Bowie Health Fair
MAYOR’S LETTER
September 22, 2012 11:00-3:00
Dear Readers:
Emergency Services at Bowie Health Center
Welcome to the Bowie Business Report! This special publication will present you with an update on our wonderful city at the crossroads of Annapolis, Baltimore and Washington, D.C. Bowie has always been at the center of what’s going on in the region. It is an excellent location to live, work and play. With more than 3.5 million square feet of retail space and more than 1.8 million square feet of office and flex space you’ll find easy access to workers and customers. Bowie is a dynamic community, recognized in 2007 by Forbes Magazine as one of the top communities in the Washington, D.C. area. It is a great place to locate your business, to live and to raise a family. We are proud of our heritage and we are excited about our future. We have grown from a small agricultural and railroad town to one of the largest cities in Maryland. Along the way we have also developed into one of the most family-oriented communities in the country. We are a city of 18 square miles and approximately 55,000 residents. We have over 1,100 acres set aside as parks or open space, and 72 miles of trails, including on and off road paths, the Washington Baltimore and Annapolis (WB&A) bike trail, and neighborhood trails. We also have 77 popular ball fields in Bowie. We have three community centers, an ice arena, a playhouse and five museums. Since 2000 we have also added a large, welcoming senior center and a municipal gymnasium and just last year our new City Hall opened in the heart of the city. The new facility has already received awards for its design and energy efficiency. Bowie is home to a variety of visual and performing arts groups, civic associations, fraternal groups, sports groups, veterans groups and houses of worship. All are eager to welcome you to Bowie. Whatever your business needs, Bowie has something to offer. Call our Economic Development Office at 301-809-3042, or your commercial real estate broker. Let’s have your next ribbon cutting here in Bowie!
Open 24 Hours
Sincerely,
Bowie City Council G. Frederick Robinson Mayor
Bowie Business & Living is a special advertising supplement to Gazette Star and The Gazette of Politics and Business, produced in conjunction with the City of Bowie and the Greater Bowie Chamber of Commerce. Associate Publisher | Doug Hayes Marketing consultant | Chauka Reid Editor | Kimberly Bamber Designer | Lorraine Walker Writer | Karen Finucan Clarkson ON THE COVER: Photo courtesy of City of Bowie, Grimm + Parker Architects A kinetic sculpture, hanging in City Hall, pays tribute to Bowie's Triple Crown heritage. Crafted by Philadelphia artists Kate Kaman and Joel Erland, “Triple Crown” consists of three golden flowers. Black-eyed Susans, the Maryland state flower, are used to adorn the winner of the Preakness Stakes.
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BOWIE BUSINESS & LIVING | AUGUST 2012 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Greater Bowie is the heart of the region’s economy. When families go shopping, they come to Bowie. When couples are looking for a white tablecloth culinary experience, they come to Bowie. When nationally recognized companies look for a corporate headquarters location, they come to Bowie.
Len Lucchi GBCC President O'Malley, Miles, Nylen & Gilmore, P.A.
The Greater Bowie Chamber of Commerce is the voice of the business community in this area. We are committed to providing our members with excellent programs, outstanding networking opportunities, fun events and opportunities for business development. Our members advocate on behalf of business interests. We network to foster our business contacts. We hear from leading experts to develop our businesses. If your business in not a member of the Greater Bowie Chamber of Commerce,
you are missing out on a valuable experience. A recent edition of the Prince George's Suite Magazine stated that the Greater Bowie Chamber of Commerce is “one of the most effective, business forward chambers in the Washington, D.C. metro region.” If you haven't joined us yet, then now is the time. Get ready for an exciting and productive year as we celebrate our 30th anniversary! Bowie has been my home for just about all of my life. My wife and I bought our home from my parents because we knew it was the best community in which to raise a family. I have watched this city grow from a fledgling crossroads to a thriving center of commerce. There is no better place in which to live and work than Bowie, Maryland.
CONTENTS 4
Bowie Business Report
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Certifiably Green in Bowie
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Cultivating New Businesses in Bowie
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Bowie’s Thoroughbred Past Lives On
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Business Spotlight - Chesapeake Grille & Deli - Mama Cocoa’s Delights - MOM’s Organic Market - Inovalon
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Historic Sites Tell African-Americans’ Stories
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Bowie Cultural & Recreational Venues
The Ashleigh Group & The Blue Dolphin present Valerie Simpson Thursday, September 13, 2012 Special MC Jeane Carne Doors Open at 7:00 p.m. Concert begins at 8:00 p.m.
