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LEGISLATIVE ACTION UPDATE
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Bill Providing Tax Credits to Businesses That Offer Paid Sick Leave Moving Forward
It was one of the topic's most discussed at our Small Business Listening Session with Governor Hogan last week, and this week, there is some movement in the legislature on the subject of paid sick leave.
Governor Hogan has been advocating for a bill that would provide tax credits for certain businesses that provide paid sick leave, and this week that bill is a step closer to becoming law. On Monday, the Senate unanimously passed
SB 134, the Small Business Relief Tax Credit, which the governor says is a way to help small businesses who have been burdened by the new mandatory paid sick leave law.
The bill will still need House approval before it would land on Governor Hogan's desk. Under the version of the bill passed by the Senate, businesses with fewer than 25 employees would be eligible for a tax credit for each employee who earns paid sick leave and makes less than $30,000 a year.
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Last Chance for Chamber Board Nominations
The future of the Howard County Chamber rests with the leadership that is selected in the nominating process for the Board of Directors. We are looking for business executives of small, medium and large companies who have a desire to serve. Successful nominees must commit to serving a two-year term with an option for two additional terms.
Expectations of board members include the following:
- Be a member in good standing
- Active participation at board meetings and major Chamber events,
- Financial commitments through sponsorships commensurate to their ability,
- Assist with growth and retention,
- Committee participation, and
- Have a history of local or regional community engagement and/or board of director involvement
The Nominating Committee is most appreciative of your careful consideration as we know you will recommend men and women who are held in the highest esteem within the Howard County business community.
Recommendations need to be emailed or faxed to the attention of Karen O'Connor at the Chamber at
[email protected] or
410-630-3471 no later than
TOMORROW Friday, March 23rd, 2018. Please complete the form attached and send it along with a bio of the person you are recommending to the Nominating Committee. Self-nominations are acceptable.
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Is Iceland on Your Bucket List?
We are shaking things up for our 2018 Chamber Trip and heading to the land of fire and ice, Iceland!!!
We're holding a FREE information session for the trip at Grotto Pizza later this month where we'll talk all about the Iceland trip including tours of geysers,
glaciers, volcanoes, swimming in geothermal heated pools, trekking across a mossy lava field, and even a drive over an icy glacier.
FREE ICELAND TRIP INFORMATION SESSION
March 27, 2018 - 6 - 7:30 p.m.
Grotto Pizza
7075 Minstrel Way
Columbia, MD 21046
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Free Member Orientation -
New Date!!!
Grab a drink, some snacks and learn all about the many benefits of Chamber membership for FREE! Join Chamber President & CEO Leonardo McClarty for an in-depth look at all the Chamber has to offer!
March 28, 2018 - 4 p.m. - NEW DATE!!!
Eggspectation Ellicott City
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YPN Celerate Series - Psychological Body Armor: Developing Personal & Professional Resilience
Step our of your comfort zone and grow your stress-management skills. Learn to function effectively in tough situations, pivot stressful experiences into positive ones and rebound from adversity with resilience.
April 3, 2018 - 7:30 - 9 a.m.
UMBC Training Center
6996 Columbia Gateway Drive, Suite 100
Columbia, MD 21046
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Women in Tech Social with CAMI & Ft. Meade Alliance
The Chamber has joined forces with the Cybersecurity Association of Maryland (CAMI) the Howard Tech Council and the Fort Meade Alliance to being you the Women in Tech Social.
April 5, 2018 - 5 - 7 p.m.
Howard County Conservancy
10520 Old Frederick Road
Woodstock, MD 21163
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2018 Regional Economic Development Forum
Join us for our first ever Regional Economic Development Forum featuring Howard County Executive Allan Kittleman, Anne Arundel County Exeutive Steve Schuh and Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett (invited) for a dynamic conversation about our business communities and economies moderated by Mike Kelly, Executive Director, Baltimore Metropolitan Council.
April 26, 2018 - 7:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Sheraton Columbia Town Center Hotel
10207 Wincopin Circle
Columbia, MD 21044
For information about available sponsorships for this one of a kind event, please contact Leonardo McClarty at
[email protected]
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Four Chamber Members on BBJ's Power 10 List
Congratulations are in order for
Ricky Smith, CEO, BWI,
Mary Ann Scully, CEO, Howard Bank,
Scott Dorsey, CEO, Merritt Companies and
Calvin Butler, Jr., CEO, BGE for making the Baltimore Business Journal's 2018 Power 10!
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Women's History Month Spotlight on Creatrix Inc.
In honor of Women's History Month, we're putting the spotlight on some of our incredible women-owned business members each week.
Creatrix® Inc., is an identity management company specializing in software engineering as well as systems integration, systems engineering, and systems architecture with expertise in biometrics, vetting, credentialing, and case management. Creatrix, a WOSB headquarted in Columbia, was founded by husband and wife team Anna Fleeman Elhini and Sami Elhini and is named after Anna as "the woman who creates." Creatrix has more than ten years of successful experience with biometric systems in enterprise environments and provide their clients big business capability with small business agility. Creatrix is well-respected for their skilled talent base, breadth of experience, and responsive management style together with high employee retention positive customer feedback, and recognized business acumen and integrity.
