History of the
Chamber
The Howard County
Chamber of Commerce
has amassed a
laudable record for
fostering success
within the county.
In its 40-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 the 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 receive 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
businesses from
across Howard County
and the region.
Member companies
range in size from
small
entrepreneurships to
Fortune 500 firms.
About 80% of the
membership consists
of small businesses
with less than 50
employees. At the
same time, Howard
County is a
community of choice
for large, corporate
headquarters and the
Chamber membership
consists of a
diverse mix of
businesses that have
a presence across
the country and the
globe.