ThinkBIG.LearnSmart, a Howard County-based company specializing in training solutions for individuals, partners, corporations and government clients, has opened an office at the Center for Business and Technology Development. As an Adobe Authorized Training Center, ThinkBIG.LearnSmart will offer the latest certification training in products such as Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator (print production), Flash, Dreamweaver (video production), AfterEffects and Premier (video production). The company is working to build strategic partnerships to deliver more training at the center and the company's other location in Fulton.

Planned Systems International Inc., a provider of information technology solutions and services to the federal government, which has a corporate office in Columbia, has been ranked among the 50 fastest growing Asian-American businesses in 2008 by the U.S. Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce.

Audacious Inquiry, a management and technology firm headquartered in Howard County's Center for Business and Technology Development's NeoTech Incubator, has been recognized by Microsoft as a HealthVault development consultant. HealthVault is a free, Web-based platform designed to put people in control of their health-care data.

The American Heart Association has honored County Executive Kenneth Ulman with its "Maryland Public Official Award," The award recognizes Ulman as a champion for public health and notes his contributions to reduce heart disease and stroke through his on-going support of Howard County's Clean Indoor Air Act.

Mike Croxson, chief operations officer for Ascend One Corp., in Columbia, has been named chairman of the 2008 Howard County Heart Walk. Jeanne Kennedy, of CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, has been named vice chairwoman. Executive committee members include Tracy Anderson, of Patuxent Publishing Co.; Preeti Benjamin, of Howard County General Hospital; Sarah Sherman, of Howard County General Hospital; Pete Chadwick, of Bridgeway Community Church; Joseph Murray Sr., of Ascend One Corp.; Lisa Rhodes, of The Columbia Bank; John Scaldara, of The Columbia Bank; Stephen Smith, of BB&T, and Christa Spalding, of Howard Bank.

Ron Carlson, a health policy professional, has been named the first director of the Policy Analysis Center. The center is a newly created think/action tank in Columbia that will provide information and analysis on key issues and initiatives that confront local health and human service organizations. A jointly sponsored undertaking of the Association of Community Services and The Horizon Foundation, it will explore innovative and best practices and needs of the county's human services organization through legal, legislative and budgetary analyses and studies.

The Information Technology Corp. a client of the Center for Business and Technology Development's NeoTech Incubator, in Columbia, signed a multi-year, multimillion-dollar contract with the U.S. Department of Labor in May. As a provider of business solutions, the company will aid the department with Web site support and development. The company will design additions and modifications to the department's Web site as well as support and improve its searchable databases. The company hopes to supply continuous improvements and better delivery of information to both the department and the public.

Andrew Aldrich has been hired as a junior account executive with Bonnie Heneson Communications, a full-service marketing communications firm that has offices in Columbia and Owings Mills.

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