Healthiest Maryland Businesses

Join CEOs from across the state who are leading by example in making health promotion and disease prevention an integral part of their business strategy. It's easy to join Healthiest Maryland Businesses:

Sign a Healthiest Maryland Commitment Letter - Declare your commitment to take action to improve your employee health and wellness because a healthy, productive workforce is a core part of your business strategy. Please email a copy of your signed commitment letter to HealthiestMaryland@dhmh.state.md.us. Or fax to 410-333-7106.

Complete the Healthiest Maryland Businesses Assessment - Identify your organization's employee health management strengths and areas for improvement. Also, available is a PDF format of the assessment for you to print out and use for your reference.

Check out the resources - Get prepared to take your business and your employees on the road to a healthier, more competitive level.

Why would businesses want to join the Healthiest Maryland movement?
In addition to saving money, you will receive:
Education and technical assistance
Peer-to-peer support from our Ambassadors
Resources from our supporting organizations
Recognition from the Governor and Lt. Governor
Media features and highlights

OED, Chamber Win Award

The Frederick County Office of Economic Development and Frederick County Chamber of Commerce received an Honorable Mention for Excellence in Economic Development for their Frederick County Business Roundtable for Education in the category of New Media for communities with populations of 200,000 – 500,000 from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC).

The honor was presented at an awards ceremony on Tuesday, September 28 during the IEDC Annual Conference, September 26-29 in Columbus, Ohio.

“We recognize the Frederick County Office of Economic Development and Frederick County Chamber of Commerce for providing successful strategies to promote new paradigms in economic development in this period of global recovery,” said William Best, IEDC chair. “Our awards honor organizations and individuals for their efforts in creating positive change in communities. The Frederick County Office of Economic Development and Frederick County Chamber of Commerce is showing that they are at the forefront of the economic development profession and are using innovative and effective practices that can be replicated in other communities."

The Frederick County Business Roundtable for Education (FCBRE) was developed by the Frederick County Chamber of Commerce, Frederick County Office of Economic Development, Frederick County Public Schools, Fort Detrick, and Frederick Community College to address the current and future workforce need in the Frederick County business community. FCBRE connects classroom learning and the workplace, and promotes academic excellence. This nonprofit partnership supports educational initiatives within the school system and addresses workforce needs in the business community. The goal is to help prepare the next generation of business leadership in the community and educate future leaders on the opportunities in Frederick County to live here and work here. Currently FCBRE holds an annual career exploration conference for high school sophomores, titled Future Link. FCBRE also provides both internship and externship programs with teachers and students in the Frederick County Public Schools. The student internship program is designed to provide ideas, perspective, and real-world learning opportunities to prepare students for the future. The teacher externship program is designed to provide teachers the opportunity to work in a business and connect the curriculum from the classroom to the application of the concepts used in the business.

The Excellence in Economic Awards Program annually recognizes the world’s best economic development programs and partnerships, marketing materials, and the year’s most influential leaders. The program honors organizations and individuals in 28 categories for their efforts in creating positive change in urban, suburban, and rural communities.

The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) is the premier membership organization dedicated to helping economic development professionals create high-quality jobs, develop vibrant communities and improve the quality of life in their regions. Serving more than 4,500 members, IEDC represents the largest network of economic development professionals in the world. IEDC provides a diverse range of services, including conferences, certification, professional development, publications, research, advisory services and legislative tracking.

Business Merger

Frederick-based Ahma Inc. has merged with abeo, the country’s leading anesthesia billing and practice management company. Founded in 1995, Ahma provides medical billing services to more than 300 hospital-based physicians in the Mid-Atlantic region. The company is a natural fit for Dallas-based abeo, which has over 45 years of experience in meeting the unique billing needs of anesthesiologists.

