Biz Buzz Weekly Newsletter

December 1, 2021

Keeping Up With The EDC

Team Prince George's County will be heading to Las Vegas Nevada this coming weekend to attend ICSC - Here We Go!

Representatives from the County Executives Office, Prince George's County Council, and your Economic Development Corporation will connect, collaborate and celebrate getting back to business. We're getting an early start on 2022 by connecting with the changemakers who are reimagining the places and spaces where we buy, eat, work, play, and congregate as foundational and crucial components of our communities. Expansion starts here, with the ultimate objective of providing excellent amenities to Prince George's County.

Keep an eye on our social media sites for real-time information!

Based on the latest CDC guidance, our County Health Department is now offering Moderna, Pfizer, and Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 boosters for all adults ages 18 and up. COVID-19 booster shots are also available at pharmacies, doctor’s offices, and other healthcare providers throughout the County.

Visit mypgc/us/COVIDVaccine to find a vaccine clinic near you. #ProudtoBeProtected

Basado en la última guía de los CDC, nuestro Departamento de Salud del Condado ahora ofrece refuerzos COVID-19 de Moderna, Pfizer y Johnson & Johnson para todos los adultos mayores de 18 años. Las vacunas de refuerzo de COVID-19 también están disponibles en farmacias, consultorios médicos y otros proveedores de atención médica en todo el condado.

Visite mypgc.us/COVIDVaccine para encontrar una clínica de vacunas cerca de usted. #ProudtoBeProtected

EXPANDING PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY

The Washington Post

With purchase of edX, this company is betting big on a prestige brand in online higher education

2U, based in Maryland, finishes $800 million deal to acquire platform created by MIT and Harvard

READ THE STORY

Pr Newswire

The Most Successful Startups Mix Business and Friendship to Build Teams, Study Shows

By University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith

School of Business

READ THE STORY

NBC4

Prince George's County Extends Mask Mandate to 2022

READ FULL STORY

ABC7

Prince George's program aims to keep housing affordable near Purple Line development

READ FULL STORY

Offering a helping hand and a chance for success to Maryland’s veterans

Help and support can come in many forms. When used to its highest advantage, it can oftentimes lead to astronomical growth and success, especially in the business community. J. Kevin McIntyre, a former Army Officer, knows just how far a little help can go.

Kevin is the owner of Samson Protection Services, LLC, a property protection and security company based out of Prince George’s County. As a former combat veteran and attorney, Kevin saw an opportunity to help improve the quality of the security industry by using skills he learned during his time in service. While Samson Protection Services opened in 2017, Kevin struggled with the expenses of running a quality security company, oftentimes digging into his own pocket for funds.

Kevin realized that in order to provide the quality of service his customers deserved, he needed a helping hand. This led him to the Maryland Department of Commerce’s Military Personnel and Veteran-owned Small Business Loan Program (MPVOLP). MPVOLP provides no-interest loans of up to $50,000, from one to eight years, for businesses owned by military reservists, veterans, service-disabled veterans, National Guard personnel and for small businesses that employ this demographic.

After completing the application process, the business was approved and received the loan during the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time, the company had only two employees and just one active contract. Through MPVOLP, Samson Protection Services used the loan funding to drastically improve its business plan. The company was able to pay rent at its new office space for an entire year, pay employee salaries, hire new employees, buy supplies, create a new logo along with advertising, and even purchased its first patrol car.

“Through the support offered by the Maryland Department of Commerce, Samson Protection Services was able to stretch funding a long way and fill in some much needed gaps,” said Kevin McIntyre, president and owner of Samson Protection Services. “Delivering quality services to our customer base while helping and protecting our own communities is a top priority, and a goal this loan program has aided us in achieving.”

The business has increased its workforce to 40 employees and has continued growing day by day, serving the Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia region. The business is proud to put people to work and provide employment to its surrounding community, while also aiming to hire veterans and former police officers. Along with providing services to the state of Maryland, Samson Protection Services has gained a number of well-known clients through this growth opportunity and now holds service contracts with Lowes, REI, Marriott, CVS, and Pandora, as well as various homeowners associations, apartment complexes, small businesses, and clinics throughout its service area.