The Board of Commissioners for St. Mary’s County is pleased to announce the continuation of a partnership between the Small Business Development Center and St. Mary’s County.  The Commissioners unanimously approved the Memorandum of Understanding at its meeting Tuesday.

 “This MOU will continue this successful partnership,” said Jack Russell, President, Board of County Commissioners. “I am pleased that our county’s start-ups and expanding small businesses will continue to receive the training and counseling they need to be successful.”

According to Brian DuBoff, executive director, Southern Maryland Small Business Development Center, the partnership between the SBDC and St. Mary’s County is expanding. The College of Southern Maryland houses and staffs the Southern Maryland Small Business Development Center and has staff members at its St. Mary’s County office in Lexington Park on Shangri-La Drive. This office opened in 2001 and offers business counseling five days a week, as well as IT training, and management and professional development programs for business and working adults.          

“Small businesses are the backbone of a strong economy,” said Bob Schaller, Director, St. Mary’s County Department of Economic and Community Development. “The SBDC is a vital tool in the creation and growth of small business.”           

For more information about the College of Southern Maryland’s Small Business Development Center’s counseling services or training courses, call Linda Craven at (301) 866-1923.  For more information or appointments call (301) 934-7583 or log on to www.sbdchelp.com. For more information about the St. Mary’s County Economic and Community Development Department, call Bob Schaller at (301) 475-4200 ext. 1400 or log on to www.stmarysmd.com/decd.