caleb Robinson in the studio (Silver Spring’s Blue House Productions) a handful of times to ping-pong steadying grooves before she finally landed on a mix she was happy with. The single came out Aug. 21 and is a precursor to a larger project, “Inner Knowing,” that she’s planning to self-release Sept. 1 through her Bandcamp — it will be available to stream Sept. 25, she says.

Her work blends traditional jazz stylings with hip-hop and gospel. Snyder has long-held obsessions with the works of pianists Stevie Wonder and Robert Glasper and has been branching out her listening to rock music and peers who are evolving jazz, such as Alfa Mist, a British musician.

Snyder credits her homecoming and faith journey with the clarity she has found to finish these recent works. She said she has befriended musicians and collaborators at Faith Focused Ministries in La Plata.

But she’s most eager to establish herself further in the capital region’s live music scene and tap back into her vocal training. She has performed at venues such as the Kennedy Center with jazz luminaries including Jason Moran and Herbie Hancock, but she wants to keep pushing her music out to as wide an audience as possible in the region. Her next performance in the area will be Sept. 5 as part of a showcase of Next Jazz Legacy, an apprenticeship program that Snyder is part of this year, during the D.C. Jazz Fest.


(Kaitlin Newman/The Banner)

“What I want my music to do is connect people to themselves for a moment,” Snyder said. “For that period of time, you’re kind of in this other world. So I want to create a world that allows people to be in touch with their emotions.”

“Just to be more in touch and connected with themselves because I feel like that’s a hard thing to do for us.”

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WASHINGTON – Virtually everyone can relate to being by themself in a crowd. That sense of solitude hit Sequoia “REDWOOD” Snyder during one of her frequent solo trips for a gig. While sitting at an airport gate a few years ago, Sequoia wrote “SOLUS,” a Latin word that means “alone” and is often used in stage directions.
 
She’ll release “SOLUS” on Friday, Aug. 21, during a stretch when crowds around her get larger. As a 2026 Next Jazz Legacy awardee, Sequoia will play at the D.C. Jazz Festival on Sept. 5, before headlining at the Detroit Jazz Festival the next day. A couple weeks later, Sequoia will play in Los Angeles during the 2026 NEA Jazz Masters Tribute Concert for one of her mentors, Patrice Rushen.
 
The success being enjoyed this year has carried over from last year, when Sequoia was bandleader for shows at the Kennedy Center and the Lincoln Center. Growing exposure led to her earning the NJL award (founded by NEA Jazz Master Terri Lyne Carrington).  Sequoia will promote “SOLUS” and other songs on an upcoming project during a multi-state tour later this fall.
 
A gifted pianist and composer who’s noted for her individuality and style, she blends contemporary jazz vibes with assorted Black music genres. She has performed with esteemed musicians such as Rodney Whitaker, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Kenny Barron, Cory Henry, and even popular R&B band The Internet. “When I can’t do a gig, I always recommend Sequoia,” says mentor Jason Moran, Artistic Director of Jazz at the Kennedy Center. 
 
Before studying jazz, she was heavily influenced by gospel, R&B, hip-hop, funk, soul and pop music while growing up. Her eclectic tastes led her to arrange and perform DMX’s “Who We Be,” a 2025 single. “I wrote it for a Black History Month recital,” she says. “I like the melody and the rawness that he communicates about the tough parts of the Black experience.”
 
Her latest single explores the intricacies of being unaccompanied in crowds, using a smooth, odd-timed vamp and high-octane swing. The song expresses the complex, dual emotions of seclusion. Considering the pace of her burgeoning musical career, Sequoia gladly makes space for alone time.
 
 
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Click here to preview “SOLUS.” Contact Deron Snyder to book Sequoia or arrange an interview.
Follow @redwoodsounds on social media for upcoming performances and other news.

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By DERON SNYDER (as published by Port of Baltimore Magazine)

Stakeholders within the rail industry had long complained about Baltimore’s Howard Street Tunnel before Keith Davis joined CSX as a conductor in 2011. The 1.7-mile tunnel was completed in 1895 (and extended in 1985), over time becoming a vital artery in America’s transportation network. But it was decades behind the times, a source of frustration for everyone involved.

“When I first got hired, that’s what some of the talk was,” said Davis, who’s now CSX Superintendent of the Central East Zone. “I kept hearing about how the Howard Street Tunnel would be expanded.”

Decades of talk didn’t result in action before he left CSX, whose rails in Baltimore were a century-old bottleneck along the I-95 corridor. But after several years of negotiations between Maryland, CS and the Federal Railroad Administration, officials broke ground on the Howard Street Tunnel in November 2021. Davis rejoined the company in 2024, partaking in the tunnel’s last stages before it reopened in September 2025.

“I put in some work on understanding what we need to do, and the impact it was going to have on our customers and the community around us,” he said. “I had about two weeks to make a whole intermodal facility for us and keep the traffic volumes flowing in and out of Baltimore. That was a huge part of the success I feel about the project.”

