Business Briefs

Celsion Announces Promising Results in Breast Cancer Treatment
Celsion Corp. has announced that what the company termed "promising" Phase I clinical results evaluating ThermoDox for the treatment of recurrent chest wall (RCW) breast cancer have been presented by Duke University investigators.
The presentation was made in April at the annual meeting of the Society for Thermal Medicine in Tucson, Ariz. This Phase I study is designed to determine the maximum tolerated dose of ThermoDox when used in combination with microwave hyperthermia to treat mastectomy patients with RCW breast cancer.
"We are grateful for [Duke University Medical Center's] commitment to this important work and look forward to [the medical center's] participation in our ongoing Phase I/II pivotal study," said Michael Tardugno, Celsion's president and CEO. "With our current cash balance and the June 2009 $15 million payment from Boston Scientific for the purchase of Celsion's medical device assets, we believe that Celsion has the funds sufficient to fully enroll this important trial."

Howard County Cited for Excellence in Financial Reporting for 33rd Time
Howard County has rated a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for the 33rd consecutive year from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) of the United States and Canada.
The award was presented to Director of Finance Sharon Greisz in recognition of the county's Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) issued for fiscal 2008. CAFR is a financial profile listing all funds including general, special revenue, capital projects, enterprise, internal service, and trust and agency funds. It also provides information on long-term obligations and fixed assets, including infrastructure; the report contains the independent auditor's report and statistical charts on several topics, including multi-year tax collection and assessable base figures.

HCC, Dickinson College Team to Offer Four-Year Degree Program
Howard Community College (HCC) and Dickinson College, via the Community College Partnership Program, are working on a new model to offer a four-year degree.
Students will pay two years of community college tuition and two years at Dickinson's higher tuition, but with an academic scholarship of up to $15,000 - plus other grants and financial aid - to meet fully their demonstrated need.
The Community College Partnership Program takes an active, coordinated and structured approach. Interested students are identified early so Howard and Dickinson staff, working together, can ensure the selected students receive the support needed to transfer. Financial incentives from Dickinson can include a community college scholarship and financial aid to ensure that the cost of tuition is neither a deterrent nor an obstacle.

New Technology Companies Join bwtech@UMBC Incubator Program
Science Systems & Applications Inc. (SSAI) and Premier Management Corp. (PMC) are the latest companies to establish residence at the bwtech@UMBC Incubator. SSAI performs work under contract for NASA and other government agencies through its Calibration & Validation Office (CVO), which is located at bwtech@UMBC. It evaluates ocean color data from satellites and field operations to determine its validity. The CVO's director, Stanford Hooker, noted the increased attention to global warming and expects interest in the CVO's work, which was originally located at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, to increase.
PMC was founded in 2004 as a financial consulting firm, and recently has begun to focus on the areas of cyber crime and network security, performing services for NSA and other government agencies. In collaboration with UMBC, the company is developing technologies to detect vulnerabilities and attacks via the Internet in government computer systems.

ICS Technologies Graduates From NeoTech Incubator
Integrated Cryptologic Solutions (ICS) Technologies, a technology company that provides support to military and homeland security operations, has graduated from The Center for Business & Technology Development's NeoTech Incubator in Howard County and moved its corporate headquarters operations to Laurel.
"The move to our new facility in Laurel will provide room to grow and will allow us to work on classified contracts within an accredited Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility," said John McCoy, vice president of ICS. "This type of facility gives us the opportunity to grow unclassified and classified business under one roof." Since its formation in January 2005, ICS has provided the intelligence community with four facets of support: operational and analytical services, engineering services, information technology services, and audio-visual and teleconferencing services.

APL Spacecraft Experts Enhance 3-D STEREO Imagery
The APL-built and -operated twin Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatories (STEREO) have made the first 3-D measurements of solar explosions, known as coronal mass ejections, enabling scientists to see their size and shape and image them as they travel the approximately 93 million miles from the sun to Earth.
Scientists will be able to use this information to help determine how these strong solar storms impact Earth's atmosphere. The data is enhanced, in part, due to the STEREO guidance and control team at The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), who are helping mission scientists more easily reconstruct 3-D imagery by very accurately pointing the spacecraft and reducing its jitter or movement.
Since launch in 2006, the APL team has been proactively tuning spacecraft and ground systems, maximizing data return and optimizing contact with satellites used to downlink data. The APL-based STEREO mission operations center downloads 6-9 gigabytes of data each day - approximately 20% to 80% more data than the science team expected.

