Upper Shore Manufacturing & Business Council Announces 2011 Annual Conference

March 17, 2011 - PRLog -- Wye Mills, Md. – The Upper Shore Manufacturing & Business Council announces that registration is now open for its 2011 Annual Conference.  

This year’s USMBC conference theme is “investing in growth-oriented businesses for economic recovery and long-term success,” with topics selected to provide Conference participants information and resources they can utilize to build and grow their businesses.

The 2011 USMBC Annual Conference will be held on Wednesday, May 18 from 8:00 am to 5:30 pm on the campus of Chesapeake College in Wye Mills.  

The Conference will offer a choice of highly informative presentations and roundtables divided into three “tracks” (business development, human resources, and education).  The sessions will feature nationally known experts, providing an opportunity for participants to hear from leading specialists without having to travel off the Eastern Shore or outside the state.

The keynote speaker for the Conference is Dina Habib Powell, a managing partner and Director of Global Corporate Engagement at Goldman Sachs in New York City.  Ms. Powell will speak on investing in entrepreneurs and growth-oriented businesses for economic recovery.  

Powell is leading Goldman Sachs’ 10,000 Businesses initiative, a partnership with community colleges to foster the growth of businesses through intensive training.  This $500 million endeavor is co-chaired by Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein, Michael Porter of the Harvard Business School, and investor Warren Buffett.  

Prior to joining Goldman Sachs, Powell served as Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs, and then Deputy Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy & Public Affairs in the administration of President George W. Bush.

Following Powell’s address, the USMBC will host a panel of Upper Shore business leaders who have successfully positioned their companies for growth and competitiveness.  The panel will be moderated by Bob Storey, President of Vapotherm, Inc. (Stevensville).  Invited panelists include Kim Scott, Founder and CEO of The Great Gourmet (Federalsburg), Marilyn Blandford, President of Miltec UV (Stevensville), and Alan Stein, President of Tanglewood Conservatories (Denton).

The day-long conference will provide opportunities for attendees to participate in a varied mix of sessions.  Attendees may attend session across all three learning tracks.  
The key business development sessions planned for the 2011 Conference include:

•   Funding and financing resources for all stages of company growth and development – outlining what is appropriate for start-ups, small firms, expanding companies, and entities wanting to go public.  The panel will include financial specialists from Maryland Capital Enterprises, Vantage Group, QuestMark Partners, and Stifel Nicolaus Weisel.

•   QA/QC and quality system requirements – trends in quality management and what is required to do business domestically and internationally, including ISO 9001 and ISO 13485 standards.

•   “Intrapreneurs” – fostering the entrepreneurial spirit within companies and organizations will be presented by Steven P. Woods, a professor at University of Maryland Baltimore County and CEO of Workforce Metrics.

The sessions pertaining to HR management include:

•   Human resources:  A view from the top – this session will focus on what senior company leaders are expecting from their HR departments.  Woody Miller, past CEO of Celeste Industries and current CEO of MaTech, will present.

•   Nuts and bolts of HR compliance – the latest compliance requirements will be presented, along with a compliance checklist and an overview of the resources needed to set up an HR office.  Stefan Marculewicz of Littler Mendelson in Washington DC will be the featured speaker.

•   Effective communications across the generations will address how rapid change in communications is affecting the ways employees interact in the business world.  Jack Smalley of Express Employment Professionals in Oklahoma City will lead this session.

For the education track, key presentations include:

•   Race to the Top federal/state initiative – what this program means for educators and businesses.  It’s one of only 12 such programs in the country now.  Lyle Patzkowsky, program director for this initiative at the Maryland State Department of Education, will present.

•   Cultivating an inquisitive, entrepreneurial spirit in students will outline the MSDE’s Career and Technology Education initiative, and how it focuses on more than simply curriculum to prepare high school students for the working world.

Commenting on this year’s Conference and agenda, Phillip Nones, president of Mullin/Ashley Associates and current president of the USMBC’s Board of Directors, stated, “We are thrilled to be offering a strong program.  Since our first one held in 2010, the USMBC Annual Conference has quickly become the premier business event for the Upper Shore area.”

Registration is currently underway for the USMBC’s 2011 Annual Conference.  Conference fees are $75 for USMBC member organizations or $100 for non-member organizations for the day-long conference, which also includes, lunch, refreshments and a social hour at the end of the day.  

Additional attendees from any organization may attend the Conference for $50 each.  

For more information on the 2011 USMBC Annual Conference or to register to attend, contact Leanne Allen at the USMBC at 410-827-7744 or lallen@chesapeake.edu.

In addition, a limited number of Conference sponsorships and exhibitor opportunities are available.  Sponsorships include company recognition at the Conference, signage, and exhibit opportunities.  For more details on sponsorship benefits and pricing, contact Jackie Potter at 410-827-7744 or jpotter@chesapeake.edu.

Established in 1990, the Upper Shore Manufacturing & Business Council is a regional organization supporting the growth and health of businesses located on Maryland’s Upper Eastern Shore.  The USMBC provides a highly effective forum for promoting manufacturing, technology and operational excellence involving a coalition of commercial firms, educational and governmental organizations in Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot Counties.  

Companies joining the USMBC benefit in many ways that are directly tied to the growth and health of their businesses, ranging from workforce development to expanding marketing and sales opportunities.  

Affordable membership in the USMBC is based on company size, with annual dues ranging from $75 to $200.  For more information on the USMBC or to join, visit www.usmbc.org or call 410-827-7744.

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Established in 1990, the Upper Shore Manufacturing & Business Council is a regional organization supporting the growth and health of businesses located on Maryland’s Upper Eastern Shore.