FROM NO DOUBLES TO YES, DOUBLES!

Baltimore is renowned for its seaport, but the city is forever linked to trains, too. The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was founded in the city in 1827, becoming the nation’s first commercial railroad. CSX continued the legacy and cemented its Baltimore presence when it acquired what remained of B&O in 1987.

The merger took place as the industry was undergoing rapid expansion. Historic passageways like the Howard Street Tunnel – part of B&O’s main line – were being bypassed or overhauled to accommodate a new rage: double-stacked containers.

The tunnel’s limited clearance didn’t allow modern freight trains to take a direct route between Baltimore and the Midwest. If containers weren’t single stacked (or trucked as an alternative), trains were forced into a roundabout route via Philadelphia and upstate New York. Competing with major ports in New York, Norfolk and Savannah, Baltimore was at a severe disadvantage.

Not anymore.

In addition to opening a direct path for intermodal traffic between Baltimore and Chicago, the $450 million tunnel project included work at 22 different locations between Baltimore and Philadelphia. As a result, CSX can now run double-stack trains from New Jersey to Florida.

It wasn’t easy. The project required more than 450,000 man hours of work. That includes a stretch of 233 consecutive days (Feb. 5, 2025 through Sept. 25, 2025) in which the tunnel was closed and workers toiled 24/7. CSX estimates that business at the Port of Baltimore will increase by approximately 160,000 containers annually. Davis said CSX moved around 57,000 containers in 2025; it was nearing 65,000 through six months this year.

“This helps out the corridor along the I-95 network,” Davis said. “It’s going reduce some of the truck traffic on the highways and lower emissions by shifting cargo to rail. Taking congestion away from Baltimore will help us be more fluid in the communities.

CSX GROWTH TIED TO BALTIMORE

With double-stacked trains rolling through the Howard Street Tunnel, Baltimore is at the hub as CSX begins a new era.

Business is booming at the Port’s Intermodal Container Transfer Facility (ICTF), where CSX operates the on-dock railyard. It includes four loading tracks, four storage tracks and one run-around track. Equipment includes two 40-long-ton transtainers and two top loaders. CSX provides direct service for international and domestic containers arriving at the Seagirt Marine Terminal. Cargo can move directly from ship to rail, minimizing truck movements.

CSX helps other transportation companies do business, too, invigorating the region’s economy. “We have a couple of short-line railroads around Baltimore that we impact and help support,” said Davis, mentioning Tradepoint Atlantic Rail, Canton Railroad, Buckingham Branch Railroad, and Maryland Midland Railway.

He has a staff of roughly 12 CSX employees who are responsible for moving trains in and out of the ICTF. The containers’ contents can vary from leather to chemicals, fruits and vegetables, and paper or plastics.  CSX remains firmly connected to Baltimore’s heritage through the B&O Railroad, which celebrates its bicentennial in 2027.

The future is bright with faster transit times, increaed capacity and direct access to major inland destinations, reinforcing Baltimore’s status as a premier cargo gateway. According to Davis, it’s not just about infrastructure.

“The people in Baltimore make the difference around Baltimore,” he said. “Having CSX here is a proud thing.”

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BY DERON SNYDER (as published by Port of Baltimore Magazine)

Rod Pickens was a young teen when his family moved from Prince George’s County, Maryland, to an Anne Arundel County neighborhood that happened to have a boat slip. His dad purchased a used Hobie Cat to affix atop their Volkswagen Rabbit, and the family began heading to the dock for days of boating fun. 

Pickens, Vice President of Equipment and Container Processing for Wallenius Wihelmsen, has fond memories of good times spent sailing and hanging out on beaches. Being close to the water produced a liberating feeling. But something else was nudging him, too.

“We had a lot of bay pilots in the neighborhood, the guys that bring the ships up the bay and know all the twists and turns of the channels,” he said. “I was fortunate enough to meet a few and they told me what they did. It was super interesting.”

Some started their careers by attending the Merchant Marine Academy, which sounded like a good idea to Pickens. So, off he went, envisioning a life at sea.

A DIFFERENT TYPE OF CAPTAINCY

Like many of his Academy classmates, Pickens planned to find employment as a seafarer and work his way up the command chain. But the job market didn’t cooperate in 1986, leading to “a twisty, turny path” to the Port of Baltimore.

“I never sailed because jobs were scarce,” he said. “So I went inland.”

His first job was running a dinner cruise/sightseeing boat out of Baltimore Harbor. Then he captained a 65-foot Hatteras that sailed on the Chesapeake Bay. “Living on somebody else’s million-dollar yacht and being in charge at 22 years old was fun,” he said.

His grandmother sent him an article about a new riverboat in West Virginia. He applied and landed the job, skippering a 1,200-passenger vessel on the Ohio River (where he met a waitress who’s now his wife of 35 years). A year later, Pickens declined an option to relocate to Iowa when the boat was sold and converted for gambling on the Mississippi River. He charted a new course and stayed in West Virginia, where his wife was a Marshall University student.

