Innovation + Job News

SmartCEO Publishing, a regional business magazine publisher based in Baltimore, will expand into the Philadelphia area in August. The new edition, Philadelphia SmartCEO, edition will feature entrepreneur and former Philadelphia 76ers owner Pat Croce on the cover of the premier edition.

SmartCEO will host a kick-off party with title sponsor Leopard Hanhausen on September 16 at the Franklin Institute, inviting local business leaders to join us in celebrating our entry into the Philadelphia market.

Founded in 2001 by Craig Burris, SmartCEO magazine has been educating, motivating and inspiring its C-level readers for nearly a decade. The publisher expanded five years ago to also include a Washington, DC, edition.

"We are proud to be an indispensable resource for leaders of growing businesses," Burris says. "With the addition of Philadelphia, SmartCEO will reach more than 50,000 C-level readers in the mid-Atlantic." 

In November, SmartCEO's expansion will also bring its BRAVA! Women Business Achievement Awards program to the Philadelphia market, highlighting 25 top female business leaders. In January, SmartCEO will recognize 50 of Philadelphia's fastest-growing companies with its prestigious Future 50 Awards.

Source: SmartCEO
Writer: Walaika Haskins

The Downtown Partnership of Baltimore (DPOB) has launched a new website in conjunction with the Project for Public Spaces, an internationally recognized non-profit focused on placemaking, as part of the planning process in its Downtown Open Space Master Plan, which it hopes will revitalize the open spaces in Downtown Baltimore.

"Hand in hand with our strategic plan for downtown, we're looking at the fact that downtown isn't just buildings and streets. It's open spaces. It's restaurants with outdoor dining. It's streetscapes. It's that whole combination that determines what a place feels like," says Nan Rohrer, vice president of Economic Development and Planning.

Baltimore-based landscape architecture, planning, and urban design firm, Mahan Rykiel Associates, Inc. has been tapped to lead the development of the Master Plan. The goal is to create a plan that will inspire residents, office workers and visitors to leave the close confines of the buildings and take to the streets.

The site, the first from Project for Public Spaces, will allow anyone with an opinion about the Master Plan the opportunity to contribute their two cents about the project.

"If you live here, work here or are just bopping through it's about focusing on what makes your experience complete. This is an easy way to get people involved. It gets them in the loop. It only takes about 5 or 10 minutes, and they don't have to sit through a meeting. Regardless of what their role is downtown, these are just as much their spaces and they are the users of those spaces. This is how we get them involved in telling us what they want," Rohrer adds.

Working in collaboration with the Baltimore Department of Planning and the Baltimore Development Corporation, Downtown Partnership has commissioned the Downtown Open Space Master Plan to preserve and enhance existing parks and green spaces, recommend new open space opportunities, and identify ways to unify these spaces into a more comprehensive and interconnected open space network.

Source: Nan Rohrer, Downtown Partnership of Baltimore
Writer: Walaika Haskins

Juxtopia, a Baltimore-based biomedical and information technology company focused on improving human performance mainly in the areas of learning and health, has teamed with Johns Hopkins Hospital to create a surgical navigation system based on Juxtopia's innovative goggle technology.

"When a surgeon like Ben Carson is working on a brain, they often have to look up at monitors displaying the CAT scans and monitors that track how the patient is doing. There is an occupational hazard though with these long surgeries that require physician's to repeatedly look up and then try to map a screen that he sees at a distance to make precise cuts iwith a scalpel n the brain of the patient. With a lot of practice you can get good at, but still mistakes can be made," explains Jayfus Doswell, Juxtopia's CEO.

"It's not the easiest thing to do. It's almost like driving a car in reverse when you don't have rear view mirrors. You can look behind you and hope you don't hit anything, but why not just get a rearview mirror," he continues.

Funded by a $500,000 National Science Foundation grant, the collaboration will assist in the development of a Wearable Intelligent Navigation System for Surgery (WINSS). The WINSS software will be developed as a Wearable Augmented Reality-based Surgical Navigation System for distribution through the Juxtopia Wearable Augmented Reality Goggles.

The WINSS technology would display all the information a surgeon needs on the lenses of the goggles.The voice activated/deactivated goggles, will enable surgeons to navigate various medical images that assist surgical procedures while keeping their hands and eyes focused on the patient.

"Everything runs through our headset so we'll create the alogrithms and software, and make the interface," says Doswell.

The project is slated to begin in September.


Source: Jayfus Doswell, Juxtopia
Writer: Walaika Haskins

Baltimore Medical System's (BMS) new Highlandtown Healthy Living Center officially received LEED-Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council last week.

The Highlandtown Healthy Living Center is the first Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in the country to receive LEED-Platinum Certification. The award was presented by Peter Templeton, President of the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI).

