The Chamber

Lunch & Learn at Rolling Road

Golf ClubOctober 23, 2014

Photos by Balance Photography

Beautiful weather, exciting new crafters and artisans, more food choices,new musical entertainment and a visit from Baltimore County Executive Kamenetz (inset) provided the perfect day for our 41st annual Arts& Crafts festival. Judging chairperson Michelle Shryock and Executive Director Teal Cary presented “Off the Wall Art” the festival’s Best BoothAward for 2014. See page 6 for more photos.

A Newsletter from the

VIEWI N S I D E

This Issue

October2014

President’s Message

Chamber’s Open House 2Business Tips Column by Dennis Sullivan 4

Welcome New Members 5

Annual Arts & Crafts Festival Photos 6

Tips to Safeguard Against Data Breaches 8

2014 Calendar 11

JJ oin us a very special Lunch & Learn asmarketing guru and turnaround expertDennis Sullivan shares his One Page

Breakthrough Marketing Plan that is helpingbusinesses of all sizes dramatically increasesales.Whether you’re looking to create a new cam-

paign, turn around struggling sales or launch anew product, this easy-to-use one page tool is

all you need to increase your profits – FAST!Dennis will walk you step-by-step through

the 6 W’s you need to answer as you build yourplan. He will also share proven models that havedelivered extraordinary results that you can usein your own business. Every attendee gets acopy of The One Page Breakthrough Marketing

LUNCH & LEARNMENU INCLUDESWAYS TO INCREASE PROFITS

continued on page 8

2 Greater Catonsville Chamber Newsletter • www.catonsville.org

Editor,Design & Layout

Teal CaryGCCC Executive Director

410-719-9609

PURPOSEThe purpose of the Chamber of

Commerce is to have a strong voicewith the county government, business and local community;

to affect positive change in our area;to foster growth and expansion ofour members’ business; and toachieve the betterment of the Catonsville community.

Chamber Web Site:www.catonsville.org

ADVERTISING & PROMOTIONOPPORTUNITIES

One-Page Insert $75Get special attention for an

event, sale, etc. An 8 1/2 “ x 11”insert (pdf file) in The Viewprovided by your business.

Event SponsorshipYour company can be

highlighted at one of our monthly events.(Costs vary)

Business After Business HostInvite the Chamber to your

location for onsite promotion.(Costs vary)

WebsiteBanner AdvertisingSidebar Advertising

Check the Homepage of theChamber’s website for additionalopportunities to promote your

business

Call the Chamber Office410.719.9609for more information.

VIEWThe Chamber

year and really enjoyed talking with so manyof you. What a laid back, kick your feet up,dress down, ain’t the beer cold kind ofevening. It feels like a Sunday dinner withthe family over, kind of event. We reallynever have the time to sit down and share ameal, talk and enjoy one another. Especiallyfor those of us on the Chamber Board, always busy with planning, meetings, timecrunches etc., it felt good to just eat andrelax.The fall market is upon us. The economic

development committee has some prettycool ideas ready to introduce to our mem-bers which will drive more consumers to ourtown. Keep on the lookout for their market-ing debut, I think you will like it!

See you around town!

The Chamber Working for YouPresident’s Message

Sally Griffin2014 President

JJ ust that fast, we’veturned the cornerfrom summer

into fall! The annualArts & Crafts Festival is

always the precursor to the season of applefestivals, craft shows and everything orange,red and yellow! I hope you were able tocheck out this years’ Arts & Crafts Festival, itwas amazing. In fact, many of the craftershave signed up for next year. Their com-ments included statements of how awesomeCatonsville is and that they feel this is thebest crafts fair anywhere! I was able to make it to the Crab Feast this

AA fter a relaxing summer vacation, its time to gear up

for the remainder of 2014and reconnect with other business leaders. Get readyfor the fall season by joiningwith your neighbor businesses for ourAutumnOpen House onThursday, October 9 from 5to 7 p.m. at the office of theGreater Catonsville Chamberof Commerce, 924 FrederickRoad. Sponsored by EdibleArrangements, WhitehouseCaterers, and Oakdale FineWine and Spirits, the event will feature flavorful hors d’oeuvres and fine wines for a hospitableevening of networking. Admission is free for all members and prospective members. In addition, the Chamber

will offer a special membership incentive for the evening. When a member brings a non-member guest who joins the Chamber during the event, both will receive a free ticket to the2014 Holiday Party worth $30 apiece.Please register online at catonsville.org. Walk-ins are also welcome. We look forward to

seeing you for an enjoyable evening on October 9.

