Jenny Craig’s Rockville location, which was located at 835 G Rockville Pike in Wintergreen Plaza prior to its closure, is currently auctioning off all contents. The auction, which ends on November 15th, includes three freezers, inventory, and office furnishings according to the listing. Aside from the freezers, most items are still available for less than a dollar as of Monday morning.
Adventist HealthCare White Oak Medical Center earned an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit watchdog that “sets standards for excellence in patient care.” Leapfrog assigns an A, B, C, D, E, or F grade to general hospitals across the country based on over 30 national performance measures reflecting errors, accidents, injuries and infections, as well as the systems hospitals have in place to prevent harm.
“We are truly honored to be recognized by The Leapfrog Group for the second consecutive time as one of the safest hospitals in Maryland,” said Anthony Stahl, president, White Oak Medical Center. “The ‘A’ safety grade reflects our deep and ongoing commitment to the safety and wellbeing of our patients.”
Germantown-based Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HUGHES), today announced that Delta Air Lines has selected the Hughes In-Flight connectivity solution to power passenger Wi-Fi service on more than 400 Boeing 717 and regional jets serving North America. Designed for commercial aircraft, the weight-optimized, high-performance aeronautical solution combines the advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning powered Hughes In-Flight management system with a multi-orbit antenna and Hughes JUPITER Ka-band satellite capacity to deliver reliable in-flight connectivity (IFC) even over busy airport hubs. This solution enables a consistent passenger IFC experience at scale across the entire itinerary.
Per the press release: “Hughes welcomes Delta and appreciates their collaborative approach to enabling an enhanced connectivity experience for their regional passengers,” said Reza Rasoulian, vice president, Hughes. “Travelers expect a reliable Wi-Fi experience wherever they go, including in the air; the Hughes In-Flight connectivity solution enables Delta to meet that expectation with fast gate-to-gate connectivity.”
Colin Fraser, a pioneering cannabis entrepreneur from Silver Spring, has created the first cannabis delivery app in Maryland and the first Black-owned cannabis delivery app in the United States and Jamaica. Fraser, the founder of Upling, was declared the winner of the growth-stage round at DC Startup Week. The startup wants to make medical cannabis more accessible, especially for folks who have a hard time making it to a dispensary because of health issues. “We saw that it’s hard for those who are older or vets to get their medication,” Fraser said in a recent interview. “So when you talk about medical cannabis, it’s hard for them to go into the lines, stand up and get cannabis.” Funding amounts for both winners are typically announced immediately following the event, but the announcement for the growth stage was delayed due to a founder being unable to present during the main pitch event.
More on Colin Fraser and Upling: “With a passion for cannabis advocacy and a deep understanding of the plant’s medicinal properties, Fraser has played a vital role in shaping the legal cannabis landscape by testifying in Maryland for black and brown cannabis entrepreneurs to have equality in the legacy market, and holding the first cannabis round table with now governor Wes Moore. Recognizing the importance of giving back, Fraser actively supports initiatives aimed at social equity within the cannabis space. A cannabis entrepreneur who has overcome significant challenges as a returning citizen to make a lasting impact in the industry. With a steadfast determination and a passion for social justice.
Eight student teams on a mission to make a positive impact on society presented their startup ideas to a panel of expert judges during the Leonsis Family Entrepreneurship Prize “Bark Tank” Pitch Competition on Thursday, October 26, 2023, at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business, taking home $125,000 in prizes.
During the event, Georgetown Entrepreneurship also announced a transformational $5 million gift from Ted Leonsis (C’77, P’14,’15), founder, chairman, principal partner, and chief executive officer of Monumental Sports & Entertainment, and his family, to provide permanent support for the Bark Tank Pitch Competition, so that it exists at Georgetown in perpetuity. The gift also will establish the Leonsis Family Venture Development Program to support student startups, incubator programs, and other entrepreneurial programming across the university. Since Bark Tank’s inception, $975,000 in prizes have been awarded to 60 different ventures, and those ventures have gone on to raise more than $295 million and create over 1,000 jobs.
Hilton announced the forthcoming opening of Spark by Hilton Germantown (26260 Goldenrod Lane; 301-428-1300), continuing the company’s focus on the premium economy segment. Spark offers modern hospitality and exceptional essentials at a budget-friendly price. The Germantown property will be the second Spark by Hilton, to debut in less than a year after Hilton announced the new, exciting and fresh hotel brand. It is the first in the Washington Region and the next in what Hilton has announced as a pipeline of more than 400 expansion opportunities in various stages of development around the country.
