Innovation + Job News

The International Dyslexia Association has launched an initiative to help parents of dyslexic and learning disabled children connect with one another and get the information that they're looking for to help their children. The initiative includes a lower membership price for parent members, a new bi-monthly news letter, and other tools for parent members.

The centerpiece of the new program is a website that allows parents of dyslexic and learning disabled children to connect with other parents dealing with the same issues. The private, secure forum allows parent members to post questions, have conversations, post photos and videos, and make connections within the dyslexia and learning disability community. The connection site is currently being tested in 12 markets.

The Timonium based International Dyslexia Association has up to this point been a resource that was tailored to the needs of clinicians, researchers, educators and other professionals in fields that contribute to dyslexia research and education. The initiative to make the IDA accessible to parents was spurred by large numbers of parent calls and emails to the IDA.

"We get phone calls and emails from parents all over the country. Our goal is to support our parents in any way that we can. One of the things that we see the most is that parents want to connect with other parents," says Kristi Bowman, Director of Development for the International Dyslexia Association.

The IDA will be continuing the parent outreach program with new informational materials designed for parents. The new parent focused informational brochures and other learning materials will be available later this year.


Writer: Amy McNeal
Source: Kristi Bowman, International Dyslexia Association

Hospice of the Chesapeake was looking for ways to raise money in a difficult fundraising environment. A group of Annapolis based philanthropists was looking for a non-profit to benefit from the first Annapolis Irish Festival that they were organizing in Crownsville. The result was a match that exceeded everyone's expectations.

Several thousand people attended the bustling festival on July 9th, and Hospice of The Chesapeake raised both funds and awareness of its activities in Maryland.

"A group in Annapolis wanted to to put on a festival to benefit a non-profit in the community and approached us. The turnout has been wonderful. It's been great to work and meet people, and we're all having fun," said Kathy Bourgard, Director of Volunteers for Hospice of the Chesapeake.

This is the first year for the Annapolis Irish Festival. The daylong celebration of Irish culture included musical performances by Irish rock bands, traditional entertainers, Irish dancers, food, and shopping. The festival also featured Gaelic Games sponsored by the Baltimore Gaelic Athletic Association, and a large children's activity area.

Hospice of the Chesapeake will be making use of the new influx of funds to support the foundation's many programs, including the Life Centers. The organization operates two Life Centers, in Annapolis and Landover. The Life Centers provide grief counseling for adults and children, assistance for patients with terminal illness and their families, perinatal support, and educational workshops for caregivers and grieving families. Hospice of the Chesapeake will receive all of the proceeds generated by the Annapolis Irish Festival.


Writer: Amy McNeal
Source: Kathy Bourgard, Hospice of the Chesapeake.

As BRAC enters its final phase, Maryland officials are looking for ways to ensure that job seekers are prepared to capitalize on the new opportunities that the program has brought to the area. Maryland has been awarded a $7.66 million National Emergency Grant to implement new programs for job seekers affected by BRAC. The state estimates that 6,500 people including Department of Defense civilian employees, contractors, and military spouses have been impacted by the BRAC program.

The grant is designated to fund state programs that help job seekers navigate the Federal employment system, land Federal jobs, and update their skills through training for jobs that have been brought to Maryland through BRAC. Money from the National Emergency Grant will be disbursed to employment programs administered by the Department of Labor Division of Workforce Development and Adult Learning. Funding will go to Maryland One Stop Employment Centers in 18 Maryland counties and Baltimore City. The Maryland Workforce Corporation will also be involved, distributing funds to the District of Columbia as part of the grant.

BRAC is expected to create thousands of jobs in Maryland, starting as early as September of this year. The state estimates that BRAC will create 20,000 direct Federal jobs in Maryland. State officials estimate that 40,000 more jobs will be created in Maryland by 2015 through growth from BRAC and related industries.


Writer: Amy McNeal
Source: The Office of The Lieutenant Governor of Maryland

American Dynamics Flight Systems is working on big things for the military of the future. The  aeronautic technology company has developed both a new Vertical Take-Off and Landing unmanned aircraft and a next generation missile launcher.