Meet and greet with the artist immediately following the performance Tickets: $50.00 Tickets available at the website
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1166 Route 3 Gambrills, Maryland 21054
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Blue Dolphin Seafood Bar & Grill 1867975
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT BOWIE BUSINESS & LIVING | AUGUST 2012
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Bowie Business Report It is Bowie’s diversity—its mix of residents, companies, cultural and recreational opportunities, and educational offerings—that makes this city of 58,000 an attractive place to do business. Bowie is a microcosm of America, according to Mayor G. Frederick Robinson, who called the city “a dynamic, future-focused, large, small town with…charm and beauty.” Bowie’s strategic location allows local businesses to serve a diverse clientele. “Whether they cater to the federal government in Washington, the state government in Annapolis, manufacturing in Baltimore, businesses here have easy access to their customer base,” said Michael Ahearn, chairman of the city’s Economic Development Committee (EDC). Strong infrastructure—particularly in the areas of telecommunications and transportation— enhances Bowie’s desirability among businesses large and small, according to Keith R. Dunleavy, M.D., president, CEO and chairman of the board of Inovalon, a health care technology firm and the city’s largest nongovernmental employer. “Three major airports are just a short distance, as is the northeast railroad corridor connecting Washington and New York...Routes 50 and 97 are great arterial connectors,” he said. Inovalon, one of Bowie’s 1,500 businesses, employs about 700 of the 20,600 people who work in the city, according to John Henry King, Bowie’s economic development director. Of the city’s top 10 largest private employers, seven are major retailers, such as Best Buy, which was recognized by the city and chamber this year with a community service award. “All businesses—from national chains to single entrepreneurs—have a place in supporting the local economy and contributing to the outstanding quality of life in the community,” said Kelly L. Pierce, executive director of the Greater Bowie Chamber of Commerce. She pointed to business support of the local schools. “Some larger companies have adopted a school, while small businesses provide mentoring or support financial literacy. Each contribution is valuable and adds to the community in different ways.” Bowie’s highly regarded schools contribute to the city’s educated populace. About 95 percent of residents age 25 or older are high school graduates, 7 percent higher than the state average, and 46 percent have a bachelor’s degree, 10 points above the state as a whole, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Whitehall Elementary School was named a Maryland Blue Ribbon School earlier this year, one of six schools in the state to be so honored. The school will learn in September whether it will receive a national blue ribbon award from the U.S. Department of Education. Meanwhile, Bowie State University, one of Maryland’s historically black colleges, has joined
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“ALL BUSINESSES—FROM NATIONAL CHAINS TO SINGLE ENTREPRENEURS—HAVE A PLACE IN SUPPORTING THE LOCAL ECONOMY AND CONTRIBUTING TO THE OUTSTANDING QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE COMMUNITY.” Kelly L. Pierce
Executive Director, Greater Bowie Chamber of Commerce
COURTESY OF INOVALON INC.
A rendering of Inovalon's headquarters in Bowie.
forces with the city and chamber to encourage the growth of small business through the establishment of the Bowie Business Innovation Center on campus. “There’s a strong entrepreneurial spirit in the community,” said Pierce, “and as the economy begins to improve, people are moving forward and looking to grow their business here.” Just over 55 percent of Bowie’s businesses are considered small, having four or fewer employees, according to the Census Bureau. Of the small businesses located in Prince George’s County, 12 percent call the Bowie area home. What drives the success of businesses in the city is community support. “We have a very responsive local government and very responsive consumer base,” said Pierce. “Many government officials at the city, county and state levels live here in Bowie.
BOWIE BUSINESS & LIVING | AUGUST 2012 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT
All are very approachable and willing to help with whatever issues arise.” Residents also appreciate local businesses and patronize them. It was that community support that led Tamarra Thomas to open Mama Cocoa’s Delights. During a test run at the Bowie Farmers Market, “I got very, very good feedback from people both on my test recipes and price range. They encouraged me to the point I finally decided, ‘Let’s find a way to open this and make it bigger,’” she said. With more than 2.6 million square feet of retail space in Bowie, just 7 percent is vacant, according to a February report from the city. “If you look at saturation rates, I think, with what we have in vacancies of retail space, we have come close to having found the sweet spot,” said Boyd Campbell, a retired EDC member whose roots in the area go back to 1828. “That’s not to say we have every type of store imaginable…but there’s a good mix.” That mix is better in some centers than in others. “I think the $64,000 question is whether there are any retail gaps and, if so, how do we fill them?” said King. There is space available for new retail in Bowie, though mostly in older centers such as Pointer Ridge Plaza and Bowie Marketplace. “Older centers need to think long and hard about reinventing themselves to attract tenants.” Included in the tenant mix throughout Bowie are more than 90 restaurants, both franchises and homegrown. There’s an eatery to please virtually every palate and pocketbook. Ethnic restaurants represent many of the cultures present within the community. “We’re finally starting to get some visibility in Zagat,” said King. The Zagat website includes member reviews of several Bowie restaurants, such as Grace’s Fortune, recognized as the 2012 Business of the Year by the city and chamber. As Bowie seeks to further diversify its business base, the city is focused “on filling the gap between heavy industrial and retail with businesses that want attractive properties and appreciate the many amenities found here,” said Ahearn. The Maryland Science and Technology Center (MSTC) at Melford seeks to attract those types of firms. With an assessed value of about $120 million, the mixed-use center contains more than 485,000 square feet of office space and 243,000 square feet of flexible research-and-development space. MSTC tops the list of principal property taxpayers in Bowie. “Economic development needs to remain a priority, but we have to strike a balance between embracing development and preserving quality of life,” said Campbell, who would like to see the community increase its support for mixed-use development. “Bowie is a big town with a small town feel and that’s important to a lot of businesses as they look to locate or choose to stay in Bowie.”