Per Hilton: Located conveniently off of I-270 in Montgomery County, Spark by Hilton Germantown Washington DC North is perfectly situated to serve the lodging needs of business, government and personal travelers. Savvy travelers will be able to access The Highlands at Germantown Event and Meeting Center, offering a range of special event, celebration, and meeting facilities. The hotel is located within five minutes of the Maryland SoccerPlex and Clarksburg Premium Outlets and is immediately adjacent to Montgomery College and Holy Cross Germantown Hospital. All the amenities and attractions of the nation’s capital are just 45 minutes away, accessible by car or public transportation on the Metro Red Line rail. The hotel is also close to Fort Meade, the Department of Energy and the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
Rockville’s Choice Hotels International recently went public with its bid to acquire rival brand Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, with a combined $9.8 billion offer that included $7.8 billion in combined cash and stock and another $2 billion in assumed debt. Wyndham rejected the offer, saying it presents unacceptable risk to its shareholders. This comes a little over a year after Choice acquired Radisson Hotels in August 2022.
Per a recent release, Wyndham’s Board of Directors, together with its financial and legal advisors, closely reviewed Choice’s latest proposal with a nominal value of $90 per share, comprised of 45 percent in stock and 55 percent in cash and determined that it is not in the best interest of shareholders to accept the proposal. In rejecting Choice’s proposal, the Wyndham Board of Directors determined that:
Marcus & Millichap a leading commercial real estate brokerage firm specializing in investment sales, financing, research and advisory services, recently announced the sale of Gaithersburg Citgo| Daytona Auto Care, a 2,506-square foot retail property located in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The property sold for $2,500,000 plus inventory, or $837.99 per square foot.
“The property attracted offers from several buyers,” Zhao said. “It’s not a typical Marcus & Millichap net leased deal. This deal involved real estate and its 35 years of business operation. Ultimately, an investor with a keen interest in auto care was found who enlisted the help of an experienced operator from California to assist with the business operation of the auto care facility. The buyer negotiated strategic termination of the property’s current fuel supply agreement as a contingency to close.” The property is located at 401-409 E Diamond Av. in Gaithersburg and includes Gaithersburg Citgo gas station and Daytona Auto Care LTD, which have been in business for more than 35 years.
“STRIKE AVERTED! ¡SÍ, SE PUDO!” was announced by 32BJ SEIU on Tuesday, as Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia office cleaners reach tentative agreement. Last Friday 32BJ SEIU members marched during rush hour in Downtown Bethesda to “let employers know that commercial cleaners are in the fight for wages that keep up with inflation.” Below you’ll see the details of Tuesday’s announcement:
“Pending ratification, @32BJSEIU commercial office cleaners have reached a tentative agreement with the Washington Service Contractors Association for a four-year contract covering 9,100 workers in D.C., Baltimore, Arlington, Fairfax, Loudon, Prince George’s and Montgomery Counties. The group will hold ratification votes in each region next week. 🗳️
Montgomery County’s Revenue Authority purchased the building that was most recently home to Gold’s Gym at 18810 Woodfield Rd in Gaithersburg for $3.68 million in a deal that has been in the works for over five years, according to Maryland Newsletters.
This past summer we let you know that Gold’s Gym at 18810 Woodfield Rd in Gaithersburg, located next to the Montgomery County Airpark, would close in August. The gym’s last day in business was Friday, August 25. In an email Gold’s Gym sent to its members, the gym stated, “The county is taking the land back under what is called eminent domain relating to the neighboring airfield – we are being required to exit and turn the building back over to the landlord.”
Rockville-based Emmes (401 N Washington St), a global, full-service Clinical Research Organization (CRO) dedicated to supporting the advancement of public health and biopharmaceutical innovation, announced the acquisition of VaxTRIALS. Headquartered in Panama City, Panama, VaxTRIALS’ 160+ staff members manage and monitor vaccine clinical trial activities throughout Latin America. Additional information below, per the press release:
“Today’s clinical trials are both more complex and more global in nature than ever before,” said Emmes Executive Chairman Sastry Chilukuri. “Combining VaxTRIALS’ depth of expertise in Latin America and Emmes’ strengths, particularly in technology, biostatistics and data management, will give clients an unmatched partnership experience in conducting their clinical trials.”