BMS had not initially planned to build a green building, says Jay Wolvovsky, president and CEO. Once the healthcare organization decided to build an entirely new building, The Knott Foundation, an early funder, challenged BMS to think about building an environmentally-friendly facility that met LEED standards.

"We didn't know anything about it at all and had to do a fair amount of investigation. As we learned more, we were able to draw our own conclusions about the linkage between environmental factors and our patients' health. What is the environment of an inner city neighborhood? What are the environmental factors associated with a neighborhood that doesn't have a lot of green in it? What's the impact on water and air quality, or of lead in paint on houses? What's the environmental impact of not having enough parkland in the area so people can get exercise, keep their weight down and deal with their diabetes, obesity and heart disease," he explains.

As BMS leaders continued to weigh these factors, they began setting the bar higher and higher until finally the decision was made to go for LEED-Platinum. "It became a mission and a passion that this building would stand for more than just being the best space for us to deliver our healthcare services in. It was going to be a standard bearer for the organization, making a statement about ourselves and what we believe in and what we think is the next frontier for healthcare � dealing with public health issues, including the environment, diversity, and healthcare disparities."

The building delivers comprehensive primary care to more than 22,000 patients from over 50 countries each year. Baltimore Medical System is the largest provider of primary health care to medically underserved communities in Maryland. BMS provides special services to help uninsured, non-English speaking and other high need patient groups access care. Over 48,000 people each year receive medical services and education at BMS's six health centers throughout Baltimore City and County and six City school-based locations.

Source: Jay Wolvovsky, Baltimore Medical System
Writer: Walaika Haskins

The Neighborhood Grants Program of the Baltimore Community Foundation (BCF) recently awarded $85,647 in grants to 23 community-led projects in neighborhoods across Baltimore City and County.

The BCF neighborhood grants fund a varietyy of projects like community gardens, neighborhood signs, and community festivals that have been proposed by a community organization. They reflect various interests and causes, with each project underlining the value of citizen power in action and how community organizations mobilize residents to complete a neighborhood project, build new leadership, or strengthen existing leadership within neighborhoods.

In Remington, for example, residents are working to provide constructive summer activities for neighborhood youth by organizing a first annual summer science camp. The 10-week program will provide young people with an exciting and enriching outlet during the summer months and into the fall, with lessons on steam engines, hot air balloons, solar ovens, and bio-fuels. The camp will help keep neighborhood youth off the streets and engaged in healthy activity while at the same time providing academic enrichment to combat the summer learning loss.

"The Neighborhood Grants Program is in many ways at the heart of what we do at BCF," says BCF President and CEO Tom Wilcox. "Our support of resident-led efforts to strengthen neighborhoods is a crucial investment in the life of our city, and one central to our vision of a Baltimore with a growing economy where all have the opportunity to thrive."

BCF's Neighborhood Grants Program is supported in part by the William Donald Schaefer Civic Fund at BCF, created in 2008 as a living legacy for Governor Schaefer, one that honors and perpetuates his commitment to Baltimore's neighborhoods.

BCF's 2010 Neighborhood Grants Program awards include:

Better Waverly Community Organization (Abell, Better Waverly) - $5,000
To attract more residents and merchants to Waverly's commercial corridor by designing, publishing and distributing a self-guided historic walking tour brochure focused on the area.

C.A.R.E. Community Association (Middle East) - $5,000
To discourage illegal dumping by reclaiming and beautifying a vacant lot in Baltimore's Middle East neighborhood.

Cherry Hill Community Coalition (Cherry Hill) - $5,000
To engage adults and middle school youth from Baltimore's Cherry Hill neighborhood in establishing the Eat Healthy, Live Healthy Community Garden, which will offer farm shares to community residents.

Duncan Street Miracle Gardens (Broadway East) - $3,892.95
To help this long-standing and successful community garden pursue a rodent abatement campaign.

Edmondson Heights Civic Association (Edmondson Heights) - $2,087.50
To increase neighborhood visibility and resident pride by installing a neighborhood sign in the center of the community.

Fells Prospect Community Association (Fells Prospect) - $4,900
To discourage and reduce littering, graffiti, and crime in the neighborhood by gating a problematic alley and transforming it into a community green space.

Greater Remington Improvement Association (Remington) - $1,384.68
For the first annual Remington Science Summer Camp, a 10-week Saturday workshop series for neighborhood youth that runs from late summer through the first weeks of the school year.

Hanlon Improvement Association (Hanlon-Longwood) - $3,000
To increase the number of active community association members by hosting a day-long forum that will explore neighborhood issues and community building solutions through resident focus groups.

