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Greetings!
As the summer draws to a close, we're keeping busy by putting the finishing touches on our upcoming 99th Annual Meeting (slated for September 27th at Fountain Head Country Club). We're incredibly proud to be a part of this landmark event, as it marks the beginning of our centennial celebration. Officially chartered in 1919, YOUR Chamber is on the horizon of a big year complete with a centennial celebration later in 2019.
Stay tuned, as we'll certainly keep you posted!
We have a great crop of new members this month, a Business After Hours tonight and many other ways to get you connected. Plus, ad sales are open for our upcoming 2019 Chamber Directory & Community Profile. More information is included below in this month's newsletter.
Your Chamber Team!
PAUL FREY, DONNA MITCHELL, TIM LUIPERSBECK, ROD IRISH
& ASHLEY PALMER
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Welcome Our New Members |
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227 N. Prospect St.
Hagerstown, MD
301.733.1910
Belk
17301 Valley Mall Rd.
Hagerstown, MD
The Flying Camel, LLC
28 S. Potomac St. (Lower Level)
Hagerstown, MD
301.514.7559
1200 E. McKinley St.
Chambersburg, PA
800.503.8908
Telegia Communications, Inc.
5310 Spectrum Dr., Suite C
Frederick, MD
240.529.2000
P.O. Box 111
Boonsboro, MD
240.816.1736
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Members Making News
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Find Out What's New with Some of Our Members!
Callas Contractors Awarded $18.7M Contract for WCPS Classroom Expansion
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Callas Contractors
has been awarded the $18.7 Million contract for the Washington County Public Schools' classroom expansion in downtown Hagerstown. The Washington County Board of Education unanimously approved the contract with Bowman Development Corp. to complete the Board's segment of the project.
The contract sets a guaranteed maximum price for the project, including contingencies, design services, developer fees and the cost of land. The demolition and construction project began in June 2018 and a 54,000 square-food, five-story building can be anticipated.
The school board will be contributing $42,900 toward the construction of a third-floor pedestrian bridge connecting the Maryland Theatre and the new classroom building on South Potomac Street. The bridge will provide secure access for students and staff members between the newly constructed buildings, eliminating the need to use the public entrances of either building.
The new building will provide an added capacity for more than 400 students. These features will provide more academic classrooms, science labs and cafeteria space. Completion is expected in April 2020.
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PIA Featured in Forbes Magazine as "Tiny Trade School" Feature
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Landing at No. 1 on
Forbes'
second annual list of the nation's Top Two-Year Trade Schools,
PIA
is a 370-student gem. It's virtually unknown outside of the aviation industry, but its alumni outearn students from two thirds of Forbes' highest-ranked four-year colleges at a fraction of the price.
In a job market that's only getting more competitive for the growing number of bachelor's holders, an exemplary institution like PIA is exactly what's needed by many students who aren't thrilled by the prospect of spending another four years "reading Shakespeare or grinding away at calculus."
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Renowned Speaker Bill Drury Coming to Town for One-Day Presentation Series "A Passion for Service"
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Mark your calendars for Thursday, September 13th at Hagerstown Community College, as
Award winning speaker and customer service expert, Bill Drury, will present an action packed half-day workshop where you'll discover the secrets of customer loyalty and acquire the skills to help you dazzle customers. Learn proven strategies and techniques to keep customers coming back. Learn how to turn tough situations into future sales opportunities.
LEARN MORE ABOUT:
Why do customers leave companies?
How to see an immediate 5% increase in customer loyalty!
How to make a great first impression!
Remembering and using customer names!
How to overcome stress and burnout!
...and much more!
Seating is limited! You can catch this very same presentation two different times.
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HCC Names Trammell as New Head Men's Soccer Coach
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Christopher (CJ) Trammell has been named head men's soccer coach for the 2018-19 academic year at Hagerstown Community College.
"CJ Trammell is an excellent choice for our program for many reasons," said HCC Athletic Director Robert Rohan. "He continues a lineage of coaches that bring a great sense of pride and commitment to the Men's Soccer program here at HCC. Having played here, Coach Trammell understands the value and the opportunity our program brings to many skilled student-athletes in and around our community. He demonstrates a high level of knowledge and confidence that will serve as a great asset to the development of the young men in this program. We are very excited about CJ's interest in continuing to build the program, and look forward to working with him and seeing this team on the field during the fall."
