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The Garrett Information Enterprise Center was developed by Garrett College and Garrett County Economic Development working in conjunction with partners who helped provide the support needed to make it a reality.  These partners will continue to support the tenants of the incubator in many ways. 

GIEC recognizes that access to financial and technical resources are vital for small business. The following agencies are prepared to help your business succeed. For general and contact information for each resource, scroll down or click a name below:

Small Business Administration/HUBZone
Phone: 1(800) 827-5722
Email: answerdesk@sba.gov
Website: www.sba.gov and www.sba.gov/hubzone
Mailing Address: 6302 Fairview Road, Suite 300, Charlotte, NC 28210

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is an independent agency of the federal government formed to aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small business concerns, to preserve free competitive enterprise and to maintain and strengthen the overall economy of our nation. The SBA helps Americans start, build and grow businesses. Through an extensive network of field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations, SBA delivers its services to people throughout the United States.  The HUBZone Empowerment Contracting Program stimulates economic development and creates jobs in urban and rural communities by providing Federal contracting preferences to small businesses. These preferences go to small businesses that obtain HUBZone (Historically Underutilized Business Zone) certification in part by employing staff who live in a HUBZone.

Garrett College
Phone: (301) 387-3000
Website: www.garrettcollege.edu
Mailing Address: 687 Mosser Road, McHenry, MD 21541

The Garrett Information Enterprise Center is located on the campus of Garrett College and is an integral entity of the college.  Overlooking Deep Creek Lake and the Wisp ski area in the Allegheny Mountains of western Maryland, Garrett’s 62-acre campus is surrounded by forests, lakes, farms, and whitewater rivers.  Garrett offers exceptional educational opportunities in Adventure Sports Management, Natural Resources & Wildlife Technology, Business and Information Technology and Juvenile Justice.  Garrett College rents space, provides technical assistance and support, and offers maintenance, security, housekeeping and photocopying.  The Garrett College Lakers Café offers tenants quick access to food services as well as catering for special occasions.  The college also provides customized employee training and is a resource for student interns and future employees.  The college makes conference rooms, as well as computer and distance learning labs available to tenants.

Garrett County Economic Development
Contact: Frank Shap — Assistant Director
Phone: (301) 334-1921
Fax: (301) 334-1985
Email: frankshap@garrettcounty.org
Website: www.gcedonline.com
Mailing Address: 203 South 4th Street, Courthouse, Room 208, Oakland, MD 21550

Garrett County is poised for continued growth, and has a work force ready to perform. With a modern infrastructure in place, it presents a quality of life unrivaled by other communities.  The County’s Office of Economic Development will assist GIEC tenants with information on business incentives and business funding resources.

TEDCO
Contact: Robbie Melton
Phone: (800) 305-5556
Fax: (410) 740-9422
Email: info@marylandtedco.org
Website: www.marylandtedco.org
Mailing Address: 5565 Sterrett Place, Suite 214, Columbia MD 21044

The Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO), created by the Maryland General Assembly, promotes entrepreneurship and the success of business incubators in the field of technology. TEDCO provides a variety of funding programs for technology development and has developed a nationally recognized grant program for incubators in Maryland.  Maryland tops the nation in research and development spending and is improving in commercializing research and development breakthroughs. Entrepreneur Magazine has ranked TEDCO #1 nationally for the largest number of investments in start-up/seed or early stage companies.  TEDCO is bringing innovations from universities and federal labs into the State's economy by facilitating the transfer of technology to the private sector and by providing emerging technology companies and university researchers with vital seed funding and specialized technical assistance.

The Garrett Chamber of Commerce
Contact: Joyce Bishoff, Interim President
Phone: (301) 387-4386
Website: www.garrettchamber.com
Mailing Address: 15 Visitors Center Drive, McHenry, MD 21541

The GIEC has a strong working relationship with the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce.  The Chamber will be especially helpful in marketing the incubator and incubator tenants to local businesses and consumers.  The Chamber website provides area information and links to area resources.

Maryland Department of Business & Economic Development (DBED)
Contact: Vickie Swink — Regional Development Representative
Phone: (301) 722-0054
Website: www.choosemaryland.org
Mailing Address: 138 Baltimore Street, Suite 203, Cumberland, MD 21502

Maryland provides excellent opportunities and tools for business growth and expansion, targeting growth sectors in manufacturing and technology industries. Services are provided to help emerging businesses increase sales, stabilize and expand employment, improve worker productivity, and increase capital investment. Five regional offices located throughout the State provide one-on-one business assistance.

The Garrett County Board of Education
Phone: (301) 334-8900
Fax: (301) 334-7621
Website: www.ga.k12.md.us
Mailing Address: 40 South Second Street, Oakland, MD 21550

Garrett County Schools offers to lead the local School-to-Careers effort and provides classroom training opportunities in information technology for high school students. Through this effort we have already built a strong foundation for collaboration with the incubator with the Garrett County Board of Education. This will enable GIEC to identify high school students who can benefit through work site experience in incubator businesses.

Small Business Counseling
Contact: Beverley Williams — Small Business Counselor
Phone: (301) 387-8975
Alternate Phone: (301) 616-4978
Email: bevspeaks@earthlink.net
Website: www.beverleywilliams.com
Mailing Address: 285 Red Run Heights Road, Oakland, MD 21550

Beverley Williams offers one-on-one business counseling as a service available through Garrett County Economic Development.  Beverley provides business plan development, marketing plan development, specialized training, and other small business services to startup and existing businesses in Garrett County.

The Small Business Development Center
Phone: (301) 387-3101
Email: sbdc@sbdc-wmd.com
Website: www.sbdc-wmd.com
Mailing Address: 14701 National Highway, Suite 1, LaVale, MD 21502

The Small Business Development Center of Western Maryland in Cumberland, MD offers free business counseling and assistance on such matters as statute and regulations, taxation, planning, management, team building, finance, etc...

Tri-County Council of Western Maryland
Contact: Guy Winterberg — Assistant Director
Phone: (301) 777-2158
Email: gwinterberg@tccwmd.org
Website: www.tccwmd.org
Mailing Address: 113 Baltimore Street, Suite 300, Cumberland, MD 21502

The Tri-County Council of Western Maryland receives partial funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission. It has a staff of economic development specialists who support regional business in such areas as financing, research, and data acquisition.