Hezekiah Movement (Roundhouse) - $2,000
To support the Our Families in Healing Program's participation in the SoWeBo Recovery Expo, an event that provides Southwest Baltimore residents with information and resources related to addiction recovery services and drug prevention.

Lutherville Community Association (Lutherville) - $2,357
To improve community cohesion and neighborhood identification by installing a community sign, park benches, and greenery on land that sits at the neighborhood's gateway.

Madison East End Multipurpose Center (Madison East End) - $3,250
To promote healthy eating and exercise among neighborhood youth by conducting interactive workshops that incorporate technology and field trips to address issues of proper nutrition, mental health, and physical fitness..

Milton/Montford Improvement Association (Milton/Montford, Madison East End) - $3,160
To fund a summer peace camp for neighborhood youth, ages 6-13, that offers computer classes, arts and crafts, gardening, leadership development, and field trips.

Monument East Development (Dunbar/Broadway) - $1,300
To promote community pride and resident interaction by holding a Monument East Community Day celebration.

New Greenmount West (Greenmount West) - $4,942.50
To increase community engagement, awareness, and interaction by launching a neighborhood communications campaign that includes the use of community bulletin boards, newsletters, community dinners, new resident welcome packets, and a Greenmount West stories booklet.

Oliver Community Association (Oliver) - $3,500
To promote community involvement and social interaction through two "Evening of Jazz" events, featuring live jazz performances, poetry, art, and local vendors.

Overlea Community Association (Overlea) - $5,000
For the Lead On! Overlea project, a year-long leadership and community organizing training for neighborhood residents.

Richnor Springs Neighborhood Association (Richnor Springs) - $3,000
To improve neighborhood safety through Operation Safelight, a project to install energy efficient light bulbs and timing mechanisms on porch lights of neighborhood homes to ensure that the community's streets are illuminated from "dusk 'til dawn."

Seton Hill Association (Seton Hill) - $4,000
To raise awareness about the neighborhood by holding La Fete Francaise, a free community event with an emphasis on the neighborhood's historic French origins and featuring live music, French-themed food and drink, performers, art displays, and walking tours of neighborhood landmarks.

St. Frances Neighborhood Center (Reservoir Hill) - $4,772.61
To provide information and services to neighborhood residents by hosting the 5^th annual Reservoir Hill Resource Fair, which will feature employment, health, and academic vendors in a block party atmosphere.

Stevenswood Improvement Association (Stevenswood) - $5,000
To promote community pride and awareness by installing lamp post street banners featuring the name of the neighborhood, as well as by beautifying the neighborhood gateways with new planters.

Union Square Association (Union Square) - $5,000
To beautify three target blocks in the neighborhood by conducting trash clean-ups and installing and maintaining planters and raised beds for flowers, plants, and trees.

West Edmondale Community Association (Gwynn Oak) - $3,100
To engage residents in a neighborhood-wide clean-up and beautification project by holding a "Motivation Day" contest that will reward blocks claiming the greatest number of participants.

Windsor Hills Neighbors (Windsor Hills) - $5,000
To raise the neighborhood's profile and increase resident pride by cleaning up and beautifying a neighborhood gateway with a community sign, plants, and flowers.

Source: BCF
Writer: Walaika Haskins

While the economy -- both nationally and across Maryland -- continues to slowly regain momentum, there are some bright spots to report according to recent reports released by the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation. 

Maryland continues to see modest job gains In June, despite a tepid national labor market, the agency repors. The state economy added 1,600 seasonally adjusted jobs, 1500 in the private sector,  for a 0.1 percent monthly growth, while, nationally the US lost 125,000 jobs for a 0.1 percent monthly loss. Maryland's total employment was up compared to year-ago levels (not seasonally adjusted) for the first time in two years. June marks the fourth month in a row that Maryland has added jobs in the private sector.

While the pace of job generation slowed considerably in June, just over 40,000 jobs have been restored to Maryland's business base since January.

Maryland leisure and hospitality employment grew by 5,800 seasonally adjusted jobs in June, more than any other major sector, driven by accommodation/food services job growth, according to the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development. During the first half of the year, this sector added 21,900 jobs, ranking it best in the country with 9.7 percent growth. At the year's halfway point, the sector accounted for over 60% of total Maryland job creation and over 80 percent of private job creation Nationwide hospitality accounted for 14 percent of job gains.

Professional/business services added 2,800 jobs in June for a 0.7 percent monthly growth rate. Within this sector, professional, scientific & technical (PST) services employment grew by 2,000, for 0.9 percent monthly growth (sixth best in the nation). During the first half of 2010, PST added 7,100 jobs in Maryland, for 3.1 percent growth and third best in the country.

Construction added 1,300 jobs in June for 0.9 percent monthly growth and added jobs for four straight months (seasonally adjusted) for the first time in about three years. During the first half of the year Maryland construction added 6,600 jobs, good for 4.6 percent growth, sixth best in the country.