An HCC alumnus, Trammell helped make team history in 2010 with a 6-0 season start as a defensive midfielder. After graduating from HCC, he transferred to Waynesburg University, primarily playing center back for the Yellow Jackets, while earning a bachelor's degree in sports management and an M.B.A. in market development. Trammell currently works for DC United and Plamondon Companies providing marketing services.
"I am excited to take over as the head coach for HCC. I always enjoyed the attention to detail and professional atmosphere both Brandon Rethemeyer and Brian Eichelberger instilled in this program. That's what originally attracted me to it as a player," said Trammell. "My plan is to continue what Brandon and Brian had started. It's a good way to help student-athletes grow, develop both on and off the field, as well as setting them up for success and potential leadership roles at the next level. I'm hoping to have the same impact on my players that Brandon and Brian had on me."
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Doing Better Business Selected by Virtulytix as Leader in Managed Print Services
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Doing Better Business has been recognized by Virutlytix as a leader in managed print services (MPS). Doing Better Business was one of 7 independent channel partners that Virtulytix selected to participate in the 2018 Leaders Index for MPS Channel Partners, based on demonstrated leadership in MPS.
The Leaders Index for MPS Channel Partners is a collection of hand-selected, independent MPS partners from around the world that are regarded as the gold standard in managed print and document services. Virtulytix classifies this index of elite providers from across North America, Africa, and Europe as a lens to view the current landscape of MPS.
"We started our Managed Services program in 2004 as Printer Fleet Management and have continued to grow and improve to what we now call Managed Print & Document Services.", said Debra Dellaposta, President of Doing Better Business, "It is rewarding for our team members to be recognized as a global leader for all the effort they make in developing world-class business processes, workflows and metrics for our clients."
"As the managed services landscape reaches maturity in many markets, we continue to see a demonstrated need for measurable best practices and benchmarks built on real-world results by recognized leaders in managed print and document services," said Ken Stewart, vice president of services for Virutlytix. "These MPS leaders not only demonstrate leadership in MPS, but a genuine interest in the pursuit of best practices that benefit the industry and the customers it serves."
About the Leaders Index for MPS Channel Partners
The Leaders Index for MPS Channel Partners explores many aspects of the partners, including the following:
- partner profile;
- financial and performance metrics;
- customer profile;
- team structure;
- sales and marketing approach;
- service, support, and operations metrics; and
- key performance benefits.
Only partners that Virtulytix determines to be among the best in the world are invited to participate in the Leaders Index. These aggregate results serve as a tangible set of benchmarks other partners can compare their own performance against.
Chosen MPS partners receive no compensation for participation.
About Doing Better Business
For forty-five years, the Dellaposta family of businesses has continuously evolved to meet the diverse technology needs of organizations of all sizes. Built on a foundation of service, the Dellaposta family of businesses has been committed to putting customers first and responding to their needs well beyond the initial sale.
They deliver a full suite of multifunctional imaging products and services, managed print services, document workflow consulting and software, hosted IT managed services, and corporate communications systems. They also provide office solutions to local and national businesses with the best and brightest in the business providing superior customer service and support. DBB now has seven locations, covering Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia and Virgina. www.doingbetterbusiness.com
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Humane Society of Washington County Teams Up With NBC4 to Host "Clear the Shelters" on August 18
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Washington County Non-Profit of the Year The Humane Society of Washington County (HSWC) will once again join NBC4 to host NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations' Clear the Shelters. This nationwide pet adoption drive will be held at HSWC on Saturday, August 18 from 10 am to 6 pm. During this event the adoption fees will be waived for every adoptable animal in the shelter.
"Oftentimes the adoption fee acts as a barrier for people hoping to adopt an animal, but this doesn't mean that they are not willing or able to financially care for that pet," said
Kimberley Intino, President/CEO. "In fact, research shows no correlation between the love and commitment people feel toward their pets and the amount of money they pay to obtain them. We are proud to participate in this event that removes a barrier and connects animals with loving families."
Since 2015, Clear the Shelters has resulted in more than 150,000 pet adoptions nationwide.
Available animals will be spayed or neutered, microchipped, vaccinated and up-to-date on worm and flea preventatives prior to being placed up for adoption. HSWC also provides adopters with a complimentary health visit at a participating veterinarian, as well as an option for 30 days of free health insurance for their new family member. These services are valued at more than $450.
