Chesapeake Community Development welcomes Ross Benincasa as Senior Vice President of Community Development
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Nonpartisan and Education-based News for Centreville
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Oyster Girl Oysters, LLC is pleased to announce that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has granted utility patent number 12,102,066 to Lawrence Rudner and Willem Roosenberg for their innovative approach to flipping oyster cages. The patented system, titled “Aquaculture Biofouling Management using Axle Guided Cage Flipping,” introduces a method designed to inexpensively reduce labor and improve efficiency in maintaining oyster farms.
Growing oysters in surface cages has become increasingly popular due to faster growth rates, improved flavor profiles, reduced predation, and easier monitoring. However, biofouling—the accumulation of marine organisms on submerged surfaces—poses a significant challenge. This buildup can hinder water flow, impede nutrient access, and obstruct oyster growth. Regular cage flipping has proven effective in combating biofouling by exposing fouled surfaces to air, which dries out and removes attached organisms, but requires great physical labor and significant time. To be effective, floating cages should be flipped every week during the peak growing season.
In contrast to usual approaches involving intense labor, the newly patented Oyster Girl Flipper features a longline of aquaculture cages, a flipping ramp attached to a workboat, and hard plastic cages equipped with a float on one side and a hollow axle on the other. As the workboat moves parallel to the longline, cages seamlessly ascend the ramp, and gravity flips them, addressing the biofouling issue. No extra staff is required.
Pamela Getson, President of Oyster Girl Oysters, LLC, commented on the innovation: “The Oyster Girl Flipper represents a significant leap forward in oyster farming technology. By streamlining the cage flipping process, we’re not only improving efficiency but also enhancing the quality of our oysters. This innovation aligns perfectly with our commitment to sustainable aquaculture and producing exceptional oysters for our customers.”
Funded by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Chesapeake Oyster Alliance’s “Oyster Innovation Awards” provided seed money to develop the prototype into a working system. Tanner Council, Senior Manager of the Chesapeake Oyster Alliance, stated, “By automating the flipping process, the Oyster Girl Flipper can reduce the physical demands of cage maintenance, potentially making oyster farming accessible to a broader range of individuals.”
Rudner and Roosenburg plan to make the refined blueprints freely available to individual oyster farmers in order to increase access to this technology for small-scale operations. Oyster Girl Oysters was recently supported to further refine the system through the SOAR Resiliency Fund. Lawrence Rudner commented, “Based on our experience using the Oyster Girl Flipper at the Oyster Girl Oyster farm, we believe we can next significantly reduce the entire format of the system.”
Sally McGee from The Nature Conservancy added, “We are excited to support this project through the SOAR Resiliency Fund for its potential to increase small-scale farm efficiency.”
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Easton, Md. Qlarant Capital announced today that it has finalized an investment agreement with AgileDD, an enterprise AI company based in Houston, Texas.
AgileDD offers an AI platform to capture information from domain-specific and technical documents with scale, precision, and security that markets need. This product solves a common problem surrounding the inordinate amount of time it takes to research and review hundreds of pages of technical content. The AgileDD human-in-the-loop AI platform enables end-users to automatically capture pertinent information accurately from unstructured documents and allows them to arrive at answers or reach conclusions much faster and with more reliability.
Qlarant and AgileDD will collaboratively build a healthcare program integrity and compliance review application using Large Language Models (LLMs) and user-supervised AI models on the AgileDD platform aiming to automate some of the manual investigative and review processes required in the field. The program enables better productivity and a discriminating advantage to its users.
“Our investment in AgileDD is a perfect fit for both organizations. Qlarant has over 50 years of experience in the healthcare space plus expertise in predictive modeling.” said Qlarant CEO Dr. Ron Forsythe, Jr. “AgileDD is uniquely poised in the AI market and has developed a powerful AI platform. This phase of fundraising will enable AgileDD to fast-pace onboarding new customers who are either already in pilot phase with AgileDD or on a waitlist eager to use AgileDD’s platform.”
“The addition of these new customers will increase AgileDD’s revenue to approximately $3 million by 2025 and maintain 3x year over year growth rate that will put them in an ideal position for upcoming priced rounds,” noted Dr. Forsythe.
The human-centric platform uses generative and supervised AI to transform technical documents into precise, trusted insights while boosting productivity, informed decision-making, and strategic innovation.
The immediate market potential for AgileDD’s platform include: Department of Defense, Health Insurance, Health Plans, Hospitals, Medicare Administration, Recovery Audit Contracting, State Medicaid Administration, Social Security Administration, Utilization Management, and Veterans Health Administration Marketplaces.
“From the initial proof-of-concept to the actual implementation with clients, this platform continues to impress,” observed Holly Pu, Vice President of Qlarant Capital. “In one single use case, we identified over $3 million in cost savings. This is a game-changer in terms of time, money, and most importantly, solutions.”
AgileDD was co-founded by Dr. Amit Juneja, CEO. With a PhD in Machine Learning from the University of Maryland, College Park, Juneja has spent over 15 years spearheading AI and full-stack projects across diverse sectors.
