Chamber Of Commerce

The smell of strawberries was strong on Allegheny Avenue yesterday. Farther down the block, past the fresh bread, summer squash and cut flowers, a grill was fired up in preparation for the lunch crowd. However, at the opening day of the Towson Farmers' Market, not all of the treats were for people. Lisa Lindsey-Davis stood behind her table, selling all-natural dog biscuits in vegetable and peanut butter-oatmeal flavors. "Its something good for the pups out there," she said. Lindsey-Davis' stand was among the new sights at the Farmers' Market, which started its 28th season yesterday in the Baltimore County seat.

Police seek man who robbed jewelry store Baltimore County police continue to seek a man who robbed a Catonsville-area jewelry store of more than $20,000 worth of jewelry Wednesday afternoon. Shortly after 5 p.m., a man entered House of Time in the 5600 block of Baltimore National Pike in the Ingleside Shopping Center and asked to see some rings, police said. After an employee placed a display case containing an assortment of jewelry on the counter, police say, the man, who was trying on rings, suddenly reached into a pocket and made a motion as though he was armed.

Hoping to latch on to the buzz surrounding former Vice President Al Gore's double dose of Oscar, the Annapolis and Anne Arundel Chamber of Commerce said yesterday that the Gore eco-friendly train will stop in Baltimore. Gore, whose documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, took home Oscars on Sunday night for Best Documentary and Best Song, will give a 90-minute speech May 8 on the effects of global warming -- the topic that has turned him into a hip wonk. "We snared him a good while ago and it just happened that he got the Nobel Peace Prize nomination and Oscar wins, so that was pretty cool," said Anne Joyner, who handles special projects for the Chamber of Commerce.

The Baltimore-Washington Corridor Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual Baltimore Washington Regional Government Procurement Fair at 8 a.m. Tuesday at the Greenbelt Marriott, 6400 Ivy Lane in Greenbelt. The event allows businesspeople to meet procurement officials from approximately 50 government agencies. Online and telephone registration is required by noon tomorrow. The registration fee is $55 for members, $70 for nonmembers by today; $95 tomorrow and at the door. Information: www.baltwash chamber.

Joan Hatfield is all business, from her work leading the Baltimore County Chamber of Commerce for the past four years to her labor of love guiding a family of three kids. They're all grown up now, two of them with their own businesses to run. Maybe it's genetic. Born and raised in Texas, Hatfield now lives in Lutherville and works in Towson, where she says the best part of her job is "the people and seeing this Chamber grow and become one of the strongest in the state." As for shopping, she's all business there, too. "I don't usually know what I want, but when I do, I know where I like to go."

New chief of police to be sworn in tonight James W. Johnson will be formally sworn in tonight as the new Baltimore County police chief. The ceremony will be held at 7 p.m. in Kraushaar Auditorium of Goucher College, Dulaney Valley Road, Towson. Johnson will be sworn in by Suzanne Mensh, clerk of the court for Baltimore County. Johnson, a 29-year veteran of the department, rose through the ranks from cadet to chief. During his career, he has served in a variety of operational and administrative positions and has won numerous awards and commendations.

Mary Armiger recalled a speech from about 30 years ago when her husband, Earl, asked, "Will our children be able to afford housing in Howard County?" "These words are still true today," Mary Armiger said. "Many people in our community, like teachers and hospital workers, can't afford to live here." Earl Armiger, 65, chief executive officer and president of Orchard Development, has been a longtime advocate of affordable housing in Howard County. The 37-year county resident also is a supporter of philanthropy in the community, as evidenced by the $2 million contribution that he and his wife recently made to the Columbia Foundation.

Chamber to host power breakfast The Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce will hold a power breakfast from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Wednesday at Buddy's Crabs & Ribs, 100 Main St., Annapolis. The cost is $17 in advance and $22 at the door for members, $35 for others. Information: 410-266-3960; 410-626-1100 for directions only. AACC's Spanish program highlighted Anne Arundel Community College President Martha A. Smith and members of the college's Center for Workforce Solutions will host a reception Wednesday to showcase its Spanish-language and cross-cultural training available to businesses, organizations and government agencies in Washington.

Awards The Anne Arundel Tech Council announced the winners of its 2007 TechAwards. Receiving the Good Chip Award was Carematic Systems Inc., developer of online software for adults with developmental disabilities; the Tech Service Award: NMR Consulting, an information technology company; and the Innovator Award: RxNT, maker of an automatic prescription system. Force 3, a 300-employee firm that provides communications networks, network management and application support to mostly government customers, was named Tech Company of the Year.

Procurement fair to be held Wednesday at Fort MeadeThe eighth annual procurement fair sponsored by the Baltimore/Washington Corridor Chamber of Commerce will be held from 8 a.m. to noon Wednesday at the Fort Meade Officers' Club.Participating agencies include the U.S. Department of State and Small Business Administration, Maryland Department of Transportation, Anne Arundel County, Montgomery County, Howard County, the Mass Transit Administration, Baltimore Gas and Electric Co., and Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission.

Patricia A. Winter, a former Chamber of Commerce executive who maintained an interest in the history of Dundalk, died of cancer May 3 at Franklin Square Hospital Center. The Perry Hall resident was 65. Patricia A. Lillis was born in Baltimore and raised in Dundalk. She was a 1961 graduate of Dundalk High School and attended the Johns Hopkins University. "She was a lifelong Dundalkian until moving to Perry Hall nine years ago," said her husband of 30 years, C. Richard Remmey. Mrs. Winter was founder and director of the Dundalk Chamber of Commerce, later Eastern Baltimore Area Chamber of Commerce, for 27 years until stepping down in 2002.