The standard adoption counseling process remains the same during waived fee promotions. Adopters must present a valid driver's license or state-issued ID. Dog license fees must be paid at the time of adoption. HSWC's retail store will have collars, leashes, carriers, bowls, toys and more for adopters to purchase before heading home with their furry friend.
Interested adopters are encouraged to visit the shelter's website for more information on available animals prior to the day of the event. Visit www.hswcmd.org/adopt/adoption-gallery and click on an animal's photo to learn about personality and his or her ideal home. Bella's Bites Food Truck will also be onsite with food and drinks available for purchase.
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BB&T Teams Up with United Way to Make a Difference
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BB&T has announced its intention to host a Million Dollar Golf Shootout to support the United Way of Washington County, MD. The event is scheduled to take place on Thursday, August 23rd at Fountain Head Country Club at 3:00 PM.
Registration will open at 2:30 PM with the qualifying round to begin promptly at 3:00 PM. All attendees have the opportunity to purchase swings. Swings are $25 each or 5 for $100. Each swing allows the contestant one shot at qualifying for the Million Dollar Round. All contestants landing their shot in the 10 foot outer circle (150 yards from the tee) will win their choice of either a golf shirt or box of ProV1 golf balls. All contestants landing in the 6 Foot Qualifiers Circle will win both a golf shirt and box of ProV1 golf balls. Those contestants who land their golf ball in the 6 Foot Qualifiers Circle will also earn a chance to take a swing for One Million Dollars once the qualifying round has been completed. If a contestant makes a hole-in-one during qualifying, they will receive the golf shirt, box of ProV1 golf balls, and $500. All prizes will be delivered in the week(s) following the event. The qualifying round will conclude once the last contestant has taken their swing or at 6:30 PM, whichever comes first. The Million Dollar "Hole-In-One" round will begin 10 minutes after the qualifying round has concluded.
All qualifiers will
come back to the tee box at the end of the qualifying round and take their attempts at a hole-in-one for One Million Dollars. The Million Dollar Prize hole will be located 165 yards from the tee box. A Fountain Head Golf Club Professional will be responsible for video recording all attempts.
A barbeque assortment, beer/wine, and a variety of beverages will be complimentary to all attendees and contestants. The price for individuals that wish to attend but are not participating is $15. Sponsorships are available for $500 and include: 4 guests, 5 swings, signage at the event and program recognition. Participants may register online in advance or at the registration table on the day of the event. For more information, VISIT HERE.
Current sponsors include BB&T, Abeles Flurie Wealth Management Group (Wells Fargo Advisors), AC&T, Accela Worldwide Logistics, Albright Crumbacker Moul & Itell, Allegany Dental Care, Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Bowen Realty, Bowman Trailer Leasing, C. William Hetzer, CNB Bank, Doing Better Business, Gideon Properties, Hagerstown Honda, Hearty Pet, Hershey-Fitzsimmons Group (RBC Wealth Management), Hoffman's Quality Meats, Holzapfel Investment Group (Wells Fargo Advisors), Huntzberry Brothers, Jamison Door Company, Keller Stonebraker Insurance, Potomac Edison (A FirstEnergy Company), Rider Jet Center, Robinwood Dental, The Reserve at Collegiate Acres, Twigg Cycles, VerStandig Media, Washington County Chamber of Commerce, Wright-Gardner Insurance, and Younger Auto Group.
BB&T has taken the lead in organizing and hosting the Million Dollar Golf Shootout. This is the first fundraising event of its kind in the Washington County area, coordinated by the commercial banking team at BB&T: James Malfregeot, Keith Grunow, and Kyle Huntzberry. Regarding the event, Western Maryland Market President, James Malfregeot said, "The Million Dollar Golf Shootout idea arose from a team discussion on how BB&T could continue to help unite Washington County community members and business owners in order to support community needs. BB&T is deeply involved and committed to Washington County in which they have a lengthy history of funding various community enhancement programs, as well as lending a helping hand to charitable organizations and fundraising events."
The mission of United Way is: "Through strategic leadership and investments, United Way of Washington County will impact community improvement and inspire collaborations to address critical needs in education, income and health."
United Way of Washington County is located at 83 West Washington Street, Suite 101 in Hagerstown, MD. For more information or to make a donation please call 301-739-8200 or visit our website at www.unitedwaywashcounty.org
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Middletown Valley Bank Welcomes Christy Lautenslager
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Middletown Valley Bank welcomed Christy Lautenslager to the team as a Commercial Portfolio Manager. Christy has 23 years of experience in the banking industry. Prior to joining MVB, she worked with the commercial teams at F&M Bank, Susquehanna Bank and BB&T. Like many in the industry, she started her career as a teller and most recently held the position as Executive Assistant at BB&T.
