Meet BlueLinx Corp

Five Questions with Don Greene, Triad Branch Manager at BlueLinx Corp.

4300 Georgia Pacific Blvd

Frederick, MD 21704

301-874-8000

www.bluelinxco.com

How long have you been in business?

We have operated at this location for 19 years. This is one of 55 distribution centers nationwide.

How many employees do you have?

Currently we employ 66 and are still hiring. Eighteen of our employees have been with us since we opened in 1996.

Why do you believe you'll continue to be successful in Frederick County?

Frederick is business friendly. We are centrally located in our service trading area of Maryland, Washington, Delaware, Northern Virginia, Southern Pennsylvania, and Eastern West Virginia.

If your company is involved in community outreach, please share with us your involvement.
We support many charities locally and nationally, to name a few: Habitat for Humanity, Frederick Community Action Center and the Food Bank.

What are you most proud of?
Our employees, their pride in safety and providing exceptional customer service.

Meet The Lube Center - Frederick

Five Questions with The Lube Center - Frederick/ WLR Automotive Group

3 Frederick locations: 421 S. Jefferson St., 1395 W. Patrick St., and 5715 Buckeystown Pike

www.thelubecenter.com

How long have you been in business?
We launched our first Lube Center business at the 1395 West Patrick Street, Frederick location 25 years ago. Since 1987, WLR Automotive Group, Inc. has operated 16 vehicle maintenance, repair, and car wash facilities throughout Maryland and Pennsylvania. Serving more than 300,000 customers each year, The Lube Centers, The Auto Spas, and The Auto Repairs are committed to premium quality service and an exceptional experience for their customers at each visit. www.washluberepair.com.

How many employees do you have?
240 employees throughout our 16 locations across MD and PA.

Why do you believe you will continue to be successful in Frederick County?
We provide service for our customers that is convenient and allows them to spend their free time on things they deem important while we handle mundane car care chores. Having been an active part of the Frederick community for the past 25 years,we know Frederick is a community that values small business.

If your company is involved in community outreach, please share with us your involvement.
WLR Automotive Group, in celebration of their 25th anniversary, recently completed the inaugural $25k Giveaway for Good Contest which awards five local community groups each $5,000 to fulfill a Project for Good. The 2013 winners and details of the contest can be found at www.25kGiveawayForGood.com. We wanted to celebrate 25 years in business by giving back to the communities who supported us all this time. By investing in our communities, we hope to plant seeds which will grow into a strong foundation for the future. It is our intention to continue this community investment opportunity each year. Since their inception, The Lube Center, The Auto Spas, and The Auto Repairs have adopted a philosophy of giving and donate significantly each year to local groups.

What are you most proud of?
I am proud of a number of things but the one that stands out the most is the culture of our company which has not changed over the last 25 years. Everyone that is part of our organization has one focus and goal and that is to be the best; to give the best customer service, the best experience, offer the best products and have the best looking facilities. We are in a very competitive market and the only way that we continue to be successful is not to just say that we are the best but to actually be the best. As I visit our locations, I am proud of service we give our customers each and every day.     

Meet Golden Corral at Frederick

Five Questions with Terry Amaker, Hospitality Manager, Golden Corral Frederick

5621 Spectrum Drive

Frederick, MD 21703

301-662-5922

www.goldencorral.com

How long have you been in business?

We have been in business in Frederick for 17 years very successfully.

How many employees do you have?

We employ 110 employees, 20 of which have been with us since we opened our doors to the community.

Why do you believe you'll continue to be successful in Frederick County?

We identify with each guest and treat him or her like they are part of our family. We are very involved with the community and enjoy helping individual organizations, both ongoing from year-to-year as well as new ones each year.

If your company is involved in community outreach, please share with us your involvement.

We are involved with the following organizations: Disabled American Vets, Children's Miracle Network, Camp Corral, Local Outreach Organizations, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and Adopt a Family @ Christmas.

What are you most proud of?

In the 17 years I have worked here at Golden Corral, I have had the opportunity to work with a lot of different people. I have been able to watch them grow as individuals. It brings me great joy to know my guests on a personal level and greet them by name. I consider them a part of my extended family.

Meet Richard B. Rudy, Inc.

Monday Retention Visit: Five Questions with Ken & Gary Rudy, President and Senior Vice President (respectively), Richard B. Rudy, Inc.

1 Bernard St.

Frederick, MD 21701

(301) 663-9041

www.rbrudy.com

How long have you been in business?
Founded in 1938 by Mr. Richard B. Rudy, the company began using a single truck and stainless steel cans to provide milk transportation services to dairies for local area farms in Frederick County Maryland.  Richard B. Rudy, Inc was incorporated in 1960 and remained in the dairy industry until 2002. Diversification into liquid sugars and finished food-grade items came along in the mid 1970’s. Now 73 plus years and three generations later, the family operated business is proud and honored to continue to have many of our long-term employees and customers, which we entered into the food-grade industry with. Still located in Frederick, Maryland, our current terminal includes an office complex, a five bay, full service shop, an automated tank wash facility with three pull-through bays, as well as dry storage and cold storage warehousing.

