Two Diverse New Entrepreneurial Ventures Latest to join Towson University’s Global Business Incubator

February 8, 2010

Clay

Demonstrating that the entrepreneurial spirit is alive and strong in Baltimore County, Vulcan Furniture, Inc. and Study Abroad Counselor, LLC, have become the latest companies to join TowsonGlobal, Towson University’s international incubator for startup ventures.

Vulcan Furniture, Inc. specializes in the supply and wholesale of office furniture, systems, seating, cabinets and accessories.  The company provides office furnishing solutions to architects, designers and businesses seeking an upscale image. The firm represents high-end international brand manufacturers, primarily from Asia.  Vulcan is a U.S.-incorporated affiliate of an established furniture company in Pakistan.  According to Shoaib Mastoor, CEO, his grandfather established Vulcan as a steel fabrication company in 1948 after immigrating from neighboring India.

Study Abroad Counselor, LLC, (SAC) is an online-based organization dedicated to assisting students around the world in pursuing studies outside their respective countries. Initially, the company will target smaller colleges in the Mid-Atlantic region and focus on programs in Spain. SAC’s founder Amine Faridi developed the concept for this one-stop-shop web-based business in light of his own experience of being a foreign student in Spain and in helping many other students prepare for study abroad opportunities, while realizing there was no easy way to navigate through all the information spread around the Internet.

Although these companies work within separate industries, both will bring valuable products and services to our region as well as internationally.  And, importantly, they will create new jobs and contribute to the overall economic strength of Baltimore County.

Since the mission at TowsonGlobal is to help both domestic and foreign entrepreneurial ventures learn how to compete in the global economy, we are excited to add both companies to the already diverse mix of startups here at the incubator.

View the press release here.

Leave a Comment » | Business Analysis, Economic Analysis, Entrepreneurship, International Business Development, News | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Clay Hickson

CGIS and FEMA’s Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grant Program

February 4, 2010
Jeremy

Jeremy

The recent earthquake in Haiti not only acts as reminder of the vulnerability of communities to disasters caused by natural (earthquakes, hurricanes, tornados, etc.) or man-made (nuclear power plant accidents, toxic material releases, etc.) events but it also reminds us that some disasters are so catastrophic that the demand for emergency response exceeds the local jurisdiction’s supply of emergency response equipment and personnel.

So, what are emergency managers to do when they are overwhelmed by a catastrophic disaster within their jurisdiction? An obvious option is to ask for assistance from surrounding jurisdictions by requesting emergency resources (e.g. search and rescue teams, ambulances, EMTs, etc.).  However, in order for these requests to be processed quickly and efficiently, emergency managers within each jurisdiction need to be:

(1)    using a common language when discussing the availability of emergency resources and

(2)    leveraging resource management systems that can “talk” to other jurisdictions’ resource management systems (i.e. are interoperable).

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) acknowledges this and developed the NIMS 120, which is a list of authoritative definitions for 120 emergency resources that are likely to be shared by jurisdictions during a disaster.  However, there are state-specific emergency resources that jurisdictions share during a disaster that are not explicitly defined by FEMA.  This gap in common definitions has the potential to disrupt or delay the interstate sharing of resources not listed in the NIMS 120.

Through the Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grant Program (RCPGP), Towson University’s Center for GIS (CGIS) is working with the University of Maryland’s Center for Health and Homeland Security (CHHS) to fill this gap for the six jurisdictions (Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia) making up the national capital region.  CGIS is developing survey instruments that:

(1)    will identify the non-NIMS 120 emergency resources that each jurisdiction has available for emergency response and

(2)    assess the existing resource management systems of each jurisdiction. 

CGIS will compile the survey results and provide CHHS a list of options and recommendations for definitions for the non-NIMS 120 emergency resources identified by the surveyed jurisdictions.  CGIS will also provide CHHS options and recommendations for enhancing / improving the interoperability of resource management systems across the region.

