The Daily Record’s Innovator of the Year awards program honors people with imagination, vision and the ability to see a need and fill it. Award recipients have demonstrated the courage to make change and the stamina to await the results. Innovator of the Year recognizes Maryland residents and companies that have created new products, services, programs or processes that have had a positive effect on their business, industry or community. To be eligible, the innovation must have occurred between January 2003 and July 2004.

Co-owners of Chesapeake Plastics Manufacturing, Mark McGrath and Steven Moore, are thrilled with the honor of winning this award. McGrath said, “We are in excellent company among the other Innovator of the Year winners. It really makes us proud that our efforts have been recognized.” Moore added, “This has really been a terrific year for our company and to be honored as the only Southern Maryland company to receive this award is the icing on the cake.”

Chesapeake Plastics Manufacturing has had phenomenal success in the year it has been in existence. The company, purchased by Moore and McGrath a year ago, now has 11 employees running three shifts. They are a plastics injection-molding manufacturer specializing in Department of Defense contracting support, with diversification into the maritime, construction, hardware, computer, and after-market auto industries. The company serves the Washington, DC area, as well as national and international customers. They have completed ISO 9000:2000 requirements and are currently awaiting certification.

While the company has a number of innovative and creative means of satisfying their customers’ needs, it was their dedication to standardized processes and benchmarking procedures, as well as their implementation of web-based cameras and Internet-based video streaming, that resulted in their winning the 2004 Innovator of the Year Award. Through their web cameras, customers can watch their products being made on the shop floor from any computer in the world.

Linda Vassallo, director of the Calvert County DED, is pleased that one of this year’s winners is a home-grown company from Calvert County. “Chesapeake Plastics Manufacturing is a terrific success story. Mark and Steven are exactly the types of entrepreneurs we seek in this County and I believe their innovative style and adherence to the highest standards of manufacturing excellence have been the keys to their success,” she said.

For additional information on Chesapeake Plastics Manufacturing, call 410.326.3004 or visit their Web site at www.chesapeakeplastics.com. For information on the Daily Record’s Innovator of the Year awards, visit www.innovator-year.com. For information on the Calvert County Department of Economic Development, call 410.535.4583 or 800.331.9771, visit the Web site at www.ecalvert.com or send an e-mail to [email protected].