The AD-150 unmanned aircraft features High Torque Aerial Lift technology designed to maximize control over the aircraft. It also features a modular mission payload design, to enhance the aircraft's usefulness in carrying different payloads. Company president Wayne Morse points out that the versatility of the payload system design is a a key factor in making the unmanned aircraft useable for a variety of missions.

"A UAV can't be a one trick pony. It needs to be able to carry different cargo and weapons," says Wayne Morse, president of American Dynamics Flight Systems.

American Dynamics Flight Systems is also testing a next generation launcher, the LH-320, designed to work with Predators and other drones. The launcher is intended for use with smaller munitions than the commonly used Hellfire missile, allowing the drones to focus more precisely on targets. Smaller munitions and more precise strikes would mean minimized collateral damage.

A native of New York, Mr. Morse chose Maryland as the home of his firm for several reasons, including proximity to Washington D.C. and the testing facilities available at Aberdeen Proving Ground and The University of Maryland. The AD-150 is being developed for the US Navy Air Systems Command.

"I chose Maryland because I want to be close to my clients. University of Maryland engineering has been a great to work with," says Morse.

American Dynamics Flight Systems will be building these next generation weapons at their production facility in Jessup.


Writer: Amy McNeal
Source: Wayne Morse, American Dynamics Flight Systems

AVF Consulting is growing. The Towson-based company offers ERP business management software and IT consulting to clients in retail, education, and the nonprofit sector. AVF recently added four new clients to its roster. Unity Healthcare, Community Options, Inc. and The Albert B. Sabin Vaccine Institute, Inc. have signed on with AVF to implement new management and accounting software. Pet supply retailer Care-A-Lot is also working with AVF on IT solutions as it moves from an online operation to brick and mortar retail.

"We're an organization that focuses on helping nonprofits deploy newer accounting systems to help them become more efficient. We bring 25 years worth of experience to the table working with similar organizations, understanding how non-profits operate. We have the professionals on staff that help them get the most out of it," says Jeremy Fass, Executive Vice President of AVF Consulting.

The company is also looking to expand staff as it develops these new projects. AVF has just added new staff to focus on its newest division - - outsourced accounting services. They're also looking for nonprofit and retail implementation consultants.

"We're hiring and growing, very selectively," Fass says. "We're focused on hiring and retaining professionals who understand how to create solutions to people's problems."

The company recently started work on a solutions study with the American Psychiatric Association to explore possibly implementing new software. The project is in the early planning phases, as the two organizations explore the feasibility of the budget and requirements.


Writer: Amy McNeal
Source: Jeremy Fass, AVF Consulting, Inc.

Business coaching has been a growth industry in the economic downturn. As business owners seek new solutions to their problems, including work-life balance, growth strategies, and marketing, some entrepreneurs are adding a business coach to the company team.

"In many cases, the owner needs someone on the outside of their business to give them a different viewpoint. In other cases the owner needs to have a trusted adviser that they can be honest with and who will be honest with them. In almost all cases, the owner needs someone to serve in the capacity of an objective friend that will hold them accountable to getting results," says ActionCOACH certified business coach Gary Stokes.

Coaching fees can start at $100-500 for a one day workshop or seminar. One-on-one coaching can run into the thousands of dollars per month depending on the size and scope of the project and the business.

"Most businesses engaged in one-to-one coaching will invest around $2000 per month," Stokes says. "The average client for ActionCOACH stays with a program for over a year."

Business coaching has been trending upward in the last 5 years. In a 2010 survey of  over 1000 companies in diverse industries, The American Management Association found that 52% of them had coaching programs, and 37% of the companies that did not have a coaching program were working to implement one.


Writer: Amy McNeal
Source:  Gary Stokes, ActionCOACH; The American Management Association

Computer training firm Bit BY Bit has grown from from one entrepreneur's idea to a thriving company in downtown Hampden. Founder Kimberly Branch is using her company's success as an opportunity to give back to the community by providing computers to disadvantaged families in Baltimore.