Leave a Comment » | Homeland Security, Mapping | Tagged: , , | Permalink
Posted by Jeremy Monn

TU in the Community Finds a Cause to ‘Root’ For

February 2, 2010
Lindsey

Lindsey

When’s the last time you enjoyed going to the dentist? For many of us, including myself, it is a task that we certainly dread every six months. However, we put ourselves in that chair and go through the examination because of how important oral health is to a person’s overall wellbeing. Imagine if we didn’t have access to dental care? For some of those people that wouldn’t necessarily have dental insurance, Mary Lashley is there to ensure that they receive the oral healthcare that they require.

Mary Lashley

Mary Lashley is known here at Towson University as a Professor in the Nursing Department. Every day, she goes above and beyond her traditional role and aligns herself with TU’s 2010 Strategic Plan to be active and involved in the community. This is a passion she shares with students by taking them off campus and to the Helping Up Mission to participate in an exciting project: An Oral Health Intervention Program for the Homeless: A Community-Academic Partnership.

Collaborating with the University of Maryland Dental School, this exciting initiative has worked since 2006 to offer education, screenings, and easier access to dental care for homeless citizens of Baltimore City. The main goals of the partnership are to: (1) improve clients’ oral function, appearance, and self-confidence so that they may enjoy better health and improved employability; and (2) inspire future health care professionals to work with homeless and underserved populations.

By participating in this wonderful opportunity, Towson University students are getting a unique and worthwhile experience that they can take to benefit them in and outside of the classroom. For more information on the Oral Health Intervention Program, please contact Mary Lashley at mlashley@towson.edu.

Leave a Comment » | Community Outreach, Education, Students, TU Faculty & Staff | Tagged: , , | Permalink
Posted by Lindsey Meyer

The Opportunities are going to be huge—GREEN TRAINING

February 1, 2010

Allie

To meet the growing demand from workforce, Towson’s Extended Education and Online Learning (EEOL) is launching and expanding online green job training.  Courses are non credit certification training programs that can be completed in as little as 50 clock hours.  In this market, in this day in age, it’s all about jobs. And green jobs are plentiful.

An article from MSNBC from May 2009 stated that there are millions of well-paying green jobs that do not require a four year degree.  As the economy settles and rebounds, there will continue to be a strong demand for green-collar workers in the greenhouse gas emissions and alternative energy fields.

Worried about the money to afford these training programs?

The Federal Stimulus packages and the Department of Labor have set aside dollars to promote renewable energy and energy efficiency. It will also create thousands of jobs rehabbing government buildings and public housing to make them more energy efficient. In turn, several thousand new jobs will be necessary. In addition, our courses are WIA approved and can be applied for at any of the Maryland One Stop Career Centers throughout out the state:

Who benefits from GREEN training programs?

  • Career changers, displaced workers looking to train for a new green-collar jobs
  • Construction workers in the field who need to learn weatherization skills
  • Architects & Engineers
  • Contractors looking to expand their services to include Green Building or Solar Electric or Solar Water
  • Consultants looking to provide services that include energy auditing
  • Home inspectors looking to expand their services to include weatherization or home energy audits.
  • Real estate professionals looking to learn more about sustainable building.
  • Human Resources and purchasing professionals that want to implement sustainable and green purchasing techniques to reduce energy consumption.

For more information on our online GREEN training visit our online green course schedule!

Become GREEN Certified in any of the below program areas:

  • Certified Indoor Environmentalist (CIE)
  • Certified Microbial Investigator (CMI)
  • Certified Indoor Air Quality Manager
  • Weatherization Energy Auditor
  • Building/Home Energy Analyst (HERS)
  • Solar Hot Water Heating
  • Photovoltaic System Design & Installation
  • Green Building Sales Professional
  • Green Building Technical Professional
  • LEED Certification NC v2.2 Prep
  • Green Purchasing Fundamentals
  • Sustainability 101
  • Carbon Strategies
  • Certified Sustainability Professional
  • Green Supply Chain Professional
  • Senior Certified Sustainability Professional

All courses and programs are WIA  approved.

