Chamber Logo 2010

Kent County Chamber of Commerce

122 North Cross Street

Chestertown, MD  21620
P. O. Box 146
410.810.2968 Tel  |  410.778.1406 Fax
kentchamber@verizon.net
www.kentchamber.org

 CHAMBER NEWS

MARCH 2011  

The Mission of the Kent County Chamber of Commerce is to serve, represent and be the leading advocate for the business interests of its membership in ways that enhance the environment of the business community and quality of life and well being of residents and visitors.
In This Issue
Focus on New Members
Chamber Member News & Events
Chamber Events & Information
Current Events
Our Sponsors
Quick Links

From the Executive Director

Shamrock

   

In like a Lion

and

Out like a Lamb   

Isn't that what they say about March? Well so far, it is proving to be true.  March is that time of year when our thoughts turn to warmer weather, time outdoors and the promise of a renewal of all things.  We're just beginning to see a few warm temperatures, ahh, the harbinger of Spring.

 

Along with the promise of Spring, March brings Mardi Gras, Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, and St. Patrick's Day, as well as several Chamber events, including a Tourism Workshop sponsored by SCORE, a Ribbon Cutting for Benchworks in celebration of their new location, and a Mardi Gras After-Hours Mixer giving our members an opportunity to network and taste some selected wines, hosted by Osprey Point Inn, Restaurant & Marina. (Details on these events can be found below.) 

 

So let's take this month to renew our interest in our fellow Chamber members' work and also, in our own participation in Chamber activities.

 

If you would like to host an after-hours networking event or have an idea for a workshop that you think would be relevant to our members or, if you simply want to get re-involved in the Chamber and network with your fellow members, now is the time to do so.  Give me a call or drop me an email.

 

Remember, the more you put into your Chamber membership, the more you will get out of it in return!

 

Loretta

Loretta M. Lodge
Executive Director 

 

Focus on New Members

_________________________

  

 Welcome to our New Members in February

 

Alexis Carey Bookkeeping & Payroll Services

Owner:  Alexis Carey

226 N. Kent Street

Chestertown, MD  21620

443.676.290 Tel  |  410.810.3099 Fax

Offices in MD & DE

Full Bookkeeping & Payroll Services Provided

alexiscarey1@yahoo.com 

 

 

Comcast Spotlight - Baltimore 

100 West Drive, #100

Towson, MD  21201

Contact:  Timothy Hughes

443.837.3580 Tel  |  443.837.3599 Fax

timothy_hughes@cable.comcast.com 

 


Please join us in welcoming our newest Chamber members!

  

 

Chamber Member News & Events 

_________________________

 

 Ribbon Cutting

Friday, March 4, 2011

  

Benchworks has Moved to

The Seed House at Radcliffe Mill 

Benchworks at the Seed House 

Please join us for a

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony 

Friday, March 4, 2011 

at their new location at the  

860 High Street

Chestertown, MD

Refreshments will be served 

 

Benchworks is a full-service marketing, design, production, fulfillment and creative services firm who has recently expanded its business footprint due to an increased demand for creative services.  Benchworks is the new tenant in The Seed House at the Radcliffe Mill complex in Chestertown, MD, which will serve as their new Headquarters.  Benchworks also moved its warehouse operations and product launch facilities to 848 High Street.   Benchworks offers enterprise solutions to clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to mid-size firms to emerging brands.

 www.benchworks.com

410-810-8862

 

 ~~~~~

After-Hours Mixer

Thursday, March 10, 2011   

 

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Osprey Point Inn, Restaurant and Marina

 

invites you to

 

The Kent County Chamber Members'

"Fat Thursday" Mixer

 

held at

 

Osprey Point Restaurant

20786 Rock Hall Avenue 

Rock Hall, MD 21661

410-639-2194

 

Enjoy a free wine tasting & New Orleans-themed food!

*Cash bar for other bar beverages*

 

Thursday, March 10, 2011

5:00 pm. - 7:00 pm.

 

"Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler!"

(Let the good times roll!)

 

Be sure to bring your business cards for a drawing of several fabulous door prizes! Your chances increase as you take a tour of each of the Inn's three locations.


~~~~~  

Health Fair

Saturday, March 12, 2011

9am-11am

Kent County Community Center

Worton

 

Shared Opportunity Service, Inc. will host an informational table in the room beside the gym where all of the other vendors will be.  They will be hosting a reading books activity for children.  Parents are invited to talk with representatives from Shared Opportunity Services.

 

If you are interested in volunteering at this event, please contact Jenn Frankle, Community Relations Assistant at 410/778-7911

 ~~~~~

FREE Workshop

Sponsored by Upper Shore SCORE© Chapter 670

 

Tourism on the Upper Shore

St. Patrick's Day, Thursday March 17th

 8:30 am - 10:30 am

 Kent County Commissioner's Hearing Room

400 High Street

Chestertown, MD  

 

"Strength in numbers", an old adage but it couldn't be more true in today's economic climate, especially in Kent and Queen Anne's tourism industries. This industry, made up of your tourism-related businesses, generated visitor expenditures of $49.9 million in Kent County and $65.8 million in Queen Anne's County.  Also in these 2009 figures, your businesses--AS ONE INDUSTRY--provided 633 jobs in Kent and 1,123 jobs in Queen Anne's. 

Astonishing figures fuel Maryland's economy as well, with $13.6 billion in visitor spending and 134,000 jobs provided.

Join us in an informative, informal and interactive setting to learn more about the latest trends in this leading industry and what our state and county governments are doing to increase tourism in Kent and Queen Anne's Counties.  

 

Participants in this workshop include Bernadette Van Pelt, Kent County Director of Tourism and Economic Development and Heather Taylor, Marketing and Program Development Coordinator, Queen Anne's County Department of Economic Development, Agriculture and Tourism, Margot Amelia and Hannah Byron of the Maryland Department of Tourism.   

 

This workshop is free and open to all who register. Coffee and pastries will be available at no charge.

 

Please register: Call SCORE at 410-810-2969 or email the Kent County Chamber of Commerce at kentchamber@verizon.net 

             

