Office Of Economic

The first co-working space for start-up businesses in Harford County is having its grand opening Wednesday, according to the county's economic development office. The GroundFloor at Harford is located in the Swan Creek Village Center in Havre de Grace, off Pulaski Highway. The space is 2,700 square feet and contains individual work stations, conference rooms and presentation areas. Its industrial decor features chalkboard walls, lounge furniture and polished concrete floors.

Carroll County's economic health is contingent on the entire Baltimore metropolitan region, Donald P. Hutchinson told a group of county business owners last night."

Business group honors residents Four Harford County residents are Maryland winners of the U.S. Small Business Administration's annual Small Business Week awards program. The awards recognize excellence in business throughout Maryland. Harford winners for 2007 are: Small Business Person of the Year: Hollis Thomases, Web Advantage Inc., Havre de Grace. Family-Owned Small Business of the Year: Chuck Boyle, Boyle Buick Pontiac Inc., Abingdon. Financial Services Champion of the Year: Kathy Wajer, Harford County Office of Economic Development, Bel Air. District Director's Unsung Hero Award: Al Henry, Havre de Grace, and Harford County Small Business Development Center, Bel Air. Maryland winners will be honored at the 2007 Maryland Small Business Week Awards Breakfast at 7 a.m. Friday at Martin's West.

New president named at BLC Properties Inc.John P. Dixon has been named president of BLC Properties Inc. in Belcamp. He replaces Paul Gilbert, who recently resigned to become director of the Harford County Office of Economic Development.Mr. Dixon, who previously was president of marketing, will be responsible for the day-to-day development and eventual completion of Riverside, a 1,475-acre mixed-use community being developed by BLC at Belcamp. Riverside will include up to 3,000 residential units, 4 million square feet of industrial space, a shopping center, elementary school, nursing home and hundreds of acres dedicated to open space.

The investment in economic development is paying off with more industry coming to Carroll County and more local businesses expanding, county officials said.New business permits have increased substantially this year, officials say. From January through March, the county issued 90 new business permits for an estimated value of $21 million.Jack Lyburn, director of the county Office of Economic Development, released those and other figures at the annual Industry and Enterprise Awards Dinner on Tuesday.

About 3,000 people flocked to the National Guard Armory in Bel Air yesterday to sample chocolate delights and help raise money for downtown revitalization work. The Downtown Bel Air Chocolate Festival began for the second year at 10 a.m. and featured a host of desserts and confections, including truffles, chocolate-covered coffee beans, mousse, candies, pretzels, bagels and even chocolate-scented soap. One of downtown's newer shops, Moore's Candies - voted one of America's best chocolate makers by the Food Network - was hand-dipping strawberries in chocolate all day for visitors.

Crosby firm wins competitionCrosby Communications Inc., an Annapolis marketing communications business, recently was tapped to design a logo and letterhead package for the Anne Arundel Economic Development Corp., the newly-privatized economic development agency for the county.Crosby was chosen from 26 entrants in a competition sponsored by the former Anne Arundel County Office of Economic Development to create the image program for the new corporation.'Take the Lead' aims at retaining businessesThe county has been chosen as one of two counties in Maryland to test a business retention program initiated by the Maryland Business Council.

Over the last year:* Communications and Systems Specialists Inc.(CSSi), a Columbia computer hardware and software developer, expanded its staff 44 percent to 52 employees, bought $18,000 worth of equipment and increased its space 25 percent to 14,548 square feet;* Martek Corp., a Columbia biotechnology firm, expanded its staff13 percent to 34 employees, bought $600,000 worth of equipment and doubled its sales;* New Horizons Diagnostics Corp., a Columbia biotechnology firm, expanded its staff by 22 percent to 39 employees, bought $100,000 worth of equipment and expanded its space by 33 percent;* Larriland Farm Inc., a Woodbine farm and produce retailer, expanded its staff by 28 percent to 50 employees and bought $70,000 worth of new equipment;* Nixon's Farm, a West Friendship farm and conference retreat, increased its staff from 7 to 12 and purchased $120,000 in new equipment;* Nucletron Corp.

The Senior Employment Referral Service is teaming up with SCORE, Chapter 390, to offer a special May edition of the Senior Job Network."A Business Starter Kit for Seniors" is being offered for the over-55 job seeker who is considering going into business for himself.The workshop meets from noon to 5 p.m. today at the West Street Library, 1410 West St., Annapolis. Bill Geiger of the Anne Arundel County Office of Economic Development will be joined by three people from SCORE, Chapter 390, Women's Business Ownership Program.

Acquisitions Phillips Edison & Co., a Baltimore-based retail real estate owner, acquired three shopping centers: Blaine Center in Blaine, Wash.; Creekview Plaza in Price, Utah; and Country Club Center in Rio Rancho, N.M. Standard Auto Parts, headquartered in Southwest Baltimore, acquired Action Auto Supply in Rosedale and Parkville and Belvedere Auto Parts in Baltimore, giving the company five locations. Alliances Fox Residential Auctions LLC and Long & Foster Real Estate Inc. have expanded their alliance to provide auction services to Long & Foster's Southern Maryland region.