Economic Development Week
This month we celebrated Economic Development Week with a proclamation from the Board of County Commissioners. The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) defines economic development as the intentional practice of improving a community’s economic well-being and quality of life. It includes a broad range of activities to attract, create and retain jobs, and to foster a resilient, pro-growth tax base and an inclusive economy. The practice of economic development comprises a collaborative effort involving industry, government and myriad community stakeholders. In Calvert County, economic development is made up of agriculture, business development, business retention and tourism.
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The top six reasons economic development matters?
1. Job creation
2. Improved quality of life
3. Business retention and expansion
4. Increased tax revenue
5. Agriculture
6. Tourism
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National Travel & Tourism Week
We also celebrated National Travel & Tourism Week this month with the Board of County Commissioners proclamation celebration attended by a number of local tourism partners. We partnered with several anchor attractions to create and share branded social media posts in a coordinated effort on several social media accounts. Tourism is a true revenue booster – in 2020, visitor spending in Maryland was $11.6 billion, it sustained 166,000 tourism jobs and generated $1.7 billion in state and local taxes.
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Business Appreciation Week |
Each year the Calvert County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) dedicates a week to celebrating the contributions of local businesses. Calvert County’s 15th annual Business Appreciation Week was held May 1-7, 2022, and paid tribute to the economic resiliency of the Calvert County business community.
During Business Appreciation Week, the Calvert County Department of Economic Development hosted events focused on the vital role local businesses play in our economy by joining fellow business owners, resource partners, county staff and the Board of County Commissioners for workshops, networking activities and a day full of onsite business visits with 15 local businesses. To learn more about the businesses that participated in this year’s site visits, visit online.
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Life is SWEET in Calvert County!
Explore Calvert County’s brand-new Sweet Treat Trail this spring and summer! Stretching from northern Calvert in the Twin Beaches, across to Dunkirk, and down Route 4 to the southern tip of Solomons, find locally owned bakeries, ice cream shops and other sweet businesses to explore and support. Along the trail, you’ll find delicacies like fresh-baked cookies and cakes, tasty kettle corn, donuts, extreme milkshakes, farm-fresh berries, ice cream and more. Visit online for details about each business along the trail, as well as an interactive, online Calvert County Sweet Treat Trail map.
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Made in Calvert: Calvert Kettle Corn
Pina colada, salted caramel, chocolate mint and toffee – no, not the latest specialty coffee or cocktail, but one of the more than 100 flavors of hand-made, open-fired kettle corn crafted at Calvert Kettle Corn in Chesapeake Beach.
They started popping in 2003 and remain a family-owned and run business. Offering a variety of sizes from small bags to 1-gallon decorative tins, they provide ample opportunity for taste-testing new flavor combinations. Their slightly sweet, slightly salty kettle-popped corn is fresh, delicious and somewhat addictive. Customers have been known to travel great distances to visit Calvert Kettle Corn for their favorite flavors and they ship popcorn all over the country.
Bags of kettle corn make great giveaways and gifts for weddings, birthdays, showers or as an open house or client appreciation token. You can even choose your own unique flavor combinations or customize colors to match your special event.
For more information, to place an order or discuss custom orders or fundraising opportunities, visit online at https://www.calvertkettlecorn.com/. Or visit the store at 3723 Chesapeake Beach Road in Chesapeake Beach for a personal selection of popcorn treats and other gift ideas.
If you are a Calvert County-based business and make a product you’d like featured in an upcoming edition of our newsletter, please contact us at [email protected].
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Know your customer: Insights into doing business with the State of Maryland
Thursday, May 26, 2022
10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Do you understand how the state of Maryland buys its goods and services?
Spending taxpayer dollars requires an open and transparent procurement process. Vendors who understand these policies and procedures can compete with greater confidence. This class includes insights on how to determine what agency is buying your products or services, identifies purchasing thresholds and commonly used contracting vehicles, and explores techniques to mine public data.
Who should attend? Small, minority, women, and veteran business owners and entrepreneurs who are ready and able to compete and perform in the state contracting arena. Your instructor is Alison Tavik, Director of Communications & Outreach, Governor's Office of Small, Minority & Women Business Affairs.
Click here to register today!
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Worker Shortage? Consider “Employ Abilities”
Many businesses throughout Southern Maryland have partnered with the Arc of Southern Maryland to employ people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and have found the experience to be rewarding for both the employer and employee!
The Arc’s vocational support staff help match the right candidate to the needs of the employer, with the individual’s strengths and interests in mind. Arc staff provide onsite job coaching that fits the needs of the employee and business, all at no cost to the employer.
For more information, visit online.
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A Fond Farewell!
After 18 years with the Department of Economic Development, Danita Boonchaisri will retire from county service on June 1, 2022. Throughout her career, she has worked with hundreds of business owners, resource partners, citizen groups, colleagues, politicians and counterparts in other jurisdictions to help ensure the economic vitality and quality of life enjoyed by Calvert County citizens. She is looking forward to dedicating her talents and time toward sharing her life with friends, family (especially grandchildren), traveling, writing, exploring the outdoors and actively volunteering in the community. We wish her well!
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Stay connected with us! Follow us on LinkedIn to stay up to date on the most recent news, events and announcements from the Department of Economic Development. |
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Produced by the Department of Communications & Media Relations
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