Howard Bank Expands Eligibility for Sustainability Loan Fund
Howard Bank is broadening eligibility for its "going green" Sustainability Loan Fund. The three-year, $25 million fund encourages green building in Howard and Anne Arundel counties, and is available for renovation or new construction of commercial buildings and residential homes.
The bank now will give special consideration to applications for smaller projects, for which LEED certification may be impractical. The bank is using some of the $5.98 million in additional capital for the initiative that its parent company, Howard Bancorp, received when it issued non-voting preferred shares to the U.S. Treasury as part of the Treasury's Capital Purchase program.

Sourcefire to Deliver Intrusion Prevention Technology for Symantec
Sourcefire, a Columbia-based network security provider, has announced that its Sourcefire 3D System will be bundled by Symantec Corp. as part of the Symantec Managed Security Services offering.
Through this partnership, Sourcefire is leasing the Sourcefire 3D System appliances to Symantec Managed Services' customers, with Symantec taking responsibility for deploying, monitoring and managing all equipment within the customer environments.

Contract Worth $6 Million to Upgrade MARC Customer Info Systems
The state Board of Public Works (BPW) has approved another transportation initiative to be funded by President Barack Obama's American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. With the approval, the Maryland Transit Administration soon will begin installing new public address and customer information systems at MARC commuter rail stations across the state.
The $6 million project will replace the obsolete and unreliable public address systems currently in use at MARC stations. The new audio and electronic message signs also will be used to alert passengers of approaching trains and relay schedule change or delay information, as well as important safety messages.

ILEX Engineering Acquired by Sutron
Columbia-based ILEX Engineering, an engineering company formerly headquartered in Howard County's Center for Business and Technology Development's NeoTech Incubator, has been acquired by the Sutron Corp., a leading provider of real-time data collection and control products, systems software and professional services in the hydrological, meteorological and oceanic monitoring markets.
ILEX has provided consulting, software development, product development and support in the collection, analysis and distribution of environmental data since 1999. It has moved its primary operations to Sutron's offices in Sterling, Va.

FCG Acquires Part of
Concentia Digital
The Columbia-based Freedom Consulting Group (FCG) has acquired the government services operations of Concentia Digital. The deal strengthens Freedom's existing technical support services it provides to the federal government. Freedom has had a successful track record even as the economy has struggled and has growth from recent wins with federal and local governments.
"We are excited with this opportunity to support new customers and to expand our organization through merger and acquisitions. With this success, we look forward to new opportunities to acquire small companies doing work in the federal space," said Dana Gift, CEO and CFO of FCG.

Mercedes-Benz Expands
Commitment to HD Radio
Columbia-based iBiquity Digital Corp., the developer of digital HD radio, has announced that Mercedes-Benz will extend the availability of HD radio technology on its vehicles to a total of 11 models. It will add six model year 2010 vehicles to the five that already offer the technology, including the CL-, CLS-, E-Coupe-, S-, SL- and SLK-Class models.
The digital audio system will be available as part of popular premium feature packages. Vehicles will be in dealerships by late summer. As announced in August 2008, HD radio technology is already available in Mercedes M-, R-, GL-, G-Class SUVs and E-Class vehicles. Available across the country, nearly 2,000 HD radio stations are on the air with more than 1,000 additional new multicast channels (HD2/HD3) that are exclusive to HD radio listeners.

DCA Announces Development of
Two New Facilities in Ohio
Linthicum-based Dialysis Corporation of America (DCA) has announced the development of two new facilities in Cincinnati, Ohio, through an affiliation with the University of Cincinnati School of Medicine, to be located in the greater Cincinnati area. The centers will offer state-of-the-art equipment and technology, be designed with patient comfort in mind, and include 15 to 18 treatment stations, along with a Peritoneal Suite for patients opting for that modality.

SSN Generates Record-Setting
Web Site Traffic During March
With more than 111,600 page views and 51,300 video downloads, March 2009 proved to be the busiest in Scholastic Sports Network's three-year existence, said President Brian Bassett.
"Having the opportunity to broadcast the winter state championships on the site led to a tremendous amount of traffic," said Bassett. "Wrestling is always big, and this year's basketball state championships proved to be very successful. We were also thrilled to have our broadcast shown on the big screens and concourse monitors at Comcast Center during the boys' basketball state championships."

