University System of Maryland to Increase Focus on Commercializing Research, Business Formation

The University System of Maryland, which includes 11 colleges and universities throughout the state, is putting an emphasis on the formation of businesses through the marketing of research done by faculty, students and staff. According to an article in The Daily Record, the increased focus has led to the formation of 115 businesses in the last three years.

Two of those newly formed businesses, FlexEl LLC and Gliknik Inc., received the inaugural USM Board of Regents Entrepreneur of the Year Awards. FlexEl LLC markets a lightweight, flexible battery that the two founders, Neil Goldsman and Martin Peckerar—also professors at the University of Maryland College Park—developed. Gliknik Inc., led by Dr. Scott Strome, a professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, creates new therapies for patients dealing with cancer and immune disorders.

USM plans to reach a goal of 325 companies created by 2020 through an increased focus on commercializing research. Read the full article online with The Daily Record.

DLLR head Sanchez to become chief of staff for Rawlings-Blake

The head of the state labor department is leaving his post to become Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake’s chief of staff.

DLLR Secretary Alexander M. Sanchez

Alexander M. Sanchez, who has been secretary of the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation since 2009, will join Rawlings-Blake’s administration on May 16.

In a statement Monday, Rawlings-Blake cited Sanchez’s “knowledge of workforce development issues” as a reason for bringing the former United Way of America senior vice president on staff.

The mayor is trying to increase the city’s population by 10,000 families in the next decade.

Read the full article online at The Daily Record.

O’Malley, leaders target mid-May for special session

Maryland lawmakers can expect to go back to work in mid-May.

The Democratic governor and presiding officers of the state Senate and House of Delegates expect to call the legislature back into session May 14 to make changes to a budget plan that left the state with more than $500 million in cuts.

Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller, left, Gov. Martin O'Malley and House Speaker Michael Busch

Before a bill signing ceremony Wednesday afternoon, Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller said lawmakers would come back to Annapolis and spend a few days hashing out budget details.

“It was a fine session, we have some more work to do,” Miller said.

Raquel Guillory, a spokeswoman for Gov. Martin O’Malley, said while they have yet to officially confirm a timeframe for a special session, the chief executive and legislative leaders agreed to the date. Prior to signing hundreds of pieces of legislation, the governor said there was still more work to be done, but did not elaborate on the special session.

Read the full article online at The Daily Record.

Impasse between Senate, House of Delegates deepens

From The Daily Record
ANNAPOLIS — An ugly impasse between the Senate and House of Delegates degenerated further Monday afternoon, when the House speaker said it was up to the Senate to resolve the budget before Monday’s midnight deadline.

Speaker Michael E. Busch, D-Anne Arundel, said House budget conferees would not leave a meeting room until a budget plan is agreed upon. With the budget unresolved, other important pieces of legislation — like offshore wind, a bill that creates rules for public-private partnerships and a potential gambling expansion — are on the back burner.

“We are calling on the Senate of Maryland to sit down and confer on the budget and come to an agreement,” Busch said. “The House is ready to go. … This budget should have been passed three days ago.”

Busch implied that the gambling bill being pushed by Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr., D-Calvert and Prince George’s, was responsible for the ongoing snag in budget negotiations.

Read the full story online at The Daily Record.