"We couldn't be more thrilled to welcome Christy to the family. I've known her for many years and she truly personifies the
Absolutely Exceptional Experience!
" - BJ Goetz, President & CEO.
Christy lives in Hagerstown with her husband Boomer where they enjoy spending time with friends and family, camping and being outdoors.
"It feels great to be welcomed by so many friendly and familiar faces. I'm excited to be part of the MVB family and am truly looking forward to the journey ahead!" said Lautenslager, Portfolio Manager.
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Something exciting and/or notable happening within your company? Has someone done something remarkable and you think it should be shared with our extensive list of newsletter recipients? Simply excited about an upcoming event?
We're here to help you get the word out!
Chamber Newsletter!
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Upcoming Chamber Events |
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Register for one of these upcoming Chamber functions!
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Business After Hours
Hosted by Sprint - Maugans Ave.
CHAMBER PRIZE DRAWING: $500
Thursday, August 16th - 5:00pm - 7:00pm
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REGISTRATION AVAILABLE AT THE DOOR
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Coffee & Connections at Animal Rehab & Pain Center
Wednesday, August 22nd, 7:30 - 9:00am
Washington County Chamber of Commerce
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Hagerstown Community College Presents:
Meet HCC President James Klauber
Wednesday, September 12th, 7:30 - 9:00am
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How to Win Customers and Reduce Lost Sales with Bill Drury
A Special Developmental Workshop with Two Times
Thursday, September 13th
Hagerstown Community College Career Programs Building Rooms 211 / 218
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BEP Corner |
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A contribution from our Business and Education Partnership Committee, brought to you by:
Peggy Pugh, of Washington County Public Schools (WCPS)
Early Career Education Opportunities
One important goal of education is to prepare all students for a rewarding future career, which can be accomplished through various postsecondary pathways, including two and four-year colleges, trade schools, apprenticeships or direct entry into the workforce. With the help of the local business community, Washington County Public School students are actively exploring the various careers and pathways much earlier than high school. Two major career awareness and exploration activities geared towards middle school students took place last spring. Seventh grade students took part in a career exploration day, and eighth grade students worked with Maryland Business Roundtable guest speakers in classrooms.
The 7th Grade Career Exploration Day was held at Hagerstown Community College on Wednesday, June 6, 2018. The event was an "OnTrack initiative, supported by a coalition of partners that includes Washington County Chamber of Commerce, WCPS, HCC, the Greater Hagerstown Committee, and the WCPS Education Foundation. More than 1,500 students were connected with more than 50 local business professionals from a variety of professions and industries to inspire them to pursue local careers." Students selected industries of choice and participated in two 30-minute sessions with local professionals.
In eighth grade classrooms, trained business volunteers spoke with students about the importance of taking rigorous courses, doing well in school and preparing for their futures. Speakers shared their experiences, advice and expertise to help inform student decisions, ignite their imaginations, and inspire them to pursue and achieve their goals. Presentations were 50 minutes in length and conducted in a classroom setting, which allowed students to actively participate and seek information.
The Chamber's Business Education Partnership committee invites you to become involved in the Maryland Business Roundtable for Education's Speakers Bureau. Look for more information about a local speaker training on September 19, at the Center for Education Services building in the Washington County Public Schools at 10435 Downsville Pike, Hagerstown. To register, please email the Chamber at [email protected]. For more information about the speakers' bureau or the Business Education Partnership Committee, contact Kathleen O'Connell at [email protected].
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Upcoming Ribbon Cuttings |
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Join Us for These Fun Celebrations!
Sprint - Maugans Ave.
Join us for this grand re-opening event with our friends at Sprint as they celebrate their remodeled retail location! Then, stick around as they host Business After Hours!
Thursday, August 16th - 4:30pm
18634 Maugans Ave.
Hagerstown, MD
Are you within a year of opening your doors and would like the Chamber's help hosting a ribbon cutting?
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Directory Ad Sales Open |
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SBDC Corner |
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A word from our friends at the Western Maryland SBDC
Recently Pura Vida Coffee celebrated their first year in business with Washington County, MD officials. Maryland SBDC's Business Consultant, Herb Melrath, had the privilege to be part of that first year and looks forward to continuing that working relationship in the future.