Construction Nears Completion at Centennial Place
Construction is nearing completion on Centennial Place, an 18,000-square-foot, mixed-use project in Ellicott City that has been developed by James M. Jost & Co. The project consists of approximately 9,000 square feet of ground level retail space and 6,000 square feet of second floor Class A office space, with second level parking. Howard Bank is the lead tenant for the project and has opened a 3,200-square-foot branch within the development, which is located at 10155 Baltimore National Pike.

j-ref Funds Western Howard County Doggie Daycare Facility
j-ref, a small business financier in Howard County, and Howard Bank recently partnered to co-loan $405,000 to Tiki's Playhouse, a doggie daycare, cageless boarding and grooming facility in Glenelg.
A $100,000, seven-year loan from j-ref will be used for working capital for Tiki's Playhouse, which was founded by Kelvin Abrams last year. In addition, Howard Bank loaned $305,000 to the business.

QAI Digitizes Records at Fund for Johns Hopkins Medicine
Fulton-based Quality Associates Inc. (QAI) recently created a digital document archive for the Baltimore-based Fund for Johns Hopkins Medicine, the office that helps raise charitable gifts in support of Hopkins' mission. The cost of the project was not disclosed.
Building the digital archive required scanning and indexing of more than 582,750 pages within approximately 11,000 donor and alumni background files. Previously, these files were only available in printed form and occupied 37 five-drawer file cabinets. The new archive contains high-resolution images of the original paperwork and authorized staff can now easily search for specific files using a straightforward keyword search.

State's Biggest Tax Scofflaw Based in Howard County
A Howard County company, Engineered Framing Systems, was ranked first on a list issued by Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot that cited the biggest tax delinquents in the state.
According to the top 50 list, which includes mainly individuals and some businesses, Columbia-based EFS owes the state $476,542.52. As part of the collection process, the state publishes the names of businesses, individuals and corporate officers having large, unresolved liabilities. The list can be found via www.marylandtaxes.com.

Health Clinics to Receive $951,000 for Electronic Patient Record Systems
Congressman C.A. "Dutch" Ruppersberger (D-Md.) has announced that $951,000 will be invested in electronic patient records systems for Maryland Health Clinics. The technology is intended to reduce medical errors, increase communication between health care providers, drive down costs, protect patient privacy and help save lives.
It will be incorporated at eight community health centers across Maryland, including locations in Anne Arundel and Howard counties. "This electronic patient record system is the future of health care by improving overall patient care, while at the same time reducing costs," said Ruppersberger.

Hostetter Construction Opens
New Office in Columbia
Hostetter Construction, a general contracting and construction management company based in Hanover, Pa., has announced that it will open a new office in Columbia.
"With 80% of [our] current workload already established in Maryland, it was a logical decision," said President Joe Holland. "We are very excited about this expansion that will allow us to continue to service our clients in this region. With our work at the Arundel Mills Corporate Park and the extensive experience of our key people in the Maryland area, it made sense for Hostetter to set up shop here."

DCA Announces $3M Share
Repurchase Program
Linthicum-based Dialysis Corporation of America (DCA) has approved a stock repurchase program, which authorizes the company to repurchase up to $3 million of its outstanding shares of common stock from time to time, depending on market conditions, share price and other factors.
The stock purchases will be made out of available cash in open market transactions at the prevailing market price or through privately negotiated transactions. The duration of the program is open-ended, but may be suspended or discontinued at any time at the discretion of the company's management. As of April 13, the company had approximately 9.6 million shares of common stock outstanding.

j-ref Loans to Designer
Jewelry Company
j-ref, a small business financier in Howard County, and Howard Bank recently partnered to co-loan $100,000 to Sasa LLC, a silver jewelry design company in Ellicott City.
A $50,000, seven-year loan from j-ref will be used for working capital for Sasa, which is owned by Sarah Johnston. Howard Bank also loaned $50,000 to the business, which plans to sell its products via retail outlets nationwide through a distribution network of independent sales representatives. Sasa LCC designs and fabricates all jewelry prototypes in its Ellicott City studio.