In more good news, Gallup's Job Creation Index for the first half of 2010 ranks Maryland No. 7 among the Best Job Markets.  During the first half of 2010, 32 percent of employed Marylanders said that their employers were expanding their workforce. This was the fourth highest positive response among states. Conversely, 21 percent said their employers were shedding payrolls. The Index is calculated as the difference between the former and latter poll result. Based on these polling results, Maryland's 2009 Job Creation Index was 11, tying for seventh best among states.

And as if that wasn't enough positive job news,  another just released report from the Center on Education and The Workforce at Georgetown University has found that the share of jobs in the U.S. economy which required postsecondary education increased from 28 percent in 1973 to 59 percent in 2008. That's good for Maryland because by 2018, 66 percent of jobs in the state -- some 2 million -- will require some postsecondary education. That will put D.C., Massachusetts and Maryland in the lead nationwide,  with the three regions sharing total jobs requiring a graduate degree, according to report.

Source: Deparment of Business and Economic Development
Writer: Walaika Haskins

Now that the worst fiscal crisis in the modern history of Baltimore has been resolved and critical funding has been restored to the Baltimore Police Department budget, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and Police Commissioner Frederick Bealefeld announced a detailed plan last week to hire 100 new police officers by the end of 2010 and another 350 police officers in 2011. The new plan will keep pace with normal attrition rates and fill recently restored positions in the Baltimore Police Department budget.

"Public safety is and will remain a top priority of my administration. With my Comprehensive Budget Plan in place, we have restored every single police officer position in the Police Department budget," Mayor Rawlings-Blake says. "Now the focus must be on continued, strong hiring efforts to ensure that budgeted police officer positions remain filled."

The police officer hiring plan calls for additional measures to enhance and expedite the Police Department's hiring process to keep pace with normal retirement trends including:

• Hiring two additional certified consultants to conduct polygraph screenings;
• Hiring up to 9 contractual employees to conduct background investigations in order to clear a processing backlog of applications from new recruits;
• Create a processing unit by consolidating several smaller units that will track and distribute cases, complete civil service testing, schedule various forms of physical/psychological/polygraph testing, etc. This unit will determine the applicants that proceed to a background investigation;
• Create a third background investigation squad to handle the large volume of applicants. At present there are over 80 cases in the background process and over 120 awaiting the assignment of a background investigator; and,
• The Police Department will implement additional testing opportunities for applicants.

"Despite a very difficult budget situation, Mayor Rawlings-Blake is providing the resources my department needs to ramp-up our plan to hire hundreds of new Police officers this year and next," Commissioner Bealefeld says.

Source: The Mayor's Office
Writer: Walaika Haskins

Some times finding yourself at the wrong table during an event can lead to good things. That's how more than 100 invitation-only attendees with a vested interest in the health of the Chesapeake Bay came together last week to discuss issues, initiatives to prevent bay pollution and innovative technologies developed by Maryland-based companies, according to Jim Poulos, vice president of Technology Transfer and Commercialization at the Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO) .

"Will Baker, head of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, was sitting next to me, and I knew that this could be an opportunity for the  Chesapeake Bay Foundation and TEDCO to do something together. We've been exploring the opportunity for a few years and came up with this technology show. We knew we had some small companies that are in the green space and that they're [Chesapeake Bay Foundation] are into cleaning up the Bay. So it was just a matter of connecting the right technologies with water cleanup," he says.

The event, "Technologies that Can Save the Bay: Reducing Nutrient and Sediment Pollution," sponsored by TEDCO and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF), highlighted nine technologies from private industry, non-profit associations and research universities that are being developed and deployed to improve water quality and improve the overall health of the Chesapeake Bay by reducing pollution. The event took place at CBF's Phillip Merrill Environmental Center.

"We wanted to show the diversity of institutions, companies and their technologies," says Poulos

The showcase also featured keynote remarks by Tom Horton, noted environmental journalist and Chesapeake Bay expert, and J. Charles "Chuck" Fox, senior advisor on the Chesapeake Bay and Anacostia River to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  Poulous along with Allen Hance, executive director of the Chesapeake Bay Trust, and Amanda Bassow, director of Chesapeake programs at the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, delivered a special presentation on funding opportunities for entrepreneurs interested in Chesapeake Bay conservation. Attendees and presenters enjoyed a networking, poster, and exhibit session at the end of the event. Closing remarks were made by CBF President Will Baker.

"Environmentalists, business leaders, entrepreneurs and those concerned with the health of the Chesapeake Bay have come from all over the region to learn about these emerging green technologies," says Will Baker, president of CBF. "We are pleased to work with TEDCO to promote the awareness of these technologies and are eager to see more environmentally-focused business models transfer to the marketplace."