1 Comment | Education, Training | Tagged: , | Permalink
Posted by Allie Pyzik

Behind the Scenes of the Economic Outlook Conference

January 28, 2010

Raquel

In less than three weeks, RESI will be hosting our yearly Economic Outlook Conference.  Preparations for this have been underway for months and its crunch time for everyone on staff.  I thought it would be interesting to go “behind the scenes” here at RESI to get a small glimpse of everything that goes on in anticipation of our big yearly event.

It all begins months ahead of the scheduled event when a variety of staff members begin to brainstorm themes and ideas for the next conference.  Generally, the theme of the conference ties in to the current economic climate.  For example, the last two years, our conference has been focused on green or environmental topics.  We have hosted a variety of subject matter experts and have (hopefully) sparked more conversation about the significance of these ideas to Maryland’s future economy.

Click here to see full graphic.

A couple of months ahead of the conference our group begins to brainstorm possible indicators and the layout of the Outlook Presentation.  The Outlook presentation, presented by Daraius Irani, is the kick-off event to the conference.  It’s a detailed look at the current and future state of the economy – both here in Maryland and the US.

Once we have a theme, we are able to run with that idea.  Everyone has a hand in collecting data, making charts and graphs and making sure that the presentation is clear and concise.  It’s a lot of work and requires a keen eye for detail and (I think) a little bit of creativity.

Our print deadline usually comes a week before the event.  This is the time when we must have the presentation ready to head off to the printers to get jazzed up and be ready for the conference.  It’s a mad scramble those last few days to check and double-check data and formatting.  Once that’s off it’s a big sigh of relief.  The final hurdle comes just a week later when the presentation finally goes ‘live’ in front of the attendees.  At that point, our job is done and it’s Daraius’ turn to wow everyone with his insight and analysis.

Although Conference preparations take a lot of staff resources, it’s a great time for everyone to work together as a team for one common goal (the celebratory happy hour after the event!).

Click here to register for the 2010 Economic Outlook Conference!

Leave a Comment » | Community Outreach, Economic Analysis, Events, News, TU Faculty & Staff | Permalink
Posted by Raquel Huezo

Business + Basketball

January 27, 2010

Bobbie

“Building your Network” is no new concept, but in this economy the importance of getting your name out there is more imperative than ever!  There is no shortage of networking opportunities in the Baltimore region but in two weeks Towson Athletics is giving networking a different spin.

On February 10th, Tiger Men’s Basketball is taking on the  UNC Wilmington Seahawks at home in the Towson Center Arena.  From 5:00-7:00 TU Athletics, in partnership with Baltimore County Chamber of Commerce, Towson Chamber of Commerce and many others, will be hosting the first “Tiger Networking Event!”

Why I’ll be there:

  • Access to business leaders from across the Baltimore Metropolitan Area
  • The perfect networking event to tag-team with my sports enthusiast fiance
  • Registration includes heavy hors d’ourves and drink tickets
  • Chance to use my yellow foam finger to cheer on the Towson Tigers!

Attendees will also have a chance to be a part of the LIVE broadcast “CAA Game of the Week” that is televised regionally on MASN.

Register Now because space is limited and is filling up quickly.

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Posted by Bobbie O'Connell

Does Your Business Have the “It” Factor?

January 25, 2010

Marcia

Accelerating to the next level of small business growth can be a daunting task-especially in today’s economic environment.  While some entrepreneurs skillfully research and calculate each and every move, others seem to sense their moves and are guided by strong feelings of intuition.

Determining which companies have the best shot at attaining their business advancement goals was recently the task of an advisory board subcommittee formed by the Central Region Small Business Development Center (SBDC).

