Business Hall of Fame Class of 2022

Lifetime Achievement Recipient

Carl Snowden, Civil Rights and Community Leader

Carl Snowden is a highly recognized and respected civil rights leader. Throughout his career, Carl has worked ensuring equal rights and free speech for all people, particularly for people of color. Starting in high school, Carl spoke out about injustice and continued to build a career that fought discrimination and promoted freedom. In 1982, he founded a consulting business, Carl Snowden and Associates, that specializes in civil rights and issues of discrimination.

Carl was elected to the Annapolis City Council in 1985 and represented the 5^th Ward. As Alderman, he championed legislation that prohibited private clubs from discriminating against people based on their race, color, gender, and national origin. He also passed legislation prohibiting stalking and sexual harassment. He continued his efforts the improve the quality of life for all Annapolitans as candidate for Mayor of Annapolis. Carl then moved forward to work as an Administrator in the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services. In 2007, the State of Maryland Attorney General appointed Carl as the first Director of the Civil Rights Program.

In 1988, Snowden founded the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Committee, Inc., which hosts an annual Awards Dinner honoring people who, through their deeds, words, and actions, help to keep Dr. King’s legacy alive. Carl was instrumental in the successful capital fund campaign to create the first Coretta Scott King Memorial Garden and the first Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial in the State of Maryland. He was also the driving force behind the design, construction and dedication of the Guardians of the First Amendment Memorial which honors the freedoms established by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and remembers the five journalists and staff who were killed in a mass shooting at the Capital Gazette.

2022 Business Hall of Fame Inductees

Arthur “Lex” Birney, Chief Executive Officer, The Brick Companies

Lex Birney serves as the CEO and Managing General Partner of the Brick Companies. The Brick Companies main office is in Edgewater and their business focuses on creating memorable experiences for current and future generations through social responsibility and environmental leadership. Notable “fun” properties owned and operated by The Brick Companies include Queenstown Harbor Golf, The Golf Club at South River, and numerous marinas. The Brick Companies are recognized as environmental leaders in the real estate industry and their headquarters facility in Edgewater features the first “living roof” in Anne Arundel County.

The Brick Companies celebrated their 130^th anniversary in 2022 and under Lex’s leadership, the Brick companies have not only become a recognized and respected leader in the green building industry, but they have also maintained a significant commitment to the community through the TBC Foundation. Lex is an avid sailor and has served on the Boards of the Sailing Hall of Fame, the Brendan Sailing Program, Anne Arundel Maritime Industry Advisor Board, the Annapolis Waterfront and Sailing Center. In addition, he serves as the Chairman of the Board for St. Mary’s College and the for the Port of Annapolis. Lex is a proud graduate of Washington & Lee University and very active in efforts to preserve the Chesapeake Bay.

Jerry South, CEO and Entrepreneur

Jerry South founded Towne Park in 1988 when he had a chance to run the parking service at the Annapolis Hotel. He created a unique niche in the paid parking industry and he grew from a from a single valet stand to a company with over 10,000 employees, and over $300 million revenue, He eventually sold the business to a private equity firm making it one of the highest profile transactions in the history of the parking industry.

He moved on from there to develop a co-working concept, Thrive Workplace, that brought together entrepreneurs and early stage businesses in affordable office space where they could collaborate, and scale their business. Jerry’s entrepreneurial activities did not stop there as he  identified a unique niche opportunity in the automotive sector, with Visibility Workflow, a fully outsourced reconditioning solution for franchise car dealerships. Jerry is an active board member for numerous businesses and organizations including St. Anne’s School, JMT Engineering, The Kelly Companies, and Towne Park.

 Vicki Callahan: Former CEO, Opportunities Builders Inc.

Opportunity Builders Inc. (OBI) is a non-profit organization that supports youth and adults with disabilities and provides opportunities for them to work and pursue their paths to personal success. Ms. Callahan started as a Production Manager with OBI and held various positions with the organization and eventually became the CEO. Under her leadership, she grew the annual operating budget of OBI from $600,000 to $8 million which allowed the organization to serve hundreds of additional Anne Arundel County residents.

She spearheaded a capital campaign to raise funds for a 41,000 square foot facility in Millersville, to host the various programs offered by OBI. Vicki also held leadership roles with the Maryland Association of Community Service. The Anne Arundel Commission on Disability Issues and is very active with Leadership Anne Arundel and the Severna Park United Methodist Church. She is proud graduate of Penn State University.

Frederick C. Sussman, Attorney, Council Baradel

Mr. Sussman has a very distinguished and diverse career representing public and private sector clients. He started his legal career in the Anne Arundel County Solicitor’s Office, and then became the first full-time City Attorney for Annapolis. Mr. Sussman moved into private practice in 1986 and expanded his legal work to include businesses and individuals. In addition, Mr. Sussman provided legal services and advice for many municipalities, quasi-governmental agencies, homeowner and community associations. He is recognized for his expertise in municipal law and providing high quality legal advice to many towns and cities in Maryland.

In addition to his legal work, Mr. Sussman has served as the Chair of Financial Advisory Commission of Annapolis for many years, been an active member of the Bar Association and the Maryland Municipal Attorneys Association and was on the Board of the Anne Arundel Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Sussman attend school in New Orleans and earned his Bachelor of Arts and Juris Doctor degrees from Tulane University.

Harry Blumenthal, Attorney

For over 60 years, Harry Blumenthal was a renowned zoning and land use attorney in Anne Arundel County. He represented real estate developers in countless projects that included the planned community of Crofton, the expansion of the Anne Arundel County Medical Center, redevelopment of the Laurel Racetrack, Annapolis Technology Park, South River Colony, and Marley Station Mall.

Harry passed away in December 2020, but the large body of his groundbreaking land use work and the quality and care in which he represented his clients will continue to shape Maryland and Anne Arundel County land use law for years to come. Harry eventually opened his own firm, bringing together numerous past partners, the last being Blumenthal, Delavan, Powers & Palmer. At the time of his death, he was acting of counsel to the firm Liff, Walsh & Simmons.

Along the way, Harry mentored many young attorneys and helped establish zoning and land use laws that kept the best interest of Anne Arundel County in mind which promoted economic growth. He was a member of the Anne Arundel County Bar Association, Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce, and BWI Business Partnership. Harry was a consummate gentleman with those he represented as well as those he opposed. He worked intimately with planning and zoning staff on behalf of clients and treated all with fairness and respect.