Ellicott City Business Competes For $10,000: Here's How To Help

ELLICOTT CITY, MD — Jolles Insurance is in the running for Howard Bank's "Keep It Local" small business contest. The Ellicott City insurance agency is one of 15 businesses competing for $10,000.

Announcing its first ever "Keep It Local" contest, the bank asked people to nominate their favorite local businesses in May for a contest to win $10,000. The 15 businesses that earned the most nominations according to the rules made it to the first round of online voting.

Nominees had to be in Howard Bank's branch footprint, which it defined as Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Cecil, Harford and Howard counties as well as Baltimore City.

Among the top 15 is Jolles Insurance, located on Dorsey Hall Drive.

Brian Jolles founded the company, and his wife Lisa is the CEO of the insurance and financial services company, which is a business based on wellness. It also operates a nonprofit — We Promote Health — that began after Brian Jolles experienced the loss of family members and evaluated his own lifestyle choices, leading him to lose 43 pounds and reevaluate his approach to healthy living, according to Jolles Insurance. Now on Friday mornings the business provides a healthy breakfast for the whole office and gives employees money toward gym memberships, among other wellness-based incentives.

Vote here in the Howard Bank's Keep It Local contest.

"The Baltimore area has a particularly vibrant and diversified small business community and Howard Bank’s reason for being is to help those local businesses succeed," Mary Ann Scully, CEO of Howard Bank, said in a statement. "This contest is a great way to engage our neighbors in that mission as well as provides all of us in the community with a means to recognize all of the hardworking entrepreneurs and small business owners in the region."

Here is how the Ellicott City business is described in the Howard Bank contest:

For 30 years, Jolles Insurance has been protecting lives with group and individual health insurance, life, disability, long term care, and other financial services. Beyond being a true advocate when claims occur, it is their mission to support employees, clients and their community in making health a priority.

We created a non-profit, We Promote Health, to establish an annual Howard County Family Wellness Day, an interactive event that attracts 3000+ individuals and families for the past 11 years. Our entire office is engaged in the leadership, preparation and execution of this county-wide event.

Jolles Insurance has been recognized for workplace wellness, but the Jolles team is most proud of the impact they have quietly made for thousands of others in their community. They annually donate 1,000 meals to the Maryland Food Bank, tally 300 hours of volunteer service and contribute to many local charities. Brian Jolles, CEO, has donated over 31 gallons of platelets to the Red Cross. He currently serves as President of National Association of Insurance & Financial Advisors.

Brian created the FREE “Boot Camp in the Park” for all ages and fitness levels. Rain or shine, individuals of all ages and fitness levels, workout on Saturday mornings. 1800 have participated since 2011. That same year, they set the Guinness World Record for the Largest Outdoor Circuit Training!

The 6-employee Jolles Insurance team goes way beyond providing insurance and financial solutions; they empower thousands of others throughout Howard County to make health and wellness a priority.

The first round of voting runs until 11:59 p.m. on Friday, June 28.

Here are the nominees:

• ArtFarm Studios in Annapolis
• Caprichos Books in Bel Air
• Connie's Chicken & Waffles in Baltimore
• Domesticity in Baltimore
• Fadensonnen in Baltimore
• GoSeason in Baltimore
• Hair & Things in Rising Sun
• Intreegue Design in Elkridge
• Iron Bridge Wine Co. in Columbia
• Jolles Insurance in Ellicott City
• Mt. Royal Soap Co. in Baltimore
• Rise N' Grind in Rising Sun
• Shephard Design in Rising Sun
• Teal Antler Boutique in Elkton
• WATT Business Solutions of Baltimore

Five contestants with the most votes will move on to the second round of voting from July 8 to July 26. Then a winner will be announced Aug. 5.

Jolles Insurance is at 5052 Dorsey Hall Drive, Suite 203, Ellicott City, MD 21042.