In Business

May 17, 2008

Awards

•The Greater Baltimore Committee announced the presentation its Walter Sondheim Public Service Award to Eddie and Sylvia Brown for their contributions of more than $17 million over 14 years, mostly in support of education and the arts in Baltimore. The GBC also named Maryland Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown as recipient of its Regional Visionary Award for his work with the base realignment and closure agenda for the Baltimore region.

Contracts

•OPTIMUS Corp., based in Rockville, received a five-year blanket purchase contract to provide up to $100 million in information technology services to the National Information Technology Center and the National Information Systems Center of the National Park Service.

Kudos

•Planit, a Baltimore marketing communications agency, has been ranked No. 42 on the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City-Inc. Magazine list of 100 fastest-growing inner city businesses in the nation.

New business

•Urban Pirates has started one-hour cruises from the Ann Street Dock in Fells Point aboard its 52-foot "pirate ship" Fearless. Passengers will dress, talk, tie knots and play games like pirates.

New clients

•Media Works Ltd. announced the addition of Atlantic Automotive, a division of Mile One Automotive Brand, and the Baltimore Washington Medical Center to its client roster.

On the board

•Hunter R. Hollar has been named as chairman of the board of the Olney-based holding company, Sandy Spring Bancorp Inc. He will continue as the bank's chief executive officer until the end of the year, when he will retire from that position.

•Medifast Inc., based in Owings Mills, appointed Barry B. Bondroff, a certified public accountant and senior managing director with SMART, a diverse business advisory team, to its board.

Organizations

•Paul P. Hartgen has been selected as president and chief executive officer of the Maryland Restaurant Association. The 25-year hospitality industry veteran comes to the post from Las Vegas, where he headed the Nevada Restaurant Association.