Across the Board
Our biweekly Across the Board e-newsletter keeps you informed of Board of Trade activities. Members and non-members can subscribe.
September 19, 2007
Potomac Conference 2007:"Green as a Competitive Advantage." Key Speakers Confirmed, Very Few Sponsorships Remain. The invite-only Potomac Conference on Oct. 29-30 will gather private, public and nonprofit executives to develop a regional leadership agenda for the environment. In addition to the participation of VA Gov. Kaine, MD Gov. O’Malley and DC Mayor Fenty, Jonathan Lash, President of the World Resources Institute, will keynote on Oct. 29 and Andrew Winston, sustainable business expert and co-author of Green to Gold, will keynote on Oct. 30. Primary sponsors include: Pepco, Bank of America, Calvert, Meyer Foundation, rand* construction corporation, Marsh, Inc. and Cassidy & Pinkard Colliers. Contact Julie Upham to discuss remaining sponsorships and how your company can join the team! More info on Potomac Conference
Fall Business Classic: The World Bank is the Place to Be Oct. 4. The season begins officially with the Board of Trade’s Fall Business Classic on Oct. 4 at the modern, exclusive Atrium in the World Bank headquarters. Don’t miss this elegant evening featuring international cuisine and quality time with members, elected leaders and VIP guests. The event’s title sponsor, the Washington Nationals, will also provide a preview of the 2008 season in the new stadium! Register
Small Business Network Seeks Nominations for Awards. There’s still time to nominate a company for one of these upcoming Board of Trade awards: Guiding Small Business Growth; Most Engaged Small Business; and Most Expanded Company. Easy to complete nominations are due by October 3. Download application and check out the Board of Trade’s newly updated, online reference tool: 2007 Greater Washington Small Business Resource Guide.
To our Readers…from the Editor: I will be leaving the Board of Trade on Oct. 3 for a new position with the Apartment and Office Building Association of Metropolitan Washington. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working with such terrific executives across the region and hope to stay in touch with many of you. Please keep reading and stay involved in this dynamic organization. Regards, Marie L. Tibor
Advocacy
Metro Urged to Simplify Development Process. Today, at the Board of Trade Transportation Committee meeting, MD Transportation Secretary John Porcari, and Metro General Manager John Catoe addressed a recently released report focused on how to revise WMATA’s procedures on Metro-owned lands at stations. Gus Bauman, who chaired the Joint Development Task Force that developed the report, described specific ways that Metro can encourage more transit-oriented development. Read report
Metro Funding Update: A top Board of Trade priority, Federal funding legislation for Metro that would provide $1.5 billion in matching funds, has been reported out of both US House and Senate committees. Amendments regarding labor and telecommunications issues were made to the House bill; the Senate bill was reported out without amendments. Next step: The bill is scheduled for consideration by the full House and Senate next month, but if differences remain unresolved between the two bills, it will require action by a conference committee. Stay tuned! Questions?
Testimony in Annapolis: Maryland’s Budget Fix Must Include New Funds for Transportation. At a joint hearing on transportation funding held yesterday in Annapolis, Board of Trade Government Relations Director Bob Grow testified before state Senate and House committees on the need for $600 million annually in new revenue for Maryland’s transportation needs. To fund critical road and transit priorities, the Board of Trade recommends a package of revenue sources. Read testimony
Washington Smart Growth Alliance Releases 2007 Regional Conservation Priorities. Last week, the Smart Growth Alliance, supported by the Board of Trade, released its second annual list of conservation priorities – initiatives that demonstrate smart conservation and are most likely to improve our region’s quality of life. This year’s list features six projects, including The National Mall in DC, Mattawoman Creek Watershed in MD, and Four Mile Run Restoration in Northern VA. For a complete list and details, visit www.SGAlliance.org.
Membership, Events and Programs
Welcome New Members! The Board of Trade family just keeps growing. Please review this impressive list of new members, and plan to do business with them often! Know someone who would benefit from Board of Trade membership? Contact Kevin O’Neill.
Register Today for these Upcoming Programs:
Oct. 4 - Fall Business Classic: Evening reception at the World Bank in downtown DC– see story above.
Oct. 10 - Hiring and Firing Employees, Vendors and Clients: Morning educational program at the Board of Trade. Panelists will explore key legal and HR perspectives on this critical topic.
Oct. 11 - Brand for Breakfast: What you Need to Know about Social Media: Morning panel discussion at the National Press Club in DC. Network with marketing and communications execs and learn about challenges facing businesses in the blogosphere from a panel of experts, including corporate blogging pro Debbie Weil, author of The Corporate Blogging Book.
Oct. 18 - Great Places to Work Panel and Luncheon: Morning conference, plus luncheon program saluting Washingtonian Magazine’s outstanding companies at The Capital Hilton in DC. In the morning, a panel will focus on what makes a company a great place to work. At lunch, Paul Speranza, Vice Chairman, Wegmans Food Markets and Chairman, US Chamber of Commerce, will keynote, and Washingtonian execs will highlight companies that made the list!
Oct. 25- Leadership Speaker Series presents Leigh Shields: Morning program at the Board of Trade. The President of HCI’s Consulting Services will lead a discussion on how to capitalize on the power of organizational culture to achieve your company’s goals.
Nov. 5- 6 - Effective Decision Making Skills: Two-day course at the Board of Trade. Learn how decision-making tendencies influence a business’s performance and how to think more critically when making trade-offs to arrive at the best decision.
Nov. 7 - Small Business Network Awards Gala: Evening program at the JW Marriott. Celebrate the success of small companies in our community and meet well-established firms helping small businesses thrive. Stephen P. Hills, President and General Manager, The Washington Post, will keynote.
Dec. 3-4 - Sharpening Supervisory Skills: Two-day course at Deloitte’s Technology Resource Center in Tysons Corner, VA. Learn how the work of your team fits within your organization’s culture, and how to plan, support and evaluate employee performance.
Greater Washington Initiative
Region is Still #1 in Educational Attainment. Since the release of the Greater Washington Initiative’s 2007 Regional Report in June, GWI analyzed new U.S. Census data that shows Greater Washington still ranks #1 in educational attainment among all major US metros. More than 46% of the area’s population over 25 years old has a bachelor’s degree, and almost 22% has an advanced degree. These percentages are up slightly from 2005 and represent an increase of 4% (bachelor’s) and 3% (advanced) since 2000. Read more
Other News
Business Hall of Fame Dinner is Nov. 27. Join the Board of Trade, Junior Achievement and The Washingtonian for the 2007 Washington Business Hall of Fame dinner and awards ceremony on Nov. 27. To find out which legendary Washington area business leaders are being honored this year, and to purchase your table at this must-attend event, click here.
Washington Business Journal Events Focus on Retail, Fastest Growing Companies. On Sept. 26, the Washington Business Journal joins with Seyfarth Shaw LLP to host a morning forum at the Ritz- Carlton, Washington, DC on Retail Reality: The Retail Development Environment Today; Opportunities and Challenges for the Future. And on Oct. 11, the Business Journal hosts Fastest Growing Companies 2007, an evening event at the Galleria at Lafayette Center in downtown DC. For more info and to register