“I got into some marine construction project management — putting rip raps on riverbanks; putting in pipelines; running towboats and cranes; doing dredging for the Corps of Engineers — that kind of work,” he said.

But soon it was back to Maryland, when his mother passed away and he returned to help care for his dad. Pickens had to weigh three job offers in the same week.

“One was with the Defense Mapping Agency, one was with a barge company, and one was with Wallenius Wihelmsen,” he said. “I think I chose wisely, because I’ve been here nearly 28 years.”

A LEGACY IN BALTIMORE

He almost didn’t last one year.

Actually, Pickens was hired by Wallenius, which merged with Wilhelmsen six months later. With no seniority when the new firm reorganized, he was given a pink slip … until a supervisor created an opening by opting out.

Pickens began as a vessel supervisor, overseeing operations and longshoremen while ships were loaded and off-loaded at any hour, any day or night. He quickly landed a terminal job — much closer to a normal schedule for his growing family — and has worked in a series of roles since.

One of his proudest accomplishments is the seven years spent as General Manager of Mid-Atlantic Terminal. “We grew that from nothing to 65 acres on Dundalk,” he said. “Then I went to our sister company and processed brand-new vehicles.”

Today, as supervisor of 20 company sites across North America, Pickens’ role extends well beyond Maryland. But it all began in Baltimore, which holds “a special place” in his heart. He’s particularly fond of the relationships built along the way.

“Working with the International Longshoremen’s Association as we’ve grown Baltimore together — making quality our commodity — separates us from other ports,” he said. “The cargo handling and willingness to do a little extra for the customer generates so much business.”

Being part of that growth — helping grow the Dundalk Terminal operation from nothing to over 200 acres of processing and terminal operations — while developing managers and staff has been the most rewarding part of Pickens’ journey.

Clearly, Wallenius Wilhelmsen was the right choice for this would-be mariner. 

“They give me plenty of latitude to make decisions based on my skill, knowledge and ability,” Pickens said. “In that way, I feel like I’m the captain of my own vessel.”

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By DERON SNYDER (as published by Port of Baltimore Magazine)

After spending 13 years as a seafarer, the last two as a captain, Alok Praharaj was ready to come ashore and raise a family. Life at sea was challenging, especially before cellular technology made communication much easier.

Now, 40 years later, Praharaj no longer spends months at sea. But as the owner of American Marine & Cargo, Inc. (AMC), the ease of modern communication has its pros and cons. He sleeps with his phone, and it can ring at any hour of the night.

“It’s a 24/7 job,” said Praharaj, who serves as AMC’s Principal Surveyor.  “Our survey timings are very bad: holidays, weekends, snow, cold, heat. It doesn’t matter. Our phone is on; people call and we go. A lot of times it’s not per a schedule.”

He spent 19 years working for the independent marine surveying firm before the owner retired in 2004. Praharaj purchased and renamed the company, which provides vital services to shipping lines, terminals, cargo owners, charterers and insurers operating through the Port of Baltimore.
He said a tradition of honest service keeps AMC afloat.

“You might hire me, but I write a report based on independence,” Praharaj said. “We’re not biased to any particular party just because you hired us. We are totally independent. Our integrity is the main reason why we’re in business.”

Reliability is another pillar. Roughly 65% of AMC’s job requests come at night, or overnight, mostly due to wide-ranging international time zones. Unless AMC is already booked, they always answer in the affirmative.

“If we don’t respond, the person who’s calling will look for somebody else,” Praharaj said. “The ships are expensive; the ship is in the berth and has a problem. I’m sleeping and they say, ‘I need you right now. Can you do this job?’ I say, ‘OK. Give me five minutes.’”

Weighing in on High-Stakes Cargo

The bulk of AMC’s work involves draft surveys, measuring the weight and quantity of cargo that’s loaded or unloaded. The company uses standardized calculations to assess a ship’s draft beforehand and afterward, accounting for ballast, fuel, water density and other variables. AMC concludes each job by issuing an internationally recognized certificate that details the findings. 

“Based on that, the buyer and seller will pay each other,” Praharaj said.

Fuel surveys are conducted when ship owners charter their vessels. AMC determines how much fuel is onboard upon delivery and return. “Just like when you rent a car,” Praharaj said. “But we don’t check the gauge. We actually have to sound the tanks — each fuel and diesel oil, gas oil tank — and calculate how much is on board.” The measurements matter, as ships can take 2,000 tons of fuel at $800 per ton.

Another type of survey assesses a ship’s hull and machinery, similar to how a thorough academic review examines a student’s work. Insurance companies hire AMC to review damage from heavy weather and estimate the cost of repairs, just as students often seek a Bachelorarbeit schreiben lassen für Studierende to get a professional assessment of their project. Or sailors might’ve been injured while working on board, and AMC will verify what happened and why, much like a student needs to understand errors in a draft, perhaps by using a service to Hausarbeiten schreiben lassen für Studierende for a detailed analysis. The company also provides ship inspections for buyers and sellers, akin to when people buy and sell houses, or when a student commissions a full Bachelorarbeit schreiben lassen für Studierende to ensure quality before submission. Finally, to prevent future issues, AMC’s investigative approach is similar to reading erfahrungen ghostwriter to choose a reliable partner for academic success.