Of the nine technologie included in the event, several are either commercially avaialble or will soon be available. They were broken down into three areas:  direct water cleaning solutions, urban solutions, and solutions used in the Bay.

Poulos hopes to host another showcase next year that will include representatives from the federal level, Deleware, New York, Virginia and West Virginia, states that are also affected directly by the Bay or the its watershed.

Companies that presented technologies included:

•Porous Asphalt, Kent Hansen, National Asphalt Pavement Association -- Porous asphalt is an environmentally friendly tool for storm water management. It can conserve water, reduce runoff and promote infiltration which cleanses stormwater, replenishes aquifers and protects streams.


•Creating Green Stormwater with Bioretension, Allen Davis, University of Maryland College Park -- Bioretention, a soil and plant-based stormwater management practice , is used to filter runoff from developed communities. Also known as a rain garden, a bioretention facility consists of a porous soil covered with a thin layer of mulch and is designed to mimic natural vegetated areas and filter pollutants from water.

•Regenerative Stormwater Conveyance and Floating Wetlands, Keith Bowers, Biohabitats, Inc. � Biohabitats, a conservation and ecological restoration company, is developing floating artificial wetlands. These wetlands are composed of recycled plastic bottles wrapped in biodegradable fiber mats in the entrances to the Bay such as the Inner Harbor in Baltimore. These wetlands act not only as filters but as regenerated wetlands.

•SkyGarden: Green Roof Media, Emlyn Stancill, Stancills, Inc. -- SkyGarden specializes in engineered soils and mineral formulations for the greenroof industry. A green roof system is an extension of the existing roof which involves a high quality water proofing and root repellant system, a drainage system, filter cloth, a lightweight growing medium and plants.


•Smartslope: Living Retaining Walls, Michael Furbish, The Furbish Company � The Furbish Company designs, sells, installs and maintains plant-based building systems. "Living Walls" enable building owners and occupants to benefit from improved comfort and health, lower utility bills, increase asset value and help to restore the environment.

•Reclamation of Water and Prevention of Animal Waste Runoff, Carol Collins, Spiralcat � Spiralcat, a women-owned corporation that harvests water, energy and biofuel from diverse waste sources in order to transform waste into valuable energy and water resources. The company's technologies support local food economies, provide clean water, create usable resources, manage nutrients for soil fertility and deliver energy in an affordable manner.

•Molecularly Imprinted Polymers for the Selective Capture of Environmental Phosphate, Tracy Terry, JHU Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) � Phosphorus and nitrogen are major pollutants that enter water via runoff from sewage plants and farmland. Currently, there are no filtering systems that can selectively remove these two elements. APL is working on a system that has the potential to reduce contaminant concentrations of phosphorous and nitrogen to any arbitrary level through staging.

•Slow Release Fertilizer, Wayne Swann, NutriGrown, LLC � NutriGrown, LLC is developing a line of matrix-based soil nutrient products designed to reduce nutrient leaching while enhancing plant growth. Greenz™ technology is exclusively licensed from the USDA/ARS and is based on a formulated matrix of natural organic and inorganic compounds with high ionic exchange capacity. The matrix components bind and retain nutrients for both short and long term plant utilization.

•Pelletizing Seeds for Habitat Restoration, Robert Murphy, EcoSystem Solutions Inc. � Ecosystem Solutions, Inc., a small, privately owned, environmental consulting firm based in West Warwick, RI, specializes in wetland science, ecological solutions and soil science. They work with pelletized seeds to increase the success rate of habitat restoration. Pelletizing seeds are seeds wrapped in a clay pellet, which is a simple technique for hiding and protecting the seed until it can germinate.

Source: Jim Poulos, TEDCO
Writer: Walaika Haskins

Edeems, an social media marketing company based in Annapolis, has developed an innovative and pain-free way for Internet users to make charitable donations all with just a few clicks of their mouse. The company has teamed with the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) to drive charitable donations through online purchases.

Edeems' innovative URL shortening service is modeled on the typical B2B affiliate marketing developed by Internet retailers like Amazon.com in which website and blog owners post ads on their site and a recieve a percentage of any merchandise sold through those links. Instead of posting ads, Edeems provides users with shortened URLs  they can post on their Facebook, Twitter or other social media page. Now, the company has pushed the B2B affiliate marketing to the charitable giving level by allowing anyone to shorten links to products or services online and earn affiliate commissions.

Users can opt to keep the cash back rewards they have earned or have the proceeds donated to their charity of choice using a specially shortened URL. 