~~~~~

Washington College Career Fair

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Washington College's

Center for Career Development

Extends an invitation to all employers to participate in the

For more information, please contact Stephanie S. Younker at

410-778-7890

~~~~~

Healthy Aging:  A Community Perspective

Wednesday, March 30, 2011  

 Hynson Lounge, Washington College

Hosted by

HomePorts 

For information, call 443-480-0940 or e-mail  info@homeports.org

 




CHAMBER EVENTS & INFORMATION

_________________________  


 

KENT COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

BOARD MEETING


Thursday, March, 10, 2011

12:00 P.M.

Chamber Office, 122 N. Cross Street, Chestertown

 
The meeting is open to all members.  Please contact Loretta at 410/810-2968 or kentchamber@verizon.net  if you plan on attending.  
 

~~~~~

  • E-Blasts - Broadcast E-Mail Service Now Available!

The Chamber now offers an E-Blast service to all of our members.  In an effort to help you build your business and get your message out efficiently and cost effectively, the Chamber office will send an email specifically on your behalf to all Chamber members and non-members who have signed up for our mailing list.  This is an excellent way to announce new products, services or events.  As a Chamber member, you can take advantage of this service at a very reasonable cost of $25.  Please contact the Chamber office for further details.

  • SCORE (Senior Core of Retired Executives)   

Invites retired executives to become counselors for new and existing local businesses. Contact Bart Stolp at SCORE to get more information: bartstolp@gmail.com 

  • Help Us Help You.  Keep Your Business Information Current! 

Please remember to contact Loretta in the Chamber office if you have any changes or updates to your business contact information.  We want to keep all of our members' information current.

  • Member-To-Member Benefit Program

This program allows any Chamber member to offer discounts on their products and services to other Chamber members and their employees.  Even if you do not offer a discount to fellow members, as a Chamber member, you may take advantage of the discounts offered by other members.  

 Don't miss out!  Sign up for this program today.

Call Loretta at 410/810-2968 or email at kentchamber@verizon.net   

The following businesses are participating members.  Please support these businesses. 

 

 


 

Current Events 

_________________________

 

   

Business and other taxes on the horizon through this group of 6 state senators - three from Montgomery, 2 from Prince George's and 1 from Baltimore City.  Includes gas tax to go into the general fund.  Read about it here:

http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/news/2011/02/22/md-sentators-seek-to-restore-cuts.html?ana=twt  

 

~~~~~


Dear Small Business Stakeholder:

The US Department of Energy Business Opportunity Sessions (BOS) are outreach events which connect Federal acquisition and program officers with small businesses. BOS activities stimulate small business participation in Department of Energy (DOE) contract and other mission-supporting opportunities.  

 

On March 3, 2011, the Agency is holding its next BOS, targeted for Women-Owned Small Businesses (WOSB), see attachment. If you are interested in attending this BOS (as a WOSB), or in being apprised of future outreach events, please email to BOS@HQ.DOE.Gov your capability statement, and in the subject line include the socio-economic status of your firm (Women-owned; Small Disadvantaged Business; HUBZone;8(a); Service-Disabled Veteran Owned). This helps us populate our events with attendees that reflect the sessions' rotating themes and foci.  

 

Welcoming any questions on this, and looking forward to your response to the above.  

 

Respectfully yours,
Kent

Kent.Hibben@hq.doe.gov

US Department of Energy

Small Business Specialist, ED-3

Business Outreach Session Coordinator

EERE/Science/SBIR/STTR/TT/PA

(202) 586-8086

(202) 586-5844 fax

(202) 330-2732 BB

 

12th Annual Small Business Conference Website:

http://smallbusinessconference.energy.gov/

 

~~~~~

 

 

As a participating partner, BBB is pleased to invite you to attend...

 

Roadmap to the Boardroom 2011

presented by Network 2000, Inc. & Greater Baltimore Committee

One Woman's Journey to the Top Ranks of Corporate America & 

Steps that Some in Corporate America are Taking to Change the Landscape

 

Keynote Remarks by  Jane E. Shaw, Ph.D.

 Chairman of the Board of Directors, Intel Corporation and Retired Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Aerogen, Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company.

 

* Announcement of Network 2000's 2011 Business 2000 Award

* Presentation of the 2011 Report, "Census of Women Board Directors in Maryland"

  

 

Tuesday, March 22, 2011 · 7:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.

 

Doyle Hall · College of Notre Dame of Maryland

4701 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21210

(Enter parking lot from Homeland Avenue)

 


 

Cost:

$45 through March 11

$55 as of March 12

 

Register online at www.network2000md.org/women_on_boards 

 

 



~~~ OUR SPONSORS ~~~



PLATINUM
PNC Bank


GOLD

Atlantic Broadband

CNB

SILVER

David A. Bramble 

Chester River Health System 

 Horizon Organic Dairy 
Peoples Bank
Washington College

BRONZE
Affinity Business & Technology Solutions  

Connect the Dots Events 

imPRESSive Printing
Sears Hometown Store - Chestertown
ShoreToBeFun.com
WCTR - am 1530