Each year, the Greater Severna Park Chamber of Commerce honors members by submitting them for the Maryland Small Business Week Awards Program.  In 2012, we honored eight businesses and four of them have won at the state level and will move on to regional competition. On May 18 at our General Membership Luncheon at Chartwell Country Club, it will be our great honor to recognize all eight for their accomplishments.  2012 Small Business Person of the Year  It is our distinct honor to recognize Anna Torres-Radle, president of Fieldstone Animal Inn as our Business Person of the Year.  In 2004, …

Happy New Year, Greater Severna Park!    As you begin the New Year, I’ll bet you’re thinking about those New Year’s resolutions you’ve made—or the things you should do this year. It’s a new year and everyone thinks of a “new beginning” to go along with it. Maybe a new beginning for you means a major business change.  If you’ve been thinking about owning your own business, but still have that fear that it might not succeed, you can learn more about it on Wednesday (Jan. 18) when the Greater Severna Park Chamber of Commerce hosts a “Franchises – A Business Option” at Ledo Pizza and Pasta in …

The Greater Severna Park Chamber of Commerce invites the community to join us for the annual Community Holiday Tree Lighting this Friday, Dec. 2 when we will be closing Holly Avenue from Evergreen to Riggs at 4:30 p.m. to prepare for the festivities. We have some wonderful entertainment for you that evening! The Maryland Performing Arts East Coast Dance Company (MPAC) will be performing a full company piece called “All I Want for Christmas is You."  This will include their Petite, Junior, Intermediate and Senior companies, under the direction and with choreography by owner and artistic …

The Greater Severna Park Chamber of Commerce is holding its second annual Taste and Sip of Greater Severna Park from 6 to 9 p.m. Nov. 17 at Homestead Gardens in Severna Park. Attendees will be greeted inside the door  with a glass of sparkling wine with raspberries, courtesy of Victoria’s Fancy Foods. There will be three wine tastings provided by the knowledgeable folks at Fishpaws Marketplace, Goska’s,  and Harbour Spirits.  Brian Boru will treat guests to their special Egg Nog and Big Bean and Starbucks have delicious coffees at their tables.  Adams Ribs, Fiona’s Cakes,  Woodfire, Brian …

The Greater Severna Park Chamber of Commerce is holding its annual Holiday Trade Fair at the Earleigh Heights Fire Hall on Thursday, Nov. 3 from 4 to 8 p.m. at  161 Ritchie Highway in Severna Park. The event offers an overview of the business community with a bevy of exhibitors and vendors.  Our Corporate Sponsor is Big Vanilla Athletic Club, with convenient locations in Arnold and Pasadena. Here's the schedule: 5:30 p.m.: Martial Arts demonstration by the Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu and Tai Chi 5:45 p.m.: Maryland Performing Arts Center 6 p.m.: Severna Park Elementary School Chorus 6:30 p…

The Greater Severna Park Chamber of Commerce is holding its annual street fair in conjunction with Severna Park Heritage Day this year.  Events will be held throughout the day on Saturday (Oct. 1).  Our Saturday in the Park street fair is held on the section of Holly Avenue from Riggs Avenue to Evergreen Road.  The street is closed to traffic and the fair runs from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.  One of the highlights will be a table staffed by Severna Park Elementary School in observance of their upcoming anniversary.  There will not only be an anniversary display, but Elaine Bachman, a curator at the…

As always, the business community is humming. Many new businesses are opening soon in the Greater Severna Park area and that means new opportunities for our residents as far as shopping and also jobs.  With federal government and defense spending cuts possibly looming, it is critical that we support and nurture business growth and development in Maryland. Remember to support our local business community.  Things are especially active at the Earleigh Heights Plaza. Charm City Yoga is scheduled to open for business on Aug. 15. This will be their fifth studio location. Voted Baltimore’s Best …

The Greater Severna Park Chamber of Commerce July 4th Parade is coming up!  Scheduled for Monday, July 4th, the parade steps off from St. Martin’s in-the-Field Episcopal Church and Our Shepherd Lutheran Church (on Benfield Road) at 10 a.m.  and the streets will close along the parade route shortly beforehand. The parade will move eastbound from Benfield Road to Severna Park High School where it will turn right onto Evergreen Road and march towards Severn School.  It will turn left onto Riggs Avenue and then turn right onto Baltimore Annapolis Boulevard. Marchers will proceed on B&A to Cypress…

Events are a part of the Chamber’s mission.  We put together events for the community, to promote the community, and to promote the businesses we represent.  Some events are small and some are large.  One of the smaller ones coming up is our June 4 Local Authors Book Signing Event at Severna Park Library.  This is a partnership event with the Library, and it will run from 10 a.m. to noon that Saturday.  The idea came about because several members of the Greater Severna Park Chamber of Commerce are talented authors, a few of many wonderful authors in the Greater Severna Park area.  When I …

The Greater Severna Park Chamber of Commerce recently installed Officers and Directors for 2011 at its Annual Installation Dinner held at Chartwell Golf and Country Club. The guests had the pleasure of listening to a speech by Senator Ed Reilly.  The newly installed president is Dana Eckert of BankAnnapolis. Serving as First Vice President is Mike Phennicie of BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport. Second Vice President is Chris Isham of Severn River Tech Solutions.  The Chamber's Treasurer is Mike Whittles of SERVPRO/Annapolis and Severna Park, and the Secretary is Anne Myers of Partners in Care.  …

Happy New Year!  One thing I’d like to do in 2011 is to present some of the profiles and stories the members of the Greater Severna Park Chamber have shared with me.  We have some great businesses in the Greater Severna Park area and it’s a pleasure to share a little more about them.  One such business is Spirit Point Healing.  Rachel Sara Strass, Mac, Lac, Dipl Ac (NCCAOM) is the owner of this holistic health practice located in Severna Park.  She specializes in acupuncture and zero balancing.  The focus of the practice is to provide people with balanced healing, and support in all stages of…

It's exciting to be writing for the new Severna Park Patch community news website. I will be sharing news and events about our business community and the activities of the Greater Severna Park Chamber of Commerce.Having been in existence since 1957, the Greater Severna Park Chamber of Commerce is an established community organization. Our mission statement is to support and promote Greater Severna Park business in harmony with the community, and we endeavor to do that each and every day! Let me take this opportunity to share some of our upcoming events.  The after-hours business mixer on Nov…