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Certifiably Green in Bowie
Proposed Program to Endorse Environmentally Friendly Businesses
“Businesses are a vital part of our community so they must be involved if we are to become a sustainable society,” said John Allender, a member of Bowie’s Environmental Advisory Committee. Realizing that government alone can’t paint the city green, Bowie is developing a program to recognize environmentally friendly businesses. “We want to know who is green—be it places where we shop or companies we do business with,” said Kay Kane, the member of Bowie’s Green Team who is spearheading development of a voluntary green business certification program. “We want to encourage and reward businesses that are working to make Bowie more sustainable.” Earlier this year, the city and Greater Bowie Chamber of Commerce bestowed the first Green Business of the Year award on MOM’s Organic Market. The market not only features a green design
“WE WANT TO KNOW WHO IS GREEN— BE IT PLACES WHERE WE SHOP OR COMPANIES WE DO BUSINESS WITH.” Kay Kane
Bowie’s Green Team
but forgoes selling bottled water and hosts numerous recycling events. Its stated mission is to protect and restore the environment. After registering with Sustainable Maryland Certified—a new initiative that supports Maryland’s 157 municipalities as they seek to protect their natural assets and revitalize their communities—Bowie opted, among other things, to pursue green business recognition. “Sustainable
Maryland…gave us new impetus and a framework to help us help Bowie businesses go green,” said Allender. As the Green Team explores options for a certification program, it is cognizant of the fact that more than half of Bowie’s businesses have four or fewer employees. “Whatever process we come up with cannot be so onerous or burdensome that small businesses can’t participate,” said Allender. “A big
business with a large staff has the personnel to perform other duties as assigned. But a small business with just one person who is already up to his ears in alligators doesn’t have time to take on one more thing.” “We have to be careful not to set the bar too high,” said Kane. “Better to set it then raise it over time as capabilities and technology increase. If we want to succeed, the program needs to be manageable and doable.” That said, the program needs to have some gravitas. It can’t be fluff, something that will allow almost any business to declare itself green and put something outside its door,” said Allender. Kane and the Green Team have begun surveying Bowie businesses to ascertain existing green practices, uncover barriers to going green, and determine knowledge and utilization of green
See Green on page 14
BUSINESS DIRECTORY -
Chauka Reid 240-473-7588
creid@gazette.net www.gazette.net Contact me for all of your advertising & marketing needs!
Yoga & Wellness Center 3120 Belair Drive, Bowie, MD 20715
(in the Community Building behind Christian Community Presbyterian Church)
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BOWIE BUSINESS & LIVING | AUGUST 2012 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT
www.bowiechamber.org KELLY L. PIERCE Executive Director
1525 Pointer Ridge Place Bowie, MD 20716 301-262-0920 FAX 301-262-0921 kelly@bowiechamber.org
Cultivating New Businesses in Bowie
Incubator Encourages Growth of Entrepreneurial Firms “Given the current economy, is this really the time to start a company? Entrepreneurs say, ‘Yes.’ They’re optimists,” said Lisa Smith, executive director of the Bowie Business Innovation Center (BIC). “If you get started in an economy like this, when the good times come you’ll be poised for growth.” Having opened its doors in April, Bowie BIC, a business incubator, serves eight up-and-coming firms. “We work with companies in two ways,” said Smith. Resident companies have an office, phone number, use of the conference room, and access to support and marketing services from the BIC staff. “Affiliate companies are not at the point in their business life or cash flow where they can afford offices, but
they still need help developing business or marketing plans.” The incubator, which currently houses one company, can accommodate a maximum of 12 resident firms. The BIC’s mission is twofold. “There’s the obvious economic development mission—to accelerate the growth of companies so they can add jobs and move into the community,” said Smith. “The second part is to provide experiential learning opportunities for students at Bowie State University (BSU).” Bowie BIC is the first business incubator to be located on the campus of a historically black institution. “Our location allows us to leverage and optimize the link between business and academia through research and practice.
