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(Photo caption: Ribbon Cutting celebration of Little Genie General Store in Gaithersburg)

Happy National Small Business Week!

We are the #GGCC. We are #StrongerTogether.

Together, we are the #UpcountyEngine.

Be in the know! Make sure you're social with us:

LAST day to get your Early Bird Ticket for our 20th Annual Wine Tasting on May 17!

We're looking forward to our 20th Annual Wine Tasting fundraiser for the Chamber!

Participating restaurants will be providing small bites to be paired with wine that is being sponsored by our member Vine Alley! They will also provide a nonalcoholic wine.

Also, a big thank you to DJ Romy, another GGCC member, sponsoring music at the event!

This will be a fun and unforgettable evening of networking at the City of Gaithersburg's Kentlands Mansion, so don't miss out! Register today!

It's the last day to get your early bird tickets for the events for $45. Starting tomorrow, May 2 the price will go up to $50 per person.

Register Here

Participating restaurants:

• Apna Pizza
• Caribbean Caterers
• Kofemi Grub N Go
• Nothing Bundt Cakes
• Roaming Rooster
• True Food Kitchen

All of our networking events provide an opportunity for each member to showcase their business by bringing a door prize.

Would you like to provide an item to include in our gift basket door prize at our 20th Annual Wine Tasting event?

Donations could be company swag or a gift card, a bottle of wine, tickets to a local event, or a gift card to a fellow member business! Email Gitzel.

A big thank you to those who have reached out with your donations for the event!

New Direct Connect Groups

NEW GGCC/HCCMC Business Owners of Color Direct Connect!

Launching May 8th

• Industry-Exclusive, mastermind format with highlights from members each session
• Will meet twice monthly for 90 minutes at the end of the workday
• Joint program with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Montgomery County
• B2B and B2C businesses welcome
• Member-led by Fernando Fuentes, First National Bank. Fernando is a Board of Directors member of both the GGCC and HCCMC. Please email Fernando to express your interest in joining the first meeting of this group!

NEW Wellness in Aging Direct Connect!

Launching May 3rd

• Open to any professional in the wellness industry, care industry, aging and elderly care industry. 
• Member-led by Mark Asch, Right at Home. Please email Mark to express your interest in joining the first meeting of this group! Registration link for initial meeting forthcoming.

MORE to come about other exciting Direct Connect Groups forming this year: Work-Life Happiness, LGBTQIA+ business leaders, Veteran-owned Business Leaders, and Early-Mid Career Masterminds.

For more information about the GGCC's member-led Direct Connect Program click here.

Upcoming Events

See the complete list of upcoming ribbon cuttings, celebrations, networking, and professional development events here.

Business Networking After Five: First National Bank, co-sponsored by Moe's!

When: Wed., May 3, 5:30-7:30 PM

Where: 19790 Crystal Rock Drive, Germantown

Register Now!

Ribbon Cutting: E&R Business Consulting

When: Fri., May 5, 11:30 AM

Where: Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce, 910 Clopper Road, Gaithersburg

Trippy Tacos will be catering! Come join us!

Register Now!

Ribbon Cutting: TaKorean - Korean Taco Grill

When: Tues., May 9, 10:30 AM

Where: 261 Kentlands Blvd., Gaithersburg

Free food will be offered for guests from 11 - 2 p.m.!

Register Now!

Ribbon Cutting: African International Market

When: Fri., May 12, 11:30 AM

Where: 289 Muddy Branch Rd., Gaithersburg

Register Now!

20th Annual Wine Tasting & Networking at Kentlands Mansion

When: Wed., May 17, 5:00-7:00 PM

Where: Kentlands Mansion, 320 Kent Square Rd., Gaithersburg

Cost: $50/person

Thank you to the City of Gaithersburg & Vine Alley!

Register Now!

Real Estate & Construction Direct Connect's Annual Spring Fling Happy Hour

When: Thurs., May 18, 4:30 PM

Where: Lone Oak Farm Brewing Company, 5000 Olney Laytonsville Road, Olney

Cost: Suggested donation of $20

Click here to register and for more details!

GGCC at the Gaithersburg Book Festival!

When: Sat., May 20, 10:00 AM

Where: Bohrer Park, 506 S. Frederick Ave., Gaithersburg

What: Any member may register to table with us at our tent! Bring your marketing materials to hand out to festival attendees!