Cargo surveys take place for quality control and safety. “Say you are importing machinery, heavy-lift cargo where each weighs 100 tons, or 200 tons,” Praharaj said. “How do you safely discharge the cargo in good condition with no damage? We inspect it, take photographs and write up a report. Some of those jobs can take 16-17 hours on the vessel or the dock. With heavy-lift cargo, we talk to the ship’s captain about the crane and the lifting slings to make sure it’s adequate. When you’re loading 200 tons on the ship’s crane, the ship is going to tilt. You have to take ballast counterweight on the opposite side. We also do that type of survey.”

A Port of Baltimore Fixture

Praharaj settled in Maryland in 1985 to begin working for the company he now owns. As a result, AMC has established deep relationships across the Port of Baltimore. 

“Wallenius Wilhelmsen is my oldest customer,” he said. Other customers include renowned U.S. coal exporters and major terminal operators in Baltimore “to whom we provide regular service with honesty and integrity.”

Aside from Praharaj’s wife Tonya Craft, who is the company’s Vice President and Office Manager, the six-person firm is composed of former seafarers like Praharaj himself. “We look for ex-captains or ex-chief officers or at least ex-second officers with a maritime background,” he said. “I prefer maritime academy graduates. I’m originally from India myself, and I went to the academy over there.”

Praharaj said turnover isn’t high, although some employees have left for different fields with “cushy timing, like an 8-to-5 job.” He tries to keep his employees happy because he knows the work is demanding. It was important that they continued to receive full pay and benefits when there was no work for three months after the Key Bridge collapsed. “I didn’t want to lose anybody because I knew one day the work would come back,” he said.

The Port of Baltimore “has been really, really great to me all my life. I must thank everybody in the Port, including all the terminals, all the shipping lines, everybody — and the state itself. It has given me a big opportunity to go ahead with my career and my family.” 

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By DERON SNYDER (as published by Port of Baltimore Magazine)

At the mention of Perdue Farms, many people might think of the late CEO Frank Perdue, who made his birds famous through a wildly successful advertising campaign in the 1970s: “It takes a tough man to make a tender chicken.”

The Salisbury, Maryland-based company is nationally known for producing oven-stuffing poultry. But Perdue didn’t invest $30 million in 2018 to build a bunch of coops at the Port of Baltimore. It takes a lot of feed to grow chickens (and other livestock), which led to the 150,000-square-foot grain facility at Tradepoint Atlantic for Perdue AgriBusiness.

“We’re an agricultural buyer and processor, supporting farmers through the sourcing and processing of grains and oilseeds, and providing domestic farmers with access to international markets,” said Jeremy Hamilton, Director of Operations for Animal Nutrition and Specialty Crops at Perdue AgriBusiness. “That work spans grains, oilseeds, organic feed and nutritional ingredients, with products moving both domestically and internationally.”

Hamilton said most of the animal nutrition products that flow through the Port of Baltimore container terminals have nothing to do with chickens. “One of the primary roles of this business is nutritional supplements for dairy cows,” he said. “Even people who are very familiar with the Perdue brand may not realize this is part of our business.”

Expansion Fueled by Organic Growth

Perdue began importing organic grains and oilseeds through the Port of Baltimore several years before building its current receiving and storage facility. Hamilton said the demand was manageable. “Instead of vessel loads, we were bringing in containerized loads, 26 metric tons per container,” he said.

But Perdue struggled to keep pace with consumers’ growing interest in organic feed, particularly for poultry and dairy products. Domestic production was nowhere close to meeting market demand, forcing Perdue to pivot. The company needed to import in bulk and Baltimore was the solution.

“There are very few terminals on the East Coast that are capable of importing bulk agricultural commodities, and even fewer that can handle those of organic disposition,” Hamilton said. “We have very specific handling requirements for the products to maintain the organic integrity of the grains and oilseeds.”

Perdue’s 20-acre complex at Tradepoint Atlantic allowed the company’s imports to mushroom past container loads that each weighed less than 30 metric tons. “Now we’re bringing in thousands and thousands of tons in one vessel and storing it in our warehouse in Sparrows Point,” Hamilton said.

Good Partners Who Don’t Mind the Dust

Four fulltime Perdue employees staff the facility, which has grown more efficient as it improved in storage methods and operational procedures. “Now we can handle about 50,000 metric tons of product under one roof at any given time,” Hamilton said. “It’s a lot of product and it’s taken a big financial commitment to invest in the proper infrastructure to make that happen.”

