Greetings! 

2018 has been off to an exciting start for your Chamber.  We've got a great group of brand new members, and an lengthy list of upcoming events! 

Next week marks our annual Legislative Day in Annapolis, an eventful day in our state capital when Washington County is represented in many positive ways. It also offers some of our community's movers and shakers a chance to shake hands with some of the Maryland state delegation. 

Of course, we also have our 19th Annual Washington County Business Awards just around the corner as well, on February 28th! Catch up on all of the finalist information and register HERE! You won't want to miss the WCBA's return to The Maryland Theatre for this cornerstone event. 


Have a great day,
             
Your Chamber Team!
PAUL FREY, DONNA LONG-MITCHELL, TIM LUIPERSBECK, ROD IRISH
TAMMY BRINKLEY, JOSH TINELLI, TYANA MONETTE
In This Issue
Welcome Our New Members
Give a Warm Welcome to Some New Faces in Our Membership!

 
After Hours Pediatric
186 Eastern Blvd. North
Hagerstown, MD
301-302-7837
16208 Business Parkway
Hagerstown, MD
301-739-4640

For Otis Sake Rescue
13306 Briarwood Circle
Hagerstown, MD
503 Dual Highway
Hagerstown, MD
1219 Mount Aetna Road, Suite 301
Hagerstown, MD
10403 White Hall Road
Hagerstown, MD
21257 Leitersburg Pike
Hagerstown, MD
240-513-6030
 
11835 Newgate Blvd.
Hagerstown, MD
301-223-2812

700 Morrison Rd.
Gahanna, OH
800-440-4213


Members Making News
Find Out What's New with Some of Our Members! 

A Message from W. Christopher Motz on a New Name: Purdue University Global 

Last April, it was announced that Purdue University, one of the world's leading higher education institutions, would acquire Kaplan University and create a new university to extend its land grant mission into the 21st Century. It marked an exciting watershed that could catapult this top-ranked public, research institution into becoming a top provider of online degrees tailored to meet the needs of working adults. The press at the time commemorated the announcement with phrases like: "Hoosier Ingenuity," "Shockwave," and "The Next Big Thing in Higher Education." The Chronicle for Higher Education said it was "the most talked about business move on the [entire] higher education landscape in 2017."
 
Another step towards making the new university a reality took place earlier today, when the Purdue Board of Trustees and the new university's separate Board of Trustees both approved the new institution's name: Purdue University Global.
 
This new name was purposely designed to convey the affiliation with Purdue, while at the same time distinguishing it from its other campuses. It conveys expanded access for students, through an education that can be delivered anytime, anywhere-reflecting the flexibility that working adults require, with the academic prestige of a highly ranked university that many aspiring students seek. The words "global university" have become increasingly synonymous with online higher education institutions. Finally, the word "global" conveys the sense of inclusiveness and diversity that has always defined Kaplan University.
 
Purdue University Global is not yet in operation. It requires the approval of its accreditor, the Higher Learning Commission, which will meet in late February to review the application for change of control that has been submitted.
 
But, I wanted to share this exciting news about the new name with you. The press release announcing the new name was issued earlier and can be found here.
 
It's not often that a higher education institution with a 150-year-old pedigree is willing to take a fresh look at how to address changing student needs. Purdue's willingness to take this bold step forward is a fitting tribute to Kaplan's success and its people.
 
We are excited about what this means for our local students and the opportunities Purdue University Global will bring to our market. I would be happy to meet with you and discuss the exiting things we are already doing to extend educational pathways and provide solutions to business partners.
 



United Way Welcomes New President & CEO

Guinn Rogers recently joined the United Way of Washington County, MD staff as President/CEO. He will be responsible for leading United Way toward their strategic goals and for forming and maintaining relationships with key community stakeholders. Mr. Rogers is a graduate of Colorado State University with a Masters Degree in Organizational Leadership and brings with him decades of nonprofit leadership experience, most recently as Executive Director at Habitat for Humanity of Snohomish County in Everett, Washington.
 
Mr. Rogers can be reached by calling 301-739-8200 x 102 or via email at grogers@unitedwaywashcounty.org.
 
United Way of Washington County, MD will be announcing a combined meet and greet open house for Mr. Rogers, along with a ribbon cutting ceremony for their new location later this month.


Smith Elliott Kearns & Company, LLC Announces Promotions

Lauren B. Ryder

Charli Heilmann
Smith Elliott Kearns & Company, LLC is pleased to announce the following promotions, effective January 1, 2018 for their Hagerstown, MD office.

Lauren B. Ryder was promoted to Senior Associate.  Lauren provides firm wide estate/ trust taxation and probate services to clients.  She also works in individual and small business taxation.  Lauren earned a bachelor's degree in business administration with an accounting concentration from the University of Maryland University College and is currently working toward a masters of business administration from Frostburg State University. 

Charli E. Heilmann, CPA was promoted to Supervisor.  Charli provides audit and other attestation services to clients in a variety of industries, including broker-dealers, investment advisors, local government and nonprofits.  She earned a bachelor's degree in accounting and economics from Shepherd University. 


