Secretary Gill: Celebrating Customer Experience Day

This week, businesses around the world celebrated Customer Experience Day, which focuses on customer appreciation and strategies to deliver the best possible customer experience. I want to thank you – all of our customers – for allowing us the opportunity to work with you, and do our best to help your business grow and thrive in Maryland.

Customer service is a priority of the Hogan-Rutherford Administration, which a little more than a year ago committed to making improvements throughout Maryland state government by placing a renewed focus on customer service, improving training for team members, and creating new performance metrics to better track our progress.

This week, to recognize Customer Experience Day, Governor Hogan’s office released its first annual Governor’s Customer Service Initiative report, which details the steps that have been taken to improve customer service throughout state government, and our progress thus far.

Maryland Commerce also released its report, which speaks to how we’ve been working hard to create a culture that embraces customer service, and truly make Maryland “Open for Business.” Among our efforts has been expanding of our team of regional representatives so we can better connect with businesses throughout the state; celebrating special anniversaries and milestones with our customers; and increasing our procurement outreach to small and minority businesses.

Once again, thank you for being our customers and we look forward to working with you to continue to make Maryland the best place to live, work and do business.

-Mike

The post Secretary Gill: Celebrating Customer Experience Day appeared first on MDBIZNews.

from https://mdbiznews.commerce.maryland.gov/2017/10/secretary-gill-celebrating-customer-experience-day/

Maryland launches new tourism initiative

Governor Larry Hogan has announced a new initiative focused on promoting Maryland’s outstanding seafood to domestic and international travelers. The Maryland Crab & Oyster Trail, which kicks off this month in celebration of National Seafood Month, features a virtual tour highlighting more than 100 of the state’s seafood restaurants, as well as seafood festivals held throughout the state during October.

“Maryland has a proud history of harvesting some of the world’s best seafood from the Chesapeake Bay, and this trail gives us a great opportunity to highlight our great state as a destination for seafood lovers,” said Governor Hogan. “Residents and visitors alike can plan a trip to the more than 100 destinations serving freshly harvested crabs and oysters, as well as the many seafood festivals taking place this month.”

The trail map is divided into five regional excursions. More than 100 markers denote restaurants across the state that serve steamed crabs, soft shell crabs, and fresh local oysters. The trail also features attractions that showcase the state’s heritage and history in connection with the seafood of the Chesapeake Bay and watershed.

Seafood fans can also get their fill at a number of festivals taking place during the month, including the Community Crab Feast at Wilmer Park in Chestertown and the Oyster Stroll in Westminster, both on October 14; Tilghman Island Day on Tilghman Island on October 21; the U.S. Oyster Festival in Leonardtown taking place October 21-22; and OysterFest at Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels on October 28.

Visitors are encouraged to share their Maryland seafood experiences on social media using the hashtags #VisitMaryland and #MDinFocus.​

For more information about the Maryland Crab & Oyster Trail or seafood festivals, visit www.visitmaryland.org​ or call 1-800-719-5900.

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from https://mdbiznews.commerce.maryland.gov/2017/10/maryland-launches-new-tourism-initiative/

Wolverine Wednesday: Reports Are That Nate Johnson is Off The Team Permanently

The Michigan football program has permanently removed Nate Johnson from the program (Per Sam Webb).  Insiders were speculating earlier in the week that Nate would not be back on the team after the suspension.


Nate Johnson was a true sophomore and came to Ann Arbor from Thompson Station, TN.  His recruitment came down to ND and Michigan.  He was recruited as a slot WR but turned to CB in fall camp.   Insiders were saying he was back as a WR prior to the Purdue game.   Nate will finish his career with 1 catch for 4 yards from last season. 


This loss really doesn't hurt the Wolverines depth at either CB or WR.  The coaches clearly didn't know what to do Nate and he was not a regular contributor.    Removing Nate from the team is the correct decision after his arrest.


It would be nice if the Wolverines could get through a bye week without an incident.  Last year, slot WR Grant Perry got in trouble in East Lansing.

• Kyle Kalis has been signed to the active roster of the Indianapolis Colts from the Redskins practice squad.  

My list of things that I hope the Wolverines improved on during Improvement Week:

1. The offensive line.  This might be one of the most disappointing units all year.  We were expecting a big jump in consistency but have seen missed assignments and just getting beat up front.   I know the defenses are stacking the box, but this group needs to be better and not getting beat when the D-line stunts.  I don't believe we have seen the Greg Fry impact that we were expecting.
2. John O'Korn comfort as a starter.  He has been getting 1st team reps for two weeks now.  Let's hope he is comfortable under center UTL in the Big House.
3. Crawford and Bunting - Keoka Crawford has been playing a lot but hasn't really been producing like we thought.   Ian Bunting I thought would be a candidate for the best TE in the country.  He has let to catch a ball and might be in the dog house.
4. DB's - It seems they have been playing well, but still young and lack experience.   
5. Punting - I don't like bringing up punting this week, but Michigan needs to average 40 yards per punt.  Let's hope this is fixed with Robbins.