The Siegel Group Nevada Selects Micros Opera Lite for Casinos
Columbia-based Micros Systems has announced that The Siegel Group Nevada, a commercial real estate company, has selected the Opera Lite Property Management System (PMS) and myfidelio web booking engine for two newly acquired properties, the Gold Spike Hotel & Casino and Resort on Mount Charleston.
The Siegel Group Nevada also has selected the Opera Sales and Catering and MICROS 9700 systems for the Resort on Mount Charleston. Siegel purchased the Gold Spike Casino in downtown Las Vegas in February 2008 and renovated the property to include a new hotel system to suit the property's requirement for basic hotel management at a cost-effective price.

SAIC to Open 200,000 Square
Feet in Gateway
Science Applications International Corp. and the Trammell Crow Co. have executed one of the largest leases of office space in the Baltimore region this decade: a deal for 200,000 square feet at Columbia Gateway Business Park.
SAIC, a Fortune 500 scientific, engineering and technology applications company headquartered in San Diego, Calif., will consolidate employees from six locations and begin moving into the new building this summer. It is being leased from Trammell Crow, and it will allow SAIC to reduce its ecological footprint while increasing efficiency and bringing 200 new jobs to Howard County.

BWMC Breast Center Receives
National Accreditation
The Aiello Breast Center at Baltimore Washington Medical Center (BWMC) recently received national accreditation by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC). The center is one of only two statewide and 23 nationwide to receive the accreditation.
The NAPBC, administered by the American College of Surgeons, is a consortium of national professional organizations dedicated to improving the quality of care and monitoring of outcomes of patients with breast diseases. It began surveying breast programs for accreditation in September 2008.

New Police Facility to Open at
Arundel Mills
The Anne Arundel County Police Department is creating a Community Relations Division that will be headquartered at Arundel Mills. The new facility will be constructed and staffed using existing police and Arundel Mills resources.
"Arundel Mills and Anne Arundel County have established a long-standing working relationship to create one of the premier tourist attractions in the region," said County Executive John Leopold. "With support from the Simon Property Group, we will be creating a nimble, accessible and visible site that will make interaction between the police department and the community flow seamlessly."

Ciena Offering New Ethernet
Service Delivery Solutions
Linthicum-based Ciena Corp. has expanded its Carrier Ethernet Service Delivery (CESD) portfolio, including multiple new service delivery and aggregation switches, which leverage a common service-aware operating system and unified Ethernet management software.
The new platforms enable service providers to quickly and economically expand their addressable market for Carrier Ethernet services by meeting the needs of network locations that require higher bandwidth user connections and a broader set of aggregation and switching capabilities. These include enterprise locations, backhaul from wireless cell sites, multi-tenant unit buildings and outside plant cabinets.

Indiana-based Sports-Themed Restaurant to Wing It in Mid-Atlantic
Wings, Etc., a sports-themed restaurant, is planning to open 40 new locations in the mid-Atlantic region during the next five years, and KLNB Retail has been selected to oversee the East Coast entry and expansion program of the Indiana-based chain.
The chain currently operates 19 restaurants throughout Indiana, Illinois and Michigan that offer family dining and a separate bar area. Diners and bar patrons can choose from more than 50 imported and domestic beers, including 10 beers on tap.

Verizon Wireless to Hire 250
Customer Service Reps in Hanover
Verizon Wireless is hiring 250 customer service representatives to staff its call center in Hanover. For the eighth consecutive year, Verizon Wireless was recognized as a 2008 Working Mother 100 Best Company by Working Mother magazine.
In addition, the company added 1.2 million net new customers during the fourth quarter and became the wireless industry's largest carrier in 2008. Verizon Wireless now serves more than 80 million customers nationwide, and for the 17th consecutive quarter remained the nation's wireless leader in customer loyalty.

Former Corridor Inc.
Executives Found Firm
Two executives who helped to develop the local business news publication Corridor Inc. have formed a public relations and marketing firm, as former Publisher Tim O'Ferrall and former Managing Editor Donna DeMarco have founded The O'Ferrall Group in Elkridge.
"Despite the current climate, the Baltimore-Washington Corridor has many opportunities that companies can capitalize on now," said O'Ferrall, CEO of the new enterprise. "It's about connecting to the right people to take advantage of those opportunities."

Local Resident Dalton
Publishes New Book
Francie Dalton, founder of Dalton Alliances in Columbia and past adjunct faculty member at University of Maryland, has authored a new book, Versatility: How to Optimize Interactions When 7 Workplace Behaviors are at Their Worst.
Dalton offers a three-step process that helps businesses survive and prosper. The process includes taking sound, reasoned steps for product, service or staff reductions; using metrics to ensure continued high performance; and enacting measures to retain valued staff.