"In providing training, I realized that a lot of people don't have computers in the home. How can they retain what they are learning or even keep pace with the rest of society with out access to technology?" Brand says.

"I ask clients, friends, family, anyone that I can think of for donations. I take the donations and refurbish them. Then I donate them to my students who need computers."

Branch's desire to use her company to help those in need was inspired by her own experiences. While receiving public assistance in the 1990's, Branch participated in a program offered through the Department of Housing and Urban Development that encouraged residents of public housing to take entrepreneurship and business training classes offered by The Women Entrepreneurs of Baltimore. Her experiences in the program encouraged her to both open her business and give back to the community.

"I started working with Housing clients and others who are considered to be a part of the 'economically disadvantaged' population, [and] I realized that people needed to see a real person who had come from where they are. A person who had a desire to make a change and despite the 'Nay Sayers' to take steps to do so," she says.

Bit BY Bit is continuing to grow with the changing technology market. The company is increasing its network and database security programs to meet increased demand for those services.


Writer: Amy McNeal
Source: Kimberly Branch, Bit BY Bit Computer Training

Venture Funding Network is searching for national affiliate marketing partners to promote its business connections website. The company began searching for partners in June through outreach efforts at business networking events and on the web.

The Columbia based startup launched the site in 2010. The platform is designed to facilitate connections between entrepreneurs, business finance professionals, and service providers in a variety of industries.  

"We're growing and looking at ways to involve more entrepreneurs, service providers, and financiers in our online community. Our platform provides a way for businesses to connect and foster growth," says Phillip Bradford, CEO of Venture Funding Network, LLC.

Strong early positive response to the site has given Venture Funding Network the impetus to roll out its national affiliate marketing program earlier than expected. The company is seeking experienced regional partners in all US and Canadian markets.

"We're looking for national affiliates to promote VFN as we expand. We want to work with businesses with strong local connections to provide greater growth opportunities in the economic recovery," Bradford says.

Venture Funding Network plans to begin announcing new partnerships as early as this fall.  


Writer: Amy McNeal
Source: Venture Funding Network, LLC

Advanced Technology & Research has been a specialist in robotics, motion control, and automation for over 30 years. In 2009, while looking for ways to keep the company relevant in the changing world of technology development, Rob Lundahl, Vice President for Automation and Systems at ATR, was inspired to get to work on a new product that could utilize existing infrastructure to create solar power.
 
"Driving to and from work every day," Lundahl says, "I saw light and utility poles all along the highway and in malls and shopping centers and thought, 'These are unused assets. Why not develop tracking mounts for solar panels that can be easily installed on light poles and produce grid-tied power to the local utility network accessible at the base of the pole?'"

The products that ATR developed on this theme include a one-panel, pole-mounted solar tracker that uses GPS to track the sun for optimal power output; a two-panel, ground-mounted tracker; a solar car charger; and a hybrid wind/solar power system. The ground-mounted, two-panel array was recently displayed at the Maryland Solar and Wind Expo.

"So far, we've seen lots of interest from consumers, businesses, and government agencies," Lundahl says. "We installed our first pole-mounted tracker for a very low cost at the ENVIRO CENTER, in Jessup, where it is generating energy as well as serving as an educational tool, including by displaying its power output online in real-time."

ATR produces the tracking mechanism and assembles the tracker at its Columbia facility. Triton Metals in Solomon's Island fabricates the tracking mount. ATR will be installing solar panels on a wind turbine on Tilghman Island in late June and will install its first solar-assisted car charger in Bethesda in late July.


Writer: Amy McNeal
Sources: Rob Lundahl, Alan Cohen, Advanced Research & Technology
 

Two prominent resources for job seekers, the U.S. Department of Labor and Manpower, have released reports on the employment situation in Maryland.

In the U.S. Department of Labor's May Jobs Report, Maryland is listed as one of four states with statistically significant job loss for the month. Maryland lost 13,300 non-farm jobs, placing the state fourth on the list for over the month job loss. The unemployment rate in Maryland is still below the national average, however -- 6.8%, as opposed to the national average of 9.1%.

Recruiting organization Manpower released a report on expected area third quarter hiring in Maryland.

