Frederick's Top 50: Homewood, Legal & General America, Integrace Buckingham's Choice, Metlfab

Homewood at Frederick is a private, not-for-profit continuing care retirement community situated on 140-acres with a spectacular view of the Catoctin Mountains. Established in 1932, they offer residents a vibrant, maintenance-free lifestyle without obligations and worries associated with home ownership. Homewood employs 310 people in Frederick.

Legal & General America is in the business of providing financial protection for American families. LGA is a top 10 provider of term life insurance in the U.S. issuing more than $48 billion in new coverage in 2016. LGA opened in 2011 as Banner Life Insurance when they moved their headquarters from Rockville. They currently employ 400 in Urbana. 

Established in 2002, Integrace Buckingham’s Choice is located on 42 scenic acres, seven miles from Downtown Frederick. Integrace is a not-for-profit life plan community that affords residens a lifestyle flexibility and choice to live life on their own terms. They employ 200 people locally.

Metlfab, Inc is a precision sheet metal and machined product manufacturer, primarly for the defense industries (air, land and sea). Metlfab is able to provide a turnkey solution starting with the raw manufacturing of the part, to finishing the product, offering top level assembly, wet painting, powder coating, plating, silk screening, and UV printing. Established in 1975, Metlfab employs 40 people in Frederick.

1. What do you foresee for your business and/or the economy in 2018?

HWD: We see continued growth and opportunities for what Homewood will be able to offer. From our continued growth with our independent living patio homes to the expansion of services within our short-term stay rehab care. Homewood continues to offer the best of care and choices for seniors.

LGA: Our path forward remains one focused on protection solutions for all Americans. Expansion of digital capabilities, distribution partnerships and new product innovation will be critical to our success, as we help families secure their financial futures.

IBC: In 2018, we plan to continue our tradition of reinvention to meet the changing needs of the marketplace. We want to deepen our partnerships in the Greater Frederick community and work collaboratively to create more opportunities for meaningful living. We envision Buckingham’s Choice becoming a community without walls – we want to see our residents and colleagues out in the community, and invite our neighbors to take advantage of the many educational and social opportunities we offer on our campus. At Integrace, we’re fulfilling our passion, and providing opportunities for others to find what they love to do helps the greater community grow, it helps Frederick County grow, and it helps us grow. 

MF: We have started to see a rise in the manufacturing segment which we have not seen it at least three to four years. Primarily in defense spending.

2. What would surprise people about your business?

HWD: What would surprise people most about Homewood is the fact that we do indeed admit individuals from the outside community into our assisted living and skilled care facilities. We are currently meeting with the local hospital  and other healthcare providers to let them know we would love to partner with them to help find placement for someone needing assisted living, rehabilitation or long term skilled care. 

LGA: Our parent company, Legal and General Group Plc, is based in London and is the 7th largest insurance company in the world, as measured by non-banking assets. (2015 non-banking assets, 2017 study, A.M. Best)

IBC: People who haven’t visited our community might be surprised to know that Integrace Buckingham’s Choice is reinventing the traditional idea of “senior living.” As a forward-thinking life plan community, our philosophy is that each person should be empowered and have the freedom to live in a way that is most natural to them. And we adhere to that philosophy by offering a variety of living options and a host of amenities to give our residents the opportunity to pursue their passions and live their lives to the fullest, in the home that best suits them. 

MF: I think the most surprising aspect of our business it what is behind our doors in the type of business park we are in. When your drive around our building it looks like a "small office" environment. One would not expect to see a full blown manufacturing facility with over 20 CNC machines.

3. Why did you choose Frederick as a business location?

HWD: Homewood has been a part of Frederick community for over 37 years. We began our services in the former Francis Scott Key Hotel which was located in downtown Frederick. Frederick has always been such a great city with lots of growth potential, and Homewood believed it would be a location where we could provide excellent service to a community in need of senior care.

LGA: Urbana offers Banner Life employees an appealing lifestyle, including an easily accessible location on I-270, great housing choices close by, a highly rated public school system with elementary, middle and high schools right in Urbana, a new walkable town center, a new state-of-the-art public library and exciting new retail and mixed-use amenities planned for the area.”  Frederick County is home to a highly skilled and well educated work force and offers wonderful amenities, including the charm of historic downtown Frederick City, great parks and a friendly and welcoming atmosphere.

IBC: Integrace Buckingham’s Choice opened in Adamstown in 2000, and we chose this area because we knew it had everything most people look for when transitioning into active retirement. While we’re set against the peaceful backdrop of the Sugarloaf and Catoctin mountains, we’re also just a short drive from downtown Frederick and all the exciting development that has happened there. And we’re also convenient to both Baltimore and Washington, D.C., which is important to people who have either lived and worked in this area all their lives, or who want to remain closer to their families and/or friends.  

MF: Frederick seemed like a natural place being located at the junction of I-70, I-270 and US 15. Since we hand deliver several of our own products, many of our customers are branched off all three majors highways.

4. What’s keeping your business in Frederick County?

HWD: Frederick city is now the second largest city in Maryland. But, more importantly, it is a city with such character and warmth. We stay in Frederick County because of the people in Frederick. The majority of our staff come from the Frederick area. They are committed to serving the residents we have here on our campus. The individuals who live on our campus are interesting, unique and a pure pleasure.

LGA: Lower cost of living combined with shorter commuting times and amenities that the area offers helps enhance the overall “quality of life” for our employees. 

IBC: The simple answer is our people. We are located in Frederick County, because that’s where our residents want to live. We have many residents who have lived in this area all their lives, and we also have many residents who have relocated here from other counties and other states. By offering a lifestyle of flexibility and choice, in a setting that honors the wonderful heritage of this great county, we have helped establish the greater Frederick area as a leading retirement destination in our state.

5. What awards or accolades do you want to brag about?

HWD: As far as the awards or accolades we wish to brag about, well what means the most to us, isn’t what you would expect us to say. We could brag about our “Five-Star Rating” with the Five-Star Quality Rating System developed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services or having recently won the “Best of the Best” in Best Retirement Community from the Frederick News Post. But, what we are most proud of are the accolades we receive from the residents that live here! These statements mean the most to us, and are valued most by the team at Homewood at Frederick.

LGA: 2017 LIDMA Innovation Award Winner, b. 2017 Healthiest Maryland Business Award – Gold Winner, 2017 Communitas Award for Commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility, Great Place to Work” Certification, 2017 EPA Energy Star Award 

IBC: In 2017, we completed a $1.8 million renovation project that rejuvenated our main lobby, dining room and multi-purpose room, among other spaces. At the ribbon cutting commemorating the grand re-opening, we received citations from the Frederick County Government, the Frederick County Chamber of Commerce, and United States Senator Chris Van Hollen. We are very proud to be a part of this local community and economy, and it was an honor to be recognized for our contributions by these dignitaries.

MF: The latest is being approved for our corporate AS9003 program for Lockheed Martin and hopefully being a large part of Lockheed's new F-35 Lighting project. Metlfab has also received approval for Lockheed's special processes which were three levels of tig welding and Lockheed's wet painting procedure.

 

About Frederick’s Top 50

Frederick’s Top 50 for 2018 marks an inaugural list of businesses who have the largest potential to contribute to Frederick County’s vibrant economy. The metrics-driven list was created by OED with assistance from Hood College, using research from InfoUSA, tax records, CoStar and internal data collection. Data was analyzed using a weighted scoring system in the following areas: Number of Employees in Frederick County, Annual Property Taxes Paid, Square Footage Occupied in Frederick County, Location Sales Volume and Year Established.