FIRN, the county government, the county Economic Development Authority and the county Chamber of Commerce are sponsoring the seventh annual American Success Awards Dinner from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. May 6 at the Ten Oaks Ballroom in Clarksville. Tickets are $75; $675 for a table of 10. Purchase online at www.firnonline.org or send a check to FIRN Inc., 5999 Harpers Farm Road, Suite E-200, Columbia, MD 21044. Information: 410-992-1923.

Corridor Chamber events The Baltimore Washington Corridor Chamber of Commerce's 52nd annual Masquerade Ball is scheduled for 6 p.m. Feb. 28 at BWI Marriott Hotel, 1743 W. Nursery Road, Linthicum. There will be a silent and live auction and performance by The Capitol Steps. Tickets are $100 per person, $950 for a table of 10. Information: 410-792-9714 or 301-725-4000, ext. 102. Leadership Anne Arundel Leadership Anne Arundel hired Kathleen M. Nieberding as Director of Development. Nieberding is responsible for raising funds for Leadership Anne Arundel's Executive Leadership Series, Flagship and Neighborhood Leadership Academy Programs.

Chamber January events The Southern Anne Arundel Chamber of Commerce will hold a meeting to discuss this year's South County festival at 6:30 p.m. Monday at the Chamber office, 5503 Muddy Creek Road, Churchton. Information: 410-867-3129. Republican women meet The Republican Business Women of Anne Arundel County will hold a business meeting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday for full-time members at Kaufman's, 329 Gambrills Road, Gambrills. Nancy Hoyt, a founder of the group, will speak on "The Power of Republican Business Women in Today's Economy."

Winter Farmers' Market opens today in Annapolis The Winter Farmers' Market will open today at Westfield Annapolis Mall on the first level of the Nordstrom parking garage off the Bestgate Road entrance. The market will be open 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Sundays through April 26. Chamber January events Southern Anne Arundel Chamber of Commerce announced its monthly activities for January. The South County festival meeting will be held 6:30 p.m. at the Chamber office, 5503 Muddy Creek Road, Churchton, to discuss this year's festival.

Frank W. Welsh, a one-time aide to former Rep. Helen Delich Bentley who went on to serve as director of the Baltimore County Department of Community Development, died Saturday of kidney failure at Stella Maris Hospice in Timonium. He was 76. Mr. Welsh was born in Baltimore and raised in Govans. He was a 1950 graduate of City College, where he had been drum major in the school's marching band. An accomplished musician, Mr. Welsh played the clarinet and saxophone. "He also formed an 11-piece swing band - Frank Welsh's Orchestra - and played at dances around Baltimore in the 1950s," said his wife of 48 years, the former Regina Holter.

The Hadassah 2008 Check It Out Challenge will be held Sunday at Hunt Valley Towne Centre, 118 Shawan Road. The challenge is a 5-kilometer run/walk starting at 8 a.m., and a 1-mile fun run at 8:15 a.m. Registration begins at 6:30 a.m. The 5K run/walk will take place on roads near the mall, and the fun run will take place around the mall. Registration fee is $30 in advance at www.active.com, and $35 the day of the event. Proceeds benefit Hadassah's health programs in the Baltimore region.

For Katie Essing, transitioning from one Columbia to another has been quite the shift. Essing, 33, began work as The Mall in Columbia's senior general manager June 30, leaving her post as general manager of Columbia Mall in Columbia, Mo. She was hired in May to fill the spot left open by Karen Geary, who resigned in April. "It's a beautiful property. It's got fantastic retailers and restaurants, and it's just an exciting opportunity," Essing said of the Howard County mall, which is owned by General Growth Properties Inc. The Chicago-based company also owns Columbia Mall and Capital Mall, two shopping centers in Missouri that Essing managed since 2005.

Marketing firm wins eight awards Crosby Marketing Communications received eight awards during the "Best in Maryland" program hosted by the Maryland Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. Crosby won Best in Maryland in: *Nonprofit annual reports for "Shady Grove Adventist Hospital Foundation: Report to the Community 2006" *Audio/video programs for "On Any Given Day," a public education video for the National Association of Social Workers *Marketing communications: existing products or services for Kaiser Permanente's Personal Health Kit. Crosby won the Award of Excellence in: *Special purposes publications for the "Art Bra," a series of posters for the Anne Arundel County Department of Health *Special events and observances for "Celebrating 100 Years in the Community," an anniversary campaign for Washington Adventist Hospital *Public service for "Poverty Line," a campaign for the Catholic Campaign for Human Development *Marketing communications: Existing Products or Services for Kaiser Permanente Federal Open Enrollment *Creative application of technology for "Hack & Yack" teen e-cards, a project to promote non-smoking for the Anne Arundel County Department of Health.

Entrepreneur's Exchange to meet in Edgewater The Entrepreneur's Exchange will hold its next meeting from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 9 at the Yellowfin restaurant, 2840 Route 2 S. in Edgewater. Melissa Carrier will discuss "What Angel Investors Can Do for the Entrepreneur or Small Business Owner." The cost is $30 for members and members of any chamber having an affiliate relationship with Entrepreneur's Exchange; $42 for nonmembers; $25 for students. Walk-ins pay $5 extra. Information: 410-647-8167.