Post 200: Private companies

Bozzuto Group is made up of six companies, divisions focused on property management, home building, construction, development, acquisitions and land. The company made news in the summer of 2010 by forming a joint venture with Pritzker Realty Group, a Chicago investment firm. The venture's $75 million fund for apartment investments was announced in late July and made its first investment a month later in a new residential and retail project at Catholic University in Northeast D.C. The project, which Bozzuto will co-develop with Abdo Development, is slated to produce 720 apartments and 45 townhouses.

Brickman Group

18227-D Flower Hill Way

Gaithersburg, Md. 20879

301-987-9200

www.brickmangroup.com

Founded: 1939

CEO: Scott Brickman

Employees (local): 10,545 (1,671)

The landscaping giant employs more than 10,000 horticulturists, landscape architects, color designers, sports turf specialists and other professionals at more than 160 branches in 29 states. Its chief executive, Scott Brickman, recently became part of the new ownership group of the Washington Wizards basketball franchise of the National Basketball Association.

Bureau of National Affairs

1801 S. Bell St.

Arlington, Va. 22202

800-372-1033

www.bna.com

Founded: 1947

Chairman and CEO: Paul N. Wojcik

Employees (local): 1,638 (1,309)

BNA publishes more than 350 news and information services for professionals in law, tax, business and government. It released two new online products in 2010 for labor and employment law and intellectual property law practitioners, giving customers access to news, analysis, case law and other information. The new products represent the company's latest move from print to electronic publishing.

Carahsoft Technology Corp.

12369 Sunrise Valley Dr.

Suite D2

Reston, Va. 20191

703-871-8500

www.carahsoft.com

Founded: 2004

President: Craig P. Abod

Employees (local): 180 (180)

Carahsoft sells information technology products and services to federal, state and local governments. It continued to grow rapidly this year, adding more than 50 new manufacturer and reseller partners and 35 employees, and earning a place on a variety of new state and federal agency-specific and government-wide contract vehicles. The company said its sales efforts resulted in a significant increase in bookings for 2010. Annual revenue is on a pace to easily exceed $800 million for the year.

Carlyle Group

1001 Pennsylvania Ave. NW

Washington, D.C. 20004

202-729-5626

www.carlyle.com

Founded: 1987

Co-founders: William E. Conway Jr., Daniel A. D'Aniello and David M. Rubenstein

Employees (local): 917 (359)

Assets under management as of June 30, 2010: $90.9 billion.

The private-equity giant began to stir again as the economic recovery got underway. The firm raised new funds targeting Asia and financial services companies. It also made a series of additions and subtractions to its extensive portfolio. The firm, for instance, sold off the Philosophy skin-care and cosmetics company to Coty and bought NBTY, a global manufacturer and marketer of nutritional supplements, to name just a couple deals. The company also watched as the government consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton had a successful debut as a public company. Carlyle, which originally took the company private, is holding on to its stake for now.

Chemonics International

1717 H St. NW

Washington, D.C. 20006

202-955-3300

www.chemonics.com

Founded: 1975

President and CEO: Richard Dreiman

Employees (local): 4,279 (530)

The consulting firm runs social and economic development programs around the world for the U.S. Agency for International Development and other foreign donors. It was founded by a young international development consultant named Tony Teele, who decided to launch a one-person firm to implement a small fertilizer project in Afghanistan. Since then, Chemonics has managed more than 900 projects in 141 countries. It is sometimes dangerous work. Chemonics employees were working on food programs in Haiti when the earthquake hit in January 2010. Another staff member was killed in August, outside his home in Lashkar Gah, the capital of Helmand province in southern Afghanistan.

Clark Enterprises

7500 Old Georgetown Rd.

15th Floor

Bethesda, Md. 20814

301-657-7100.

www.clarkenterprisesinc.com

Founded: 1906

Chairman and CEO: A. James Clark

Employees (local): 3,700 (2,500)

One of the largest privately held general contractors, Clark Enterprises, the parent of Clark Construction Group, has built some of Washington's most notable properties, including the Washington Nationals stadium and the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. Overall, Clark Enterprises invests in real estate, private equity, financial markets and construction. It's now busy with one of the largest construction projects in the country, the new headquarters of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in Southeast Washington.

