Number of Calvert County, Md. Businesses Tops 4,000

Department of Economic Development Notes 35 Percent Increase Over Previous Year

PRINCE FREDERICK, Md., -- March 9, 2006 - The Calvert County, Md. Department of Economic Development is pleased to announce that the number of businesses in the County now totals 4,284, according to recent data provided by Dun & Bradstreet, a nationally recognized company that provides business information and statistics for credit, marketing and purchasing decisions worldwide. This represents a 35.7 percent increase over 2004 and demonstrates the success the County has experienced in attracting and retaining companies.

Linda Vassallo, director of the Department of Economic Development, is excited about the new numbers. “When I first came to work with Economic Development 10 years ago, we counted about 1,700 businesses in existence Countywide,” she said. “Of course, a lot has changed since the late 1990s, but I believe these new numbers demonstrate that the County’s economic development programs are working and local businesses are thriving. Having a variety of businesses – both new and old, small and large – is a great asset for any community. These businesses offer goods and services that residents need, provide jobs and pay their fair share of taxes, helping to keep Calvert County’s quality of life one of the most envied in the Washington metropolitan area.”

Vassallo believes that much of the business community’s success can be attributed to the services and assistance provided through her office by the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC). Additional resources are also available through the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) which, in 2005, counseled 166 business clients in Calvert County, held eight training events with 66 participants and established a satellite office at the College of Southern Maryland’s Telecommuting Center in Prince Frederick.

SBDC director, Bill Hitte, said the number of entrepreneurs counseled in 2005 represents a 60 percent increase over 2004. “This figure alone demonstrates that there is an increasing interest among Calvert’s residents to start new businesses or improve the businesses they already own,” he said. “The SBDC’s confidential counseling expertise ranges from cash flow analysis and business plan development to loan preparation, marketing tactics and human resource management – and the fact that our counseling is provided at no charge to our clients makes it a very attractive benefit for entrepreneurs of any level.”

Calvert County’s Department of Economic Development offers a variety of innovative incentive programs to help attract and expand local businesses including loan funds and financing, marketing assistance, fast-track permitting, training and networking opportunities. The BOCC places significant emphasis on continuous improvement for economic development and Department staff acts as advocates for the County's businesses, working closely with the Economic Development Commission, the Economic Development Authority, the Chamber of Commerce, the SBDC, the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development, and other state and federal agencies that provide assistance to business.

The Small Business Development Center for Southern Maryland offers counseling at the Prince Frederick Telecommuting Center three days per week and provides training opportunities throughout the year. For additional information on the SBDC, visit online at www.sbdchelp.com or call the main office in La Plata, Md. at 301.934.7583.

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