The company's quarterly jobs survey, released June 14th, shows that 72% of the Maryland employers they surveyed intend to maintain their current staffing levels through the third quarter.

The Manpower report also includes some hopeful indicators for the Maryland jobs picture. Employers surveyed plan to decrease staff levels in the third quarter of 2011 by 5%, a significantly lower number than last year. Of the Maryland Employers surveyed, 20% intend to increase staff levels in the third quarter, up from 16% in the second quarter of 2011.


Writer: Amy McNeal
Sources: U.S Department of Labor, Manpower

Vehicles For Change, a nonprofit dedicated to providing vehicles to the disadvantaged in Maryland, D.C. and Virginia, is launching a new Art Van. The organization hopes the combination exhibit and ongoing art project on wheels will raise awareness for its program. 

The Art Van is a work in progress. Initial painting on the van's mural was done by the residents of the City Arts Apartments in Station North. After finding out about Vehicles For Change's desire to have an art car of their own, Danny Stuelpnagel, coordinator of the art cars exhibition at ArtScape, stepped in to coordinate the development of the Art Van.

Vehicles for Change will be taking the Art Van on tour this summer, visiting festivals and events around the state. The Art Van will be making appearances at the Annapolis Arts & Crafts Festival, Columbia Festival of the Arts, ROOTS Fest, and ArtScape.

At each stop, festival visitors will be encourages to explore the Art Van's interactive features. Festival goers will be encourages to contribute to the ongoing art project by taking up brushes to further embellish the Art Van. Visitors will also be able to interact with the Art Van by playing a game with the magnetic pieces attached to the van. The game is designed to raise awareness about the challenges faced by low-income families without cars.

Vehicles For Change has donated more than 3,500 vehicles to the disadvantaged in the area since its inception in 1999. The Art Van is being underwritten by Precision Tune and PNC Bank. The festivals at which the Art Van is appearing have waived exhibitor fees for the community outreach project, and local merchants have donated the prizes used in the game.

Author: Amy McNeal

Source: Robin Yasinow, Vehicles For Change

 

The newly opened Fells Point Farmer's Market offers the neighborhood fresh opportunities for growth. Merchants offering meat, herbs, produce, baked goods and more are setting up shop in the square on Saturdays, providing the neighborhood with both new food choices and a gathering spot.

 

Opened under the auspices of Fells Point Main Street, the market has been an immediate success.  Vendors are being added to the mix, with five new vendors expected to be added in the next few weeks.

For some vendors, this market provides the opportunity to start their businesses and explore the possibility of pursuing their passions as a profitable enterprise. Baker Teresa Pessaro had been creating her vegan treats for friends and clients for some time before she decided to take a shot at expanding her enterprise Goody Goody Gumdrops with a stall at the market.

"There's been a good, positive response. There's so many people in the neighborhood, and with the water taxi and tourists, you meet a lot of different people. I've gotten good feedback." says Teresa Pessaro.

The market is focused on both building a better community in Fells Point and providing opportunities for residents to get fresh food. Fells Point Main Street is looking to expand the market's offerings, and find ways to give back to the neighborhood.

"We're all about supporting the neighborhood, getting people to shop local and stay local. What a better way than to make it so that people can wake up, grab a head of lettuce or something from the market and stay in the neighborhood." says Fell's Point Main Street volunteer Nathalie Mageria.

The market will run every Saturday until November 12. Fells Point Main Street is accepting applications for new vendors, and recruiting volunteers.

Author: Amy McNeal

Sources: Nathalie Mageria, Fells Point Main Street; Teresa Pessaro, Goody Goody Gumdrops

 

Tourism is heating up for the summer in Baltimore. As the city enters a summer packed with headline-making events like the Grand Prix and Baltimore Pride, the hospitality sector is looking forward to a busy and profitable season. 

"Tourism is lifting itself, and doing very well," says Tom Noonan, President and CEO of Visit Baltimore. 