The location couldn’t be better because the Mid-Atlantic region drives much of the demand for Perdue products, much like students in Germany seek a zuverlässiger Bachelorarbeit-Ghostwriting-Service for reliable academic support. Additionally, the vast storage space allows Perdue to have reserves on hand for future consumption, similar to how understanding Ghostwriter Preise helps students plan their budgets for future projects. While prioritizing space for domestic farmers to deliver their crop during harvest season, a student might also prioritize a Masterarbeit vom Experten schreiben lassen to ensure they have a solid academic reserve. Ultimately, choosing the right partner for this task is as crucial as a good location, which is why finding a gute ghostwriter agentur through reviews is an essential step.

On a micro level, the facility’s location at the Port matters, too.

“We’re located very close to where the ships come in, so we’re able to move the product very efficiently,” Hamilton said. “Our products tend to be a little bit dusty, because they’re a biological product. So we wouldn’t be the right fit at some terminals. But Tradepoint has been very friendly to the bulk nature of our products.”  

He said volume is slated to increase with the continued growth of organic demand. But capacity at the warehouse will allow Perdue to increase its throughput without needing to expand the facility at this time.

Maryland Through and Through

Imports are a huge aspect of Perdue’s business at the Port of Baltimore. The company uses the Port to send domestic products overseas, too, but it also takes care of its home state.
“Being a Maryland company, we’re very Maryland-centric with our asset base,” Hamilton said. “The vast majority of the corn we take into the facility stays in Maryland to be processed and fed to birds there. And then some goes to our mills in Pennsylvania to be processed to feed up there as well.”

In addition to the international business conducted through the Port of Baltimore, Perdue AgriBusiness is the largest East Coast buyer of domestically produced commodities. Perdue processes soybeans at crush plants in Virginia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and in Salisbury.

The soybean is deconstructed and turned into meal or oil, the latter sent to the refinery in Salisbury. There, it’s transformed from an inedible product into a shelf-stable, human-grade product that’s used in salad dressings or as frying oil.

“When you look at soybean meal exports in the last three calendar years, we’ve shipped roughly 6,000 containers through the Port,” Hamilton said. “It’s really a central location that gives domestic producers and us access to the international markets and allows us to ship products globally through there.”

And it all started about 100 years ago, on a small Maryland farm about 100 miles away. 

By DERON SNYDER (as published by Port of Baltimore Magazine)

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By DERON SNYDER (as published by Port of Baltimore Magazine)

When Jim Shapiro decided to grab a backpack and head overseas during a gap year from the University of Massachusetts, he wasn’t thinking about a career in logistics. He was feeding his innate curiosity about people and places.

“I had a Eurail pass and traveled for four months by myself in Europe,” said Shapiro, director of Thunderbolt Global Logistics. “That kind of opened me up to a lot of different things. I was interested in just everything.”
Shapiro returned and graduated with a degree in business management, intent to focus on international commerce. He moved to Baltimore in 1984 and used a Port of Baltimore directory to conduct a job hunt.

He knocked on doors at the World Trade Center — beginning on the 26th floor — and worked his way down to the fifth. That’s where he found work at Samuel Shapiro & Company (no relation), a 100-year-old shipping and logistics firm.

“Initially I was basically doing clerical work,” he said. “I was typing export declarations with carbon paper. I didn’t have much exposure to the Port, but I realized it’s a very close-knit community. I got to know a lot of people at companies in trucking and warehousing. Your competitors were your friends and you didn’t have an issue with it.”

Founding Something New

He was hooked and invested 20-plus years in the industry before partnering with longtime friend Stu Tobin on a new venture. They co-founded Thunderbolt in 2007 and had six employees within the first year.

“It was time for a change and I got a lot of support from family and friends,” Shapiro said. “My domestic relationships and overseas relationships really helped us as we started the company.”

A small but globally connected company, Thunderbolt enjoys extensive reach through its membership in overseas freight networks. Such connections are core to Shapiro’s belief that logistics at its base is a people business. Technology is vitally important but so is whatever’s happening in folks’ daily lives.

“It’s all about how you work with your customers and partners,” he said. “I’m a relationship-driven person, and the people part is the best part of the industry. That’s why we try to develop strong personal relationships with our customers, our vendors and our overseas partners.”

Shapiro travels for different overseas meetings about three times a year, expanding the network he started forming 40 years ago. A business partner rushed to Shapiro’s aid during a recent family vacation in Portugal. After Shapiro’s daughter fell ill, the man jumped in and immediately handled all affairs at the hospital and airport.

“This isn’t just someone you work with,” Shapiro said. “This is a personal friend who has stayed with me at my house before. The best part is when the people you work with become your friends.” At the same time, Shapiro credits much of his success — and Thunderbolt’s — to the employees who help make it all happen. “Our company is only as good as our staff, and we have a great team,” he said.

Finding Home at the Port

Like many transplants who arrive in Baltimore with little knowledge of ports or port livelihoods, Shapiro was pleasantly surprised by his discoveries. He quickly learned that the Port of Baltimore centers a wide range of industries and people connected to trucking and warehousing.