“Ahma has always focused on providing the highest quality service in revenue cycle management, and this partnership with abeo will only extend our abilities to serve our clients,” said Craig Watt, owner of Ahma who will now serve as President, abeo Eastern Division. “We’re excited to be part of a company that will enhance our ability to provide exceptional service to our clients.” “Ahma brings a wealth of medical billing experience to abeo’s umbrella of services,” said abeo Chairman and CEO Mark Smith. “Our company goal is to provide an in depth variety of products and services on a national scale for our clients, and this merger complements that strategy.”

Dallas-based abeo provides revenue cycle management, practice management and software solutions for the anesthesia industry. Their focus allows them to deliver exceptional service for the unique demands of anesthesiologists. With over 45 years of experience, abeo is the leading anesthesia-focused billing and practice management company. For more information visit www.abeomed.com.

BAM Visits Conclude, Wrap-up Event This Thursday

More than 200 Frederick County Businesses were visited during September, as part of OED's Business Appreciation (retention) program. Join us this Thursday, September 30th for a special wrap-up event at the Business & Employment Center from 3-5 p.m. Alexander Sanchez, Secretary of the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation will be the key-note speaker.

The first three rounds of visits are listed in prior blog entries. Here are the companies we saw during the fourth and final round:

The Inn at Buckeystown, The Crowley Company, Walkright, Ye Old Spirit Shop, PNC Bank, Jackman Cycles, Stultz Air Technology, Footlights Dance & Theatre Boutique, Colonial Equipment, Beef 'N Buns 'N Paradise, e-End, VoIP Business Solutions, Farmers' CoOp, Ecclectibles, Downtown Piano Works, Baseline Design, Sunrise Assisted Living, Green Street Bakery, Millennium Financial, Middletown Sportsland, Dempsey's Grille, Washington Labs, Midwest Research Institute, LOWS Technologies, Digital Bard Video, Wildberries, Comfortable Home Energy Audits, Valley Graphics, Ananda Shala, Brunswick Family Vision Center, Trailside Outfitters, Donna's House of Hair & Tanning, C.M. Bloomers Florist & Gifts.

Target Corporate Jet Hits the Spot

Did you know that over 350 corporations use Frederick Municipal Airport (FDK) annually? Check out the photo of Target Corporation's corporate jet that landed here this morning. FDK is also the 3rd busiest general aviation airport in Maryland, handling over 160,000 aircraft operations annually!

Ready for Hire!

Graduates of The Edge job training program are ready to work! The Edge program was developed by Frederick County Workforce Services staff in response to feedback from Frederick area businesses about what skills and qualifications are most desirable and in demand. Workshop topics include communication and writing, reading and analyzing data, customer service essentials and workplace math skills, among others.

Employers seeking job candidates may arrange to interview a graduate of The Edge program by contacting Michelle Day at (301) 600-1867.

The Muse Wins National Honor!

One BAM (Business Appreciation Month) company wins prestigious award! Read this week's story in the Frederick News Post:

http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/news/display.htm?StoryID=109857

Celebrating Our Workforce

A Business Appreciation Month Wrap-Up event will be held Thursday, September 30 from 3-5 p.m. at the Frederick County Business and Employment Center, located at 5340-A Spectrum Drive, Frederick, Maryland: Directions

Elected Officials, Business Appreciation Month Ambassadors and Partners are invited to attend this special event to commemorate Labor Month and Business Appreciation Month in Frederick County. The forum will feature distinguished speakers as well as a mini-trade show to highlight the partnership and collaboration among Frederick County's workforce and economic development establishments. Please RSVP to: mday1@frederickcountymd.gov

Featured Speakers:

• Commissioner Jan Gardner, President of the Frederick County Board of County Commissioners


• Secretary Alexander Sanchez, Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (photo)


• Assistant Secretary Robert Walker, Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development


• Laurie Boyer, Director, Frederick County Economic Development Division

We hope to see you there!

