June 1, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: William Burns, Director of Communications
(410) 269-0642, (301) 261-2858

Maryland Chamber Announces Small
Business of the Year Award Winners

Baltimore, MD (June 1, 2007) - The Maryland Chamber of Commerce today awarded its annual Small Business of the Year Awards during its Growing Business, Celebrating Success event at the Hilton Baltimore BWI Airport Hotel. The awards program is designed to recognize the dedication, innovation and entrepreneurial spirit displayed by small businesses in Maryland.

“Small business is the cornerstone of our economy, not just in Maryland but throughout the country,” said Maryland Chamber Chairman Betty Buck, President of Buck Distributing Co., Inc. “It is you the entrepreneurs who design our newest technologies, improve how we work and how we live, employ the most people, and who form the very fabric of our communities.  Small business is our future and today is your day to shine.”

This year’s winners are:

Small Business of the Year – 1-5 Employees
Strategic Management Partners

A nationally recognized turnaround management firm specializing in interim executive leadership, turnaround and crisis management, strategic repositioning, and corporate renewal. Based in Annapolis, the company remains small and focused by design, and measures its success in terms of client company growth, assets recovered, and jobs saved and created. Strategic Management Partners has many client turnaround success stories. From a $59 million federal systems integrator to a $4.8 million commercial printer, Strategic Management Consultants has saved companies, and jobs, in Maryland and throughout the country. Strategic Management Partners’ nomination was supported by the Maryland Chamber of Commerce and the Annapolis/Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce.

Small Business of the Year – 6-50 Employees
Howard Bank

The only locally owned and locally operated bank in Howard County, offering a broad range of commercial and retail banking services. During its first 32 months of operation, Howard Bank has achieved significant growth. It has reached $150 million in assets, doubled its number of full time employees, generated a 40 percent return to original shareholders, achieved a market share in Howard County just outside the top 10 (out of almost 30 institutions), won awards for growth and community involvement, and contributed financially or through staff involvement to more than 50 not-for-profit organizations. While achieving this impressive growth, Howard Bank has also shown a strong commitment to the community. Bank officers and directors are actively involved on boards of more than 25 organizations, and the bank employs five graduates of Leadership Howard County. Howard Bank’s nomination was supported by the Howard County Chamber of Commerce.

Small Business of the Year – 51-200 Employees
Frederick Aviation

Frederick Aviation has been serving the general aviation community for nearly 40 years, offering numerous services including aircraft charter and management, aircraft maintenance, ground services, aircraft sales, and more. The company has helped make Frederick Municipal Airport the second busiest airport in Maryland, with more than 130,000 operations per year. From 2004 to 2006, the company has experienced steady growth in income and profits.  It has also experienced a 19 percent increase in charter hours, flying well over 1 million miles in 2006. The company recently added two private jets to its charter fleet, bringing its total to six available corporate aircraft for charter. It is an active member of the Frederick County Chamber, and the company supports numerous charitable organizations including the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Hospice of Frederick County, American Cancer Society, and many others. Frederick Aviation’s nomination was supported by the Frederick County Chamber of Commerce.

Partner in Business Award: (Non-Profits Only)
Junior Achievement of Central Maryland

A nonprofit organization that works to educate and inspire young people to value free enterprise, understand business and economics and be workforce ready. The organization relies on the business community for financial support, but also for the volunteers it needs to make its programs such a success. Working with Maryland school systems and the business community, Junior Achievement provides children of all ages hands-on financial literacy programs. All of the programs are taught by business role model volunteers. Local business volunteers are encouraged to add relevancy to the curriculum by discussing their own work experiences. In addition to its in-school financial literacy programs, Junior Achievement’s Exchange City program provides experiential and interdisciplinary learning through a combination of in-class instruction and on-site application. Exchange City is a 10,000 square foot miniature city. After taking an 8-week Junior Achievement curriculum in a school, the entire 5th grade runs the city for one day and learns first hand what it takes to create a business, produce a newspaper, supervise employees, hold elected office, and earn and manage money, credit and debt. Junior Achievement of Central Maryland’s nomination was supported by the Better Business Bureau of Greater Maryland

In all, there were 35 companies nominated. Nominees for the awards program must be a member of the state or a local chamber of commerce, have a permanent business location with employee(s) in Maryland, and have been in operation for a minimum of two years. The judging panel for the awards program was comprised of representatives of Maryland's business media, including Washington Smart CEO magazine, the Baltimore Examiner and Corridor Inc. Criteria upon which the nominees were judged include performance, growth, innovation, creativity, competitiveness, community involvement and more.

This was the awards program’s sixth year. Previous winners include Advance Business Systems, HarVest Bank of Maryland, Millennium Marketing Solutions, Colosseum Gym & Personal Training, Correct RX Pharmacy Services, British & American Auto Care, and many others.

About the Maryland Chamber
The Maryland Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit coalition of 850 businesses who employ more than 440,000 people in the state. Its mission is to maximize opportunities for its members to grow and prosper. For more information about the Chamber, visit its website, www.mdchamber.org or call (410) 269-0642 or (301) 261-2858.

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