Rockville Economic Development, Inc. and Maryland Women’s Business Center Celebrate New Office Location and SBA Designation

Rockville Economic Development, Inc. (REDI) and the Maryland Women’s Business Center (MWBC) celebrated the opening of their new office location with an open house and ribbon cutting ceremony attended by more than 100 people this past Friday. REDI and MWBC were congratulated by REDI Chairman Ray Whalen, Rockville City Councilmembers Beryl Feinberg and Virginia Onley, Montgomery County Councilmember Nancy Floreen, U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Regional Administrator Natalia Olson-Urtecho, National Women’s Business Council Chair Carla Harris (of Morgan Stanley), and Citi Community Development Officer Reginald Exum. Expressions of support and congratulations were also received from the offices of Senator Mikulski, Senator Cardin, Congressman Delaney and Congressman Van Hollen.

The new location at 51 Monroe Street is just across the street from their former location but affords the community it serves better training and meeting space to help REDI in its mission to broaden the city’s economic base through business entrepreneurship, expansion, retention, and recruitment programs.

“We’re excited to be in our new space, and want to thank both the REDI Board and the City of Rockville for their help and support as we worked toward identifying this location and making the move,” said Laurie Boyer, Director of Rockville Economic Development. “This office really provides us with the space we need to better serve our clients.”

The ceremony also included a program that formally announced and celebrated MWBC’s designation in 2013 as an official SBA resource partner. “We are pleased to announce and celebrate the addition of the Maryland Women’s Business Center as another small business resource in the Washington, D.C. District, joining the SBTDC and SCORE as SBA’s non-profit partners providing ground-level support to entrepreneurs in our community,” said Natalia Olson-Urtecho, Regional Administrator, Mid-Atlantic Region, U.S. Small Business Administration.

“Women entrepreneurs face significant challenges in accessing capital, tapping into new markets, and expanding their enterprises,” said Erin Andrew, Assistant Administrator of the Office of Women’s Business Ownership in the U.S. Small Business Administration. “The Maryland Women’s Business Center will help women break down those barriers, so that they can not only grow their own businesses, but help grow our economy, as well.”

“When it comes to cultivating women entrepreneurs, we must ensure women are set up for success and get the training and support they need to start and grow their businesses,” said National Women’s Business Council (NWBC) Chair Carla Harris. “Women’s Business Centers do just that, which is why I am delighted to join the Maryland Women’s Business Center for their Open House/Ribbon Cutting and congratulate them for joining the nationwide network of WBC’s supported by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). NWBC looks forward to working closely with the Association of Women’s Business Centers to advance the growth and success of women-owned enterprises throughout our country.”

Reginald G. Exum, Community Development Officer for Citi Community Development, stated “We have supported the Women’s Business Center since its inception and have been delighted to support its expansion into Prince George’s County at the Bowie Business Innovation Center at Bowie State University. We congratulate SBA for adding this center to its network of resources and we look forward to our continued involvement in supporting women’s entrepreneurship and financial literacy.”

Montgomery County Councilmember Nancy Floreen added, “Congratulations to REDI and MWBC on your growth and expansion. You have done exceptional work in supporting businesses of all types and sizes in our community and on behalf of the Montgomery County Council we thank you and look forward to our continued partnership.”

MWBC Managing Director Lori Gillen concluded, “We are grateful to have the support and assistance of so many dedicated sponsors, government and non-profit partners, volunteers, entrepreneurs, and board members, whose wisdom and encouragement enables us to help more than 1,000 women a year turn their ideas and dreams into income-generating, job-producing small businesses in our community.”