"Down to Business" is a monthly half-hour program that covers the diversity of concerns, people and issues of the Howard County business community, which debuted in October 2006. Sponsored by j-ref, the program is hosted by j-ref Executive Director, Michael Mobley.
The targeted audience is small businesses, Howard County and BWC Chamber members, politicians, bankers, CPAs, business publications, entrepreneurs, and business students.
Host Mobley is a highly motivated, experienced and energetic business executive with over 20 years experience in finance, strategic planning and operations that facilitated growth, market share and profitability for various businesses. This was accomplished by leading the development of a vision and mission, while communicating business objectives, along with facilitating and motivating multi-functional groups to develop the strategies and implement the tactics to reach these goals.
For information on sponsoring the program, securing a copy of a particular show, or suggesting a guest, write to info@jref.org
Print Media Sponsor:


Comcast Howard County Channel 98
Mondays & Fridays: 12:00, 4:00 and 8:00 p.m.
Wednesdays: 12:00 and 4:00 p.m.
Airs a month following:
Gtv - Comcast Howard County Channel 99/Verizon 44
Mondays 11:30 a.m., Tuesdays 4:00 p.m., Wednesdays & Fridays 7:30 a.m. & 8:30 p.m., Thursdays 7:00 p.m., Saturdays 11:00 a.m., Sundays 10:30 a.m.
Guest List:
September 2010
Main Guest - D. Umberger, SBA Baltimore
Advice segment - Amy Breslin, Breslin & Young
Entrepreneur segment - Karen Pitsley, Transforming Architecture
August 2010
Main Guest - James N. Robey, MD State Senator
Advice segment - Robert Wasilewski, Down to Business Economist
Entrepreneur segment - Juancarlo Parkhurst, Blue Ridge Restaurant Group
July 2010
Main Guest - Rhonda J. Tomlinson, BWCC
Advice segment - Linda Roszak Burton, Network 2000
Entrepreneur segment - Jacquie Ross, Cast Away the Clutter
June 2010
Main Guest - Owen Rouse, Manekin
Advice segment - Fred Shaw, JPB Accounting Services
Entrepreneur segment - Mike Beavan, Custom Home Pools
May 2010
Main Guest - Mary Lasky, CERN
Advice segment - Dennis O'Neil, Social Media Expert
Entrepreneur segment - Drew McManigle, The McManigle Company
April 2010
Main Guest - Mary Beth Tung, Howard Technology Council
Advice segment - Phil Marcus, The Negotiation Pro
Entrepreneur segment - Sarah Johnston, Sa Sa llc
March 2010
Main Guest - Matt Jackson, MD Dept. Rehabilitative Services (DORS)
Advice segment – Tony Salazar, Davis, Agnor, Rappaport & Skalny
Entrepreneur segment – Rick Silver, MD, Thrive
February 2010
Main Guest - Beverley Francis, Columbia Foundation
Advice Segment – Kylie Berry, Kylie Berry Photography
Entrepreneur Segment – Robert Wasilewski, RW Investment Strategies
January 2010
Main Guest: Jenni Mann, Corridor, Inc.
Advice Segment: Kelly Porter, Porter House Designs
Entrepreneur: Jeff Friday, ProShape Performance
December 2009
Main Guest: Ken Ulman, Howard County Executive
Advice segment: Arthur P. Jensen, CPA, Wealth Strategies at the Warner Companies
Entrepreneur segment: David Powell, Federal Business Council
November 2009
Main Guest: Steve Adler, Historic Savage Mill
Advice segment: Gary Baxley, Baxley Realty Advisors
Entrepreneur segment: Carol Morrison, Vance Virtual Call Center, LLC
October 2009
Update on Howard Community College
with Dr. Kate Hetherington and Ms. Betty Noble
September 2009
Main Guest: Charles L. Maskell, Chesapeake Corporate Advisors, LLC
Advice segment – Shirley Braddy, Nancy Adams Personnel
Entrepreneur segment – Cynthia Lynn, Peralynna Manor
August 2009
Main Guest: Jackie Donaldson-Grey, Howard County Office of Purchasing EBO Division
Advice segment – Robert Wasilewski, Baltimore Washington Financial Advisors
Entrepreneur segment – Barbara K. Lawson, Synergies Consulting Group
July 2009
Main Guest: Julia Spicer, Mid-Atlantic Venture Association
Advice segment – Doralee Billings, Small Office Solutions
Entrepreneur segment – Marcia Thibodo, Oh, What a Cake!
