STAY CONNECTED

Chamber Connections  
January 25, 2019
Adding Value to Your Membership
Maryland Chamber Federation
Free Membership in the Maryland State Chamber!
Dear Chamber Members:

I am very excited to share some great news for your business!

The Central Maryland Chamber (CMC) is pleased to announce a new partnership with the Maryland State Chamber of Commerce called the Maryland Chamber Federation . The CMC Board of Directors unanimously voted to join this partnership so you can now receive complimentary membership in the Maryland State Chamber, for as long as your business has 10 or fewer employees and remains a member of the CMC.

This benefit comes at no additional cost to you; it is FREE for as long as you are a member of the CMC. This is tremendous value-added to your current CMC membership. Your business will now receive the following new benefits:

• FREE membership in the Maryland State Chamber - a $750 value annually
• Additional tangible ROI on your CMC membership investment with significant cost savings at UPS, exclusive access to "Members Only" legislative content, and discounted access on all educational programming with the Maryland Chamber.
• A team of government affairs professionals aggressively and proactively representing your businesses throughout the year at the state capitol and in Washington, D.C.
• Opportunity to participate in statewide initiatives and coalitions and to provide feedback that has a direct impact on public policy development.
• Up-to-date information on regional and state issues through “From the Halls” legislative updates and periodic “Call to Action” invitations during the legislative session.
• Reduced member pricing for Maryland Chamber signature events, such as Meet the State, Inspire MD and The Congressional Roundup.

We are excited to extend additional benefits and information as part of your membership investment with the CMC. A full list of benefits will be shared in the near future.

New communications will be forthcoming on the Maryland Chamber Federation. Please be on the lookout for these in the weeks to come! If you would like to opt-out of this program, simply click “unsubscribe” on the first Maryland Chamber Federation email you receive from us.

For any questions please contact me at Raj@CentralMarylandChamber.org .

With Excitement!
Raj Kudchadkar
President & CEO
Central Maryland Chamber
Maryland Business Conditions
Weakening in January
Business conditions in Maryland weakened in January, according to the latest survey by the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. The index for general business conditions fell from −9 in December to −19 in January, its lowest reading since February 2010. The sales index also remained negative for the fourth consecutive month. However, firms expected both general conditions and sales to rebound in the coming months.

Survey results indicated that employment growth remained soft among Maryland firms in January, as many respondents continued to struggle to find workers with the skills they needed. Firms expected this struggle to continue in the coming months but were optimistic that employment would rise.
Networking Mixer
Sports Book at Laurel Park
Thursday, February 12th | 5:00PM - 7:00PM  
Join us for our first Networking Mixer of 2019 at the Sports Book at Laurel Park . Come see this beautiful new venue while reconnecting with colleagues and making new connections!

Members - FREE | Non-Members $10

Please register by February 11th so that we can provide our host with an accurate count of attendees.
Fighting the Federal Government Shutdown
The Central Maryland Chamber (CMC) stands as the chief advocate for businesses in the Central Maryland Region and we have been actively addressing the federal government shutdown.

The shutdown, the longest in our nation’s history, has put an unsustainable financial strain on contractors and the households of federal workers in the region, as well as the local businesses that serve them. In response, the CMC joined an initiative with 21 other business organizations to strongly urge the President and congressional leaders to reopen the federal government. 

As of this week, the shutdown of the federal government has cost Maryland  $778 million , directly affecting roughly  172,000 residents  according to Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot. The state's Bureau of Revenue Estimates published a report that indicated every two weeks it will cost the state approximately  $60 million  in income tax withholdings and  $2.1 million  in sales tax collections. In addition, the report estimated about half of the state's  164,000 federal contractors  are affected by the shutdown and many of those workers are unlikely to be repaid once the government reopens. 

The impacts have been substantial, but the CMC will continue to fight on behalf of our businesses, their employees, and their families!
Piney Orchard Marketplace
Space Available!
FREE TO ATTEND NO RSVP REQUIRED
Getting Engaged!
Member and Regional Business News
Member Engagement!
Upcoming Events

Multi-Chamber Breakfast
Thursday, January 23

Networking Mixer
Tuesday. February 12

Membership 101
Thursday, February 21
Committee Meetings

Women Mean Business
Wednesday, January 23rd at 11:30am

Small Business Council
Tuesday, February 5th at 9:00am

Odenton Action Coalition
Thursday, February 7th at 9:00am
Have an Article or
News to Share?

It's FREE! Simply email info to: Info@CentralMarylandChamber.org .
Read and Share the New Business Guide!
Inclement Weather Policy

Because the Central Maryland Chamber serves members in several counties, the following inclement weather policy has been established:

If any one of the three county school systems (Anne Arundel, Howard, Prince George’s) closes due to inclement weather, all chamber activities for the day will be cancelled.

If any one of the three county school systems has a 2 hour delay, all chamber activities prior to noon will be cancelled.  

If any one of the three county school systems closes early due to weather, all chamber evening activities will be cancelled.
THANK YOU!
2018 Corporate Trustees
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