Maryland Small Business Development Center (SBDC) offers FREE individualized consulting, from start up to established businesses. We also offer comprehensive training programs, from those just thinking about starting a business to executive training, with most classes at low to no cost. For more information check out www.marylandsbdc.org. In Washington County you can contact Herb Melrath @888-237-9007 ext.4 or email [email protected]
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Immersive Photography Sells for You |
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A Contribution from New Member Enso Style
For many businesses, getting prospects to enter the door is a crucial step towards converting them into repeat customers. Once they are inside, you can impress them with marketing assets such as your premises, inventory, equipment, and organization. However, for the prospects to visit requires them to physically travel to your location; and in a world where smartphones and search-engines lead the decision-making process, prospects would be inclined to making that first visit virtually rather than fighting time and traffic-especially if your location is out of their way.
So, if the prospects can't, or won't, come to your location for that crucial first-impression visit, why not take your location to the prospects? Some businesses attempt this by showing ordinary snapshots, on their webpage, of their premises. While this traditional approach has some value, prospects will be more compelled by the "wow-factor" of a virtual panoramic tour.
A virtual panoramic tour allows the prospect to instantly step right into your facility and have a look around at any time, from anywhere their internet connection allows. They can tour at their leisure and determine that it is worth their time and effort to visit in person. They could even view the tour in virtual reality goggles for a truly immersive experience.
Another upside to the virtual tour is that you don't have to schedule time and tie up resources to conduct a tour for a virtual visitor Once it's created, the tour may be posted on Google Maps as well as embedded on your website, where the tour keeps selling for you, day and night.
A virtual panoramic tour consists of a series of interconnected panoramic pictures, similar to what can be seen in Google Street Views, where a viewer drops into a street location and can look around the virtual streetscape as well as move along the streets and roads within the Street View application. A virtual panoramic tour works in much the same way, in which the viewer drops into your location and can move and look around. Virtual tours of your business can be posted on Google Maps and show up as an addition to the Street View environment. It's important to note that tours posted on your company's webpage can include customizable features that are not available in tours that are just posted to Google's products. That is why many companies chose to order two versions of the tour: a simple tour for Google's search results and a customized tour to show well on the company website. Customization might include a branding "skin" to the tour or graphic elements embedded in the tour. Other media may be added to the tour, such as music and video clips with additional messages.
The creation of a customized, virtual panoramic tour, aka "360-degree-tour", starts with a consultation visit by a virtual-tour creator. At this time, the scope of the project may be determined as several factors influence the work that goes into creating the tour. For example, size and layout of the facility heavily affect the scope. A small, simple facility would require fewer panoramas than a large, complex facility. Fewer panoramas required to complete a tour obviously decreases the scope and associated cost of the project. Next, a date is agreed upon for gathering of the necessary photographs. Before the photographers arrive, the premises are prepared for the photo session. This can mean removing things from view that might be unsightly, like custodian's equipment, piles of paperwork, and trash cans. It could also mean removing items that date the images, such as holiday decorations or wall calendars. Some clients like to improve their interior design before the photo session, for example replacing worn carpets or get new furniture. Preparation could also mean adding things that improve presentability of the premise, for example decorations or additional inventory.
At the agreed time, the photographers arrive with specialized equipment to gather the pictures to be used to create the panoramas. The time required for this part of the process depends on the scope of the project, with smaller premises requiring about an hour for the photography while large facilities might take several hours to cover properly. Prior planning and preparation can significantly reduce the amount of time required to gather the images for the panoramas.
After gathering the necessary images, the photographers then process the images, assemble each panorama, and then assemble the panoramas into a tour. In addition, customization can be added at this point. Next, a draft of the tour is presented for review, and a final version of the tour is produced based on review feedback. The tour is then delivered to you, ready for publishing to your choice of platforms, such as your website and social media outlets.
Follow the links to see examples of virtual panoramic tours:
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About Us |
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Washington County Chamber of Commerce members include more than 600 organizations, representing over 40,000 local jobs in a wide variety of industries: Retail, Manufacturing, Healthcare, Skilled Trades, Service and Hospitality, Technology, Government, Nonprofit, and Education.
We can't wait for our next opportunity to work with you, and
for you!
Washington County Chamber of Commerce
1 South Potomac Street
Hagerstown, Maryland 21740
Washington County Chamber of Commerce
(301) 739-2015
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