Dr. Juneja’s career highlights include: enabling US manufacturing plants with deep learning-based visual quality inspection at IBM; leading $5 million in US Defense contracts for speech recognition, document information capture, and natural language processing; and spearheading the development of a major Internet of Things (IoT) application at Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company.
“AgileDD is very excited to partner with Qlarant to make a huge impact in the healthcare industry with the scale and precision that our platform brings to the enterprise.”, said Dr. Juneja. “Qlarant brings to this partnership their leading position and top notch domain expertise in the medical review, program integrity, and fraud investigation, and more. The human-centric nature of our AI platform will benefit immensely from Qlarant’s expertise to revolutionize the healthcare compliance workflows with AI”.
About Qlarant Capital
Qlarant Capital generates world-class innovation by backing daring health care industry entrepreneurs that can build the future through technology, while creating synergy among their portfolio companies.
Using a unique blend of “people + technology” has driven the growth and success of Qlarant as a health and technology company since 1973. Qlarant Capital offers support for early stage programs and organizations in line with its strategic mission. Qlarant Capital provides funding, along with over 50 years of experience and expertise, to promising programs with a solid pre-existing framework. Qlarant Capital also provides input for product development, machine-learning engineering, executive recruiting, sales, marketing, and regulatory compliance guidance. For more information visit Qlarant.com or contact [email protected]
About Agile Data Decisions, Inc. (AgileDD)
AgileDD is a deep-tech startup that has developed and commercialized a human-in-the-loop AI platform to enable enterprises to capture immense value from their highly technical and domain specific documents with scale and precision. AgileDD has active customers in production in energy and mining domains and the platform development has been funded additionally by US Air Force and angel investors. AgileDD is currently investing the proceeds from the recently completed fundraise in sales and marketing efforts to scale the utilization of the AI platform by enterprise customers. Visit https://www.agiledd.com to request a demo or contact AgileDD at [email protected].
The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.
The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.
Qlarant announced today the appointment of Ms. Amanda Neal as the Executive Director of Qlarant Foundation. Having served for over 8 years on the Qlarant Board an most recently as the Qlarant Foundation Chair, Ms. Neal has provided valuable insight and leadership to the organization. In recognition of her unique skills and contribution, she will now serve the Foundation in a leadership role as part of the Qlarant executive team.
“While her presence as a board member will be greatly missed, we are thrilled to welcome Amanda in her new role” says Qlarant CEO Dr. Ron Forsythe, Jr. “The Qlarant Foundation has a profound impact on our community and has become a significate component of the overall organization. Having Amanda at the helm will continue to ensure its success.”
From her previous role as Donor Relations Coordinator for Beebe Medical Foundation in Lewes, Delaware, Ms. Neal has experience executing multi-million dollar, capital fundraising campaigns; designing and implementing donor stewardship programs; and managing system-wide patient feedback programs. Her prior healthcare experience includes serving as the Director of Contracting and Procurement for United Medical Center in Washington, D.C.
Ms. Neal has deployed her skills as a certified Six Sigma Green Belt, a Six Sigma Lean Professional, and a Change Management Specialist in multiple industries, including legal, information technology and finance. She has a bachelor’s in Communications from the University of Maryland and, prior to joining the Qlarant Foundation Board, Ms. Neal served on the Board of Associates for Kids Peace Foster Care in Baltimore, Maryland.
The Qlarant Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Qlarant, Inc. It provides over $400k annually in grants to a variety of charities across Maryland and the District of Columbia. In 2024, 23 different groups received monetary support from the Foundation. To date, the Foundation has funded over $7 million in grants and continues to expand each year.
“The work done by our grantees is exceptional and often quite humbling,” notes Ms. Neal. “The dedication and commitment of each group is astounding. It’s quite a difficult decision to allocate funds each year—so many groups have impact on the community and clearly deserve our support”.
As the current Vice Chair of the Qlarant Foundation, Lamont Thompson will serve as Chair until confirmed to officially fill the new vacancy in November. Lamont brings a wealth of experience and insight, and under his leadership, the board will continue to thrive and guide the Foundation to even greater heights.
Qlarant is a not-for-profit, nationally respected leader in fighting fraud, waste, and abuse, improving program quality, and optimizing performance. The company uses subject matter experts and innovative data science and technology to help organizations see risks, solve problems, and seize opportunities. Qlarant provides customized solutions for state, federal and commercial industries across the nation.
The Qlarant Foundation— the mission arm of the organization—has provided over $7 million in grants to charities throughout Maryland and the District of Columbia. Qlarant has a 50-year record of accomplishment improving the performance of some of the Nation’s most important programs. Headquartered in Easton, MD, Qlarant has offices throughout the country and employs over 500 people. Qlarant is a five-time winner of the Best Places to Work award. For more information, visit www.qlarant.com or contact [email protected]
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by Talbot County Office of Economic Development & Tourism Leave a Comment
The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.
The Women & Girls Fund of the Mid-Shore is pleased to announce the appointment of two esteemed community leaders to its board of directors. Beth Spurry, of Trappe, and Susie Dillon, of Oxford, have been named to the board, bringing with them a wealth of experience and a renewed commitment to the organization’s mission.