May 2009
Panel discussion of Women in Technology:
Shirley Collier, Optemax
Donna Stevenson, Early Morning Software, Inc.
Michelle Benvenga, UMBC’s Center for Women and Information Technology
April 2009
Main Guest – Kent Menser, Howard County BRAC
Advice segment – Mary M. Redmond, Howard County Small Business Development Center
Entrepreneur segment – Stanley Crump, Ellicott City Fitness & Karate
March 2009
Main Guest – Andrew Flott, Revere Bank
Advice segment – Mark Cissell, Katz Abosch
Entrepreneur segment – Trent Kittleman, GenderStrategy
February 2009
Main Guest: Robert A. Wasilewski, Baltimore-Washington Financial Advisors
Advice segment - Dennis Mattey, Mid-Maryland Workforce Investment Board
Entrepreneur segment – Steve Gloyd, Energy Management Institute
January 2009
Main Guest: Victor Broccolino, Howard County General Hospital
Advice segment: Eileen Quann – SCORE
Entrepreneur segment: Marty Madera – Financial ETC
November 2008
Main Guest: Kate Hetherington, Howard Community
Advice Segment: Betty Noble, Howard Community College
Entrepreneur: Jonathan De Wald, Trifecta Industries
October 2008
Main Guest: Jim Kucher, University of Baltimore Entrepreneurial
Opportunity Center
Advice Segment: Duane A. Carey, IMPACT Marketing & Public
Relations, LLC
Entrepreneur: Christine Abunassar, ThinkBiG
September 2008
Main Guest: Maggie Brown, Columbia Association
Advice Segment: Kris Valerio, Chesapeake Regional Tech Council
Entrepreneur: Elisa Kamens, Club Pooche
August 2008
Main Guest: Linda Burger, Howard County Small Business
Development Center
Advice Segment: Robert Wasilewski, Baltimore Washington
Financial Advisors
Entrepreneur: Shirley Collier, Optemax
July 2008
Main Guest: Jamie Waldren, UMUC Entrepreneur Development Center
Advice Segment: Wayne Swan, Howard Community College
Entrepreneur: Doralee Billings, Small Office Solutions
June 2008
Main Guest: Jennifer Blake: FIRN; Maria Smith: Pinnacle Career Resources
Advice Segment: Laurie Reuben: Serious Business Discussion Group
Entrepreneur: Jandie Smith Turner: Acuity Sports
May 2008
Main Guest: Mike Genna & Ed Sheehan, Assured Decisions
Advice Segment: Jeff Agnor, Davis Agnor, Rapaport & Skalny
Entrepreneur: Tony Hill, Edwards & Hill Communications
April 2008 - The "Green" Show in honor of Earth Day
Main Guest: Joshua Feldmark, Howard County Commission on the Environment & Sustainability
Advice Segment: Stan Sersen, Green Building Institute
Entrepreneur: Del D. Karfonta, GreenConnected.com
March 2008
Main Guest: Larry Collins, Howard County Economic Development Authority
Advice Segment: Robert Wasilewski, Baltimore-Washington Financial Advisors
Entrepreneur: Phyllis Greenbaum, The Classic Cup
February 2008
Main Guest: Gregory Hamm, General Growth Properties
Advice Segment: Dennis Kleppick, Business Finance Group
Entrepreneur: Dawn Cooper, A ‘ Dawn Home
January 2008
Main Guest: Jorge Austrich, DBED
Advice Segment: Brian Israel, Bay National Bank
Entrepreneur: Elizabeth Hess, BullsEye Computing Solutions