Vision, commitment, leadership and the ability to effectively hire and delegate were just a few of the qualitative factors considered.  Additionally, business owners who- held their own financially, understood their competition, had a well established market niche and took advantage of market opportunities- were also considered to be strong candidates.  But in today’s business environment it takes even more to be a successful entrepreneur.

The eight companies finally selected to participate in SBDC’s two-year strategic small business growth program appeared to have the “IT” factor.

  • All had a very clear vision of where they are taking their company, the mission they want to accomplish and didn’t seem to doubt the directional moves they had made.
  • Further, all demonstrated confidence and conviction in their ability to run a successful company, have a primary and/or recurring method of attaining revenue and didn’t allow financial risk to paralyze their thinking.
  • And lastly, most have a person in place who they trust and who enables them to work more efficiently and strategically.

This being said, all of the newly selected CEO Accelerator program participants recognize they need additional assistance to strengthen and expand their companies’ operations.  Aided by this two-year program, they will receive help from a team of coaches, mentors and trainers who will foster their strategic growth plans.

The primary program goals are to poise these entrepreneurs to increase revenues and expand operations either through employees, access to capital or mergers and acquisitions. Training them to firm up organizational structures and operations, conduct needed research and create solid business development plans are just a few of the objectives.

After a battery of initial assessments, including a business culture survey, these selected program participants will embark on an eight-month journey to build a strategic growth plan.  Designed to take the peaks and valleys out of revenue streams and facilitate smoother, leaner operations, these plans will be critiqued by an advisory board of subject matter experts.

Hailing from a wide variety of industries-ranging from video production to healthcare assessments, energy audits, counseling, IT, international security and mechanical construction- the program participants are ready to begin the arduous task of evaluating every aspect of their business.

Any small business owner is welcome to join the training sessions which will be posted on the SBDC website- www.centralmdsbdc.org, along with SBDC’s other training seminars. To receive a listing of the training session topics, send your e-mail address, name and phone number to sbdcr@towson.edu.

Leave a Comment » | Entrepreneurship, Small Business Development, Training | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
Posted by Marcia Bennett

Linking the Federal Reserve Policies to Maryland

January 21, 2010

Thomas

Over the last two years, there has been a crisis in the real estate industry throughout the country and Maryland that has had an impact on the Maryland economy.  Commentators have criticized different actors for this housing crisis and the latest one is the Federal Reserve Bank. The main argument is that the Federal Reserve Bank kept federal interest rates too low for too long, which led people and banks to inflate the market value of houses.

In a monthly survey of business and academic economists done by the Wall Street Journal, 68% of the respondents said that low federal interest rates were partly to blame for overvaluation of the housing market. Interest rates were so low that many people were rushing to buy houses and too many people were in the business of flipping houses while banks were looking for easier ways to lend money which led to the creation of subprime mortgage loans for example.

  • Interest rates were kept under 2 % from the end of 2001 to the end of 2004, and increased slowly to 5.3% until July 2007.
  • At the same time, home prices became inflated in many markets throughout the country.  From the first quarter of 2001 to the first quarter of 2004, Anne Arundel County’s average home price increased from $205,046 to $309,888, a 51.1% increase.
  • A very high increase given that from the first quarter of 1998 to the first quarter of 2001, the average price rose 13.3%.

Since 2007, the average prices of houses sold have declined as well as the number of houses sold.  In Anne Arundel County, the average price of settled house sales was nearly $420,000 in the third quarter of 2006 and 603 houses were sold, while in the third quarter of 2009, the average price was nearly $350,000 and 426 houses were sold.  The difference was a 16.6% decrease in the average price and 29.4 % decrease in the number of houses sold.  Some people believe that this price decrease has been the result of the Federal Reserve Bank keeping interest rates at record low levels for too long leading to the housing bubble burst.

It is hard to pinpoint the exact cause of the housing price inflation that occurred in the real estate market; but there is some truth in criticizing the Federal Reserve Bank for keeping interest rates too low for too long and thus failing to avoid a real estate bubble.  There is one thing many people can agree on, however, the real estate burst has had an impact in many aspects of the Maryland economy and helps explain some of the troubles facing Marylanders, the State government, local governments and many businesses.