WELCOME AUTUMN AT CHAMBER’SOPEN HOUSE - OCTOBER 9

Greater Catonsville Chamber Newsletter • www.catonsville.org 3

Lunch & LearnSeminar6 W’s to Create Extraordinary Sales! Thursday, October 23, 201412 noonRolling Road Country Club 814 Hilltop Road, Catonsville, MD 21228

Seminar Presentor:

Dennis Sullivan, Executive DirectorCenter for Business Innovation, CCBCPre-Registered: $20 Members/$35 Non-Members

At the Door: $25 Members/$35 Non-Members

Register today online at www.catonsville.org

4 Greater Catonsville Chamber Newsletter • www.catonsville.org

Dennis Sullivan, Executive DirectorCenter for Business Innovation, CCBCContributing View Columnist

OO ne of the best things about sports is that you al-ways know where you stand in the game. If you’redown by two points in basketball, a three-pointer

will put you back on top. Need 6 points in football? You’llneed a touchdown and an extra point to take the lead.

But how do you know what’s needed to put you ahead in terms of sales?There’s no scoreboard and no clock counting down the time, right?

WRONG! You should have a scoreboard. Your sales people should know ex-actly how they’re doing and they should know exactly what’s needed to getahead. And yes, they should know how much time they have to get it done.

We call it the Road to the Sale and it’s a step-by-step map to help your salespeople reach their goals. Ah, goals. That’s the first place to start…

One client who sells to both consumers and wholesalers quietly told me,they’re not selling enough to their wholesale accounts – other retailers, con-tractors and builders – and that this could dramatically impact their business.

“We have got to get more new accounts,” says one owner. The otherowner disagreed. “What we need to is to sell more to our existing accounts,”the other owner shot back. Around and around we went.

Here’s the problem. We didn’t know how much sales opportunity really existed with existing accounts. Keep in mind, it’s always easier to sell to existing customers who already do business with you and trust you. So wedid an RFM Analysis. We reviewed how recently (R) clients bought becausethe most recent buyers are often more interested in buying from you again.We measured the frequency (F), which is how often clients bought products.And we measured the monetary (M) amount clients bought. All the informa-tion was available in QuickBooks.

That data combined with their knowledge of the clients led to a reportwithin 24 hours showing 3 color-coded types of clients – Red, White andGreen. Red clients are least likely to do business again. White clients may dobusiness again. But the Green clients possessed the best opportunity to domore business.

Based on the opportunities within their existing client list, the ownersagreed: they can double their sales with their existing clients within 12months. That’s HUGE!

Next step is to share the information with the salespeople and make itclear that the expectation is to increase sales 50% within 6 months and 100%in 12 months. How will that happen? Now that we have a goal we can workbackwards as we build the most important – and measurable steps in theRoad to the Sale. In this case, there are 3 important steps:

1. Call customers to schedule an appointment. Goal: 15/week.2. Meet with customers in person. Goal: 5/week.3. Leave clients with samples and in-store displays. Goal: 5/week.

If the salesperson wants to get ahead of her goals, she knows she needsto meet with 8 or 9 decision-makers from the list of “Green Clients” nextweek and leave 8 or 9 in-store displays. She also knows exactly how she’sperforming. She has a scoreboard and she knows exactly what’s needed toget ahead. Best of all, her manager can now evaluate her performance everyweek and see very clearly what’s working – and what’s not! Do your peopleknow the score? Do they know exactly what’s needed to get ahead?

We’ll be glad to work with you to do an RFM Analysis and build yourRoad to the Sale. Call for a FREE Consultation at 410-529-8854.

About Dennis J. Sullivan: Dennis is a full-time faculty instructor at CCBC teaching businessmanagement, marketing, and sales and is the Executive Director of the college’s Center for Business Innovation. He is also owner of Breakthrough Pros, a full-service marketing and consulting company specializing in lead generation, sales conversion and product launches.Contact information: DSullivan2@ccbcmd.edu or at Dennis@BreakthroughPros.com

REAL-WORLD ADVICE TO BUILD YOUR

ROAD TO THE SALEHow one business plans to double sales without adding any more clients

2015 SLATE OF

OFFICERS AND

BOARDMEMBERS

AA ccording to the by-laws of the GreaterCatonsville Chamber of Commerce, aslate of Officers and Board Members

shall be presented to the Chamber member-ship. The Nominations Committee is recommending the following persons for the Board of Directors for 2015:

Officers

Elected for one-year terms:Cathy Schneider . . . . . . . . . .PresidentDan Swearingen . . . . . Vice PresidentBrian Wolfe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .TreasurerSue Plitt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Secretary

Board Members

Elected for a 1-year unexpired term:Linda Sauer (2015)

Elected for a 2-year unexpired term:Woody Powell (2016)

Elected for a three-year term:Sally Grace (2017)Marlene Griffin (2017)Sally Griffin (2017)Kristen Leister (2017)

Board members:Fulfilling their three year terms:Cathy Schneider (2015)Dan Swearingen (2015)Karen Gatzke (2015)Jack Murphy (2015)Joe Poisal (2015)Sue Plitt (2016)Brian Wolfe (2016)Omar Jennings IV (2016)Danae McDevitt (2016)

NOTE: Lou Weinkam, Jr. will serve as LegalCounsel, a non-voting position.

The Slate of Officers, Board Members, and the2015 Budget will come to a vote at the HolidayParty on Thursday, December 11, 2014.

Greater Catonsville Chamber Newsletter • www.catonsville.org 5

Morsberger’s TavernRobert Morsberger713 Frederick RdCatonsville MD 21228(410) 747-9801

A Frederick Road pub for over 100 years,Morsberger’s Tavern provides for its customers Friday night karaoke and anAmerican Pool Association’s pool leaguein addition to their bar and grill offerings.

Sugar Mommas BakeryJordan Sinclair1610 Frederick Rd.Catonsville MD 21228(410) 744-7925sugarmommasfundraising@gmail.comwww.sugarmommasbakery.com

Sugar Mommas Bakery specializes in custom cakes, handmade chocolates andold fashioned baked goods, includinghome-style cookies. Also available at theshop are other sweet treats: Fisher’s Popcorn, ice cream, snowballs, noveltycandy, bulk candy, and “candies thru thedecades.” For those who have dietary restrictions, the bakery has gluten-free,vegan and dairy-free items. Sugar Mommas also offers event packages forparties and showers.

Non-Profit Level

Baltimore County Arts GuildMarilyn MaitlandPO Box 9349Catonsville MD 21228410-737-1415info@bcartsguild.orgwww.bcartsguild.org

The Baltimore County Arts Guild promotes the arts, with a mission of establishing a home for the arts in thecounty.

Realtor Joe Loverde is Recognizedfor 40 Years of Service

Joe Loverde, head of Realty Concepts,was just awarded Realtor Emeritusstatus by the Anne Arundel County

Association of Realtors in recognition offorty years of service with the NationalAssociation of Realtors. He was honoredby the association and officially thankedfor his “hard work and outstanding dedi-cation” at the Fall Membership Meetingon Friday, September 19 at the ChartwellCountry Club. As an Emeritus Member,Joe will be granted free membership forthe remainder of his career. The Greater Catonsville Chamber of

Commerce congratulates Joe on thishonor.

“RUDY” RETURNS TO CATONSVILLE

Dan “Rudy” Reuttiger, whose inspir-ing life story became one of themost loved sports films of all-time,

Tri-Star's “Rudy”, will be making a returnappearance at The Rolling Road GolfClub. The Catonsville Community Founda-

tion is presenting Rudy on Thursdayevening, October 16th from 6:00 to 8:00pm.With Notre Dame's gridiron behind

him, Rudy moved forward and is ac-claimed as an International MotivationalSpeaker. His words ring true, make theirpoint, and are memorable especially withthe youth of today.All proceeds benefit the work of the

Catonsville Community Foundation,For tickets and added information,

please call 410-788-2425 or e-mailjoe@realtyconcept.com

The Chamber New Members

Member Level

Halcyon 23, LLCSheena Brockington-Taylor4039 Wilkens Ave.Baltimore MD 21229(443) 473-8354hello@halcyon23.comwww.halcyon23.com

Halcyon 23, LLC is a digital marketingconsultancy. They provide web-based solutions, including copywriting andemail marketing, to startups, small andmedium-sized businesses.

Holiday Inn Express & SuitesCatonsvilleTodd Powell5701 Baltimore National PikeCatonsville MD 21228(443) 521-2000 Fax (443) 251-2005todd@hiecatonsville.comwww.hiexpress.com/catonsville

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Catonsvilleis a completely renovated hotel with 135deluxe rooms and suites. Its amenities include meeting rooms, event space, and abusiness center, as well as a fitness centerand outdoor seasonal pool. The hotel provides complimentary breakfast, park-ing, and wireless high speed internet totheir guests. Also, a coin-operated guestlaundry center is available on site.

