Published: June 28, 2008 11:18 pm         

Regional agencies offer lots of help for businesses

When you are in business you should know who the people are who can help you establish a direction that includes you in the future of economic development in your community.

They don’t work in a vacuum, they are dependent on your input. You are their consumers.

Yep, it’s a two-way street, with a lot of intersections, fast lanes, slow lanes and ramps to navigate in which you can get lost or get to where you want to be.

Small Business Development Centers offer a myriad of services to small business owners and entrepreneurs and, for the most part, their services are free.

Business counseling, workshops in various aspects of business from startup to expansion are among the services provided which also extend to displaced workers and others.

The agencies receive funding from federal and state sources as well as some local funding and in-kind support to provide their services, including training programs.

The agencies provide one-stop service at central locations within a region, doing outreach in various ways.

If you are thinking of starting a small business or already are one and want to utilize these services, here’s where to call:

• Western Maryland — Small Business Development Center (301) 729-2400.

• Potomac Highlands of West Virginia — Region 7 Workforce Investment Board (304) 538-3176.

Chambers of Commerce offer a wide range of networking services among local and regional business interests. Within a chamber, businesses can join forces to accomplish goals in their communities that will enhance business generally for the benefit of all.

Chambers can also put people in touch with other business services in the region.

The flavor of the individual chamber and their goals may be somewhat different in each community but if you want to learn more about your local chamber, call:

• Allegany County Chamber of Commerce — Barbara Buehl, president and CEO, (301) 722-2820.

• Garrett County Chamber of Commerce — Charlie Ross, president and CEO,

(301) 387-4386.

• Bedford (Pa.) County Chamber of Commerce — Carol Snyder, executive director, (814) 623-2233.

• Somerset (Pa.) County Chamber of Commerce — Ron Aldom, executive director, (814) 445-6431.

• Mineral County Chamber of Commerce — Anne Palmer, executive director, (304) 788-2513.

• Hampshire County Chamber of Commerce — Patricia Maxwell, president and CEO, (304) 822-7221.

• Grant County Chamber of Commerce — Julia Hartman, executive director, (304) 257-2722.

Development authorities, associations and councils pull together many private entities and businesses, as well as quasi-public and government agencies in their counties and regions for economic development. They deal with business recruitment and work together to establish the infrastructure that enables development.

Each of these agencies has a strategic plan that usually complements the overall county and/or regional plans which have established a vision for growth in the future.

If they don’t they should so that the various groups are not at cross purposes.

County development groups and their contacts are:

• Allegany County, Matt Diaz, director of Economic Development,

(301) 777-5967.

• Garrett County, Jim Hinebaugh, director of Economic Development,

(301) 334-1921.

• Grant County, Bill Ross, economic development director, (304) 257-2168.

• Hampshire County, Les Shoemaker, economic development director, (304) 822-4320.

• Hardy County Rural Development Authority, Mallie Combs-Snyder, director (304) 530-0273.

• Mineral County Development Authority, director pending, (304) 788-2233.

• Bedford County (Pa.) Development Association, Betty Slayton, director, (814) 623-4816.

• Somerset County (Pa.) Economic Development Council, Jeffrey Silka, director, (814) 445-9655.

Regional development issues rest with the Tri-County Council, made up of Washington, Allegany and Garrett counties, headed by Leanne Mazer in Cumberland at (301) 777-2158, and the Region 8 Planning and Development Council, which includes the West Virginia counties of Mineral, Hardy, Grant and Hampshire, headed by Ken Dyche in Petersburg at (304) 257-2448. They are resources to the development groups, public and private, and coordinators for regional development issues.

Contact Mona Ridder at monaridder@verizon.net.