March 2003

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NEW THIS MONTH:
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- COMING EVENT: March 5: Get the Insider's Perspective of Annapolis from GBC President Don Fry
- COMING EVENT: Sun Publisher Speaks to Leadership Association on March 4
- SAVE THE DATE: GBC Lunch with the Orioles to be held April 2
- SAVE THE DATE: GBC Annual Meeting Scheduled for May 20
- REMINDER: GBC Inclement Weather Policy
GBC NEWS:
1. GBC Playing Key Advocacy Role for Strengthening Region's Rail Transportation
2. GBC Opposes City Council's Proposed Arena Billboards Legislation
3. O'Malley Praises Role of GBC in Strengthening City
4. GBC Launches New Online Services
5. Candidates Sought for Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners
6. "No Child Left Behind" Pushes for Tough Standards for Teachers, School Choice for Students
7. "Issues & Answers" Suggestion Box is Open
8. Setting Goals is the Key to Planning Successful Events

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MEMBER NEWS
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- Goodwill seeks business help rebound from donation shortage
- Prescription drug packaging system donated to University of Maryland School of Pharmacy
- Five GBC members honored as Great Blacks in Business
- DBM donates Community Champion Award prize to GenesisJobs, Inc.
- United Way of Central Maryland to hold second substance abuse symposium on May 8
- Piper Rudnick launches pre-college professional seminars for CollegeBound students
- City kicks off creation of arts and entertainment district
- KCI Technologies promotes Joseph J. Siemek, PE, to vice president
- Maryland Port Administration, Cardin unveil gamma ray scanner at Port of Baltimore
- Fourteen GBC members named to BACVA CEO search committee
- WBAL Radio's Jim Hunter named Maryland Sportscaster of the Year
- UMBI brings mobile bioscience lab to Maryland high schools
- Century Engineering acquires East Coast Hurst-Rosche
- Terry Slade Young joins Villa Julie College administrative team
- Seminar gives MICA students hands-on experience in launching exhibitions
- Comcast to provide high-speed Internet services to Towson University residence halls
- NSA awards New Horizons three-year contract for information security, software training

For details on these member news headlines and more, click here.

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UPCOMING GBC EVENT NOTES
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(See the GBC Calendar at www.gbc.org for more upcoming events.)

1. MARCH 5: GET THE INSIDER'S PERSPECTIVE OF ANNAPOLIS FROM GBC PRESIDENT DON FRY
Find out from an Annapolis insider about the current issues facing businesses at the GBC's next Breakfast Briefing Seminar on March 5. Greater Baltimore Committee President Donald C. Fry, who spent eight years in the House and Senate, will talk about the dynamics between the House, the Senate, the state budget and the new governor beginning at 8:15 a.m. in the GBC Board Room. A seasoned leader on transportation and economic development issues, Fry will also discuss how the GBC advocates for businesses and gets results, and how your business can get involved in this effort.

Click here for more information, or contact Alice Smith, 410-727-2820, x19.
Click here to REGISTER ONLINE.


2. SUN PUBLISHER SPEAKS TO LEADERSHIP ASSOCIATION ON MARCH 4
Baltimore Sun president, publisher and CEO Denise E. Palmer will speak to The Leadership Association at a breakfast event on Tuesday, March 4 from 7:30 - 9 a.m. at the Hyatt Regency Baltimore. Palmer, who joined the Sun in July 2002, will discuss the challenges and opportunities that she faces as head of Baltimore's major newspaper operation.

To register for this event, contact Dawnita Brown at 410-727-2820, x27.


3. SAVE THE DATE! Wednesday, April 2, 2003: GBC Lunch with the Orioles 2003, 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., Hyatt Regency Baltimore.  Contact Pat Kirkner, 410-727-2820, x11, for more information. Sponsorship opportunities are available for this event. For sponsorship information, contact Jay Stewart, 410-727-2820, x35.


4. SAVE THE DATE! Tuesday, May 20, 2003: GBC Annual Meeting, 5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m., Renaissance Harborplace Hotel.  Contact Pat Kirkner, 410-727-2820, x11, for more information. Sponsorship opportunities are available for this event. For sponsorship information, contact Jay Stewart, 410-727-2820, x35.


5. REMINDER: GBC INCLEMENT WEATHER POLICY
The following policies will take effect if there is inclement weather on the day of a GBC event:
For GBC morning events, the event is cancelled if Baltimore City schools are closed at the scheduled starting time of the event. For GBC afternoon or evening events, cancellations will be announced on the GBC website homepage, www.gbc.org. For inclement weather information regarding events of The Leadership program, call 410-727-2820 and enter ext. 22.

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UPCOMING COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND GBC EVENTS
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(See the GBC Calendar at www.gbc.org for more upcoming events.)

Friday, February 28
Hospitality/Tourism Industry Group, 8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. GBC Board Room. Contact Alice Smith, 410-727-2820, x19. Meeting open to all GBC members.

Tuesday, March 4
Education Committee, 8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m., GBC Board Room. Guest: Stephen Gibson, principal of Hamilton Middle School. Topic: Principal training and retention. Contact Liz Pettengill, 410-727-2820, x41. Meeting open to all GBC members.

Tuesday, March 4
The Leadership Association Breakfast, 7:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. Guest: Baltimore Sun Publisher Denise E. Palmer. Hyatt Regency Baltimore. Contact Dawnita Brown, 410-727-2820, x27.