Leave a Comment » | Business Analysis, Economic Analysis | Tagged: , | Permalink
Posted by Thomas Rumeau

Interns – Who is the teacher and who is the student?

January 20, 2010

Dawn

Being past the “traditional age student” point in my life, I am able to keep in touch with what is going on at the TU campus through student interns.  But what’s more important than me gaining knowledge is that RESI-ISS and other DECO groups are able to keep a direct link to the University, a lesson that proves to be very rewarding for everyone involved.

The interns I have personally managed for the past few years participate in the State Department of Assessment and Taxations (SDAT) Banner Advertising Program.  Since the entire program is run by an intern, SDAT is able to offer advertising on their site.  This experience provides the following benefits:

  • the State of Maryland receives income generated by a State website;
  • TowsonUniversity obtains exposure via a State website;
  • RESI-ISS provides an additional way to service our Client;
  • and most importantly, the intern gains a real-world work experience.

I also feel the benefits of working with student interns.  Overseeing student interns has encouraged me to think “outside the box”.  The students are able to turn the theories they are learning into real world experiences by simply crossing the street and coming to work.  As students, interns are able to look at each problem as a challenge and each challenge as an opportunity—a concept I find very refreshing.  I love it when interns come to me with an idea that they have formulated on their own.   What’s even better is witnessing the moment an intern has put the idea into action.  That type of personal growth cannot be measured in credits or dollars.

I feel very fortunate to help mentor and be a part of interns’ development as both students and future employees.  Working with these students over the years has made me remember some of my early work experiences and how the right mentor can make all the difference.  I want to make a difference in my interns’ lives as they graduate and move on to very successful careers. My biggest hope is that I have been able to teach them as much as they have taught me.

Leave a Comment » | Community Outreach, Education, TU Faculty & Staff | Permalink
Posted by Dawn Bott

What do you DO all day?

January 19, 2010

Jimmy

What do I do as a Systems Engineer at RESI-Information Systems Solutions?

As I reflect upon this question, I can seemingly answer this in two ways: a short answer or a long answer.  The very simple short answer would simply be “IT”, however, I don’t think that answer would make for an interesting blog entry nor would it truly show what kind of work that I do at RESI-ISS.  As a Systems Engineer, I am responsible for quite a number of tasks and activities that impact the day-to-day operations of RESI.

Each day at RESI presents new opportunities and many challenges.  Some days are, well, better than others while most days are usually adventurous.  If there is one thing that I can say that I have learned about my job for the three or so years that I have been here, it is this…

Expect the unexpected!

In IT server and network operations, my daily activities change as events unfold throughout the day.  Surely, I have my usual tasks such as working on projects, provisioning servers, or conducting general maintenance, but sometimes, I have to put on my thinking cap and address critical issues.  If a server fails or the network “goes down,” my technical co-workers and I are usually the first line of defense to diagnose and fix problems.

Source: www.dilbert.com

Sometimes, I am required to perform off-hours maintenance for servers and applications if downtime is needed.  Critical servers and applications cannot be taken down during the day, so nighttime maintenance is the only option.  Surely, it is sometimes tough coming into work between the hours of 10:00 p.m. – 6:00 a.m., but it is a part of the job description and it really isn’t that bad once you get used to it.

This job position is as rewarding and enjoyable as it is challenging.  IT operations require a keen sense of “thinking outside” (I work at Towson University, so I can use that one! J) as well as the ability to diagnose problems quickly and efficiently.  A systems engineer needs to stay sharp by keeping skills up-to-date and staying abreast of new technologies and industry trends.  The landscape of IT changes frequently, so adaptation is the key to finding success in this career.

1 Comment | IT, TU Faculty & Staff | Tagged: | Permalink
Posted by Jimmy Bayne

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