A check presentation took place at the ROOT building in downtown Frederick.
Frederick, Md (KM). The Frederick Innovative Technology Center, Inc. has received a gift. During a ceremony last week, the Business Finance Group presented FITCI with a $50,000 check. “Both organizations are really dedicated to helping small businesses and strengthening our communities, and that’s all done through promoting economic development,” says Kathie Callahan Brady, the President and CEO of FITCI. “And so receiving generous gifts like this today really helps to continue our mission. So thank you for that.”
FITCI is a business incubator which provides space and other services for entrepreneurs who are just starting out.
The Business Finance Group is the largest Certified Development Company in the Mid-Atlantic which promotes economic growth through a Small Business Administration loan program. Rick Frank is the President and CEO of the organization, and he says BFG was founded in the 1980’s, and first came to Maryland in 2004. “Since then, we’ve helped 650 businesses to the tune of about half-billion which supported projects totaling about $1.2-billion,”: he says. “And what’s most important there is 10,000 jobs either created or retained in that process.”
On hand for the check presentation were Maryland’s two US Senators. Senator Ben Cardin, whose the ranking Democrat on the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, said these two organizations are a perfect match. “Both are there to promote small businesses. Both recognize that the economic engine of our economy is in small businesses. That’s where innovation will occur. That’s where we get the creativity and economic growth of our nation,” he said.
The check presentation took place inside the ROOT building in downtown Frederick where Senator Chris Van Hollen also spoke. “This is a building where all these different organizations come and add to the sum of the different parts, and that synergy is really important,” Van Hollen said.
Frederick Mayor Michael O’Connor was also on hand for the ceremony to talk about the role of small businesses in the community. . “We often use the number of 3500 or so businesses located in the city of Frederick. And we know the overwhelming majority of those are small business. They’re entrepreneurs. They’re people who are putting their own sweat and passion and vision into something with a dream,” he said.
This event took place during Frederick Business Appreciation Week.
By Kevin McManus