Creatrix recently debuted their Biometrix™ middleware and XONE™ Earhart.
Biometrix consists of Embedded, Enterprise, Mobile, and Cloud middleware, and the Earhart is a a handheld, wireless fingerprint capture device with a color touchscreen and FBI-certified finger print scanner.
Anna Fleeman Elhini is the Founder and Managing Director of Creatrix®, responsible for all of Creatrix's corporate operations, business development, and marketing, leveraging her nearly 20 years of experience in operations, project and contract management, survey research, and statistics. She has served as a Chief Research Methodologist and Vice President at large research firms and published over 30 papers/presentations. Anna holds a Master's degree in Measurement and Quantitative Methods and is a Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude graduate of Emory University. She is a frequent presenter at industry conferences, local networking groups, and technology chapters. She is a member of the Howard County Chamber's GovConnects Advisory Board, Chair of the Chamber's Women's Leadership Conference, Engagement Chair of the Women in Technology (WiT) of Central Maryland, a Howard Tech Council Ambassador, and an Emory University Applicant Interviewer for the Baltimore/DC area.
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Girlfriends Book Club Recognized by School Library Journal
Congratulations to Girlfriends Book Club who has just been recognized by School Library Journal!
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7th Annual Power of the Purse
We are once again a proud drop off location for the Annual Power of the Purse! We will be collecting new, gently used, vintage and designer handbags for the Power of the Purse Sale and Silent Auction on June 11th benefiting Blossoms of Hope.
June 11, 2018 - 4:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Sub-Zero and Wolf Showroom by Fretz
9204 Berger Road
Columbia, MD 21044
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WELCOME NEW MEMBERS!!!
We are so proud to welcome the following new Chamber members this week!
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Happy Anniversary!!!
The following organizations joined the HCCC this week in history!
- Columbia Workforce Center - 15 Years
- Identity Promotions, LLC - 14 Years
- Eyre Bus, Tour & Travel, Inc. - 13 Years
- Lowe Wealth Advisors - 13 Years
- Offit Kurman, Attorneys at Law - 13 Years
- Planet Aid, Inc. - 12 Years
- BTS Software Solutions - 3 Years
- Ellicott City Partnership - 3 Years
- Goldfish Swim School - 3 Years
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Another AAA Rating for Howard County
Howard County has once again received a AAA Credit Rating from Moody's, Standard & Poor's and Fitch. AAA, which is the highest possible score from all three bond rating agencies, recognizes the county'd financial flexibility, health economy, diverse revenue streams and strong budget control.
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Annual Teen Opportunity Fair
The Howard County Office of Workforce Development and the Howard County Department of Community Resources and Services are partnering to host the Annual Teen Opportunity Fair. The Free Fair will include community resources, summer employment opportunities, workshops and more.
March 24, 2018 - 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Long Reach High School
6101 Old Dobbin Lane
Columbia, MD 21045
For more information contact Kori D. Jones at 410-313-0039 or [email protected].
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Volunteers Needed for HCPSS's Workforce Development Program
On March 23rd, more than 150 local high school students need your help! The students will be participating in practice job interviews as part of the Howard County School System's Workforce Development Program,
Passport to the Future.
March 23, 2018 - 8 a.m. - Noon
Howard Community College
Duncan Hall/Kittleman Room
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Congressman Elijah Cummings 2018 Annual Job Fair
Join Congressman Elijah Cummings for his 21st Annual Job Fair at Morgan State University
April 9, 2018
9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Morgan State University
Hill Field House
1700 E. Cold Spring Lane
Baltimore, MD 21251
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MCE Marketing Matters: Feedback Bounce Back
Join the Maryland Center for Entrepreneurship for their next Marketing Matters event, Feedback Bounce Back - How to Access and Collect Customer Feedback.
April 13, 2018 - Noon - 1:30 p.m.
Maryland Center for Entrepreneurship
9250 Bendix Road
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Export Management Bootcamp for Industry Professionals
The Center for Global Business at the University of Maryland is hosting its second annual Export Management Bootcamp for Industry Professionals. The two-day bootcamp is designed to help prepare professionals to export their products or services internationally.
April 20 & 21, 2018
University of Maryland BioPark
Building 2, Suite 100
801 West Baltimore Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
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Le'Chic Academy Foundation's BIZKidz Market Day
Calling all young entrepreneurs! Le'Chic Academy is holding a BIZKidz Market Day and wants you to come out and sell your creative products and services, make money and compete for awards and prizes.
April 21, 2018 - Noon - 5 p.m.
The Interfaith Center
5885 Robert Oliver Place
Columbia, MD 21045
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Join a Committee at the Howard County Chamber of Commerce
Interested in getting more involved with the Chamber?
Sign up today for any of the following committees:
- Ambassadors
- GovConnects
- Holiday Party
- Legislative
- Membership
- Signature Events
- YPN
Contact [email protected] to join a Howard County Chamber of Commerce Committee today!
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