He’s played softball and bowled with these people. He has attended the Baltimore Port Alliance’s Bull and Oyster Roast. There have been more than a few crab feasts.

Shapiro has grown more involved in industry issues along the way, starting with the Baltimore Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association. He currently serves as vice president after stints as secretary and president. Thunderbolt was a member upon its founding and promptly joined the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association, too.

“Everyone’s kind of in the same boat, but they advocate for our industry in a great way,” he said. “We’re all, theoretically, competitors, but we’re not — we want to help each other.”

Port officials and Shapiro likewise help each other. Retirements have impacted some relationships, but he works with connections in sales, operations and marketing at the Maryland Port Administration. He serves on a federal workforce group and keeps track of developments involving the Port. He’s also a huge cheerleader.

“(Thunderbolt) focuses a lot on European imports and exports, and I’m always promoting Baltimore to European freight forwarders,” Shapiro said. “No offense to New York or Norfolk, because we do a lot there, but it’s much easier doing things here.”

The young traveler with a rail pass became a global logistics leader. And he found a home in Baltimore. 

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By DERON SNYDER (as published by Delaware Business Times)

Back in 2023, when the burgeoning startup Sindri Materials needed a place to live and grow, CEO and founder Christopher DiMarco began a nine-month research journey. He looked at private lab spaces from Maryland to New York and all the way to Boston. There were lots of business incubators in  “great spaces and great ecosystems,” but he says none were the greatest fit for his graphene company.  

“Then we stumbled on The Innovation Space,” DiMarco says. “The way their spaces are set up, with their leadership and their focus, they have an emphasis on advanced materials alongside life sciences. It just makes them a unique space for a company like ours.” 

The residency paid off immediately. Sindri Materials won an Encouraging Development, Growth and Expansion (EDGE) Grant from the Delaware Division of Small Business in 2024 and also made the cut for Technical.ly’s RealList Startups that year. DiMarco says setting up shop at The Innovation Space has played an invaluable role in his company’s success. 

Founded in 2017, The Innovation Space helps science-based startups thrive in Delaware, hopefully to the scale of companies that change the world through science and live for generations — like DuPont, which partnered with the state and the University of Delaware to develop the nonprofit. Bill Provine, a longtime DuPont director and The Innovation Space’s founder, president and CEO, says they all saw a gap in the landscape for those types of startups.  

“You hear all these stories about people creating Apple Computer in their garages or some software company beginning at the local Starbucks,” Provine says. “But you can’t generate the next therapeutics company or Big Pharma company in your garage.” 

DiMarco, who’s from Delaware County just outside of Philadelphia, searched far and wide before finding the ideal location right under his nose. “It’s the shortest distance of any place I looked at,” he says. “I started with Google searches and wasn’t really thinking about Wilmington. Ultimately, I heard about The Innovation Space and it was serendipitous. It was 30 minutes away from me.” 

ALL THE RIGHT STUFF 

The other options DiMarco considered were more focused on supporting a life science venture. The infrastructure, amenities and shared equipment weren’t geared toward a materials company trying to de-risk its technology, build a business and land investors. 

That’s not to say science companies in fields like healthcare, diagnostics and biotech have no place at the 139,000-square-foot facility with 90 state-of-the art lab spaces. Provine points to Prelude Therapeutics as an example; it grew from a few people to over 100 employees while headquartered at The Innovation Space, before moving into its own building as a publicly traded company. “They’re one of the only IPOs of recent note coming from the state of Delaware,” he says. 

The Innovation Space has supported more than 140 startups, helping them raise more than $1.2 billion dollars and create and retain over 1,000 jobs. The ability to assist companies focused on advanced materials set it apart for DiMarco. Instead of just getting access to a bunch of equipment he doesn’t need, he can use the facility’s high-end instruments, like a scanning electron microscope. “It costs a quarter of a million dollars,” he says. “That’s something I don’t have to buy. They’ve invested in the equipment we care about.”  

Provine says science entrepreneurs typically struggle to leverage such equipment, which is found mostly within academic institutions and private industry. “These are things they can’t afford, costing hundreds of thousands of dollars,” he says. “We’re definitely invested in the equipment and we have a lot of loaned equipment; it’s not just empty labs people get here.” 

DiMarco was also swayed by the level of privacy. Whereas other facilities were offering a lab bench in shared quarters, The Innovation Space offered a lab pod — only 160 square feet but exclusively for his startup. “It allows us to protect our intellectual property and technology,” he says.  

ALL THE RIGHT CONTACTS 

With a PhD in mechanical engineering, expertise in graphene production and experience in process development, DiMarco is well-versed in the science part of Sindri Materials, but The Innovation Space increased his proficiency in everything else regarding the business. That process began with The Innovation Space’s Science Inc. Accelerator, a four-month virtual cohort for early-stage startups, followed by Spark Factory, a pitch event that offers mentoring to new founders. Provine says such training is vital for founders with strong technical backgrounds but little knowledge on running a company, raising money and making important connections.  

