| ANNAPOLIS, MD Tue, Jun 10, 2008 In an effort to further enhance Maryland’s support for small and minority businesses, Governor Martin O’Malley today announced an expansion of Maryland’s Division of Small Business at the Department of Business and Economic Development (DBED). Four new small business specialists have been hired to assist Maryland businesses with issues related to technology; financial counseling; mergers and acquisitions; and succession and strategic planning.
“These new positions will significantly increase our ability to support Maryland’s small and minority businesses and give them the guidance and resources they need to not only start a small business, but grow and thrive,” said Governor O’Malley. “Small businesses are an integral part of Maryland’s economy and helping them succeed is a key priority of the O’Malley/Brown Administration.”
The new small business specialists, Stacey Harvey-Reid, Daniel L. Hutzell, Robert L. Edd, Jr., and B. Adam Suri, will work directly with Maryland small businesses to provide specialized business counseling to foster job creation and economic development. With a staff of 14, the Division of Small Business offers programs and services to promote entrepreneurship and assist the growth and development of Maryland’s small business community. Today, Maryland is home to more than 400,000 small businesses, which employ more than one-half of the State’s workforce.
“These new specialists will bring real-world experiences, technical skills and strong business backgrounds to Maryland’s small business community,” said DBED Secretary David W. Edgerley. “If you own or operate a small business in Maryland, you now have access to your own personal business consultant.”
“We are committed to being the best that we can be,” said Stephen Umberger, District Director, Baltimore District Office, U.S. Small Business Administration. “These new resources show how our partners in the State of Maryland are equally dedicated to small business.”
About the new small business specialists:
Stacey Harvey-Reid is the small business development representative for financial counseling. In this role she counsels and advises small business owners in financial planning, structure and funding resources and options best suited for their business needs. A native of Baltimore, Ms. Harvey-Reid has 15 years of experience in the business and finance community. She most recently served as a finance specialist within DBED’s Division of Finance with an abundance of experience. She holds a B.S. in business administration from the University of Baltimore.
Daniel L. Hutzell serves as the small business technologist, assisting the small business community with understanding the important role technology and the Internet play in sustaining and growing their businesses and assisting them with assessment, planning, technology implementation, systems evaluation and systems refinement. Hutzell has over 20 years experience managing and advancing IT operations for marketing and business organizations around the country, including his two most recent positions for the Rockville firms of Microniche Media, where he served as consulting director, and for Chesapeake Bay Wireless, as state director of area development. A resident of Westminster, Hutzell holds an M.B.A. in marketing and management as well as a B.S. in English from Mount Saint Mary’s, Emmitsburg.
An entrepreneurial executive with over 15 years experience in business development for a number of Maryland firms, B. Adam Suri is the small business development representative for mergers and acquisitions. In this role he assists entrepreneurs seeking to become business owners or small businesses achieve business growth through mergers and acquisitions. He provides preliminary and post mergers and acquisitions support to businesses including initial feasibility assessments, and acts as a liaison between the business, DBED, local and federal government, as well as commercial and other service and resource providers. A resident of Ellicott City, Suri most recently served for two years in Business Development at DBED. He holds a B.S. in industrial engineering from Bradley University, Peoria, IL, and an M.B.A. in business administration from the University of Illinois, Urbana, IL.
As small business development representative focusing on succession and strategic planning, Robert L. Edd, Jr., assists Maryland small businesses with the completion of all phases of both succession and strategic planning. This includes interacting with small businesses, business service and resource providers to identify and secure prospects for DOSB. He also assists companies with feasibility assessments and identification of service and resource providers for specialized assistance needs. With 10 years experience as a financial specialist working for companies in the tri-state area, he most recently served as a financial planner for Trinex Financial, Owings Mills. Edd holds a B.S. in business administration from Thomas Edison State College, Trenton, NJ, and is a master’s candidate in business administration at the University of Maryland. He is a registered financial consultant and accredited tax advisor.
For more information on Maryland’s small business initiatives, please call 410-767-6300 or visit www.choosemaryland.org
About DBED:
The Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development stimulates private investment and creates jobs by attracting new businesses, encouraging the expansion and retention of existing companies, and providing workforce training and financial assistance to Maryland companies. The Department promotes the State's many economic advantages and markets local products and services at home and abroad to spur economic development and international investment, trade and tourism. Because they are major economic generators, the Department also supports the Arts, film production, sports and other special events. For more information, visit www.choosemaryland.org.
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