Wednesday, March 5
GBC Breakfast Briefing Seminar. Topic: "Doughnuts with Don: Exploring the GBC Connection," featuring GBC President Donald C. Fry. 7:30 a.m. - 8:15 a.m. - Registration/Networking
8:15 a.m. - 9:15 a.m. - Program, GBC Board Room. Contact Alice Smith, 410-727-2820, x19.
Click here for more information, or click here to REGISTER ONLINE.

Wednesday, March 5
GBC Business Education Advisory Committee, 9:15 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. GBC Board Room. Contact Alice Smith, 410-727-2820, x19. Meeting open to all GBC members.

Wednesday, March 12
GBC Technology Policy Work Group, 8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. Guest: Margo Burnett, senior project manager for Net.Work.MD and deputy information technology officer for the Maryland Dept. of Budget and Management. Topic: History and status of Maryland's high-speed network. GBC Board Room. Contact Devon Dodson, 410-727-2820, x40. Meeting open to all GBC members.

Tuesday, March 18
"Taxes - Should I be a C Corp, S Corp, LLC, Partnership or Sole Proprietorship?" a University of Baltimore Small Business Initiative Course, 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. University of Baltimore's Langsdale Library, Room 401
Sponsored by: Greater Baltimore Committee, Baltimore Smart CEO and Maryland Small Business Development Center. Cost: For individual course - $115 for GBC members; $125 for non-members. For four courses (to earn an Entrepreneurship Certificate - $440 for GBC members, $500 for non-members.
Contact Dawn Eubanks, 410-837-6199 or deubanks@ubalt.edu
For more information about the program, go to http://www.ubalt.edu/training/small_biz.html.

Thursday, March 20
Public Safety Committee, Noon - 1:30 p.m. GBC Board Room. Contact Devon Dodson, 410-727-2820, x40.
Meeting open to all GBC members.

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GBC NEWS
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1. GBC PLAYING KEY ADVOCACY ROLE FOR STRENGTHENING REGION'S RAIL TRANSPORTATION
Planned state transportation spending through FY 2008 for major projects in Montgomery and Prince George's counties is more than four times the amount of state spending planned for major transportation projects in the entire Baltimore region, according to GBC research.

These calculations, gleaned by the GBC from an examination of Maryland's Consolidated Transportation Program, are a central element of recent efforts by GBC President Don Fry to gain support from the governor, the region's elected leaders, and state lawmakers for implementing the newly crafted Baltimore Region Rail System Plan.

Click here for more about the GBC's efforts in transportation.


2. GBC OPPOSES CITY COUNCIL'S PROPOSED ARENA BILLBOARDS LEGISLATION
The Greater Baltimore Committee on February 19 voiced opposition to a City Council bill that would allow up to 17 billboards to be placed on outside walls of the 1st Mariner Arena in downtown Baltimore.

To view testimony submitted by GBC President Donald C. Fry, click here.


3. O'MALLEY PRAISES ROLE OF GBC IN STRENGTHENING CITY
When the Greater Salisbury Committee leaders recently wanted to present a program on nurturing constructive relationships between government and business, they turned to Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley and GBC President Donald C. Fry.

O'Malley and Fry were the featured speakers at the Salisbury organization's Feb. 10 luncheon event, where they talked about the roles the GBC and other business groups have played in strengthening city government and quality of life in Baltimore City.

Click here for more on this story.


4. GBC LAUNCHES NEW ONLINE SERVICES
Readers are registering an early favorable response to the GBC's new weekly members-only online report from the Maryland General Assembly. The GBC also added a search engine to its web site in February to make it easier for site users to find specific news and information they are seeking. Click here for details.

To be added to the GBC member email list, contact Chris Barnhart at 410-727-2820, x21.


5. CANDIDATES SOUGHT FOR BALTIMORE CITY BOARD OF SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS
The Maryland State Board of Education is seeking candidates to serve on the Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners. To qualify as voting members, the candidates must be residents of Baltimore City and at least 18 years old. Interested individuals must apply by 5:00 p.m. on March 28, 2003.

Click here for list of qualifications and application procedures.


6. "NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND" PUSHES FOR TOUGH STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS, SCHOOL CHOICE FOR STUDENTS
Tough new teacher proficiency standards and mandated school-transfer options for students in failing schools are among the most difficult challenges for states seeking to comply with new federal education standards, an education expert recently told the GBC Education Committee. Krista Kafer, senior policy analyst for domestic and economic policy at the Heritage Foundation, explained the law's standards to the group on February 4.

Click here for more from the February 4 Education Committee meeting.


7. "ISSUES & ANSWERS" SUGGESTION BOX IS OPEN
Do you have a topic or guest that you would like to see on "Issues & Answers," the public affairs show produced by Comcast in partnership with the GBC? E-mail your suggestions or comments to issuesandanswers@gbc.org. For more information about the show, click here.


8. SETTING GOALS IS THE KEY TO PLANNING SUCCESSFUL EVENTS
Before planning any special event, for business or otherwise, you need to determine goals that you hope to achieve as a result of the event, special events planners told GBC members at a February 5 Breakfast Briefing seminar. Sandy Pagnotti, vice president, event management at P.W. Feats and Dorothy Fuchs, director of Feats Express offered five potential goals to consider when planning events.

Click here to see the list of goals.