Composed of thousands of online merchants that pay referral fees, Edeems places an innovative spin on traditional fundraising. For example, a member who elects to donate to NWF finds a deal on Shoes.com, creates a link using http://nwf.honr.it and shares the shortened link with friends and family. As a result, based on the affiliate commissions provided by Shoes.com, NWF receives a charitable donation of $11.70 for every $100 purchase.

"We are excited to launch the Edeems platform while simultaneously providing a unique fundraising tool for large charitable organizations such as National Wildlife Federation," says Brenden Salta, CEO of Edeems, Inc. "Given the recent oil spill disaster and the economic downturn, this is a crucial time for National Wildlife Federation and other charitable organizations to find new, user-friendly channels of giving. Millions of links are posted on social media sites like Twitter and Facebook, or personal blogs daily without any rewards. We wanted to create a way to not only reward individuals, but also offer a way to give back to the community."

To raise awareness and increase charitable donations to NWF, supporters are encouraged to visit http://nwf.honr.it before shopping online or recommending a product to a friend. Edeems' charitable service, honr.it, donates 90 percent of affiliate commissions to NWF, or any charity a member selects. In this case, donations would go to NWF to benefit its causes throughout the U.S., from protecting imperiled wildlife and its habitat in the Gulf and across the nation.

"Edeems not only gives National Wildlife Federation supporters another avenue with which to raise awareness and funds, but also provides a way to reach audiences who may not normally be inclined to donate to charity," says Anne Senft, vice president of membership and online marketing at NWF. "We are excited to embark on a new means of giving that will help us continue to support our mission to inspire Americans to protect wildlife for future generations."

The company plans to introduce more shortened URLs for a variety of charities in the coming weeks. Plans are also in the works to launch a shortened URL service for community-based fundraising. Local fire departments, schools, and other community organizations will be able to sign up for the service and receive up to 50 percent of affiliate commissions generated by the URL, says Salta.

Source: Brenden Salta, Edeems
Writer: Walaika Haskins

fDi Magazine, produced by the Financial Times, has ranked Baltimore's Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) #74, managed by the Baltimore Development Corporation (BDC), as the fourth best port-related Foreign Trade Zone in the world.

The magazine analyzed 700 economic zones, dwindling that number down to 200 before requesting dossiers from each nominated FTZ. Baltimore came in fourth under the "Best Port Zone" category for 2010/2011, following the zones of Shanghai and Tangier, Morocco and Jacksonville, FL. Of the remaining U.S. port zones on the top 10 list, the Foreign Trade Zone of Los Angeles ranked eighth.

The magazine evaluated Zones based on their economic potential, promotional strategy, cost effectiveness, facilities, transportation, incentives and foreign direct investment strategy

Baltimore's Foreign Trade Zone is one of the more active FTZ's in the United States with 13 current operators utilizing over 3 million square feet of activated space. At the end of fiscal year 2009, imported goods were valued at $1.7 billion with the highest value of commodities being automobiles, aluminum and alcohol. FTZ #74 serviced 82 businesses and contributed to more than 762 full-time jobs among its operators, with a total employment of almost 1,000 (including part-time and seasonal) workers. The Zone was responsible for the re-exporting of over $13 million in goods overseas.

"Baltimore has really come on the map in terms of its FTZ because of its London Metal Exchange warehouses. Metals like aluminum comes down from Canada and needs a lot of warehouse space. We're probably the most well-known port on the East Coast for London Metal Exchange warehousing. This has really put us on the map," says Elizabeth Weiblen Hines, director, Foreign Trade Zone #74, Baltimore Development Corporation.

"There are 263 FTZs in the U.S. and alot of them have designated space, like 30,000 acres, but they only have one operator or business that needs its. They said, 'if they build it they will come' and that's not necessarily right. What the BDC brings is the ability to be flexible and to quickly acitivate FTZ space when a company needs it. That's one of the things we've brought to the table and is changing the way businesses see Baltimore," she continues.

The FTZ has always been important to Baltimore City and the BDC. Businesses find a great warehouse and then approach the BDC to request FTZ benefits. "Having the city be the grantee of FTZ space means we've been able to do it more efficiently."

Another major factor contributing to the ranking and the success of the Port of Baltimore, according to Hines, is that it is the furthest inland port on the East Coast with one-third of the U.S. population within an 8-hour drive. This proximity to market is a main reason that businesses choose Baltimore. The city also has a great rail system and has easy access to the Interstate 95.

Hines says she hopes that the ranking will help the BDC as it continues to ramp up it increasingly directs its attention to attracting businesses overseas to Baltimore.

Source: Elizabeth Weiblen Hines, BDC
Writer: Walaika Haskins

Merkle, a Columbia, MD-based customer relationship marketing agency, has introduced a new service for marketers. Integrated Social Marketing is a new approach designed for marketers who seek to optimize how they use social media to attract and engage customers, leverage key influencers and refine brand positioning.