Children's Village of Washington County, Inc. Looking for Heroes



Children's Village of Washington County is looking for young people who have been involved in an incident where the lessons learned at Children's Village averted a tragedy. For recognition, CVWC holds an honor guard ceremony during the annual Kids Alive Fest.  Families can help this effort by self-reporting in time for the verification process to proceed in preparation for the next KAF in May, when CVWC will celebrate the action of one young person, whose family followed this procedure.
 
Criteria for recognition would be verification of the date of the incident and the involvement of a child, who cited lessons at Children's Village, by the emergency responders, whether they were with 911, fire, police or ambulance.  With the implementation of new HIPAA rules, agencies who once tracked these incidences for CVWC can no longer provide reports.  Yet, it is highly likely that other children in the communities of Washington County responded well in the face of an emergency.
 
Children's Village of Washington County is a unique safety education program for our community's youth, operated through a partnership with Washington County Public Schools. The miniature world of CVWC is designed to avert needless tragedies and was envisioned to provide an essential program to assist our youth to meet the challenges of our modern society. CVWC is open to all second grade students throughout the county, both public and private.  Visit the website at childrensvillagehgr.com


Community Foundation Has $90,000 Available in Scholarships

The Community Foundation of Washington County MD, Inc. has 70 scholarships available totaling more than $90,000 to local students preparing for a post-secondary education. The Foundation encourages all public, private, home school and nontraditional students who live in Washington County, Maryland, to apply for these scholarships. Applicants can apply for more than one, but should note that each  scholarship has different eligibility criteria, and he/she must review and meet all stated criteria for consideration. Requirements may include attendance at a certain high school in the county, plans to major in a specific course of study or participation in a designated extracurricular activity. There is no charge to apply for a scholarship listed on the Community Foundation's website. All scholarship applications are due between March and April 2018. 

Visit the Community Foundation's website at www.cfwcmd.org and click on the  Scholarships tab for specifics as well as links to the applications.   Ineligible or incomplete applications will be disqualified.     





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! 

Email tim@hagerstown.org to be featured in our next 
Chamber Newsletter!
 
Chamber Connects News
Chamber Connects is a free professional networking group within the Chamber for select members to create opportunities for each other!
 

Interested in joining a Chamber Connects referral group??

Sometimes the best form of connection is slowly cultivated with some of the same great members over time.  It's often a nice contrast to the rest of our Chamber events! Email Tim Luipersbeck, Director of Member Services at tim@hagerstown.org if interested!

To find out which industries are represented in each group, & much more:
 

 

 



Upcoming Chamber Events
Register for one of these upcoming Chamber functions!


 
Learning Lunch Hour: "Make the Most Out of the New Tax Law"
with Bev Stitely
Tuesday, February 6th - 11:30am - 1pm
Hager Hall Conference & Event Center
Hagerstown, MD 



Eggs & Issues: "Mandatory Paid Sick Leave in Maryland (House Bill 1)"
Brought to you in partnership with
Cumberland Valley Society for Human Resource Management
Wednesday, February 14th - 7:00am - 9:00am (6:45am registration)
Applause Caterers
58 E. Washington Street, Hagerstown, MD




Maximize Your Membership
Thursday, February 15th - 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Chamber of Commerce Training Room, Hagerstown, MD



 
Business After Hours 
Hosted by The Maryland Theatre
Thursday, February 15th, 5:00-7:00pm
29 South Potomac St.
Hagerstown, MD



The 19th Annual Washington County Business Awards
Wednesday, February 28th, 2018
The Maryland Theatre and The Schindel-Rohrer Building at 28 South Potomac


BEP Corner
A contribution from our Business and Education Partnership Committee
 


Food for thought:
a different approach to organizational goal setting!
 
I recently came across an idea for a different way to consider organizational goals as described by Jen Gross-Lara.  Ask your work team members to complete the following individually and then share & discuss with others.
 
Respond to the following as you "set your place"
On the plate: What's on your plate right now?
On the fork: List a few things you'd like to take a stab at this year.
On the napkin: List something you need to protect.
On the knife: List some things that are cutting away at you and your time.
On the spoon:  Many of us resist being spoon-fed; list some things you'd like help with in the coming year.
 
 This quick activity can engage your leadership/work teams in some thoughtful discussion around what's important, what can we do next and how do we support one another's success. 
 
Contributed by Mary Ellen Waltemire
Chamber BEP Committee Member 

Delta Dental - A New Members-Only Benefit!



As the nation's leading dental insurance company, Delta Dental's core purpose is the advancement of the oral health of our customers, partners  and  consumers through dental insurance and the philanthropic efforts of Delta Dental companies.
Delta Dental Plans Association is a not-for-profit organization. Through their national network of Delta Dental companies, they offer dental coverage in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories, with a local presence in communities across the country, providing groups and individuals with quality, cost-effective dental insurance  and  superior customer service.
Delta Dental protects more smiles than any other dental insurance company, with the largest network of dentists nationwide, quick answers and personalized service!
Right now is the perfect time to evaluate your company's dental plan and know that cost matters! Whether you provide your employees with dental insurance already, or they're required to purchase it on their own, Delta Dental could be your best option! There's only one way to find out, though. 

Interested in learning more about how you can get started for less cost just by being a Chamber member? Our Chamber-approved Delta Dental Rep
Tim Harrison is available to take your questions at
301-473-3007
 
About Us
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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