Lush 35 SalonMicah Stanovich35 Mellor AveCatonsville MD 21228443-251-2982lush35@comcast.netwww.lush35salon.com

Lush 35 Salon is a full service PaulMitchell focus salon. Their staff is dedi-cated to high customer satisfaction byproviding excellent service and qualityproducts while enjoying a friendly, fairand creative work environment.

The ChamberMember News

Don’t miss the Chamber’sOpen House. A free and funevening of networking andsocializing awaits you! Hope to see you there.

6 Greater Catonsville Chamber Newsletter • www.catonsville.org

The Chamber In Pictures

2014 Catonsville Arts & Crafts Festival

Photos by Balance Photography

Greater Catonsville Chamber Newsletter • www.catonsville.org 7

Thursday, October 9, 20145:00 to 7:00 pmGreater Catonsville Chamber of Commerce924 Frederick Road, Catonsville

Admission is FREEIncludes drinks and heavy hors d’oeuvres courtesy of Edible Arrangements, Whitehouse Caterers and Oakdale Fine Wine& Spirits.

You are Invitedto the Catonsville Chamber’s AutumnOpen HouseAutumnOpen House

After a relaxing summer vacation, its time to gear up for the remainder of 2014 and reconnectwith other business leaders. Get ready for the fall season by joining with your neighbor businesses for the Chamber’s Open House. Admission is free for all members and prospective members. In addition, the Chamber will offer a special membership incentive for the evening.When a member brings a non-member guest who joins the Chamber during the event, bothwill receive one free ticket to the 2014 Holiday Party worth $30 apiece.

Register online at www.catonsville.org

Sponsors – Edible Arrangements & Whitehouse Caterers

8 Greater Catonsville Chamber Newsletter • www.catonsville.org

Patryc Barnes, LegalShield AssociateContributing View Columnist

WW e have all heard in the newsabout the data breaches at majorretailers. As consumers we

wonder about the data the thieves have access to and what they can do with it. It’s a

scary thought. However, the scariest data breaches are the ones we don’t

hear much about in the media. Supposedly secure computerinformation is often compromised in hospitals or medical facilities – places that hold the most intimate personal infor-mation of millions of people. Records in these facilities include blood type, prescriptions,

and family history along with social security numbers and ad-dresses. With this information a criminal can copy your iden-tity entirely because they know essentially everything thatmakes you...you.What can you do to prevent this kind of identity theft? We all

know we should be keeping a close eye on our bank accountsand credit reports. But there are other steps you may not beaware of.

● Look for your “EOB” Explanation of Benefits in everymedical document you receive. If there is something therethat you do not understand or does not sound like what thedoctor mentioned, do more research.

● Always make sure you know what prescriptions you arebeing given and medical procedures are being done in ad-vance.

● Check your accounts online daily and balance everythingdown to the penny. Identity theft criminals have been knownto take pocket change from millions of people. As soon as you notice something wrong, no matter how

minor it may seem, it is worth digging deeper. While there islittle we can to do prevent data theft, we can become moreknowledgeable and proactive to protect ourselves. One means of protection is to invest in an identity theft

product. When considering different products, look closely atthe benefits and cost. How many people are covered for theprice? What other credit counseling or benefits are attached,and what steps will the producer take to restore your identityif you encounter an identity theft or data breach?

Patryc Barnes is an independent LegalShield Associate that helps educate and consult families and businesses on legal and identity theftservices. Contact information: patrycnbarnes@gmail.com or at 301-346-7589.

TIPS TO SAFEGUARDAGAINST DATABREACHES

FAST FLU SHOTS AVAILABLE AT

CHAMBER OPEN HOUSE AND AT

PATIENT FIRST

FF lu is contracted by inhaling respiratory droplets produced bycoughing or sneezing. You can also become infected bytouching an object contaminated by the flu virus (possible

from a hand that covered a sneeze) and then touching yourmouth, nose or eyes. Flu symptoms include a high fever, drycough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, headache, extreme fatigue, muscles aches and shortness of breath.

Catonsville Pharmacywill have staff available to give flu shotsto Chamber members and guests at the Chamber’s Autumn OpenHouse on Thursday, Oct. 9. See the Chamber’s Facebook page fordetails.

