From FMA President, Rosemary Budd
It’s been a tremendous year of growth and significant impact for the Fort Meade region.
With BRAC behind us, we must now focus on how to handle the influx of people and the new opportunity BRAC has presented to the community. There is a new regional landscape with the stand up of U.S. Cyber Command, the expansion of the National Security Agency and the move of the Defense Information Systems Agency, Defense Media Activities and Department of Defense Adjudications to Fort Meade.
The Fort Meade Alliance (FMA) is doing its part to assist with this next phase of the Fort Meade region’s growth. Our strong organization, made up of 270 member companies who represent 60,000 regional employees, already has made strides in connecting the business community to meet the needs of this region.
Earlier this year, our annual education forum focused on cybersecurity. It was geared to educators and workforce development officials so they could more readily identify specific recommendations and actions that needed to be addressed in a cyber education curriculum and workforce needs.
Our Project SCOPE initiative has been expanded statewide, offering every high school in Maryland an opportunity to incorporate “Security Clearance Overview and Preparation Education” (SCOPE) into their curriculum. We expanded the initiative to focus on two-year and four-year college graduates, and professionals who are re-entering the workforce or changing careers, and help them obtain security clearances.
Although many of our programs are focused on the region, we have not lost sight of those who have sacrificed so much for our country.
Together with the help of the business community, the FMA assisted in delivering the completed Soldier and Family Assistance Center with a $135,000 community fundraising effort. We assisted in planning, purchasing and outfitting the new facility for the ribbon cutting last November and the official SFAC opening in February. Our public-private effort even received national recognition when Fort Meade and the FMA were awarded the 2010 Secretary of Army Quality of Life Partnership Award.
The continued growth of this region has given our business community the unique opportunity to create a regional impact and really make a difference.
From West Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Claire Louder
We’re really excited about all the great things that are happening in West County, with something new seemingly every day. On Fort Meade, Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) personnel are moving in at a rapid pace, expansion continues at NSA and the U.S. Cyber Command is taking shape.
In the community, the Odenton Town Center is finally becoming a reality, with construction underway at The Village at Odenton Station, Town Center Commons, Odenton Gateway and the Courts of Bonaventure, with the Seven Oaks Office Building completed and ready for leasing.
In Hanover, Arundel Preserve soon will be opening, with the spotlight on The Hotel at Arundel Preserve, with 10,000 square feet of conference space, and the adjoining Residences at Arundel Preserve. Meanwhile, at nearby Arundel Mills, construction of The Cordish Company’s Maryland Live! entertainment facility is finally underway and expected to open in mid-2012.
Finally, The Village South at Waugh Chapel is poised to open in mid-2012 with a variety of amenities, including Wegmans, Target, Petco, Dick’s Sporting Goods and the Regal Cinemas multiplex.
What’s the chamber’s role in everything happening here? First, we keep our members informed about what’s happening now, what’s coming and what opportunities exist for their businesses. Second, we connect them to those opportunities by introducing them to compatible businesses, offering networking events where they can meet others with similar interests and helping them expand their business marketing through new tools like social media.
Third, we advocate for our members on issues ranging from transportation funding to taxation to minimum wage rates, testifying at both the county and state level. Finally, we promote our members’ businesses through our searchable online web site, our full-color relocation guide distributed to newcomers at Fort Meade and in the community, and at community events throughout West County.
We are particularly proud of the role our Military Affairs Committee plays in connecting our members to the personnel and families of Fort Meade, where you will find them supporting events like the Military Child Fun Fair, NSA Armed Forces Week Sports Day and the Annual Army-Navy Flag Football Tailgate Party.
From the BWI Business Partnership Chairman Tom Osborne
Just one year ago, the BWI Business Partnership celebrated its 25th anniversary and, throughout the year, launched new programs and set the stage for our success in the future.
BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport had another record-breaking year, with passenger traffic exceeding all previous records. The merger of Southwest Airlines with AirTran, BWI’s two largest carriers, was announced; and, for this spring/summer travel season, Southwest offers more flights to more destinations than at any time previously.
Our work with the federal agencies relocating to Fort Meade under the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) recommendations became very real and, working with our partners, we launched MeadeRide, a commuter program of carpools, vanpools, subscription buses and shuttles aimed at alleviating the traffic congestion that such a major influx of employees could create. A true success, you now can see the buses and vans rolling in and out of Fort Meade every workday.
Central Maryland Regional Transit (CMRT) played a pivotal role in that success. We continue to devote ourselves to this project as Fort Meade continues to grow and new agencies, such as the U.S. Cyber Command, promise to keep the momentum going.
Our next step — again, working with our partners — is to broaden our outreach to the business community around Fort Meade, as well as to employees already working at the installation.
The Inter-County Connector (ICC) opened its first segment and, along with the cars on the new highway, buses began rolling to both BWI Marshall and Fort Meade earlier this year. This long-awaited, east-west access to our region, 40 years in the works, was but another transportation project long advocated by the partnership.
We celebrated the 10th anniversary of Arundel Mills, just as the shopping complex — the state’s top tourist destination — took its next huge step with the approval of a casino and entertainment complex, which is slated to open in 2012.
During the last year, during our signature breakfast programs, we emphasized a regional approach, kicking off the year with the mayor of Baltimore, Stephanie Rawlings-Blake. It is our goal to bring to the podium speakers whose daily decisions affect the lives of so many in the region, such as recent guests U.S. Sens. Barbara Mikulski and Ben Cardin. We also welcomed Lt. Gen. Carroll Pollett, director of the Defense Information Systems Agency, to Maryland in April.
As this is written, we launch our summer’s work, devising a strategic plan, while looking at the partnership’s strengths and where we intend to pilot this organization as we go forward. We have had tremendous support from our members and elected officials, who share with us a belief in the strong future of this growing, exciting mid-Maryland region.
From NAACCC CEO, Fran Schmidt
What a difference a year makes. At this time last year, the Northern Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce (NAACCC) was in the middle of a total renovation project on the building it had purchased in downtown Glen Burnie. The project is now complete and the NAACCC office has been moved to 7439 Baltimore-Annapolis Boulevard.
As the chamber’s permanent home, the building now serves as the center of business activity for Northern Anne Arundel County. The large board room with its configurable table and comfortable chairs already serves as a meeting place for the chamber’s referral groups, the SCORE Roundtable and community group meetings. It can be quickly rearranged to classroom seating for business resource seminars and other programs.
The NAACCC building also is home to the Business Resource Center, which contains information on services provided by Anne Arundel Economic Development Corp. and other government agencies.
Combining the warmth and charm of a local building with services provided by the NAACCC has long been the goal of CEO Fran Schmidt, who wants everyone who visits the chamber building to feel warmly welcomed and to feel at home using the chamber facilities.
Adding to the hometown feel, the walkway leading to the chamber building is full of personalized bricks from local businesses and the community. A meditation garden with more personalized bricks soon will be installed near the walkway so that more people can add their personal dedications.
Judging by the large increase in chamber membership during the past year, the NAACCC is definitely doing something right. In any given month, members can attend a multi-chamber power networking breakfast, a business women’s luncheon and an after-hours networking mixer. It also emcees many ribbon-cutting ceremonies and grand openings for new businesses, so there is always something happening.
The NAACCC will continue to grow and thrive as businesses continue to rebound from the recession. It’s an integral part of the community and will always promote better business, a stronger community and a brighter future for everyone in Anne Arundel County.
