DETV Founder and CEO Ivan Thomas has received the Order of the First State, Delaware’s highest civilian honor. Governor Matt Meyer named Thomas as one of ten Delawareans recognized for exceptional service at a ceremony at Woodburn on Friday, October 2, 2026.
On Good Morning Delaware, the team celebrated this proud milestone for Ivan and for the community media network he built from the ground up.
Quick Facts
- Honor: Order of the First State, Delaware’s highest civilian honor
- Recipient: Ivan Thomas, Founder and CEO of DETV
- Presented by: Delaware Governor Matt Meyer
- Ceremony: Friday, October 2, 2026, at Woodburn in Dover
- Class size: Ten Delawareans honored this year
What Is the Order of the First State?
The Order of the First State is Delaware’s highest civilian honor. It recognizes people whose service, leadership and achievements have made a lasting impact on the state, whether through public service, philanthropy, education, business, the arts or community building.
“Delaware is a small state where one person can make a big difference,” Governor Meyer said at the ceremony. This year’s honorees include educators, nonprofit leaders, advocates, public servants and community builders.
The ceremony was held at Woodburn, the official residence of Delaware’s governor in Dover, where eight of the ten honorees received the Order of the First State in person.
Why Ivan Thomas Was Honored
In announcing the honorees, the State of Delaware recognized Thomas as a storyteller and media leader who built DETV into an award-winning media network dedicated to informing, uplifting and connecting Delaware communities. The state also highlighted his work delivering critical information to residents during the COVID-19 pandemic, along with his youth programming and community engagement efforts.
From a Basement and a Van to Delaware’s Airwaves
Thomas told the Good Morning Delaware audience that the moment felt surreal, noting that Governor Meyer had been in his basement back when DETV first started. During the show, Thomas was celebrated as a kid from Southbridge who just wanted to tell the positive, untold stories of Delaware communities, and who built DETV while driving a van that kept breaking down.
He explained that the COVID-19 pandemic was a turning point. DETV figured out how to go live on TV statewide and on about 30 social media channels at the same time, a process that has powered the network ever since. Thomas said DETV was the first company the governor came to when the state shut down, broadcasting that announcement live from the DETV studio, and the team later used the same approach to keep people informed during the civil unrest that followed.
“I Take This for the Dreamers”
Thomas dedicated the Order of the First State to anyone who has been told no. “I take this for the dreamers,” he said, speaking to everyone who has had doors shut in their face, or had an idea but no money, only grit. His message: if it could happen to him, it could happen to you.
“I love Delaware. I’m Delaware’s number one cheerleader,” Thomas said, crediting DETV’s viewers, the community, the DETV team past and present, and everyone who believed in the network.
2026 Order of the First State Honorees
Thomas was honored alongside nine other Delawareans:
- Aaron Bass
- Yvette Santiago
- Steven Yeatman
- Richard Garrett
- Ivan Thomas
- Marihelen “Midge” Barrett
- Former Senator Harris McDowell
- Former Senator Ernesto “Ernie” López
- Jane Pierantozzi
- Leroy A. Tice, Esq.
Read the full announcement from the State of Delaware.
Congratulate Ivan Thomas
Watch the full Good Morning Delaware segment above and join us in congratulating Ivan in the comments on YouTube. For more positive Delaware stories, local voices and community highlights, explore more from DETV.
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