What does your list look like?  Did I miss anything?





from The BIG HOUSE Blog http://mbighouse.blogspot.com/2017/10/wolverine-wednesday-reports-are-that.html

Students wrap up summer with inaugural intern tech competition

Engineering Solutions, Inc. (ESI) saw something special in the pool of interns working at a variety of companies in Central Maryland this summer, and decided it was a great opportunity to showcase and reward some of the state’s best and brightest young minds.

The Hanover-based company brought the idea to the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association of Central Maryland (AFCEA CMD) and they agreed to sponsor the Summer Internship Presentation Showcase (SIPS), where students showed off their presentation skills and technical prowess in front of a panel of experts.

The talented college students participating in summer internships at AFCEA Central Maryland businesses made for a competitive event. ESI President Gary Rosen said the response to the event was better than he could have imagined.

“I wanted to have a competition for the interns with the potential for scholarship money,” Rosen said. “We would have been delighted with half the turn out that we had. With 25 interns from 10 different companies, it was really well received.”

AFCEA CMD awarded two cash prizes for Best Presentation and Best Technical Project to be used as college scholarships. The students also received valuable instruction from renowned presentation coach, David Greenberg of Simply Speaking, Inc., the day before the showcase. Jake Gluck, ESI intern and member of the three-man-team that won the Best Presentation prize of $1,500, said the event made for a more meaningful internship this summer.

“SIPS gave us something to work toward throughout the summer,” said Gluck. “It allowed us to gain presentation skills and not only show off our own work but also see what our peers at similar companies did this summer.”

Gluck, along with interns Michael Chirico and Colin Mason, presented their project called AlexaSense, a modified Amazon Alexa equipped with infrared and Bluetooth detection to monitor a user’s presence therefore reducing the need for voice commands. Chirico said the experience has sparked his interest in delving further into the computer science field.

“My time and experience at ESI has certainly encouraged me to pursue a career in the government contracting industry,” said Chirico. “Over the coming weeks and months, I’ll be exploring my post-grad options related to the field. The SIPS event was a phenomenal idea.”

AFCEA CMD is seeking to make SIPS an annual event, expand the training portion, and raise even larger scholarship prizes for participants. Best Technical Project winner Anna Blendermann, an intern at Nteligen, said the competition was a valuable networking opportunity.

“I honestly can’t say enough about how incredible it was to add 30 other young engineers to my network,” said Blendermann. “I’ll be looking forward to seeing everyone back next year and possibly participating on the judging panel.”

The post Students wrap up summer with inaugural intern tech competition appeared first on MDBIZNews.

from https://mdbiznews.commerce.maryland.gov/2017/10/students-wrap-summer-inaugural-intern-tech-competition/

Michigan Tuesday: Wilton's Status and a New Basketball Commit

Monday was bad day for a ton of reasons nationally.   With the news of Tom Petty dying it looked like it was just going to be more and more bad news all day.   The bad news train even hit Ann Arbor, with the news of Wilton's injury, "being weeks away from playing" per Jimmy, the details on Nate  Johnson and some recruiting bad news.    As I'm sure you heard, the rumor mill is spinning some type of injury to Wilton's vertebra.


Then we find out why Nate Johnson has been suspended: 


Michigan football player Nate Johnson was arrested over the weekend by campus police following an alleged assault.
Diane Brown, spokesperson for the University of Michigan Division of Public Safety and Security, told MLive on Monday that Johnson, 19, was arrested on campus in the early morning hours of Saturday for an attack on a female student.
Details of the incident were not immediately clear, but the alleged victim was located at a dorm room on campus, Brown said. 
Charging documents specify the incident took place at 600 E. Madison in Ann Arbor, where the South Quad dormitory is located, according to 15th District Court records. 
Johnson and the female victim were in a dating relationship, records says. 
Johnson was arraigned Sunday on one count of misdemeanor domestic violence, which is punishable by 93 days in jail and/or a $500 fine.


To top off the day, long time Michigan commit Emil Ekiyor is now trending strongly to Alabama and it seems a de-commit from the Wolverines is now probable.


Good Thing we got some good news! 


6'5" Brooklyn wing Adrien Nunez committed to the Wolverines 2018 class last night after a visit this past weekend.  Adrien has been blowing up this summer where he started with no offers to the likes of having offers from Boston College, Bowling Green, Brown, Dartmouth, Fordham, La Salle, UMass, Penn, Penn State, Robert Morris, St. Joseph's, Texas A&M, VCU, Wagner, and Yale in a matter of a few weeks.   Michigan offered this weekend and Adrien jumped at the opportunity.  With Yale, Penn and others it looks like academics won't be an issue. 


Nunez is known has a shooter with also some ball handling skills.  He is not ranked anywhere yet but Rivals calls him one of the best shooters in the class.  He might be a little raw at this point, but Coach B can work with a 6'5 wing that can shoot the ball!   Please see UMhoops for more info on Mr. Nunez!


Welcome Adrien!

• 2018 Fla. ATH Shocky Jacques-Louis will officially visit Ann Arbor this weekend.  Shocky is a Tennessee commit.