The university is keen to be sure students have real-world opportunities,” she said. BSU students in the College of Business assist the BIC staff with everything from day-to-day operations to marketing to special events. BIC businesses are free to use students from any of Bowie State’s four colleges to assist with projects. “The MBA program invites companies to come in and provide a presentation on what they do. One of our companies, Vertical Wind Ventures, is bringing a disruptive technology to market and they plan to speak to a class,” said Smith. Clark Training Solutions LLC became the BIC’s first resident company in June,
See Incubator on page 12
COURTESY OF BOWIE BUSINESS INNOVATION CENTER
David Clark, president and CEO of Clark Training Solutions LLC, and Magdalena Gebrekristos, president and CEO of Magadia Consulting Inc., work on some joint proposals at the Bowie Business Innovation Center.
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Bowie’s Thoroughbred Past Lives On Belair’s Bloodlines Continue to Make Headlines Of the 20 Thoroughbreds in this year’s Kentucky Derby, all can trace their lineage to Bowie’s Belair Stable. It’s been more than 75 years since the stable, now a museum, produced a Triple Crown winner, but Belair’s continuing influence on horse racing is undeniable. “Nashua was the most prolific producer of future champions,” said Pamela L. Williams, manager of historic properties and museums for the city of Bowie. Horse of the Year in 1955, Nashua “not only excelled on the track, but he excelled as a dad.” Belair’s most powerful racehorse sired 77 stakes winners after being retired to stud at Spendthrift Farm in Lexington, Ky. Several recent winners of Churchill Downs’ Run for the Roses descend from Nashua through his daughter, Gold Digger, the dam of Mr. Prospector. They include I’ll Have Another, who also won this year’s Preakness Stakes, the second leg of the Triple Crown, but missed the Belmont Stakes due to a tendon injury, and Barbaro, who won the 2006 Kentucky Derby but shattered his leg two weeks later in the Preakness at Baltimore’s Pimlico Race Course. “It was such a tragedy; we felt a great sense of loss when Barbaro went down,” Williams recalled. Belair has been associated with Thoroughbreds for 265 years. When Lord Baltimore sent Spark and Queen Mab as gifts to Gov. Samuel Ogle in 1747, Belair spanned 3,600 acres and included a deer park, racetrack and kennels for hunting dogs, according to the museum’s website. The estate changed hands twice over the years, but Belair’s Thoroughbred tradition continued through 1809. It would be almost a century before Thoroughbreds returned to Belair. An English Tudor-style brick-and-stone stable was constructed in 1907 to house the Thoroughbreds purchased by William Woodward, a New York banker with a passion for racing. His initial investment of $360 for three mares and a stud horse launched Belair Stable’s glory years. A few years later, three miles north of Belair, another venue would deepen the city’s connection to Thoroughbreds. Bowie Race Course opened its windows for wagering on Oct. 1, 1914. “Bowie had an excellent racing surface,” said Russ Davies, a former Thoroughbred owner who now works as a museum facility specialist at Belair Stable. “The key to its success came in 1957 when they started racing during the winter. Other tracks in the Northeast halted racing in the early months of the year. So, Bowie became a mecca for racing in January and February. Fans used to come from New York and Philadelphia by bus or train. The motto was, ‘When it snows, Bowie goes.’”
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COURTESY OF CITY OF BOWIE MUSEUMS
Nashua, Belair's last great champion, races around his paddock in 1956.
While Bowie Race Course did not have the same cachet as some of the higher stakes tracks, it did attract its share of notable names. Former FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover was reported to have frequented the track. Hall of Fame jockeys Eddie Arcaro, Chris McCarron and Bill Shoemaker raced there. And Thoroughbreds such as Kelso, the only five-time U.S. Horse of the Year, and Marylandbred Kauai King, who won the first two legs of the Triple Crown in 1966, demonstrated their prowess at Bowie. After the race course closed in 1985—“There was a lot of opposition from church groups when Sunday racing was introduced,” said Davies—it became a training facility. Some 600 horses train there, including Pretension, who finished a disappointing 11th in this year’s Preakness Stakes. The Maryland Jockey Club, which operates the Bowie Training Facility, has proposed closing it over the past few years but without success. Despite Belair’s proximity to Bowie Race Course, few of its Thoroughbreds raced there. “The Belmont, the most grueling of the three Triple Crown races, was Mr. Woodward’s big deal,” said Williams. “He bred his horses for that.” Belair boasted five Belmont Stakes winners over 25
BOWIE BUSINESS & LIVING | AUGUST 2012 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT
William Woodward and friends—on a coaching trip from New York City— arrive at Belair Mansion in the spring of 1916.
years: Gallant Fox (1930), Faireno (1932), Omaha (1935), Johnstown (1939) and Nashua (1955). The stable is the only horse farm to have fielded father-son Triple Crown winners, Gallant Fox and Omaha. It is Gallant Fox, Williams surmised, who was William Woodward’s favorite Thoroughbred. “He loved that animal so much, even wrote a selfpublished book about the horse known as the Fox of Belair,” she said. “Of course, Mr. Woodward did not live to see Nashua’s incredible success, which is sad because he was such a monster animal,” said Williams.