Patient First on Baltimore National Pike offers a Fast Track Anytime Flu Shot Program that features:

• 8 am to 10 pm every day at all Patient First medical centers – walk in anytime.• Fast Track Flu shots are for patients who are not allergicto eggs, who do not wish to see a physician, and who areat least 4 years old.• If your insurance covers flu shots at Patient First, payonly the copay (which is often $0) or $28, whichever isless.• Self-pay flu shot cost is $28

Help keep your workplace safe from the flu this season-encour-age your employees to get the flu shot.

tool as well as a copy of Dennis’ new e-book, The One Page Break-through Marketing Plan.This Lunch and Learn Seminar will take place at the Rolling

Road Country Club on Thursday, October 23 beginning at 12 noon.Cost for the luncheon is $20 for members who pre-pay, $25 formembers at the door and $35 for non-members. Register on-lineat catonsville.org, or call the Chamber office at 410-719-9609.

About the speaker:Dennis Sullivan is author of The One PageBreakthrough Marketing Plan and works with businesses of all typesthat are serious about growing. He is also Assistant Professor ofBusiness at CCBC and Executive Director of the Center for BusinessInnovation. With more than 20 years of experience, he has launchedand turned around more than 100 products and businesses. Hisclients have been proudly featured in Inc. Magazine, New YorkTimes, Wall Street Journal,NBC News, CBS News, ABC News andFOX News. For more go to www.BreakthroughPros.com

LUNCH & LEARN- 6 WAYS TO

INCREASE PROFITScontinued from page 1

Greater Catonsville Chamber Newsletter • www.catonsville.org 9

The Chamber Member News

Kickoff Fundraising Event to Remember CCBC Faculty MemberDr. Kathleen Gandy to be honored by family, colleagues, and friends.

The Dr. Kathleen Gandy IMPACTFoundation, Inc. will host the 1stAnnual Gandy IMPACT Celebration

Dinner and Silent Auction on Friday, October 10, 2014, from 7:00 – 10:00 p.m.at the Rolling Road Golf Club, 814 HilltopRoad, Catonsville, Maryland. The Dr.Kathleen Gandy IMPACT Foundation is aregistered 501(c)(3) non-profit organiza-tion co-founded in 2014 by family, colleagues, and friends in memory ofProfessor Gandy who passed away in2013 after a long and brave battle withpancreatic cancer. Through various fundraising activities

and events, the Foundation seeks tohonor and perpetuate Kathleen’s tradi-tion of service, drive, commitment, dedi-cation, and IMPACT by fundingscholarship activities, research to fightcancer, civic improvement organizations,and other charitable purposes. TheFoundation will also recognize excellencein social/global advocacy, community in-volvement, or academic achievementwith an annual IMPACT Award.Tickets for this event are $65 per per-

son or $600 per table. Tickets can be reserved online via PayPal at www.gandyimpact.org. Checks can be made payable

Charlestown's Dining ServicesTeam Wins Top Awards in the 47thSeafood Festival’s Cook-Off

The Culinary Division (CDC) ofCharlestown retirement commu-nity's Dining Services Team cap-

tured an unprecedented three awards inthe 47th Annual Maryland Seafood Festi-val’s Crab Soup Cook-Off held Saturday,September 5, at Sandy Point in Annapo-lis.The Charlestown team not only

brought home a top three award, but itsplaced in all three judges choice awards.And for the first time it also received aPeople’s Choice Award for an entry in the“Alternative Crab Soup” category. Charlestown competed against 16

other competitors that included localrestaurants and caterers that specializein seafood.The Charlestown team, led by Execu-

tive Chef Susie Seykoski, entered all threecategories of the competition, including“Maryland Vegetable Crab,” “Cream ofCrab” and “Alternate Crab” soups. CDCs Brian Pearsall, David Haskins,

Kevin Conley and Dwayne Rouse, as wellas Sous Chef Kira Brosig, were supportedby Assistant Directors of Dining ServicesMatt Daneker and Robin Moore, Restau-rant Managers Paul Edelman and DennisDawson, and Catering Events ManagerOsama Saad Abuzied. The Charlestown team served thou-

sands of crab soup samples to judges andfestival goers. Charlestown has never en-tered the competition without bringinghome a top award.

to the Dr. Kathleen Gandy IMPACT Foun-dation, Inc. c/o Jim Bryant, Treasurer, 341Whitfield Road, Baltimore, MD 21228. Allfunds benefit the Dr. Kathleen Gandy IM-PACT Foundation, Inc.