• Many are predicting basketball visitor this past weekend:  2018 Daytona Beach (Fla.) 4-star PF Colin Castleon might also drop for the Wolverines this week.  He was on the visit with Adrien and sent him "congrats" after his commitment.

from The BIG HOUSE Blog http://mbighouse.blogspot.com/2017/10/michigan-tuesday-wiltons-status-and-new.html

Manufacturing Month: What’s Driving Success in Maryland

October is Manufacturing Month—a time to honor and celebrate the industry and its contributors. In Maryland, there’s a lot to celebrate in manufacturing. In 2017 alone, several companies have announced manufacturing expansions. So what’s helping companies like Nammo Group, Toroid, Iron World, EVAPCO, DWE, Strouse, Knorr Brake, United Foods International, and Lanco Dairy Farms grow and succeed in Maryland? Keep reading to find out.

1. The right mix of programs. In addition to funding programs like the Partnership for Workforce Quality and Maryland Economic Adjustment Fund, Governor Hogan recently introduced More Jobs for Marylanders, which offers new and existing manufacturing businesses lucrative benefits for job creation and workforce training. A webinar on October 18 will provide more insight into the program.
2. A strong workforce. Maryland ranks first in the percentage of professional and technical workers, providing manufacturers with a built-in base of skilled employees. Additionally, programs like WorkSmart are designed to deliver tailored workforce training solutions to Maryland employers by tapping into the state’s network of community colleges.
3.  Initiatives to engage future manufacturers. Organizations like the Regional Manufacturing Institute of Maryland (RMI) and MD Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) are on a mission to keep Maryland millennials engaged in manufacturing careers. Both organizations are behind Maryland Manufacturing Day, an event that will connect students from local university and college technology teams with local advanced manufacturing companies. Maryland Manufacturing Day is October 6.
4. Global connections. Maryland manufacturers that need to get products overseas benefit from having access to the Port of Baltimore, the top port in the country for container productivity. Companies going global also have a partner in Maryland’s Office of International Investment and Trade, which offers a variety of programs to help companies succeed overseas.
5. Spaces to support manufacturing startups. Manufacturers just getting started can tap into Maryland’s network of makerspaces and incubators to meet their needs. You can find more than 30 incubators in Maryland, and a network of makerspaces, including OpenWorks and The Foundery in Baltimore, Ting Makerspace in Westminster, and PaxSpace in Southern Maryland.

Have questions about manufacturing in Maryland? Contact Todd Sabin, Manufacturing Program Manager to learn more.

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from https://mdbiznews.commerce.maryland.gov/2017/10/manufacturing-month-whats-driving-success-maryland/

Michigan Monday: Gets an Early Look at The Spartans

MSU beat a punch-less Iowa team on Saturday in East Lansing.   Iowa looked like they had a hangover from almost upsetting Penn State a week ago.  The match-up in East Lansing seemed like an inter-squad scrimmage as both teams looked identical in how they played the game
(which was boring!). 


The Spartans are not great at any position group but they are not terrible either.   They understand what type of team they are and they play like it.   The offense will "nickel and dime" you with 3-4 yard gains on each down to move the chains and bleed the clock.   The Spartans want to limit the mistakes and be there in the 4th quarter.


MSU will pull out everything they have to win this game on offense, but will clearly try to stop the Wolverines from running the ball.  O'Korn will have to continue to hit the TE's and WR's to be effective. On paper this is a mismatch, but we know better then that and the Spartans will come to play next Saturday night in the first ever night game in this series.   This will be State's first road game of the year. 


Line: Michigan -12.5
Pass yards per: 242 (60th)
Rushing yards per: 187 (49th)
Points Scored per: 24 (101)
Points against per: 18 (21st)
ESPN B10 Rank: #6

• Insiders are saying that Wilton is still weeks away from playing.   My guess is he might be back by Penn State or Rutgers.   It's your team now Mr. O'Korn!

• Instate Center Taylor Currie de-committed from Michigan Basketball's class on Friday.  He was originally a 2019 commit that wanted to re-classify for 2018.  When a recruit does that it messes up the recruiting plan the team had for the earlier year.   Michigan had two 2018 prospects in this weekend, including Florida Center Colin Castleton who the coaches are very high on.

• Michigan suspended indefinitely DB/WR Nate Johnson on Saturday.  Nate got into a few games last year as a WR and caught one pass for 4 yards.  He moved to CB in fall camp and rumors were he was back on offense prior to the Purdue game.   Michigan did not comment on why he was suspended.  An insider is questioning if Nate will make it back on the team.

• There are reports that Michigan commit 4 star LB Otis Reese might be leaning towards Georgia with their quick start to the year.   Otis has been committed to the Wolverines for a long time but has been making a few trips to Georgia.  There is one person that will help make the decision for Otis and it's Aubrey Solomon.  If Aubrey, gives Otis a thumps up then I like Michigan's chances to keep him in the class.   (Aubrey and Otis were high school teammates).

from The BIG HOUSE Blog http://mbighouse.blogspot.com/2017/10/michigan-monday-gets-early-look-at.html