See Thoroughbred on page 14
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BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
Chesapeake Grille & Deli It was the Old Bay potatoes, dished up hot and spicy at the Annapolis Market, that served as inspiration for the Chesapeake Grille & Deli. “We cook with a lot of Old Bay, but will leave it out upon request,” said Mark Torsani, the restaurant’s owner/operator. After a quarter century in the restaurant business, Torsani opened the first Chesapeake Grille & Deli in Dunkirk in 2008. Bowie is his second location. “From the beginning, our plan was to encircle the Chesapeake Bay with restaurants, offering fresh cooking and high-quality food,” he said. The combination of a grill and deli provides customers with options. “A family of four can come in and get everything from kiddie food to deli sandwiches to wraps to a full-scale dinner.” Meals come with a free smile. “We greet and say goodbye to every guest—and it’s heartfelt,” said Torsani. Given the growing number of repeat customers, the restaurant offers five or more specials daily. “There’s always something new for the regulars.”
About the Business Owners: Mark Torsani & Chad Wagaman Founded: 2011 Located: 6786 Race Track Road Open: Sun.-Thurs., 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Phone: 301-262-4441 Website: www.chesapeakegrille.com Awards: 2012 Bowie Entrepreneur of the Year (Mark Torsani) Specialties: Cream of crab soup, crab cakes But what brings many regulars back is the cream of crab soup and the crab cakes—the restaurant’s top sellers. The chicken and shrimp pasta is also popular. The restaurant serves a variety of local beers and wines, as well.
While the service at Chesapeake Grille & Deli is exceptional, there’s no obligation to tip. “When people do, we donate the money— more than $26,000 since we opened in 2008— to local charities.”
BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
Mama Cocoa’s Delights While the hand-rolled truffles are her top seller, it is the lollipops that transport Tamarra Thomas back to her childhood. “Lollipops are magical. They make everyone giggle. Even adults look forward to them with glee,” she said. Thomas, also known as Mama Cocoa, describes herself as “part gypsy, part chocolatier, part mad scientist and part pastry chef—all mixed with a large helping of whimsy.” She also is a savvy entrepreneur growing her confectionary business from a stand at the Bowie Farmers Market to a quaint shop on 9th Street. An artisan candy maker, Thomas creates treats that are “natural, handmade and fun—a beautiful combination of traditional and less traditional candies.” Among the less traditional is a proprietary candy called Fig Kelly. “It’s dried figs that are chopped and drenched in rich, buttery caramel then dropped into dark chocolate and covered in sea salt. It has a cult following and is very addictive,” she said.
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About the Business Owner: Tamarra Thomas Founded: 2011 Located: 13015 9th St. Open: Thurs.-Sun., 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; (extended daily hours during the holidays) Phone: 301-366-9395 Website: www.mamacocoasdelights.com Awards: 2012 Bowie Small Business of the Year Specialties: Hand-rolled truffles and other decadent homemade sweets Thomas, a trained pastry chef, also creates custom-made cakes and specialty desserts. “I really love what I do. When I’m there and in the moment, I have an amazing amount of fun,” she said. “I enjoy sharing my passion with my customers.”
BOWIE BUSINESS & LIVING | AUGUST 2012 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT
Mama Cocoa’s is all natural—no artificial flavors or colors and the packaging is green. “We recycle, reuse and repurpose,” said Thomas, standing behind her PaperStone service counter. “Being earth friendly is important to us.”
BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
MOM’s Organic Market “Our Bowie store is upbeat and welcoming— and that’s as much due to the customers as it is to the employees,” said Brian Michal, assistant general manager at MOM’s Organic Market in the Hilltop Plaza shopping center. “We have a diverse group of customers, some of whom knew very little about organic and natural food when they first started shopping here.” MOM’s, which opened in Bowie two years ago, was designed with the environment in mind. The store showcases the site's original terrazzo flooring and features energy-efficient closed-door coolers with LED lighting and countertops crafted from renewable resources such as bamboo and sunflower hulls. The organic market’s commitment “to protect and restore the environment” goes beyond its design and product offerings. “We are eliminating as much plastic on our shelves as possible. We’ve stopped selling bottled water and have switched to compostable plastic bags, gloves and water cups,” said Michal.
About the Business Owner: Scott Nash Founded: 2010 Located: 6824 Race Track Road Open: Mon.-Sat., 9 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sun., 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Phone: 240-556-1700 Website: www.momsorganicmarket.com Awards: 2012 Bowie Green Business of the Year Specialties: Organic foods and beverages MOM’s encourages Bowie residents to recycle. A recent drive yielded five palettes of electronics. The market offers ink cartridge, plastic bottle cap and CFL bulb drop-off recycling as a service. MOM’s also purchases carbon credits from TerraPass to cover the emissions
resulting from its customers’ shopping trips. Residents regularly take advantage of market tours. “It’s not just the typical school groups,” he said. “We get senior citizens as well as life coaches…The people here in Bowie have really embraced what we’re doing. It’s awesome.”
