CSM and Calvert County Announce I-Net Southern Maryland's First Incubator Graduate

PRINCE FREDERICK, Md., -- August 12, 2002 -- The Calvert County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) and the College of Southern Maryland (CSM) announced today that I-Net Internet Solutions Group became Southern Maryland’s first business incubator graduate from the Incubator located at the Calvert County Telecommuting Center in Prince Frederick.

After an incubation time of less than nine months at the Prince Frederick Incubator, I-Net relocated to the Calvert County Industrial Park on Rt. 231. I-Net specializes in the development and implementation of customized turnkey corporate and government e-solutions such as Internet/Intranet design, maintenance and hosting; video editing, streaming and hosting; interactive CDs; trade show exhibit design; database development and management; and CD, video and diskette reproduction.

"I-Net's graduation from the business incubator program is a great success story for small businesses here in Calvert County," said David Hale, president, BOCC. "We're pleased to see the program being utilized and encourage others to investigate the opportunities available."

" I am thrilled that I-Net graduated quickly and successfully from the business incubator," said Alan Kutz, vice president, Economic and Community Development Institute, CSM. " This shows that our partnership with Calvert County can have a long lasting positive impact on business development in the community."

Both CSM and Calvert County will continue to recruit, develop and graduate economically viable companies into the community. Day-to-day management is provided by CSM. A technology and business start-up counselor provides mentoring services, business plan development and review services, investor/financial advice, marketing advice, management team development, and new product assessments as needed.

Incubator tenants are charged a flat monthly rental fee at a rate that is significantly lower than the market rate lease in Prince Frederick. Internet access, local telephone service, copies, and faxes are included in the rental rate; long-distance fees and miscellaneous office supplies are billed separately. Companies that successfully graduate into the community provide excellent job opportunities, increased tax base, enhancement of the entrepreneurial climate in Southern Maryland, and an improvement of the region's technology infrastructure through a higher concentration of technology-based companies.

CSM is a regionally-accredited community college that provides programs and services with a special focus on local workforce development to maintain and grow a healthy economy and community. For information, please contact CSM, 301/934-7585 or visit http://www.csmd.edu/ProfDevelopment/CCTI/incubator.html or the Calvert County Department of Economic Development, 410.535.4583. For information about I-Net, please visit www.inetisg.com.

For more information on the Calvert County, Maryland Department of Economic Development, our visitor sites and attractions and the services available to assist County businesses, call 410.535.4583, 800.331.9771 or 301.855.1880; or send an e-mail to info@ecalvert.com