An Evening with Andrew Solomon

With one in four Americans experi-encing a mental illness in theirlifetime, it’s time to create a posi-

tive dialogue on the impact of mental ill-ness in our families and communities –and support recovery. On Thursday, October 16, 2014, Mosaic

Community Services will host “An Eveningwith Andrew Solomon.” Andrew Solomonis a New York Times bestseller, winner ofthe National Book Award, winner of theNational Book Critics Circle award fornon-fiction. In 2002, Mr. Solomon’s book,The Noonday Demon: An Atlas to Depres-sion, was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.Mr. Solomon’s presentations are per-

sonal, inviting and “keep it real,” with in-sightful wisdom and stories ofself-awareness through unthinkabletragedy. In addition to Mr. Solomon’s pres-entation, there will be a question and an-swer session with the audience. “An Evening with Andrew Solomon” will

be held at Goucher College, Kraushaar Au-ditorium, 1201 Dulaney Valley Road, Tow-son, MD. General admission tickets are$25 per person. VIP Admission is $200 perperson (limited to 50 attendees) which in-cludes a cocktail reception from 5:00 –6:00 p.m. with Andrew Solomon, a signedcopy of his book, and reserved seating forthe presentation.Tickets can be purchased through

EventBrite.com (enter Mosaic Solomonthe search box). For more information,call 410-453-9553, ext. 1151. Mosaic Community Services is the

largest provider of community-based, integrated services for mental illness andaddiction in Maryland, serving over 8,000children, adolescents and adults annuallythrough 21 programs located in BaltimoreCity, Baltimore and Carroll Counties. Accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities,(CARF) and recipient of the Standards of Excellence from MarylandNonprofits, Mosaic provides a broad rangeof programs and services to support recovery. For more information about Mosaic,

visit them at mosaicinc.org.

Winning Charlestownteam included (L-R)Kevin Conley, David

Haskins, Osama SaadAbuzied, Susan Seykoski,

Matthew Daneker, andBrian Pearsall (photo by

Tom Moore).

10 Greater Catonsville Chamber Newsletter • www.catonsville.org

Matthew DuniganEdward Jones Financial AdvisorContributing View Columnist

II t probably doesn’t happen as much as you’d like,but from time to time, you have some extra dis-posable income. When this happens, how

should you use the funds? Assuming you have ade-quate emergency savings — typically, three to six

months’ worth of living expenses — should you pay off debts, or fundyour IRA or another investment account?There’s no one “correct” answer — and the priority of these options

may change, depending on your financial goals. However, your firststep may be to consider what type of debt you’re thinking of payingdown with your extra money. For example, if you have a consumerloan that charges a high rate of interest — and you can’t deduct theinterest payments from your taxes — you might conclude that it’s agood idea to get rid of this loan as quickly as possible. Still, if the loan is relatively small, and the payments aren’t really

impinging on your monthly cash flow that much, you might want toconsider putting any extra money you have into an investment thathas the potential to offer longer-term benefits. For instance, youmight decide to fully fund your IRA for the year before tackling minordebts. (In 2014, you can contribute up to $5,500 to a traditional orRoth IRA, or $6,500 if you’re 50 or older.) When it comes to making extra mortgage payments, however, the

picture is more complicated. In the first place, mortgage interest istypically tax deductible, which makes your loan less “expensive.”Even beyond the issue of deductibility, you may instinctively feel thatit’s best to whittle away your mortgage and build as much equity aspossible in your home. But is that always a smart move?Increasing your home equity is a goal of many homeowners —

after all, the more equity you have in your home, the more cash you’llget when you sell it. Yet, if your home’s value rises — which, admit-tedly, doesn’t always happen — you will still, in effect, be building eq-uity without having to divert funds that could be placed elsewhere,such as in an investment. In this situation, it’s important to weighyour options. Do you want to lower your mortgage debts and possiblysave on cumulative interest expenses? Or would you be better servedto invest that money for potential growth or interest payments? Here’s an additional consideration: If you tied up most of your

money in home equity, you may well lose some flexibility and liquid-ity. If you were to fall ill or lose your job, could you get money out ofyour home if your emergency savings fund fell short? Possibly, in theform of a home equity line of credit or a second mortgage, but if youwere not bringing in any income, a bank might not even approvesuch a loan — no matter how much equity you have in your house.You may more easily be able to sell stocks, bonds or other investmentvehicles to gain access to needed cash. Getting some extra money once in a while is a nice problem to

have. Still, you won’t want to waste the opportunity — so, whenchoosing to pay down debts or put the money into investments, thinkcarefully

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.