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BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
Inovalon “Inovalon truly represents what this country is all about. It started here in Maryland, grew organically…and now is a national leader in datadriven improvements in health care,” said Keith R. Dunleavy, M.D., Inovalon’s president, CEO and chairman of the board. “There’s a pride that comes from having grown up here and achieved such a level of success.” It is the corporate culture—one that embraces passionate people and a strong team ethic—that drives Inovalon’s success. “We have a tremendous technology development team and clinical support and oversight team. This strong team atmosphere allows us to accomplish our important mission and vision—that of improving health care in the U.S.,” he said. By blending ingenuity, dedication and compassion, Inovalon has crafted a new approach to health care that has touched the lives of some
About the Business CEO: Keith R. Dunleavy, M.D. Founded: 1998 Located: 4321 Collington Road Phone: 301-809-4000 Website: www.inovalon.com Specialties: Leveraging technology and health data to improve patient care and outcomes COURTESY OF INOVALON INC.
120 million Americans. The company’s tagline— Turning Data into Insight, and Insight into Action®—crystallizes Inovalon’s ability to combine data analysis with highly targeted interventions to enhance clinical outcomes and financial performance across the health care landscape.
As it continues to expand—Inovalon currently has some 300 openings nationwide—Dunleavy is optimistic about the firm’s potential. “This is a company that is growing and delivering value by embracing people who are passionate about what they do....Our story is a positive one and a rare one in any industry let alone in health care.”
Incubator continued from page 7
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BOWIE BUSINESS & LIVING | AUGUST 2012 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT
two months after CEO David Clark began working with BIC staff on development of a business plan. “I would come over and they would give me milestones and homework. They gave me direction. Without them I’d still be walking around aimlessly,” Clark said. Tired of meeting prospective clients for coffee at a local café—“it sent the wrong message to some people”— Clark takes advantage of the BIC’s conference room. “There are many places you can lease but few places you can lease smart office space,” said Smith. Or affordable office space, for that matter. “Incubator companies are not in a position to enter into a five-year lease. We fill a void.” The eventual goal is for BIC firms to secure commercial space in the community. “Typically companies that are not life science companies, as they have a longer gestation, are with an incubator for 18-24 months. They realize this is not a permanent realestate situation.” After joining Bowie BIC, Clark met Magdalena Gebrekristos, whose affiliate company, Magadia Consulting Inc., provides technology consulting
services. The two CEOs are working on some joint proposals. “It’s great when companies create synergies within the program,” said Smith. A BSU alumna, Gebrekristos learned about the BIC from a former professor. “When I mentioned to him that I was thinking of moving my company out of the house, he told me about the program,” she said. Gebrekristos, like the owners of the other six affiliate companies, hopes to grow her business to the point that she can afford office space at the BIC. Bowie’s 600-plus home-based businesses are considered prospective BIC clients, provided “they are growth oriented,” said Smith, “and want to build a company with employees, not just provide a service.” Clark is optimistic about being able to grow his firm, a training and development company specializing in project and risk management and leadership and customer-service training. “I’ve done more and gone further in the one month that I’ve been here than in the year prior,” he said. “I have people here to mentor me and resources that I can access. They’ve taken me further than if I’d continued on my own.”
Historic Sites Tell African-Americans’ Stories Bowie Plantation, Stable and Ballpark Provide Insight to the Past
Tobacco, horses and baseball—these icons help chart the history of Bowie’s African-American community over the course of three centuries. While some of that history has been physically preserved, a large part of it lives through the stories that have been handed down from one generation to another. Still, many of these stories are enhanced through visits to places where AfricanAmericans went about their daily lives. A visit “grounds people and gives them a clearer sense of the past,” said Donald Creveling, manager of the archaeology program for The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission in Prince George’s County. On the outskirts of Bowie, amidst the Northlake townhouse development, sit the remnants of two slave quarters. “One, from the 1790s, appears in tax assessments from that time. The larger, brick quarters was constructed in the 1840s. You can tell by the architectural style and artifacts,” said Creveling.
Oral histories, artifacts and historic documents offer a detailed picture of African-American life during the 18th and 19th centuries. The resulting interpretative signs at this small neighborhood park “feature photos of the recovered artifacts and relate them to the daily lives of the people who lived there,” said Creveling. The colorful, insightful signs provide a self-guided tour, while two benches invite contemplation.
COURTESY OF CITY OF BOWIE MUSEUMS
Henry Thomas poses with a 1937 Ford V8.
The dwellings were part of Northampton, a 1,000-acre tobacco plantation established in 1673 through a land grant from Charles Calvert, the third Lord Baltimore, to Thomas Sprigg. African-Americans were integral to the plantation’s viability, working the fields and staffing the manor home.
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“Enslaved African-Americans and their descendants lived on the property until the 1930s,” said Creveling. “We worked with several descendants of Elizabeth Hawkins, born into slavery at Northampton, who assisted us with the excavations, historic research and interpretation of their ancestors’ lives.”