“We also make certain they’re being honest with themselves,” he says. “Some people just like to play in the laboratory. If they just do that, they’ll never be able to raise the funds and they’ll go out of business. It’s not like a university where [research] is the purpose. Companies really have to do things in a very applied way and a very disciplined way.” 

While they’re at it, founders discover common ground among themselves. DiMarco says everyone at The Innovation Space is generous with information and supportive of one another. Some have complimentary or overlapping backgrounds that could lead to partnering on a grant. Others have ideas on human resources or job candidates that are useful. The Innovation Space contributes to and feeds off the state’s tech ecosystem. 

“Delaware is so tight knit, you see a lot of the same people at local pitch competitions and conferences,” DiMarco says. “There’s folks from the business side, industry side and the academic side, and they all remember you. It can be at a happy hour or any kind of event.” 

DiMarco says the networking has been invaluable, but there are tangible benefits, too. The Innovation Space continues to develop enhanced opportunities for startups, recently adding an early-stage growth grant to complement its First Fund grant, which provides up to $240,000 in cash, lab space, wraparound support and mentorship. And Provine’s team continues to pour resources into the facility, outfitting conference rooms, renovating labs and adding equipment.  

“130,000 square feet is a pretty big place, so we’re constantly investing,” he says. “Incrementally, we want to make this the best place in the world for entrepreneurs, and it’s already close to that. But we’re always innovating to add value for the entrepreneurs we support.”   

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By DERON SNYDER (as published by Port of Baltimore Magazine)

Peter O’Malley’s name often rings a bell and his face seems familiar to people as he journeys around the city and elsewhere. That’s not surprising when one of your five siblings once served as Baltimore’s mayor and Maryland’s governor.

O’Malley has spent time in government as a Chief of Staff, first for Baltimore County (2007-2010) and then Baltimore City (2011-2012). But neither position had a visceral connection to the Port of Baltimore like his current job — Vice President for Corporate Relations at ASR Group, which owns Domino Sugar.

“Dominio Sugar was established here over 103 years ago and we’re the Port’s leading bulk importer,” said O’Malley, who joined the company in 2014. “We’ve been at it for a long time and most recognize us for our big sign, which is iconic. It’s a sign that the Port is still working.”

Earlier in his career, he once lived a few blocks from the refinery and enjoyed a clear view of the landmark. He’d see sugar boats come and go, but he never realized the extent of what they represented: all the various jobs and assorted products. At ASR Group, he felt the sign’s impact right away, especially when brides called to request repairs so their reception pictures wouldn’t feature unlit letters in the background.

He was at the center of media coverage in 2021 when the 70-year-old sign was replaced and its lore grew. “People have been very pleased,” O’Malley said. “But one person said, ‘Without some of the letters being out, it doesn’t have the same character.’  So, you can’t please everybody.”

Learning on the Job

O’Malley’s previous jobs as a government official, a lawyer and a political organizer gave him great experiences for his current role, where he’s a valuable member of the larger Port community. He came from Venable, LLP, Maryland’s largest law firm, where he worked on land use and government relations for clients that included Domino Sugar.

“That was my introduction to this huge port community that often goes unnoticed because it’s behind an 8-foot fence,” he said. “I really got to know the people at Domino Sugar and was attracted because of their quality and their commitment to providing great jobs to the people of Baltimore. And the pride they had in their brand — something made in Baltimore for more than 100 years.”

He represented a few other Port-related businesses besides ASR Group, but now enjoys a deeper appreciation of their intricate nature. It’s part of his job in dealing with communities and government officials where his employer — the world’s largest marketer and refiner of cane sugar — has operations. He also handles external communications and employee communications that include about 600 employees at Domino Sugar Baltimore.

“We have 16 packaging lines producing more than 40 different products here that we ship out on trucks and by rail,” he said. “We have about 42 ships bringing in around 800,000 tons of sugar a year. So, it is a busy place, not just for the jobs we provide, but all the other direct jobs from our presence here. It’s been fun getting to know not only Domino Sugar but what goes on across the entire Port of Baltimore.”

Helping Others Learn

O’Malley has a seat on the Baltimore Industrial Group, which advocates on behalf of marine terminal operators, manufacturers and other Port-related businesses. They work on education initiatives to lawmakers, policymakers and community leaders, while also monitoring legislation that affects the Port’s infrastructure and ability to remain competitive.

“We all recognize the need to to do more education and outreach to folks who don’t know the Port that well,” he said. “It’s been great to work with the Maryland Port Administration. Whether it’s a public terminal or a private terminal, we’re all part of the Port. Thankfully, that’s the way the MPA views it also.”

O’Malley helps collaborate on tours for elected officials, business leaders and community leaders, giving them an inside view of Port operations. He’s also been invited to speak at MPA events — at the terminal and on the water — that aim to promote better understanding.

“It’s really been a great partnership in teaching people about the Port and all the benefits that come from it,” he said.

The post Peter O’Malley Reps Domino Sugar, One of Port’s Most Iconic Names appeared first on BlackDoor Ventures, Inc..