The service capitalizes on Merkle's data-driven approach to social marketing, developed based on work with several major clients, enabling marketers to integrate social behavior insights across channels to drive new marketing opportunities.

Merkle's Integrated Social Marketing framework involves closely examining consumers' social behavior to help marketers understand how their customers interact with other customers and brands online. The framework combines the power of social segmentation and social listening, offering marketers new insights that make it possible to identify key influencers and drive more authentic content to more effectively engage consumers. These social insights are then integrated with direct, email, mobile and website programs to add new intelligence to marketers' existing programs. This ensures a more holistic and knowledge-driven marketing approach, while also making it possible to measure the impact and performance of social marketing programs.

Merkle's recent View from the Social Inbox report found that demographics such as age, gender, ethnicity and education influence which social sites consumers use, while social networkers are more likely to be avid email users, as measured by time spent with social email as well as the number of times these sites are checked daily. These and other findings reinforce the need to integrate segmentation and customer engagement approaches that have long proved effective with other engagement channels.

"Within an extremely short timeframe, marketers have eagerly embraced social media as an effective new tool for reaching consumers," says Rich Fleck, vice president, Enterprise Strategy Group, Merkle. "However, in most cases, marketers struggle to integrate social initiatives like Facebook and Twitter into their overall marketing programs. Having a presence within the social media channel is no longer sufficient � the current hurdle is making it an actionable channel to engage customers. Merkle's integrated social strategy helps marketers develop an actionable, measurable marketing approach that aligns social marketing strategy with consumer behavior."

Source: Merkle
Writer: Walaika Haskins

Moving forward on his goal to support 100,000 green jobs by 2015, Gov. Martin O'Malley recently held Maryland's first Green Economy Forum at Montgomery Park in Baltimore City. The governor outlined an aggressive plan to create and retain green jobs, support clean and renewable energy, protect Maryland's communities and preserve the State's natural resources.

The plan is based on the findings of the Green Jobs & Industry Task Force, a group of public and private sector leaders including green business owners, industry stakeholders, workforce development experts and cabinet secretaries the Governor assembled in March to develop recommendations to capitalize on the emerging green economy.

As part of the Forum, the Gov. O'Malley also led a roundtable with small business owners, environmental advocates, green industry experts and others to discuss ways to move Maryland forward on clean and renewable energy, environmental remediation and sustainable development.

"Green jobs are growing nationally at a rate two and a half times faster than overall jobs and are not only key to our economic recovery today, but are the jobs that will fuel the economy of tomorrow," says Gov. O'Malley. "Our highly educated workforce, wealth of natural resources and progressive policies makes Maryland uniquely positioned to grow our green economy and create the kinds of jobs that will ensure a more sustainable future for all Marylanders."

"The recommendations presented today clearly demonstrate that Maryland is on the forefront of the emerging green economy," says Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development Secretary Christian S. Johansson, who chaired the Task Force. "We look forward to working in partnership with employers, entrepreneurs and industry experts to implement relevant and meaningful strategies to help Maryland's green industries create jobs, employ more sustainable practices and preserve our communities."

"As an executive in the emerging green industry, I believe that these recommendations capture the input of many green employers in Maryland," said Kerinia Cusick, Green Jobs & Economy Task Force member and Director, Mid-Atlantic Government Affairs for Sun Edison. "The Task Force team members look forward to continuing our collaboration as these recommendations are implemented."

The Task Force report focused on six key recommendations:

1. Promote energy and resource efficiency efforts;
2. Develop and foster clean, local energy production and industrial capacity;
3. Capitalize upon economic opportunities to restore and protect Maryland's natural resource;
4. Promote sustainable development practices that create jobs, generate prosperity, and make Maryland more self-reliant;
5. Increase access to capital for green businesses and projects; and
6. Strengthen coordination and communication across State agencies, partners, and stakeholders to provide strategic vision for advancing a green economy.

Maryland is home to approximately 75,000 green-sector jobs, ranging from consulting and scientific services to construction and waste management. Since January, Maryland has created 38,000 jobs, a growth rate twice that of the rest of the nation. Maryland's unemployment rate remains 25 percent lower than the national average.

Source: State of Maryland
Writer: Walaika Haskins

The number of cars passing through the Port of Baltimore is increasing with the arrival of new Ford Fiestas. The imported vehicles, which began arriving June 24 onboard a K Line roll on/roll off vessel, will continue arriving throughout the rest of this year at the Port's Dundalk Marine Terminal.

"We are happy to welcome more Ford products to the Port of Baltimore," says Gov. Martin O'Malley. Good-paying, family supporting auto jobs at the Port benefit greatly when more cars come through Baltimore. Ford's decision to bring more cars to Baltimore is another good sign for Maryland as we begin our recovery from the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression."