It was the keen eye of Andrew Jackson, born into slavery in Kentucky in the late 1850s, that prompted the purchase of four horses and established a racing legacy that continues today, according to the Belair Stable Museum’s website. The stable’s most valued employee, Jackson was the trainer of record for its first Thoroughbred victory—a 1909 race at the Marlboro Track won by Aile d’Or.
See Stories on page 15
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Bowie Cultural & Recreational Venues Bowie Producers Online http://mysite.verizon.net/vzeo7zhz/ Bowie-Crofton Camera Club Meets at All Saints Lutheran Church 410-827-3369 www.b-ccc.org Bowie-Crofton Garden Club Meets at Kenhill Center 301-262-6816 www.bcgardenclub.org
ARTS 2nd Star Productions Performs at Bowie Playhouse 301-832-4819 www.2ndstarproductions.com
Prince George’s Little Theater Performs at Bowie Playhouse 301-937-7458 www.pglt.org
Prince George’s County Genealogical Society Library 301-262-2063 www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mdpgcgs /library/index.htm
Belair Mansion 301-809-3089 www.cityofbowie.org/index.aspx?NID=288 Belair Stable Museum 301-809-3089 www.cityofbowie.org/index.aspx?NID=289 Bowie Railroad Museum 301-809-3089 www.cityofbowie.org/index.aspx?NID=293 National Capital Radio and Television Museum 301-390-1020 www.cityofbowie.org/index.aspx?NID=292
American Legion Disney-Bell Post 66 301-464-9814 www.alpost66.org
Bowie Coin Club Meets at Bowie City Hall 301-848-7657 www.bowiecoinclub.com
Bowie Center for the Performing Arts 301-805-6880 www.bowiecenter.org
Bowie Community Media Corporation c/o Bowie Studio 301-809-3057 www.bowie77.org
Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks Bowie Lodge No. 2309 301-261-3260 www.bpoe2309.org
Bowie Community Theatre Performs at Bowie Playhouse 301-805-0219 www.bctheatre.com
Bowie Farmers Market Sundays through Oct. 28 www.cityofbowie.org/index.aspx?nid=103
Bowie Lions Club 301-262-2665 www.bowielions.org
Bowie Freecycle http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bowie _freecycle
Bowie Rotary Club Meets at Old Bowie Town Grille 301-503-0833 http://bowie.rotary7620.org
Bowie Interfaith Pantry and Emergency Aid Fund 301-262-6765 www.bowiefoodpantry.org
Greater Bowie Chamber of Commerce 301-262-0920 www.bowiechamber.org
City Hall Art Galleries 301-575-5601 www.cityofbowie.org/index.aspx?NID=528
MUSEUMS
FRATERNAL & BUSINESS
CULTURE
Annapolis Shakespeare Company Performs at Bowie Playhouse 410-415-3513 www.annapolisshakespeare.org
Bowie Playhouse Whitemarsh Park www.cityofbowie.org/index.aspx?nid=108
Old Town Bowie Welcome Center and Interactive Children's Museum 301-575-2488
RECREATION Belair Bath & Tennis Club 301-262-5522 http://bbtbowie.org
Bowie Parkinson’s Support Group Meets at the Bowie Senior Center https://sites.google.com/site/bowiepsg/home
Belair Swim & Racquet Club 301-262-3349 http://bsrbarracudas.com
Bowie Seniors Computer Club Meets at the Bowie Senior Center http://home.comcast.net/~BSCClub/index.htm
resources. “Part of our analysis is to find out what businesses see as beneficial, what will make them step up and go green,” she said. While some local businesses have yet to embrace green practices, others have done so without reservation. Mama Cocoa’s Delights on 9th Street, Bowie’s 2012 Small Business of the Year, features a service counter made from PaperStone® and display shelves of reclaimed teak. The business uses both biodegradable-cellophane and repurposed-cornmeal bags to package its candies and buys locally—purchasing coffee from The Cosmic Bean and mint and herbs from Richard’s Hundred Natural Farm. Sometime this winter, the Green Team intends to have the outline of a program in place so that it can
“I love being in the courtyard when a visitor activates the motion sensor and the sound of horses talking to each other floods the stable,” said Williams. “It’s so evocative and gives you a real feel for these magnificent animals.”
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SENIORS Bowie Senior Center 301-809-2300 www.cityofbowie.org/index.aspx?NID=109
“When Nashua got beaten in the Derby, the whole nation clamored for a match race. It was East meets West when Nashua and Swaps raced in Chicago. Nashua won and won well.” Nashua was sold for a record $1.2 million following the 1955 death of William Woodward’s son, Billy, who had managed the stable since late 1953. Nashua’s career earnings were a record breaking $1,288,565, according to the museum’s website. He was inducted in the Racing Hall of Fame in 1965. Four years later, the Bowie Stable Museum opened, commemorating the city’s Thoroughbred past. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. A $750,000 renovation in 2000 has preserved this “Cradle of American Racing” for future generations. While the equine giants are long gone from Belair, their presence is still palpable.
