The Howard County Chamber of Commerce has amassed a laudable record of fostering success. In its 38-year history, the Chamber has created and nurtured important initiatives by harnessing the momentum unique to new projects and combining it with the dedication and expertise of current and future community leaders. These programs have, in turn, fostered successes of their own in our business community. Significant achievements of the Chamber include:

• Helping to incubate the Leadership Howard County program (1986)

• Forming the Howard County Economic Forum (1990)

• Launching the Howard County High Tech Council (1991)

• Establishing the Jim Rouse Entrepreneurial Fund (1992)

• Assisting in launching the Howard County Economic Development Authority (1995)

• Active involvement in the US Route 1 revitalization planning effort (2000)

• Helping 43 business professionals achieve Small Business Administration awards in the past nine years, as well as dozens of other professional recognition accolades for Chamber members in many areas

The current membership stands at over 800, representing business from across Howard County and the region. Member companies range in size from small entrepreneurships to Fortune 500 firms. About 80% of our membership consists of small businesses with less than 50 employees. At the same time, ours is a community of choice for large, corporate headquarters and our membership consists of a diverse mix of businesses that have a presence across the country and globe.