Chamber Update by Linda Zahn, CEO

It’s time to get ready for that great community tradition, the annual July 4th Parade. This year’s parade will be held on Saturday, July 4, at 10:00am. We’re pleased to announce the honor of being selected grand marshal is shared by three individuals this year. Coleman Eldridge, owner of Shoe Specialist on Benfield Road and a longtime local businessman in our community, is one of them. Another longtime local business owner, Bill Prevezanos of Donut Shack, will also be a grand marshal. Our third honoree is Barbara Huston, founder of Partners in Care. We are very pleased to recognize these outstanding members of our community.

Did you get your parade application yet? Complete paperwork is available at www.severnaparkchamber.com (at the toolbar), or it can be emailed or mailed to you. Just let us know and we’ll provide everything you need to enter the parade. Our theme this year is “Celebrate Diversity – Working Together.” Of course, any entry featuring patriotism is always in style for the parade, too. If you have a convertible and are willing to drive celebrities, we’d love to hear from you!

The chamber has an interesting Ingenuity Lunch Hour program planned for May 8 at Ledo Pizza. Doors open for registration at 11:30am and seating is at noon. Patrick Lee of the Chesapeake Think Tank and Spark Business Institute and his guest Nikhil Bijlani, product manager at Capital Bank, will explore the changing landscape of banking. Join us as they explore technology that will completely change the way businesses and individuals bank in the future. There is a $20 fee for members and $25 for nonmembers and a choice of entrée. Register at www.severnaparkchamber.com or by calling 410-647-3900.

On May 13, the Greater Severna Park and Arnold Chamber of Commerce will host Senator Ed Reilly at Café Mezzanotte for a legislative wrap-up breakfast. Doors open at 8:00am. The fee is $20 for members and $25 for nonmembers. Senator Reilly will offer a recap of 2015 legislative session. Our legislative chairmen for 2015 were Jeff Ferguson and Jeff Gauges.

Each summer, the chamber hosts a FREE Fly By Friday cookout during one Friday of the month from May through August. Our first one will be Friday, May 22. These events are for our members and they are well received. They provide a nice end-of-week event where members can enjoy one another’s company over hamburgers, hot dogs and all the fixings. Bruster’s Real Ice Cream tops it all off! BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport will serve as sponsor.

If you own a business and are looking for good employees or wanting to improve the skills of your current employees, check out Anne Arundel Workforce Development Corporation (AAWDC). Our May 20 business development program is based on the services provided by this agency. The program is at Arnold Career Center (1460 Ritchie Highway, Suite 205, in Arnold). The event will begin at 8:00am and conclude no later than 9:30am. The presenter will be Sidney Wilson, director of business support services at AAWDC. There is no fee to attend and a continental breakfast will be provided.