At the Inner Harbor, increased tourism spending is providing opportunities for growth. The Rusty Scupper, a staple of the Inner Harbor tourist trade, expects revenues to increase 25% this year. The National Aquarium and The Maryland Science Center are also experiencing increases in visitor traffic and revenue. Baltimore's popular free bus service, The Charm City Circulator is experiencing increased ridership, and expects to reach 2 million riders this year. 

Visit Baltimore has taken the expected increase in tourism seriously. Through its Certified Tourism Ambassador program, Visit Baltimore aims to have hundreds of specially trained personnel around the city to provide welcoming help to visitors. The program will train hospitality industry workers, police officers, cab drivers and workers in other tourism related industries to help tourists navigate the city and answer questions about history, venues and landmarks. 

"We're training a knowledgeable force, so that as a guest you'll run into someone who is certified, has taken a class and passed an exam," adds Noonan. 

Hotel occupancy is increasing, fueled by both a rebounding travel market and a healthy convention business downtown. Baltimore's hoteliers are adding approximately 2,500 new rooms to handle the increased demand. The city's hospitality profile will increase with the addition of the new Four Seasons Hotel in 2012.

Author: Amy McNeal

Source: Tom Noonan, Visit Baltimore

Integrated BioTherapeutics, a firm that specializes in developing vaccines for infectious diseases and countermeasures for bio-terrorism threats, is growing. The company recently moved into a new, larger facility in the Gaithersburg Accelerator.

The move to a larger facility was spurred by the need for more secure, dedicated lab space as the company develops new vaccine technology. Integrated BioTherapeutics was recently awarded a grant from The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious diseases to develop a second-generation Ebola vaccine in partnership with the University of Texas Medical Branch. The company also received a grant from NIAID in 2010 for research and development of a Staphylococcus vaccine. The second phase of that research project is due to wrap up this year. Integrated BioTherapeutics is currently working on projects to create vaccines for a host of infectious diseases, including Dengue Fever, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Marburg Viruses and Ebola. 

"We have a drive to make something that changes the world, to create a vaccine that mutes something that effects people. We strive to help others do that too," says Rob Galioto, Director of Business Development at Integrated BioTherapeutics.

Integrated Bio Therapeutics was recently honored at the inaugural TEDCO ICE awards as Company of the Year. The award was given in recognition of the company's growth. Since its launch in 2008, Integrated BioTherapeutics has secured over $30 million in government research funding, and increased its staff size from one employee to 30. The company is expecting to add five to ten staff positions in the next year.

Author: Amy McNeal

Source: Rob Galioto, Integrated BioTherapeutics

Change Matters, a social enterprise consulting firm, has become Maryland's first Benefit LLC. The Takoma Park-based company advises Maryland non-profit and social purpose businesses.

"This designation honors and recognizes the way we want to do business. In a balanced way. And really in a way that puts serious emphasis on community improvement and environmental stewardship. I do think that this designation is a differentiation factor," says Change Matters, Benefit LLC founder and principal Amy Kincaid.

The Benefit LLC structure is the first of its kind in the US. Maryland's Benefit Corporation law took effect last October, making Maryland the first state to recognize a specific corporate designation for companies that choose to balance financial concerns with social and environmental missions. The statute creating the designation was signed by Governor Martin O'Malley in May, 2011.

June 1, 2011 was the first day that companies could file for organization as a Benefit LLC. In addition to Change Matters, other Maryland firms are pursuing the Benefit LLC designation. Substance 151, a Baltimore-based communications firm, was the second company to file. Clean Currents, a wind and solar energy provider, has also filed for the designation.

"There are no direct, clear financial incentives to doing this. Even though I do think there is potential value to the state to encouraging this kind of business, there are no tax incentives, there are no special procurement points, marketing business development assistance, or such," continues Amy Kincaid. "I believe this kind of economic activity can generate perhaps modestly, but deeply and sustainably, local jobs and revenue and community assets, innovation toward solving social problems."

Change Matters founder Amy Kincaid will be moderating the panel discussion "Social Enterprise: When Your Business Is Changing The World" at July's ThinkBig Baltimore conference.


Writer: Amy McNeal
Source: Amy Kincaid, Change Matters, Benefit LLC