WHAT’S SMARTER - PAYINGOFF DEBTS OR INVESTING?

The ChamberMember News

RR ecently, Bill’s Music of Catonsville MD held a benefitconcert for one of their long-time employees, MikeySmith, to support his son, Mick. The all-day live

music event was called “Music for Mick” and was meant tospread awareness and fund the testing and research neces-sary to find a diagnosis and treatment for the 12 -year- oldtriplet. An overwhelming amount of support poured in fromfriends, family, Bill’s Music customers as well as kind-hearted strangers who gave over $16,000 counting dona-tions, tickets, raffles and T-shirt sales.The headliner of the event was the Paul Reed Smith Band

who rocked the house for Mick. Other local bands includedMike and the Boozehounds (with Mick’s dad Mikey on leadguitar), the Matt Silkworth band and Jeremy Gilless bandfeaturing one of Bill’s Music guitar students on bass. Upon hearing of the event, Keith Grasso, owner of Island

Music in La Plata, MD donated a PRS Electric Guitar to beraffled off. Keith had worked with Smith at Bill’s Music priorto opening his own store. Tony Leicht from Oktober Guitarsalso donated an axe to be raffled. Gift baskets, T-Shirts,printing and baked goods were also generously donated forthe cause. Supporters of the cause turned out for Music for Mick by

the hundreds including a news journalist who published acover story on Mick that made the front page of the Balti-more Sun the following Sunday. “It was more than we ever could have asked for and I’ll al-

ways be thankful to Bill’s Music for what they did for ourfamily” said Mikey Smith.“We cannot even begin to express how grateful we are to

the Bill’s Music family. They are our friends.... not just em-ployers. They will all have a special place in our hearts.”,said Mick’s Mom, Cathy Smith.

The Paul Reed Smith Band, pictured left, was the headlinerband at Bill’s Music’s “Music forMike” benefit concert for employeeMikey Smith’s son Mick, picturedabove.

Bill’s Music Hosts Benefit Concert to Bring Supportand Awareness to Childhood Illness

OCTOBEREvent: Autumn Open House

Sponsors: Edible Arrangements & Whitehouse Caterers

Date: Thursday, October 9, 2014

Time: 5:00-7:00 pm

Place: 924 Frederick Road

Cost: FREE

Event: Lunch & Learn Seminar-

6 “W’s” to Create Extraordinary Sales!Guest speaker: Dennis Sullivan, Executive Director, Center for Business Innovation, CCBC

Sponsors: Needed

Date: Thursday, October 23, 2014

Time: 12 Noon

Place: Rolling Road Country Club814 Hilltop Road

Cost: $20 pre-registered & pre-paid

$25 at door, $35 non-members

NOVEMBEREvent: Legislative Luncheon

Sponsors: Needed

Guest Speakers: Newly Elected Local Legislators

Date: Thursday, November 20, 2014

Time: 12:00 noon

Place: Knights of Columbus

1010 Frederick Road

Cost: $20 pre-registered & pre-paid

$25 at the door$35 for non-members

DECEMBEREvent: Holiday Party

Sponsors: Needed

Date: Thursday, December 11, 2014

Time: 12:00 noon

Place: Overhills MansionCost: $30 in advance with payment,

$40 at the door

Greater Catonsville Chamber Newsletter • www.catonsville.org 11

NOTE: Times, locations, and costs are subject to change. Always check the Chamber’s website for the most updated information.

2014 Chamber Events Calendar

MEMBERSHIP DUES INCREASESLIGHTLY IN 2015

BB eginning with your Chamber membership renewal in January 2015, therewill be a slight increase in membership dues. The Chamber’s Board of Di-rectors voted to increase the Chamber dues by $20 for each membership

level, with the exception of the Advocate Membership. This is a small increaseand amounts to only $1.67 a month.Although this is a very small increase to our members, it will contribute greatly

to the Chamber’s on-going expenses. The Chamber is also continuing the up-graded membership levels that we

launched in 2011. Many members have already taken advantage of these newmembership levels. Now you can package your membership dues with the advertising opportunities available through the Chamber which include advertising in the Chamber’s directory and having your logo appear on theChamber’s website which links to your business website. With the convenience of writing one check and the incentive to take advantage

of the opportunities Chamber membership has to offer, these new levels give ourmembers a “one-stop-shop” for many of the benefits the Chamber provides. Remember, these packages include your dues!On December 1, 2014, we will mail your membership renewal. That mailing

will includea a registration form for these new levels. We encourage you to reviewthe up-graded membership packages and consider the benefits these optionsprovide for your business.

