Baltimore Mayor Martin O’Malley will present the awards on December 9 during a luncheon program at the Wyndham Baltimore Inner Harbor Hotel. The 31st annual business awards program is an initiative of the Greater Baltimore Committee, the Mayor’s Office, and the Baltimore Development Corporation (BDC).
The mayor and leaders of the Greater Baltimore Committee and BDC will honor businesses ranging from a Baltimore bank whose employees teach school students the basics of banking and finance to an industrial casting and machining company that provides jobs for rehabilitated addicts and homeless individuals.
"These award winners represent the vitality, spirit and commitment to community that can be found throughout our city’s business and nonprofit sectors," said Mayor O’Malley. "They deserve recognition, congratulations and our heartfelt thanks."
Winners of the 2005 Mayor's Business Recognition Awards are:
Brown Investment Advisory & Trust Company, for its partnership with the William Paca Elementary School in East Baltimore. Brown employees have engaged in activities including fundraisers, donations, tutoring, obtaining dozens of computers, providing trophies for the school spelling bee, and helping students prepare for the Maryland assessment tests.
Danko Arlington Inc., a northwest Baltimore industrial casting and machining firm, for providing jobs to former addicts and the homeless. The company, which manufactures components for high quality commercial and military applications, boasts a diverse workforce that includes rehabilitated addicts and homeless individuals prepared for re-entry. Formerly homeless workers are now usefully employed manufacturing parts for weapon systems, commercial aviation, transportation and space.
DAP, Inc., a Canton-based national manufacturer of home repair products, for its mentoring program with B4Students Foundation for "at risk" students from Patterson High School. Twenty-five volunteers from DAP are partnering with 20 students, providing guidance and assistance from 9th grade through graduation. Students also visit DAP’s corporate office monthly and spend the day with their mentors.
Diamonds and Divas, a Belair Road hair salon, for its "Smart is Beautiful" program in Brehms Lane Elementary School. In recognition for good grades, good attendance and good citizenship, the school’s fifth grade girls who earn "Student of the Month" designation, receive free hair makeovers. Boys earn a free hair cut at the neighboring Hair Warehouse barbershop.
Humanim, a Columbia-based nonprofit organization serving individuals with disabilities, for its Start on Success program that provides outreach and vocational services to inner city youth with disabilities that have received special education services in Baltimore City Public High Schools. Since the SOS Program began in 1997, more than 250 students in the Baltimore City Public School system have received services. Humanim partners with local employers to provide them with well-trained employees, and to empower inner city youth to achieve their vocational goals.
MECU of Baltimore, Inc., a municipal employees’ credit union, for its partnership with Ft. Worthington Elementary School, located in an East Baltimore "hot zone.". Over the past five years, MECU employees have refurbished the school’s computer lab, sponsored the fifth grade class at Junior Achievement’s Exchange City, and instituted a book drive as a way to give the Ft. Worthington students books of their own. MECU employees regularly read to the classes and to teach them about financial literacy.
Provident Bank, for its "Banking on Our Future" financial literacy program for school students. Pioneered by Operation HOPE, Inc., the program provides year-round financial education for youths in grades 4 to 12 at no cost to the schools. Bank employees volunteer to work with teachers in Baltimore-area neighborhood schools to teach students the basics of banking, checking and savings accounts, credit, and investment, as well as the impact that good financial management can have on their lives.
T. Rowe Price Group, Inc., for the Baltimore-based investment firm’s commitment to Habitat for Humanity’s "More than Houses" campaign. In 2004, volunteers from T. Rowe Price began work on their 4th house. The company’s five-year commitment to the campaign includes an annual financial pledge of $20,000 and weekly Saturday volunteer groups from April through December working to gut and renovate one house per year.
Trahan, Burden & Charles (TBC), a Baltimore-based advertising and public relations firm, for its support of the Susan G. Koman Breast Cancer Foundation’s Maryland affiliate’s annual Race for the Cure. For the fourth year in a row TBC provided comprehensive public relations services pro-bono to help spread the word about breast cancer and the Race for the Cure event. More than 20,000 people participated in the Maryland Race for the Cure in 2005 and the October 1 event raised more than $1.6 million.
The Corporate Sponsor of the 2005 Mayor’s Business Recognition Awards is Miles and Stockbridge, P.C. Program sponsors are: CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, Legg Mason, and Lord Baltimore Capital Corporation.