The number of autos handled at the Port of Baltimore has risen about 16 percent over the same time last year. Earlier this year, BMW began shipping the first of 50,000 new vehicles that will make their way through the Port of Baltimore annually for the next five years. That contract has created about 200 new jobs.

The Port of Baltimore also serves as the primary port of entry for the Ford Transit Connect van. Baltimore also receives about 85 percent of the 35,000 vans that are imported into the U.S. annually.

Automobiles are one of the main commodities handled at the Port of Baltimore's public marine terminals. Approximately 1,150 direct jobs at the Port are generated by the Port's auto business.

In 2009, the Port of Baltimore handled about 375,000 cars total.

The Maryland Port Administration (MPA) recently announced that more cars, trucks, and vans passed through the Port of Baltimore in March than at any time in at least the last ten years. In March, 38,053 automobiles came through the Port's public terminals. The Port's previous record for most cars handled was 37,552 in July 2008. In January 2009, impacted by the global economic recession, auto volumes at the Port dropped to 13,558 cars.

The Port of Baltimore has created about 16,700 direct jobs. Of the roughly 360 U.S. ports, Baltimore is ranked number one for handling roll on/roll off cargo; trucks; imported forest products; and imported gypsum, sugar and iron ore. The Port is responsible for about $3.7 billion in personal wage and salary income. The Port of Baltimore generates nearly $400 million in state and local taxes.

Source: Department of Transportation
Writer: Walaika Haskins

The Enoch Pratt Free Library has received a $15,000 award from Citi that will fund free outreach activities for its Summer Reading 2010 programs.

Summer Reading is an incentive and theme-based reading program offered at all Pratt locations throughout Baltimore. Every year, more than 15,000 children and teens register for the reading program and more than 35,000 participate in the free activities. The goal for registered participants is to read at least one book a week during the eight week session. Through branch-based activities and performances, such as musicians and storytellers, the program is designed to help children build a love for reading, promote family reading and help students continue to learn over the summer.

"Studies have shown that children who read over the summer are better prepared to continue their education when they return to school in the fall," says Carla D. Hayden, CEO of the Enoch Pratt Free Library. "But it's important to emphasize that reading is fun. Sometimes students get so busy they forget that there's more to reading than just school texts."

An important component of Summer Reading is outreach Every year, the library extends its Summer Reading program to 65-70 non-library-branch outreach sites (day camps, recreation centers, faith-based camps, school and day care centers), to ensure that these children have the same opportunities for reading practice as those who attend Library branch programs.

"Our summer learning outreach efforts are our single most effective way to reach children that don't have access to libraries during the summer," says Ellen Riordan, Pratt's Children Services Coordinator. "This generous funding ensures that over 4,000 children in 70 sites across the city have books, a library connection and a positive learning experience."

"The impact of Pratt's Summer Reading program on the local community is immeasurable," says Sheldon Caplis, Citi Community Development Regional Director for South Atlantic. "The contribution to strengthening education and communities across Baltimore makes Pratt an obvious partner for us."

Source: Enoch Pratt Free Library
Writer: Walaika Haskins

Ryan Hackett, an artist from Kensington, MD, was awarded the $25,000 2010 Janet & Walter Sondheim Artscape Prize last Saturday. Hackett, a 2009 finalist, is received his Bachelor of Arts in 1999 in studio art from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a Master of Fine Arts from San Francisco Art Institute in 2007.

In between his academic pursuits, he co-founded Decatur Blue, a Washington, D.C.-based artist collective. Decatur Blue looked to challenge the commercial constructs of the art world by serving simultaneously as curator, artist and gallery. Hackett's work has been featured recently in the solo exhibition Interspecies Transmission at G Fine Art in Washington, D.C., in the group show Freaks Of Nature at the Bronx River Art Center in Bronx, New York, and as a 2009 Sondheim Prize finalist at The Baltimore Museum of Art.

He was the only finalist based outside of Baltimore.

The Janet & Walter Sondheim Artscape Prize is designed to assist visual artists in furthering their careers by awarding a fellowship to an artist or artist collaborators working in the Baltimore region.

The winner is determined by an outside panel of three jurors: Robert Nickas, an independent New York-based curator, writer and art critic, Magdalena Sawon, owner and director of Postmasters Gallery in New York and Hamza Walker, director of education and associate curator of the Renaissance Society at The University of Chicago.

The Janet & Walter Sondheim Artscape Prize is held in conjunction with the annual Artscape juried exhibition and is produced by the Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts. The finalists and semifinalists exhibitions are presented in partnership with The Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) and Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA).

Source: Baltimore Office of Promotions and the Arts
Writer: Walaika Haskins