More info!

New Member Orientation

When: Wed., May 24, 8:30 AM

Where: GGCC Conference Room, 910 Clopper Rd., Ste. 205N, Gaithersburg

Register Now!

Morning Networking Mixer sponsored by Ellis-Lopez Travel

When: Fri., June 9, 7:30 AM

Where: GGCC Conference Room, 910 Clopper Rd., Ste. 205N, Gaithersburg

Cost: Free for members and first-time guests. Returning non--members $40

Register Now!

Committee Corner:

Highlights of GGCC's 4 Standing Committees of the Board

Next Meeting: May 3, 8:30am, (Zoom)

The Events Committee meets the first Wednesday of the month at 8:30am. We'll be discussing the Wine Tasting, Public Safety Awards, and the Golf Tournament!

Please register to attend at the link above.

Next Meeting: May 18,

11am (zoom)

The Membership Attraction & Retention Committee meets the third Thursday of the month at 11 a.m.

Please register to attend at the link above.

Next Meeting: June 5 at 10am (Zoom)

The Young Professionals Group (YPG) Committee meets the first Monday of the month at 10 a.m.

The committee is looking for active members that would like to contribute to the planning & coordination of the upcoming professional development series and social events for the group.

Please register to attend at the link above.

Next Meeting: May 17,

8:30am (zoom)

Now that state legislative session for 2023 has ended, our State Senators from Districts 15, 17, & 39 have been invited to share their session highlights, and to take Q&A, at our zoom committee meeting.

Please register to attend at the link above.

Direct Connect Groups:

(Does your DC group have news to share...email us!)

SOHO (Small Office Home Office)

Next Meeting: May 10, 9:00 a.m. (Zoom)

"SOHO" is for GGCC Members who own and operate a "Small Office - Home Office". If you are a Member who works from home or in a very small office, please feel free to join us at the monthly “SOHO” Meeting.

In April, we heard from Cliff Peterson from Infinite Bridge about cybersecurity in your home office. Thank you, Cliff!

Nonprofit Direct Connect

Next Meeting: May 8, 11:00am (Zoom)

The Nonprofit Direct Connect Group is back for 2023! Facilitated by Paula Ross at the GGCC, this group will explore professional development and strategic planning topics specifically of interest to our GGCC Nonprofit members! The group will meet on the 2nd Monday of each month, on zoom for now.

Thank you to Sabeen Taha from SnyderCohn for an excellent discussion of using the Form 990 (and other forms) as a marketing tool at our April zoom meeting.

Direct Connect groups are member-led affinity groups that strategically connect smaller groups of GGCC members. More information here.

If you have any updates, news, celebrations, recognitions & more about your business you would like to be included in the GGCC weekly newsletter, please email a brief description to Gitzel Puente at: gpuente@ggchamber.org.

The City of Gaithersburg is getting ready for its annual, free Gaithersburg Book Festival on May 20 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Bohrer Park! "A CELEBRATION OF BOOKS, WRITERS & LITERARY EXCELLENCE," the festival has something for everyone to foster an interest in reading, writing and literacy conversation. Schedules and activities for the Festival are being continually updated on the Book festival website. You can join GGCC at the festival - more here for our members! 

Montgomery College's Alumni Association is joining forces with fellow GGCC member Dogfish Head Alehouse in Gaithersburg for it's 10th annual Dogfishing for MC Scholarships on May 9th. The restaurant donates a portion of the day’s sales to Alumni Association scholarships. Come for lunch, happy hour, dinner, or drinks with friends and co-workers. There will also be an on-site auction — from golf packages to resort getaways - and a 50/50 raffle, which brought last year’s winner more than $2,000.



Nurses Week is the 2nd week in May! Adventist HealthCare - Shady Grove Medical Center is seeking gift cards to local stores and restaurants to give to their wonderful nurses! If you are interested in providing support, please email Alexis Robbins, Interim Director of Philanthropy and Donor Relations.



DoubleTree by Hilton Washington DC North/Gaithersburg was recently recognized for its leadership and was awarded the 2022 Annual Brighter Together Award and Award of Excellence! It represents founder Conrad Hilton and his vision to fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality, recognizing the top hotels with the perfect balance of exceptional products and overall guest experience.

