Baltimore Welcomes You

When I moved to Baltimore from Boston almost 20 years ago, my neighbor had just moved here from Texas a month before me. As mothers of young children, we were the blind leading the blind in our new city. How I wish I'd known Susie Chisolm then! Susie, a very special friend, has recently started a business aimed at putting potential residents on the fast track to not only loving our charming city but finding just the right people and services they need to make the transition as painless as possible. Following is an article that was published this week in the SoBo Voice that does a much better job explaining what she does than I could. Her company's name is Executive Welcome, which belies her unique and personal approach introducing newcomers to just what they're looking for to reduce what could be years on the learning curve!

A New Business Champions Baltimore and Its Charms

Baltimore's charms are not always immediately apparent. Sometimes it takes a cheerleader to show people the city's attributes and special communities. Susie Chisolm is that cheerleader. For decades, her avocation has been finding and sharing Baltimore's treasures. From kayaking in the Inner Harbor, to the best eatery for any occasion, a beautiful bike trail or an amazing dance recital at Baltimore's renowned School for the Arts, Susie knows, and she delights in sharing that knowledge.

Susie's avocation is now a vocation with Executive Welcome, LLC, a senior level staff recruitment and relocation service. At the behest of corporations and institutions, Susie will help job candidates absorb quickly what she has discovered, that Baltimore is a rewarding place to call home. Executive Welcome listens carefully to identify the unique things that make a place home for each person and respond with a customized one or two day tour. Requests have included helping a baseball loving school administrator, his wife and new baby, reluctant to leave a larger city, discover a charming neighborhood blocks from the Oriole's Camden Yard Stadium. Susie introduced his wife, a new mother, to a potential employer, who had a flex schedule job opportunity.

A native of Amarillo, Texas, Susie has crafted a home and community in historic Federal Hill where she is an active volunteer. She knows first hand the struggles and joys of making a new place a home. Susie has served on the FANS Board for the Baltimore School for the Arts, the Downtown Baltimore Children's Center Board and Grindal's Yard Homeowner's Association, fundraised for several local charities, and organized a book club and early morning walking group. Years as a preschool teacher, raising her son, caring for her parents and providing counsel to a multitude of friends has honed her gift for making people feel special and...welcome.