Martek to be Honored at 25th
National Space Tech Hall of Fame
Columbia-based Martek Biosciences was one of two companies that was recently honored by the Space Technology Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Martek was cited for its pioneering use of the microalgae found in food supplements that are used as a food supply, oxygen source and waste disposal catalyst on long-duration interplanetary space missions. It is now found in nearly all U.S. infant formulas and in infant formulas in more than 75 other countries. The other entity honored, NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, was cited for its efforts to reduce drag on large trucks to improve fuel efficiency and handling.

TBB Global Logistic, One
World Sourcing Form Alliance
TBB Global Logistics, a third-party supply chain management firm; and One World Sourcing, a strategic sourcing company; have formed a strategic business alliance to offer clients expanded global sourcing and supply chain services.
"TBB is the definitive global supply chain resource for small and mid-sized companies looking to gain a competitive edge," said Samuel Polakoff, president of TBB Global Logistics. "Our relationship with One World Sourcing will enable our clients to significantly reduce costs while making ease of entry into global markets a reality."

NGC, Lockheed Martin Mark First Successful Powered Flight of the Longbow Radar
The Longbow Limited Liability Company, a joint venture of Northrop Grumman Corp. and Lockheed Martin, recently marked the first successful powered flight of the Radar Electronics Unit configuration of the Longbow Fire Control Radar onboard an AH-64D Apache Block III prototype attack helicopter.
The Longbow Fire Control Radar system enables the Apache Longbow to rapidly search, detect, locate, classify, prioritize and engage both moving and stationary targets.

Alumnus Pledges $1M to Bowie State
Bowie State University alumnus and businessman William Teel, Jr. recently pledged a million dollars to the school, which is the largest gift ever in the school's 144-year history.
Teel is the founder, president and CEO for 1 Source Consulting, which was recognized by Inc. magazine as one of the nation's fastest growing private companies in 2006. Black Enterprise Magazine ranked the company as a top 100 African-American-owned business in 2007 and DiversityBusiness.com listed it as one of the Top 50 Small Businesses in Maryland for 2005 and 2006.

HCGH Staffing New Patient Pavilion, Offering Job Opportunities
Howard County General Hospital (HCGH) is offering job opportunities to staff its new patient pavilion. "Howard County General Hospital started the new patient pavilion project when the economy was thriving," said Vic Broccolino, HCGH president and CEO. "While we envisioned the positive impact it would have on the community, we didn't have a clue that the opening would come at such a critical time for Howard County."
According to Maryland labor statistics, Howard County saw another rise in unemployment in February, from 4.6% in January to 5.2%. Unemployment in the county doubled from one year earlier.

More Funding for AAACCVB
Just Gov's Signature Away
Senate Bill, 11, the Anne Arundel County Tourism & Economic Development Act of 2009, is on its way to Gov. Martin O'Malley's desk for endorsement. The legislation will provide the Annapolis & Anne Arundel County Conference and Visitors Bureau (AAACCVB) with a dedicated source of revenue funded through county hotel tax receipts.
The mandated revenue stream will be phased in at a rate of 7% of the total hotel tax receipts for fiscal years 2010 and 2011. The level will increase to 8% in 2012 and 12.5% in 2013. It will cap at 17% in 2014 and remain at that level for each subsequent year.

Marriottsville Company Wins
Small Biz Achievement Award
Enterprise Solutions Realized (ESR), of Marriottsville, has won a 2009 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Small Business Achievement Award for its work with the Transportation Security Administration. The award was presented to Dennis Christmas, president of ESR, at a ceremony in Washington, D.C.
Kevin Boshears, director of the Office for Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization at the DHS, said that ESR received the award for its work at the Transportation Threat Assessment and Credentialing office on the effort "Consolidated Screening Gateway," a case management system for background adjudication.

BHC Wins Gold Hermes Award for Monarch Academy Launch
Bonnie Heneson Communications (BHC) recently received a gold Hermes Creative Award for the integrated marketing campaign the firm developed for Monarch Academy Public Charter School in Glen Burnie.
"Receiving this gold Hermes award is rewarding both for us as a creative firm and for our clients," said Bonnie Heneson, president of BHC. "We saw the campaign's true strength as the school exceeded projected class enrollment numbers by an average of 97%."