LeTip of Howard County, MD

Jun 6, 2022 | Articles, Featured Chapter

Howard County Maryland, one of the wealthiest counties in the nation, is uniquely positioned between two major markets – Washington DC and Baltimore, MD. In fact, Howard County is a recurrent selection by Money Magazine, as one of the best places to live in the country. The Letip of Howard County represents a microcosm of industries in that market, fueled by a shared commitment to representing the best of their business community.

We spoke with chapter President, Ken Mays about the chapter growth they have had in recent years: “Since we started meeting virtually, we have experienced a surge in growth, adding 14 new members in the last two years. Since the end of the pandemic, we have not fully returned to in-person meetings, opting instead to allow members the choice to either attend virtually or in person. Theses “hybrid” meetings, which occur on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of each month, have become the best of both worlds for us. In person attendees get to experience the electricity and magic that is unique to LeTip. Virtual attendees with health or commuting issues are still fully involved in each chapter meeting.” Ken went on to say, “Our goal of 50 members is well within our reach and members are excited about our recent growth.”

Because June is National Safety Month, we asked several members of the chapter to share their thoughts on safety:

Sandi Weaver, General Manager, BA Auto Care
Auto & Truck Repair

Every few years we have Maryland Occupational Safety and Health come to do a full evaluation on our business. This evaluation is similar to OSHA inspection but without the monetary penalties. Once the evaluation is complete, we have 60 days to complete any repairs. Each week we have a staff meeting which includes a section on safety. Quarterly we have safety classes offered through our insurance company including Slips, Trips and Falls and preventing back injuries and such.

Mike Rackers, Owner, Clarksville Heating & Air
Heating & Air Conditioning

Our mission is to “Improve Life, Comfort and Safety for all our customers, staff, and co-workers. This is why we provide PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) and keep technician safety front of mind. At CHA, we include weekly safety training as part of our team meetings and offer a team safety incentive. For each week we are incident free every team member gets a $20.00 allowance toward tools, training, and company apparel.

Aaron Ricks, Owner, CertaPro Painters of Columbia Maryland
Painting Contractor

We understand the importance of safety in today’s post COVID world. That’s why we test our employees if they have 2 or more COVID like symptoms. In addition to wearing PPE, all employees are required to wash their hands thoroughly before and after any non-painting activities.

Marian Berman, Owner, Living in Place Solutions
Safety Consultant

77 percent of adults over age 65 have decided to stay living in their homes following retirement. Our job is to provide a detailed evaluation of each client’s home, outlining all the steps needed to create and maintain a safe environment. The most compelling workplace safety issue stems from lack of policy concerning medical marijuana use.

Timothy Hughes, The Vertical Connection Carpet One
Flooring Contractor

We have been in business for over 40 years and have built a reputation for quality customer service. Not only are we committed to the safety of our customers and staff, but we also strive to respect everyone’s personal preferences. For us, putting on a mask when working with a client in their home is that same as removing our shoes. It’s just a common courtesy and something we are happy to do without having to be asked.

Chapter President, Ken Mays shared that since he joined the chapter, six years ago, the Howard County chapter has grown from 24 to 44 dedicated, fully engaged business professionals. The chapter takes great pride in the professionalism of the group and that they are all serious about passing qualified, warm business leads. When guests come to the meetings, they love the structure and process of the meeting and clearly see the strong relationships that have formed and want to be a part of it! Ken summed things up by stating, “LeTip is the best business networking model in the country and Howard County is privileged to be part of it.”