By DERON SNYDER (as published by Port of Baltimore Magazine)

Unlike sailing enthusiasts who grew up in nautical families, Nan Nawrocki was a young adult when she discovered the joy of watercraft powered by the wind. She learned to sail in the ’80s and eventually became a boat owner, tying the knot in a love affair that’s still going strong.

Nawrocki transitioned from navigating small boats to sailing aboard bigger vessels and competing in the Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race. Now, as Executive Director of Sail Baltimore, she helps approximately 50,000 annual visitors meet the crew and climb aboard these amazing vessels. “Having the opportunity to actually sail on a tall ship is awesome,” she said. “It’s one of those things that’s indescribable unless you get a chance to do it.”

Sail Baltimore brings tall ships, Navy and sea service vessels from around the globe to the Port of Baltimore, part of the organization’s educational programming that covers maritime history, world culture, economic development and more. Along the way to leading the nonprofit, Nawrocki spent over 30 years at the U.S. Naval Academy, where she did some offshore sail training with the midshipmen.

She also made sure that boating was a way of life for her family. “My two girls also learned to sail,” she said.

Nawrocki continued sailing after no longer owning a sailboat. “I’ve had some amazing opportunities to sail on tall ships both in the Chesapeake and abroad,” she said, including trips on the Statsraad Lehmkuhl from Norway to Scotland and Amsterdam to Norway, and more recently a cruise on the Stad Amsterdam in the Caribbean. Locally, it’s easy to go sailing without owning a boat, she noted. “There are all kinds of opportunities to sail or learn to sail if you are interested.”

A Window to the World

Sailing wasn’t a big part of her job description during nearly 40 years of service with the federal government. Nawrocki spent the bulk of that time as an information technology specialist at the Naval Academy, where she worked with various departments on campus and elsewhere.

“My last eight years were exceptionally interesting,” she said. “I was an instructor of practical applications in the School of Engineering and Weapons, Robotics and Controls. It was a wonderful opportunity to work firsthand with midshipmen on projects and alongside talented professors in the classrooms and labs.”

She used sailing to balance her life and provide a nice diversion. She started volunteering with the ships when she joined the Fells Point Yacht Club, which led to involvement with the schooner races, which then led to joining Sail Baltimore as a volunteer board member in 1995.

“Sailing wasn’t something that I ever anticipated getting involved in,” she said. “But once I did it, it became a huge passion in my life to give that opportunity to other folks.”

Nawrocki eventually served as Vice President and President of Sail Baltimore’s all-volunteer board before accepting the job as Executive Director in 2021. She’s invested much of her adult life in Sail Baltimore.

“We couldn’t always travel,” she said. “So, I always thought it was like bringing the world to our doorstep when ships came from various countries. It was a great opportunity for us to meet folks from other parts of the world to learn about their culture and experience something really unique.”

The job includes collaborating with a range of people in organizations like Waterfront Partnership, Downtown Partnership, Living Classrooms Foundation and Visit Baltimore, while working on big events like Maryland Fleet Week and Airshow Baltimore.

“I always say the waterfront in Baltimore is a little incestuous,” Nawrocki said. “Everybody knows what everybody else is doing and works together. We don’t have a direct impact on the Port of Baltimore, but we’re impacted by everything that happens there.”

The Best of Both Worlds

As Sail Baltimore’s only paid employee, Nawrocki said her job can be “a little overwhelming at times.”

Tasks include everything from administration, fundraising, planning and programming to handling logistics for ships’ arrivals and departures. She works closely with embassies and naval attaches to bring the ships in, and also partners with the city, state and local communities around the waterfront.

“It’s really a jack-of-all-trades job, not any one thing,” she said. “The payoff is the wonderful opportunity when the ships arrive and people are so excited.”

She provides concierge service to the visiting sailors, too. Some are interested in seeing sights, going shopping, and connecting with friends and relatives. Some requests are more interesting than others. For example, The BAP Unión — a four-masted training vessel for the Peruvian Navy and among the world’s tallest ships — visited in March last year with a grand idea.

“They wanted to put on a full production on the promenade, with horses and dancers and everything,” Nawrocki said. “It was an amazing event. But you can imagine jumping through the kinds of hoops to get those things to happen.”

Sail Baltimore celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, which is quite an accomplishment for a small nonprofit. It is also laser-focused on its role next year, when America celebrates its 250th birthday. As part of a five-city, national semi-quincentennial event, Baltimore will host international tall ships, U.S. Navy and Coast Guard vessels and an airshow featuring the U.S. Navy Blue Angels.  

Nawrocki might be a staff of one, but she hardly feels alone, which makes the job easier.
“We have a great group of volunteer board members and volunteers. I feel very honored to be part of the organization,” she said. “It’s one of the things I‘ve really enjoyed in life. It’s a challenge as well, having to stay on top of things. But being retired and having this as a second career is a big bonus. It’s kind of the best of both worlds for me.”

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