The nomination process for the Maryland Chamber’s Board of Directors is now open. All members of the board of directors must meet membership and financial expectations over the course of their 1-3 year terms. Efforts are made to balance the board’s diversity with regard to region, industry, size, race and gender. Please let us know if you are interested in serving.
Chairing this year’s Nominating Committee is Immediate Past Chairman Joe Slater, SMECO. Members of the committee include Tom Graham, Pepco Region; Sheela Murthy, Murthy Law Firm; Tim Adams, SA-Tech; Ellen Fish, CFG Community Bank; Sean Looney, Comcast; and Tom Morey, WRIT.
If you are a member in good standing and have an interest in serving on the board, please send a letter of intent to Kathy Snyder, President/CEO, at Maryland Chamber of Commerce, 60 West Street, Suite 100, Annapolis, MD 21401 by March 9 or email her at ksnyder@mdchamber.org.
Congratulations to all the finalists for the Maryland Chamber/Baltimore Business Journal’s Annual Business Philanthropy Awards. Each nominee will be recognized at a luncheon to be held on Wednesday, November 9, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Inner Harbor in Baltimore. The Maryland Chamber/BBJ awards are part of a larger program sponsored by Association of Fundraising Professionals Maryland Chapter as part of National Philanthropy Day. AFP-MD will honor students, Unsung Heroes, and Janet and Frank Kelley for their philanthropic efforts at the luncheon. Tickets are $50 per person. For more information, or to register, click here.
We are very pleased to again partner with the BBJ and AFP-MD to recognize the extraordinary charitable contributions made by businesses across the state. Employers of all sizes and types are helping non profits achieve their missions, through monetary and human resources every day. Without business help, many of these services would not exist, particularly during these tough economic times.
The winners of the Maryland Chamber/BBJ awards will not be announced until November 9. The finalists are:
- Ausley Associates, Inc. of Lexington Park
- Chef’s Expressions of Timoninum
- E-Structors of Elkridge
- Choice Hotels International of Silver Spring
- Fitzgerald Auto Malls based in Bethesda
- PNC Bank based in Baltimore
- Sheehy Auto Stores in Annapolis, Waldorf and Gaithersburg
- Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative based in Hughesville
- Verizon Wireless and Verizon Foundation based in Laurel
This update was originally posted on MDbizMedia. We’re cross-posting it here.
Helping Maryland become more business friendly is a major objective of the Maryland Chamber of Commerce. By connecting our members to other businesses throughout the State, we can broaden a company’s network of potential clients. From Ocean City to Wisp, from Waldorf to Aberdeen, our member companies provide quality products and services at competitive pricing, right here in Maryland. Our 800 plus member organizations employ 443,000 people in Maryland, making us the largest employer organization in the State.
The chamber business is unique in that every chamber is totally separate from one another, each with its own board of directors, policies, programs and networks. The name of the chamber tells you where most of their networking and advocacy efforts are done. A county chamber, for example, connects its members within that jurisdiction and then lobbies on their behalf before the county government and often with the county state delegation.
The Maryland Chamber has a much broader focus. With members statewide, we lobby state and federal governmental entities which impact our members. Transportation funding, taxes, unemployment insurance, health care and environmental issues are key areas of our lobbying effort. With two year-round lobbyists (Ron Wineholt and Allyson Black), a state tax consultant (Karen Syrylo) and me as the President/CEO, we work each day to promote a pro-business climate in Maryland.
Maryland is widely recognized as a very liberal state with powerful union and environment lobbies. As such, it becomes even more important for businesses of all sizes and types to join more than their trade association or local chamber. Connecting with the Maryland Chamber provides the network, advocacy and communications every business owner needs to build our economic base, create jobs and increase investment.
To learn more, join us at one of 20 briefings we will host throughout Maryland this Fall to educate businesses about issues that will come before the General Assembly when it meets in Special Session on October 17 or during the regular session which starts January 11, 2012. Business-to-business connections and effective advocacy on issues which impact your ability to grow your organization are our passion and our business.
I hope to see you then.