IMPORTANT

Our Sunday Farmers Markethas all the fixings for yourRavens Game Day Party. Stop by to see the new vendors and delicious

offerings for fall.

Remember the Market endsNovember 23, 2014.

12 Greater Catonsville Chamber Newsletter • www.catonsville.org

Follow us online Like us onSee Videos of Our SpecialEvents on

Quote for October Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing. Theodore Roosevelt

BB altimore County offers directfinancing programs designed toencourage investment and job

creation in the County. Private sector fi-nancing is leveraged with below marketBaltimore County loans to help busi-nesses expand and grow. Additionally,the County can help you access state,federal and private financing for new andexpanding businesses.

Loan Programs

New Program

Small and Minority Business LoanFund provides access to capital for tar-geted businesses which include smallbusinesses, minority, women and vet-eran owned businesses in the BaltimoreMetro area. The new fund is capitalizedby the Maryland’s tax casino’s revenue. Aprogram requirement is that a minimumof fifty percent of the funds are reservedfor companies located within a 10-mileradius of the Maryland Live Casino inAnne Arundel County. Targeted busi-nesses outside of the designated 10-mileradius are also eligible for assistance. Thenew fund will provide flexible financingto assist in the acquisition of business as-sets, working capital, equipment, owneroccupied commercial real estate, con-struction of new facilities and lease holdimprovements. The Fund will issue loanswith terms varying from three to 15years, depending on the asset being fi-nanced.

Business Growth Loans provide directloans or loan guarantees to new and ex-panding industrial and commercial busi-nesses. Maximum loan amount is$250,000. Funds may be used to financethe acquisition and improvement ofland, buildings, plant and equipment

and includes new construction or facilityexpansion.

Advanced Technology Loan FundDirect loans, with the participation ofother lending and equity sources, providefor small technology and/or defense re-lated businesses. Maximum loan amountis the lesser of $100,000 or 50 percent ofthe project's eligible costs. Funds may beused to finance the acquisition and im-provement of land, buildings, plant andequipment. This includes new construc-tion or facility expansion.

Tax Exempt Bonds Tax-exempt bond financing is available to manufacturersand 501-C3/non-profit organizations.Bond proceeds may be used to finance theacquisition and improvement of land,

buildings, plant and equipment, in-cluding new construction or facility ex-pansion. Financing is available from $1,000,000to a maximum of $20,000,000. IRB's arealso available for pollution control andwaste treatment facility construction orrelated equipment purchases.

Small Business Loan Fund providesreal estate and fixed-asset loansthrough a partnership between Balti-more County and the area's leading fi-nancial institutions.Learn more about Financing by visit-

ing Department of Economic andWorkforce Development or call 410-887- 8000.

BALTIMORE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC ANDWORKFORCE

DEVELOPMENT ADDS LOAN PROGRAM FOR SMALL BUSINESS

COUNTY AWARDED $1.5 MILLION TO FUNDSMALL AND MINORITY BUSINESS LOANS

BB altimore County has been awarded $1.5 million to fund loans to small, minorityand women-owned businesses. The Baltimore County Department of Economicand Workforce Development will manage the funds, which come from the Mary-

land Small, Minority and Women-Owned Business Loan Fund. The state fund receives1.5 percent of video lottery terminal revenue from Maryland casinos."Private capital has been very tight in recent years for small businesses and early

stage companies, particularly technology firms and small manufacturers," said Balti-more County Executive Kevin Kamenetz. "This new funding allows more flexible fi-nancing to support promising companies. As these businesses expand, invest andcreate new jobs, their economic impact will be magnified, especially in enterprisezones, business incubators and commercial revitalization districts."Loans may be used for real estate, equipment purchase, or other investments in the

company's growth. "Gap financing can help small companies make critical investments and take the

next step in their growth," said Will Anderson, Director of the Baltimore County Depart-ment of Economic and Workforce Development. "These loans are available for a rangeof small businesses, such as advanced manufacturing, technology, health, logistics andbusiness services."