THE GAZETTE
Page A-6
At Bethesda stop, Perry pitches Texas Two companies mull move, but neither is from Free State
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BY
KEVIN JAMES SHAY STAFF WRITER
Texas Gov. Rick Perry might have succeeded in his trip to Maryland to lure businesses to his home state, but so far, the only businesses that might move aren’t from Maryland. One is based in Virginia, and the other is in Colorado. Perry, a Republican who ran for president in 2012, met with about 50 business and government representatives Sept. 18 at Morton’s in Bethesda in a wellpublicized effort to encourage Maryland businesses to leave the state, and its taxes, and head to Texas. “Texas is the fastest growing state in jobs,” Perry said Wednes-
day before a substantial group of broadcast and print reporters outside Morton’s, following his closed-door meeting inside. “Our two states are going in opposite directions.” Perry said it was “premature” to announce that any Maryland businesses are moving to Texas. However, Janice Grenadier, founder of My Pillow Pack of Alexandria, Va. — which provides a handy, stylish way to carry pillows like a backpack — said she has tried for three years to obtain funding and support in the Washington, D.C., area without luck. “I’ve already received more support from these Texas officials here today than I have the past three years,” she said. Joe Wagner, sales manager for Aurora, Colo., alternative energy business Zeus Power Systems, said he and others want to start a solar panel firm in Maryland, but the process “hasn’t been easy.” “We are looking into mov-
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Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) speaks to the media outside the Bethesda Hyatt hotel after a lunch meeting with Maryland business representatives at Morton’s, a restaurant inside the hotel.
ing,” said Wagner, who attended the Bethesda meeting. “I’m impressed with Colorado, but it’s even getting tougher to run a business there,” he said. “There are always more taxes and red tape.” Other business executives said they would keep their enterprises in Maryland. Perry and Gov. Martin O’Malley (D), who is eyeing a 2016 White House run, have dueled in the past week or so over Maryland’s tax climate and other matters. Perry is running ads on local radio and television stations trying to lure Maryland businesses to Texas. Perry said Wednesday that he had “no idea” what he would do in 2016. The governors debated Sept. 18 on CNN’s “Crossfire” program. Earlier that day, Perry also toured the Beretta USA gun factory in Accokeek; the company has considered moving from the state. O’MalleydisputedPerry’sjobgrowth claim during the debate and in printed material. He said Maryland’s economy is better
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Obituary Joan Harris passed away peacefully at her home in Damascus, Md. June 14th, 2013. Joan was born August 12th, 1924 in Yonkers, New York to John Joseph and Virginia Jane (nee Lobb) McGrath. She graduated from Gorton High School in 1942 and continued her education graduating from the Katherine Gibbs School in Manhattan, and later graduating magna cum laude from Syracuse University. She was a member of Eta Chi Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi. In 1945, she married George Barber, Commander 3rd Carrier Division Naval Intelligence, by whom she had daughters, Janet and Leslie, and sons George Jr. and John. Joan married secondly, forme Ad Council Director and VP Collingwood Harris, who died in 2009. As a Navy wife, Joan traveled extensively with extended residences in Guam, Hawaii, and California. While in California, she worked for Robert Oppenheimer at Cal Berkeley. In New York, she worked for the Office of Special Investigation. In 1972, Joan relocated to Maryland to join the National Institute of Health as an editor. She retired in 1988 to enjoy her passion for gardening. In addition to her children, she is survived 5 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren. Joan will be interred at Arlington National Cemetery on a date to be announced. The family requests that instead of gifts or flowers, donations be made to Disabled American Veterans, or United Cerebral Palsy.
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Obituary William John Gruver Jr,
known as John, lately of 2 Supreme Court, Gaithersburg, passed away on September 7, 2013, at Casey House, a Montgomery County Hospice center, surrounded by his loving family. He was 62 years old.