How many employees do you have?
We currently have 75 employees. We are situated on 11 acres with 8500 square feet of space.

Why do you believe you will continue to be successful in Frederick County?
We have a niche market for the food handling industry, food certification and transportation of bulk products such as liquid sugars and corn syrup.

If your company is involved in community outreach, please share with us your involvement.
We regularly make significant contributions and donations to various non-profit groups and are very proud to be able to do so.

What are you most proud of?
Richard B. Rudy, Inc has built long-term relationships with both customers and employees.  Some employees have worked here for 40 plus years with the oldest employee having been here for 47 years. We have a number who have been here 30+.  The main segment of our customer base dates back to the 1960s.  With this kind of loyalty and longevity, we are proud to offer a top quality service.

Meet New Era Custom Design & Cabinet Works, Inc

Monday Retention Visit: Five Questions with Johnny Gage, Project Manager/Estimator, New Era Custom Design & Cabinet Works, Inc.

270 Interstate Circle, Suite 100

Frederick, MD 21704

301-695-4310

www.gonewera.com

How long have you been in business?
New Era Custom Design and Cabinet Works Inc. was founded by current owner and operator John Gage in 1979. We have grown over the years from a 2 man operation to over 80 personnel. Currently, our headquarters occupy approximately 48,000 sq ft of manufacturing, warehousing, and office space which was purpose built in 2007. We like to believe that not only is our products manufactured with superior craftsmanship, but we strive for excellent customer service for repeat business as well. It is our goal to be the MID-ATLANTIC leader in custom commercial architectural millwork. New Era Custom Design strives to acquire the latest and greatest in equipment and technology in order to provide our clients with the highest quality product possible. We are a full service architectural millwork provider for commercial applications. All wood products furnished and installed by New Era are engineered in house and installed by our skilled carpenters.

How many employees do you have?
New Era has 80 people within our organization. Many of our employees have been with New Era over 20 years.

Why do you believe you will continue to be successful in Frederick County?
New Era Custom Design will continue to be successful in Frederick County because the location is spectacular for the markets we serve. Our markets reach locally is within the DC/VA and Baltimore areas for new construction and renovation projects. With both areas being within a 1hr drive. New Era also supplies work out of state as well. Being close to regional airports provide our company with a strategic advantage in order to meet our national account needs quickly and effectively. Frederick County also provides a great pool of talent to draw from a Human Resource stand point. Many of the employees that work at New Era Custom Design live in the County.

If your company is involved in community outreach, please share with us your involvement.
New Era has donated excess inventory of raw materials to local high schools in order to promote finished carpentry. We also are able to reach out to schools to inform students about careers and other opportunities at New Era Custom Design. We support the Religious Coalition of Frederick County

What are you most proud of?
New Era Custom Design has very dedicated staff that we acknowledge by offering good compensation and benefit package. We have continued to grow through many economic cycles over the last 34 years, including the current economic challenges. We are lucky to have such and talented individuals on staff that can turn an impossible project into reality.

Meet Cowork Frederick

Monday Retention Visit: Five Questions with Glen & Julia Ferguson, Owner, Cowork Frederick

122 E Patrick St  Frederick, MD 21701
(301) 732-5165

www.coworkfrederick.com

(Pictured L to R) David Dunn, Alderman Michael O' Connor, Alderwoman Shelley Aloi, Julia & Glen Ferguson, Commissioner C. Paul Smith,
Alderwoman Kelly Russell, Helen Riddle and Patrick Barnes

How long have you been in business?
We recently opened in 2012 and are currently leasing 2,200 SF.

How many employees do you have?
2 employees with 24 members currently.

Why do you believe you will be successful in Frederick County?
There is a great level of entrepreneurial spirit in Frederick County and we are meeting an unmet need.

If your company is involved in community outreach, please share with us your involvement.
We have our members choose a charity of their choice and save all membership dues for a specific month and donate it directly to that charity.

What are you most proud of?

We believe it's not all about us, it's about the members helping one another and the sense of ownership that is created by the members.

Meet S&S Tire Service

Monday Retention Visit: Five Questions with Steve Stolz, Owner, S&S Tire Service

900 E. Patrick St., Frederick, MD 21701

301-696-0669

(Pictured L to R) David Dunn, Commissioner C. Paul Smith, Steve Stolz, Commissioner Blaine Young, Alderwoman Kelly Russell)

How long have you been in business?
24 years at the present location for 8 years.  We have three locations: Frederick, Gaithersburg, and Hagerstown.

How many employees do you have?
We have 35 employees, 6 of which are sales people.

What do you think is the reason for your success in Frederick County?
We hire and maintain quality longtime employees and have good customer service, even after closing hours.

If your company is involved in community outreach, please share with us your involvement.
We have worked with Hope Alive doing repairs and upkeep for their vehicles and also work with the Homeless Coalition.

What are you most proud of?
Being able to weather the hard times over the last few years and provide excellent customer service.