Archive for December, 2009

ODENTON – M-Edge Accessories announced a new line of Amazon Kindle jackets that feature some of The New Yorker magazine’s famous covers.  The jackets feature “Bookopolis” by Eric Drooker, “Book Lovers” by Adrian Tomine and “Sunday Afternoon in Central Park” by Bob Knox.

See M-Edge release.

ANNAPOLIS – Anne Arundel Community College has received one of 12 BRAC Higher Education grants for $80,234, which will be deployed to develop programming for BRAC workforce development needs in mobile and computer forensics.

See AACC release.

ANNAPOLIS – Shawn Schoene has joined BankAnnapolis to manage the Commercial Credit Department.  He brings 12 years of banking experience to BankAnnapolis and was most recently with PNC Bank.

See full release.

We’re looking for your prognostications on what will happen with business in our region and in general next year.  What can we expect with slots?  Or economic recovery?  What company will have the great underdog story?  If your prediction comes true we’ll give you a free ad (i.e. the “cash”).  If it doesn’t, it’s likely a good idea whose time just hadn’t come.  Post comments here, and we’ll also publish them in the email.

ANNAPOLIS – At the MD-AEP’s inaugural banquet, City Administrator Bob Agee updated attendees on the status of the city’s effort to generate power and revenue from the former dump on 500 acres near Parole.  With a positive city council vote on a memorandum of understanding with the developer, other agreements will follow for how the privately funded project will be implemented.  The developer, Aerotropolis Renewable Energy Group (led by Linthicum-based Heffner & Weber), wants to spend up to $250 million on solar, biomass and geothermal systems.  By generating up to 18 megawatts of power, the city hopes to net many times more than the $180,000 a year it now spends on maintenance.  And, it hopes to export the concept to China through the Int’l City Mgmt. Assn.

In front of the crowd of several hundred from environmental businesses, academia, U.S. and state agencies, and staff from Asian embassies, the group also recognized Dr. Michael Galiazzo with the Green Manufacturing Award for his work at the Regional Manufacturing Institute of Maryland where he helps manufacturers improve competitiveness.  RMI is one of the founding partners of MD-AEP, a trade group that helps U.S. partners promote sustainable environmental solutions in Asia.

See MD-AEP release.

ANNAPOLIS – Real estate investor Thayer Lodging Group has closed the Thayer Hotel Investors V LP and a parallel fund, Thayer Hotel Investors V-A LP.  With approximately $280 million in equity commitments, the new discretionary equity funds for lodging investments expect to selectively acquire up to $700 million in hospitality assets over the next 36 months. Since 1991, the company has acquired approximately $1.8 billion in hotels and resorts.

See Thayer release.

PRINCE FREDERICK – With Telecommunication Systems apparently taking a break from acquisitions this week, we bring you news of DirectMail.com as the new owner Eagle Direct, LLC.  The Upper Marlboro, Md. direct mail shop specializes in personalized, multi-insert pieces.  Staff, customer accounts and the physical plant and equipment will transfer under the terms of the agreement.

See directmail.com release.

ANNAPOLIS JUNCTION – The MITRE Corporation celebrated the opening of its new site near the U.S. Army’s Fort George G. Meade.  The office at COPT’s National Business Park will strengthen MITRE support to key Department of Defense customers, several of which have relocated from Fort Monmouth, N.J., as part of BRAC.

See MITRE release.

ANNAPOLIS – Anne Arundel County Executive John Leopold announced four projects that have been granted tax-exempt Stimulus Recovery Zone Facility Bonds.  The $32 million program is expected to create more than 1,700 new jobs.  The tax exempt financing applies to:

• Buckingham (Merritt Properties) – awarded $5 million for a $68 million mixed-use development in Hanover;
• Dynasplint – awarded $11 million for a $25 million HQ in Pasadena;
• Meade Center (Fortis Odenton, LLC) – awarded $7.4 million for a $14 million mixed-use development in Odenton;
• Odenton Health/Tech Campus (AJ Properties) – awarded $8.8 million for two buildings in Odenton.

See Stimulus release.

ELKRIDGE – GP Strategies Corporation used cash to acquire Option Six, Inc., a provider of custom courseware development with expertise in the software and pharmaceutical industries. GP Strategies anticipates that Option Six will have revenue exceeding $4 million for the year ending December 31, 2009.

See GP Strategies release.