COURTESY OF CITY OF BOWIE MUSEUMS
Bowie Golf & Country Club 301-262-8141 www.bowiegolf.com
City of Bowie Ice Arena 301-809-3090 www.cityofbowie.org/index.aspx?NID=105
Green continued from 6
Gallant Fox, winner of the 1930 Triple Crown, was often called “The Fox of Belair.”
Bowie Baysox 301-805-6000 www.baysox.com
City of Bowie Municipal Gymnasium 301-809-2388 www.cityofbowie.org/index.aspx?NID=104
Thoroughbred continued from 8
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PHOTOS COURTESY OF CITY OF BOWIE
begin piloting certification in fiscal year 2014. “There’s a wide range of possibilities. If it’s something that requires the auditing of information coming from companies, that would take time and require a budget for staffing,” said Allender. “I’m big on what volunteers can achieve but you need staff to make a program such as that sustainable.” Funds also would be needed to create plaques for certified businesses and to market the program. “We want to promote it and show the benefits,” said Kane. “We want businesses to understand that there’s a return on investment for going green, such as saving money on electricity and water. And, we want residents to step up and say, ‘I’m coming to you because you are green.’”
Stories continued from 13 William Woodward, owner of Belair Stable, referred to Jackson as his “trusted advisor in all things equine,” according to Pamela L. Williams, manager of historic properties and museums for the city of Bowie. “Mr. Woodward thought so highly of Mr. Jackson that he self-published a book about him.” “A Memoir of Andrew Jackson Africanus” was written as an oral history “in affectionate memory of a long and faithful service,” noted the author. Several copies of the 54-page hardcover book, printed in 1938, still exist and can be found online with advertised prices as high as $2,000. While Jackson lived to see Gallant Fox win the stable’s first Triple Crown, he died in 1932, three years before Omaha would make history, scoring Belair’s second Triple Crown and becoming, along with Gallant Fox, the only father-son recipients of Thoroughbred racing’s most coveted award. Jackson is buried at the Sacred Heart Church cemetery in Bowie beneath a tombstone erected by Woodward. Jackson’s story is intertwined with the history of Belair, all of which is recounted through exhibits at the Belair Stable Museum. The work of two other African-Americans—Charles and Henry Thomas—also was invaluable to the success of Belair. “They were clearly held in some regard and esteem as they took care of the horses,” said Williams, “and Mr. Woodward wouldn’t trust a valuable Thoroughbred to just anyone.” Many of the Thomas brothers’ descendants live in Prince George’s County and Williams has been discussing the possibility of an oral history project. Discrimination in the first half of the 20th century “limited options for African-Americans and meant the things that they did for themselves became very precious,” said Gail Thomas, manager of the black history program for The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission in Prince George’s County. Such was the case with sandlot baseball, which flourished in Bowie and the region from the 1930s to the 1970s. “All major African-American communities seemed to have a baseball team. They’d play against each other in a friendly rivalry. A community defined itself by whether it could get a team together, support it and buy uniforms,” said Thomas, who was instrumental in
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COURTESY OF CITY OF BOWIE MUSEUMS
Charles Thomas stands with Mrs. William Purdy and a horse around the 1930s.
developing “Rough Diamonds: The MidAtlantic Negro Leagues and Sandlot Heroes,” an exhibit commemorating the county’s tricentennial in 1996. Games were held on Sundays after church and attracted both individuals and families. “It solidified ties within the community. People may even have met and married that way. It was just a wholesome, outdoor activity,” she said. A Bowie cornfield was transformed into a community baseball field in the mid1940s for the hometown Mitchellville Tigers. The team continued to play into the 1960s, well after Jackie Robinson’s 1947 barrier-breaking game with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Other teams would, at different times, call the park home, including the Washington Blacksox, Brentwood Flashes, Brandywine A.C.’s, Laurel All-Stars, Glenarden Braves and Oxon Hill Aztecs. As the game of baseball evolved and semiprofessional Negro-league teams began recruiting from sandlot teams, “the community feeling was gone,” said Thomas. Combine that with “the gradual integration of the major leagues that siphoned off major talent” and the emergence of other sports, notably basketball, and sandlot baseball became a chapter in the history books. Today, that history is commemorated at Bowie’s Blacksox Park, the former cornfield. The 70-acre park features interpretive signage and five ball fields that beckon players of all ages, genders and races. The Bowie Baysox, the class-AA affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles, has paid tribute to the area’s Negro leagues for the past 11 years. During a special pregame ceremony, the team honors former players and dignitaries and invites them to throw the ceremonial first pitch. History informs the present and illuminates the future. “It reminds us of how we once were and how far we’ve come,” said Creveling.
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