RIO is hosting NAMIWalks Montgomery County on May 20 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. "Let’s open up doors for everyone from every walk of life to have access to the mental health resources and community they deserve.

• Courageous Living is offering a two-part Vision Board Workshop to teach you how to use a vision board as a tool to get your personal and professional goals accomplished! The workshop will be held on Friday, June 2 and Friday, June 5 from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the GGCC conference room located on 910 Clopper Road, Ste. 205N, Gaithersburg. Cost is $65/person. If you're interested in participating, you can register using this link. **Chamber members receive a 15% discount by entering code: GGCC15.

• Ellis-Lopez Travel Partners are offering a special excursion to the Tenth Ward Distilling Company located in Frederick for groups of up to five people! This includes roundtrip transportation and a complimentary spirit flight (3 different tastings)! Additional food and drinks can be ordered and served at your table. For more details, visit their webpage.

• FIT4MOM is hosting a Mother's Day event on May 10 at RIO. It's a morning full of fun for moms in the community, and it's FREE! For more information and to sign up to attend, please click here.

• The Gaithersburg Parks, Arts and Recreation Corporation (G-PARC) is having a bowling night fundraiser on May 7 from 4 to 6 p.m. to benefit the Youth Sports Scholarship program. Tickets are on sale here.

• Hilary Schwab Photography is offering outdoor photo sessions this spring! Do you need to update your headshot? Book a Photo Session with Hilary for: May 12, 17 and June 1. Standard fee is $85/session and $70/session for Chamber members. (Session includes 15-minutes with wardrobe stylist and make-up touch-up with blurred backround, unlimited usage of one selected digital image high resolution).

• Lowe's offers special business counts and discounts for businesses that help them grow, no matter how big or small. Their MVP PRO Rewards proram offers benefits, such as point rewards, business tools and select drinks and snacks.

• MCDOT is encouraging you to join Bike to Work Day on Friday, May 19! Registration is free, and first 15,000 people to sign up and attend a pit stop get a FREE t-shirt! For more details and to sign up, visit this website.

• PNC Bank presents a webinar about the food and beverage industry as it continues to nagivate supply chain issues, labor shortages, inflation and changing consumer expectations. In the webinar, speakers discuss what you can expect in the year ahead and explore how restaurants and retailers can use technology to optimize operations. To view the replay, visit this site.

• ProudlyGive has been selected for MindShare's 2023 Cohort! The participants will attend a series of classes, taught by notable speakers, on building a business as a CEO. Each year, MindShare participants hail from some of the most innovative organizations in the DMV. To read more about this announcement, read their press release here.

• Radiant Livin' offers trivia nights every Monday and Wednesday at 6 p.m. Grab your team and play to win! Trivia night is hosted at La Mex on 16143 Shady Grove Rd., Gaithersburg.

• Rio Grande Grill Tex Mex in Germantown is hosting a Cinco de Mayo celebration with a live mariachi on May 5 at 6 p.m.! Check out their flyer here.

• Spark + Buzz Communications is hosting the Spark Summit: Glow + Grow for a second annual day retreat designed for faith-led female founders, entrepreneurs, and business owners on Thursday, May 4 at the Kentlands Mansion. For more details and to register, visit this page and use code SPARK20 for $20 off.



• Asbury Methodist Village is looking for a Sales Counselor and Outreach Sales Coordinator to join their team! Introduce seniors to a 134-acre campus with a certified nature preserve and arboretum, unparalleled programs, accomplished, energetic residents, cutting-edge wellness (including a climbing wall and boxing), and life-changing opportunities! Join Asbury and help change lives for the better every day.

• My Cup Runneth Over Southern Cuisine is now hiring a fry cook, cashier/line server, and food prep full-time! You can send your resume to MyCupRunnethover235@gmail.com or stop by in person Wednesday to Sunday.

• Walmart is hiring for temporary positions at the Germantown location store 2357! They're looking for overnight and day positions, must work weekends. Check out this flyer for more information and to help spread the word. An application can also be found here www.walmart.com/careers.

Thank you again to these Annual Corporate Sponsors who support the Chamber's important community engagement, advocacy, and business development work all year round!