Both Ms. Spurry and Ms. Dillion are returning to the board, having previously served and contributed significantly to the Fund’s initiatives. Their reappointment underscores the organization’s dedication to leveraging experienced leadership to further its goals of empowering women and girls on the Mid-Shore.
About Beth Spurry
Beth Spurry is a seasoned professional in the financial industry and president of Tred Avon Family Wealth. She is a Certified Financial Planner™ and Certified Trust and Financial Advisor, and has served on the Maryland Banker’s Association Trust Committee.
Her impressive career includes roles as senior vice president at Wye Trust (now Wye Financial Partners) and vice president at Mercantile Trust. Prior to that, she worked as a financial advisor at H.C. Wainwright and Morgan Stanley Dean Witter.
Spurry holds a Bachelor’s degree from Johns Hopkins University and a Master’s degree from Washington College. She is married to Charles Capute and has an adult daughter and four stepchildren.
About Susie Dillion
Susie Dillon, a dedicated educator and community leader, brings a wealth of experience to her newest role. Born and raised in the Washington DC area, Dillon has made significant contributions to education and community service throughout her career.
Dillon served as Head of the Upper School at The Country School from 1989 to 2005. Her commitment to education extended beyond the classroom, as evidenced by her long-standing service on the Talbot County Public School board from 1992 to 2012, including a decade as vice president from 1992 to 2002.
Her passion for education and leadership was further demonstrated by serving as trustee and chair of The Gunston School from 2006 to 2012. Dillon’s community involvement includes serving on the Talbot Hospice board from 2017 to 2023, showcasing her dedication to compassionate care and support for those in need.
A devoted family person, Dillon is the proud mother of three children and grandmother to ten grandchildren.
“We are thrilled to welcome Beth and Susie back to our board,” said Karen Kaludis, president of the Women & Girls Fund of the Mid-Shore. “Their previous service to our organization has been invaluable, and we look forward to the continued insights and leadership they will bring to our efforts in supporting women and girls in our community.”
For more information about the Women & Girls Fund of the Mid-Shore and its initiatives, please visit /womenandgirlsfund.org/ or contact Mia Cranford @[email protected].
About the Women and Girls Fund of the Mid-Shore
The mission of the Women and Girls Fund is to use the power of pooled resources to improve the lives of women and girls on Maryland’s Mid-Shore. Our goals are: To understand the needs of women & girls throughout the Mid-Shore and to raise awareness of these needs in our communities.
The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.
The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.
The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.
A senior official under former Gov. Larry Hogan (R) is starting a lobbying and consulting firm.
Jeanne Haddaway-Riccio joins forces with Robert Rauch to form R & R Solutions, a lobbying and consulting firm. The new firm will be led by four principals: Haddaway-Riccio, Rauch, Ryan Snow, and Jennifer Williams.
Haddaway-Riccio is a Republican former state delegate from the Eastern Shore who served three years as deputy chief of staff to Hogan. She was later appointed secretary of the Department of Natural Resources by Hogan in 2019, a position that she held until Hogan left office in 2023.
Rauch, a civil engineer, is chair of Rauch Inc.’s board and served on the University System of Maryland Board of Regents.
Snow also held roles in the Hogan administration, including director of intergovernmental affairs. He was also a project manager for Talbot County Economic Development and Tourism. He is currently a consultant specializing in economic development and infrastructure.
Williams, a former president of the Talbot County Council, is an attorney and real estate broker.
In a statement, Haddaway-Ricco said the firm will focus on legislative advocacy, regulatory affairs, grassroots mobilization, strategic consulting and grant writing.
“Our team’s deep-rooted knowledge of local, state, and federal issues, combined with our strategic approach to advocacy, uniquely positions us to effect real change,” Haddaway-Riccio said in her statement. “We are committed to driving meaningful policy advancements for the betterment of our state and our nation.”
The Maryland Chamber of Commerce announced it has named Grason Wiggins as its new vice president of government affairs.
Wiggins joins the 7,000-member organization from the lobbying firm of Harris Jones & Malone, where the chamber said he worked closely with legislators and the Moore administration on policies affecting the state’s economy. Before that, he was senior manager of government affairs for the Maryland Multi-housing Association and director of legislative and regulatory affairs at the Maryland Department of Labor.
Wiggins holds a law degree from the University of Baltimore School of Law.
“His understanding of Maryland’s legislative landscape makes him an ideal advocate for our members,” Chamber President and CEO Mary D. Kane said in a prepared statement. “Grason’s work will be crucial in shaping policies that strengthen our state’s economy and improve our communities.”
Wiggins replaces Andrew Griffin, who served the last five years as the chamber’s senior vice president government relations, before leaving last week to join the lobbying firm Providence Strategies.
by Bryan P. Sears, Maryland Matters
August 8, 2024
Maryland Matters is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Maryland Matters maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Steve Crane for questions: [email protected]. Follow Maryland Matters on Facebook and X.
The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.