‘Maryland Business Adapts’ Event Announces Call for Nominations

COVID-19 was a test like no other for global businesses. Some failed. But many others persevered, adapted – and thrived.

In the midst of it all, the Center for Global Business (CGB) at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business organized Maryland Business Adapts to celebrate five Maryland-based exporting companies for their resilience in the pandemic. This virtual networking and learning event included special guests Ben Cardin, U.S. senator for Maryland, and Kelly Schulz, Maryland state secretary of commerce, and Anthony Roche, McCormick vice president for Human Resources – Global Functions. Now, with the pandemic still disrupting global trade, CGB is organizing another event, aimed at recognizing even more Maryland businesses who have found ways to adapt – and who are willing to share those discoveries with others.

The Maryland Business Adapts 21/22 initiative seeks to celebrate the adjustments during the pandemic of Maryland companies in international business, while providing insights for topics like minimizing business risk of their global operations or preparation for sudden operational changes.

“Even during turbulent times, Maryland’s global businesses have demonstrated remarkable resilience. They understand how to respond rapidly to volatile conditions and how to manage international risk,” says Rebecca Bellinger, executive director of the Center for Global Business. “We’re inviting them to share their insights and their stories, so that their stories can serve as valuable lessons for other companies – and for our students as they progress into global careers.”

The center is collecting nominations through Nov. 19 for five companies to be recognized in the second annual Maryland Adapts Business Roundtable event, to take place in spring 2022. During the event, the companies will be further recognized with a certificate and an opportunity to share in-depth their strategies and takeaways.

And their insights will continue to inform and instruct others beyond the roundtable talk. CGB will produce open-source case studies for classroom use that highlight these companies’ practices during the pandemic.

“This is a great opportunity for companies to participate in a collaborative process where people can share ideas and be celebrated for their innovative strategies,” Bellinger says.

She encourages everyone to nominate companies that they believe deserve recognition for their work during the pandemic and hopes this is the start of a new yearly collaboration. “Every year there are going to be trends, events and challenges that companies have to adapt to,” Bellinger says. “This initiative can help bring people and companies together to share some of the best strategies to move forward.”

Key partners of the initiative include the U.S. Commercial Service Baltimore, the Maryland Department of Commerce and the Maryland/DC District Export Council, and Maryland Smith’s Office of Career Services and Office of Executive Education.

For more information about Maryland Business Adapts 21/22 or to submit a nomination, visit the event webpage.

This event is supported in part by CIBE, a Title VI grant administered by the U.S. Department of Education.