John was the son of William J. Gruver and Betty Ball Gruver. He was born on August 19, 1951 In the Gaithersburg area. He attended local schools, graduating from Gaithersburg High School in 1969. He received an AA degree from Montgomery College. John went to work at the U S Postal Service, serving at various post offices in the Gaithersburg area. He later worked for Westat Research where he worked for 14 years, up until the time of his death He helped to promote a team spirit at the office, and was a devoted friend to his Westat colleagues. John was known for his kindness and gentleness of spirit. To friends and family alike, he was always willing to offer a helping hand. He was a source of support and strength to his mother until her recent passing. He met his physical challenges with a gallant and uncomplaining spIrit. He had lively sense of humor and was always ready to share a laugh. The great joy of John’s life was his son Joshua, and later, his two grandsons Finn and Toby. He enjoyed family events, whether the event involved playing with the children, canoeing camping, gourmet dining or simply hanging out chatting and joking. Along with his easy going nature and humor, he was personally highly disciplined. He adhered to a rigorous year round schedule of swimming for fitness and maintained an unwavering commitment to a healthy lifestyle. Survivors include his son Joshua Gruver, Ph.D., daughter in law Adrienne, and grandsons Finnian Bay and Tobias Leland, all of Muncie, Indiana. John is also mourned by his surviving siblings: MaryLee Gruver Phelps and her husband Harold of Accokeek, MD, Ann Gruver Barnard and her husband Geoffrey of St.Thomas, USVI, Bettina Gruver Smith and her husband Richard of Murrells Inlet, SC and Merrill Gruver and her husband Ted Greenwald of Redwood City CA, and brothers Andrew Gruver and his wife Beth of Glyndon, MD and Michael Gruver and his wife Mary Jane of Taberg, NY. Survivors also include 16 nieces and nephews and 10 great nieces and nephews who all adored their Uncle John, his honorary daughters Kerrianne Hinerman and Page Hinerman, his former wife Ann Fauntleroy Hinerman and special friend Toni Forcino. His passing was swift and uncompromising He will be greatly missed. A memorial service and celebration of John’s life will be held at Seneca Creek State Park, the Doe Pavilion, on Sunday, October 13, 2013 beginning at one pm. 1894849
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designed to help raise middle-income workers than Texas, which ranks high in poverty and low in residents with health insurance. O’Malley also said Maryland has fared well in studies such as one by the Anderson Economic Group that showed Maryland businesses had the seventh-lowest local and state tax burden in 2011 — a look at taxes such as corporate income, sales and property — while Texas ranked 17th. Michael Binko, president and CEO of kloudtrack, a high-tech company with offices in Rockville and Annapolis, said taxes should not be the defining issue for where a business is based. “The quality of schools and the work force, as well as venture funding programs, are two other important considerations,” said Binko, co-chairman of entrepreneurial advocacy group Startup Maryland. He and others listened to Perry outside Morton’s. While Texas has lured a few businesses from Maryland, aided by a substantial incentive program, Maryland has attracted a good number of out-of-state companies, said Julie Lenzer Kirk, director of the Maryland Center for Entrepreneurship and cochairwoman ofStartupMaryland. “Both states have a lot to offer businesses,” said Kirk, who grew Applied Creative Technologies to multimillions in revenues before selling the software assets to a business partner. Diana Waterman, Maryland’s Republican Party chairwoman, who also attended the Bethesda meeting, said Perry shined some important light on tax issues in the state. “We’d prefer that businesses stay here and help us elect more Republicans to office,” she said. kshay@gazette.net
Wednesday, September 25, 2013 d
Startup Maryland bus rolls through county n
Entrepreneurs compete for capital, grants
BY
KEVIN JAMES SHAY STAFF WRITER
Zack Kline is no stranger to pitching his business ideas. He started the Bethesda Green incubator business A.I.R. Lawn Care in 2011, aided by $5,000 in winnings from a Salisbury University business plan competition. Last year, he was among the 168 entrepreneurs who pitched their business ideas in a statewide video competition organized by Startup Maryland, the state offshoot of the Startup America Partnership. And on Sept. 18, Kline was among seven entrepreneurs pitching on the bus that parked in Bethesda in the midst of a 19day swing across the state in the second “Pitch Across Maryland” campaign run by the entrepreneurial group. Two businesses that enter the video pitch contest will be picked to be entered automatically in the 2014 InvestMaryland Challenge, which will award $400,000 in grants. Entries are uploaded to YouTube and voted upon by the public for fan favorites, while an investors panel will select eight finalists to formally make pitches at a statewide conference in November. From those eight, a winner and runner-up to enter the InvestMaryland competition will be picked. Companies with less than $1 million in annual revenue and fewer than 25 employees can apply themselves for the challenge through Dec. 6. “The pitch went extremely well,” said Kline, whose com-
panyuseselectric-poweredlawn care equipment that is charged with solar panels. The business has about doubled in sales each year and received support from people who value the environmentally friendly approach, he said. Loans and lines of credits from banks continue to be a challenge for startups. “They want to see years of financials and bank statements — which can be tough for startups to have — before they will loan money,” Kline said. Startup Maryland’s bus started rolling Sept. 9 in Ocean City and has recorded about 50 pitches through Wednesday, said Julie Lenzer Kirk, director of the Maryland Center for Entrepreneurship and cochairwoman of Startup Maryland. The tour was at Land Sea Air Manufacturing in Westminster Monday and at Westview Corporate Center in Frederick on Tuesday. It will return to Montgomery County Thursday afternoon at CoFoundersLab in Rockville. The campaign ends Friday in Baltimore. Last year, CoFoundersLab won first place in the video pitch competition. The confluence of resources available to startups in Maryland through federal agencies like the National Institutes of Health, defense centers like Fort Meade and world-class academic institutions such as Johns Hopkins University almost lend local startups an “unfair advantage,” said Michael Binko, president and CEO of kloudtrack, a hightech company with offices in Rockville and Annapolis, and cochairman of Startup Maryland.