BAM - Wrap Up of Week 2

Comments from the Frederick County Business community have been very positive during the first two weeks of BAM! (Business Appreciation Month). Companies visited this week include:

Hunting Creek Fisheries, Alizee Pathology, Men's Oasis, Residential Design,
St. Catherine's Nursing Center, Hope Alive, Quality Editing, Main Cup, Snallygaster, Smith Financial, Sunflower Studio, Rowland Glass, H-C Summers, Hemp's Meats, East Coast Millwork, Canam Steel, Wow Cafe, Gourmet with Paula, Corporate Exposure, Frederick County Builders Association, Lipinski Chiropractic, Elite Dental, Delaplaine Visual Arts, Ory Custom Florals, Tim's Lawn & Landscape, Weinberg Center, Two Paws Up, Moxie Bakery, Morgan Keller, Brainstorm Comics, SAIC-Frederick, Hillis-Carnes Engineering, Flying Dog Brewery, Pacemaker Press, Big White Barn Produce, Elite Elegant Events, Dynport Vaccine, Sir Speedy Printing, SeraCare, EBA Enterprises, LTD Creative and Core Partners.


*We have about 100 more vists to go...BAM!

BAM Continues!

Business Appreciation Month (BAM!) is in full force. We have visited 75 of the 200 businesses that we plan to meet with during September. In these photos, one of our teams of Ambassadors gets a tour of one of the companies, Loew Vineyards...

BAM Continues!

The Frederick County Office of Economic Development tomorrow will kick off the next round of visits as part of the 10th annual Business Appreciation Month celebration. So far in September we have visited the following 50 companies (check below to view their websites and learn more about them!):

Molly's Meanderings, Mary Kate Photography, Everedy Square and Shab Row, Shab Row Bistro and Wine Bar, Impari Systems, South Mountain Group, Nirvana Day Spa, CWP Tech Solutions, Fitness First, Frederick Athletic Club, BioAssay Works, Turning Point Real Estate, Signature Supplements, Aerotek, RURO Inc., The Frederick News Post, Cactus Farm Graphics, Frederick County Humane Society, Bring It To Fruition, InRoads, LLC., Natural Lawn, Imagination Center, AllState Insurance, DanceWorks, Caribbean Soul Restaurant, Holtzople Heating & Air, Discount Fabrics USA, Catoctin Zoo, Frederick Indoor Sports Center, Parlights, Rags to Riches, McCoy Media Group, Acela Technologies, Baltimore Coffee & Tea, Office Movers, Clym Environmental Services, Galaxy Controls, Papa Murphy's Take 'N Bake, Frederick Memorial Hospital, Sunshine Management, Keeney and Basford Funeral Home, Jean Peterson Design, Marketing at Work, Pailen-Johnson Associates, Mom's Pizza & Grill, Dublin Roasters Coffee, Streamlines Swim & Sport and Loew Vineyards.

Photo above: Frederick County Board of County Commissioner's President Jan Gardner presents Leslie Atanasoff, owner of Molly's Meanderings, with a certificate in appreciation as part of the Business Appreciation Month campaign. Also pictured is Laurie Boyer, Office of Economic Development; Cindy McNamara, Frederick County Workforce Services and Patrick Barnes, Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development.

Additional visits are scheduled for tomorrow and Friday of this week and numerous other days throughout the month.

Business Appreciation Month Kick-Off

Yesterday marked the official start of Frederick County's Business Appreciation Month with a breakfast event titled: "Taking Advantage of Frederick's Position in the Greater Washington Region". The event, sponsored by SAIC-Frederick, Inc., kicked-off the month long celebration of business in Frederick County. In the month of September, which is also Labor Month, representatives from the County, City of Frederick, State of Maryland, volunteer boards and colleges, will visit over 200 businesses to thank them for all they do.

Yesterday morning's event was highlighted with encouraging data for successfully doing business in the Greater Washington region, which includes Frederick County. The keynote speaker was Matt Erskine, Executive Director for the Greater Washington Initiative (GWI). Established in 1994 as a private-public partnership and an affiliate of the Greater Washington Board of Trade, GWI markets the Greater Washington region as a vibrant, economically, and culturally diverse community for domestic and international business.