DAI

7600 Wisconsin Ave.

Suite 200

Bethesda, Md. 20814

301-771-7600

www.dai.com

Founded: 1970

President and CEO: James Boomgard

Employees (local): About 2,400 (421)

Employee-owned DAI is an international development company with projects in more than 60 countries, including new offices in Mexico, Jordan and Pakistan. Some of its work takes place in challenging environments. One of its leaders on an economic development project in Afghanistan, Linda Norgrove, was abducted in September and killed in the course of a rescue attempt in October. A DAI compound in Jalalabad in eastern Afghanistan was attacked on Nov. 26 by unidentified assailants. No one was injured after the company's security subcontractor, Edinburgh International, fended off the insurgents.

Darcars

12210 Cherry Hill Rd.

Silver Spring, Md. 20904

301-622-0300

www.darcars.com

Founded: 1977

CEO: John Darvish

Employees (local) 1,772 (1,687)

Darcars sells 30 brands at 18 locations. As soon as it recovered from the financial crisis at General Motors and Chrysler in 2009, Darcars dealt with a new crisis this year: a massive Toyota recall. Darcars, which has four Toyota locations, opened its service departments 24 hours a day every day to fix the defective accelerator pedals. While Darcars' overall revenue was down, the company said profit is up mainly because it cut expenses by obtaining discounts for ordering supplies in bulk. Vice President Tammy Darvish took on a more high-profile role fighting for the industry, leading a campaign that persuaded Congress not to restrict dealer-assisted financing.

Dewberry

8401 Arlington Blvd.

Fairfax, Va. 22031

703-849-0100

www.dewberry.com

Founded: 1956

CEO: Donald E. Stone Jr.

Employees (local) 1,800 (854)

The architecture and engineering company this year sought to establish a greater presence in the West, acquiring Denver-based Integra Engineering. Dewberry, which already had offices in California and Arizona, is using the acquisition of the 26-person firm to expand the capacity of its municipal water and waste-water facility engineering practice. Nearly 40 percent of the firm's revenue comes from architectural design and 34 percent from transportation engineering. But Donald E. Stone Jr., who in 2010 became chief executive, wants to increase its waste-water facilities business, which now generates about 17 percent of revenue.

Feld Entertainment

8607 Westwood Center Dr.

Vienna, Va. 22182

703-448-4000

www.feldentertainment.com

Founded: 1967

Chairman and CEO: Kenneth Feld

Employees (local): 2,200 (305)

Feld Entertainment is the colossus behind some of the nation's best known live shows, including Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, Disney on Ice, monster truck competitions, dirt bike motocrosses and other arena staples. The company's shows now play in 70 countries. Feld Entertainment is a family-run business, and this year marked the first time that the sister team of Alana and Nicole Feld produced and launched an edition of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. The company's elephant conservation efforts also reached a new milestone with the birth of a 23rd Asian elephant, named April.

Frank Parsons

1300 Mercedes Dr.

Hanover, Md. 21076

800-372-7766

www.frankparsons.com

Founded: 1938

CEO: J. Michael Lane

Employees (local): 85 (85)

Frank Parsons is an employee-owned distributor of office supplies. It once was one of the region's largest paper suppliers, too. But the firm announced in August a deal to sell the paper part of the operation to Lindenmeyr Munroe, a unit of Central National-Gottesman. Frank Parsons now aims to transform itself into a company for the digital age. You can hire the company to convert your paper documents into electronic ones, and migrate your data to new forms of storage. The company will even help you destroy old forms of digital storage so the data doesn't fall into the wrong hands. It's a big change in strategy, but the company is betting the demand for digital services will be a growth market in the months and years to come.

Geico

One Geico Plaza

Washington, D.C. 20076

800-824-5404

www.geico.com

Founded: 1936

President and CEO: Tony Nicely

Employees (local): 24,000 (2,225)

Geico, the nation's third-largest auto insurer, reached a major company milestone in November - 10 million auto policies. Since Warren E. Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway first acquired control of the company in 1996, Geico has increased its share of the auto insurance market from 2.5 percent to more than 8 percent. (Buffett is a director and major shareholder of The Washington Post Co.) In addition to auto insurance, the company also offers motorcycle, RV, condo, renters, boat and other types of coverage. The company has a huge advertising budget - estimated at $800 million in 2009 - enough to turn its gecko and caveman mascots into cultural icons.

Hilton Worldwide

7930 Jones Branch Dr.

Suite 1100

McLean, Va. 22102

703-883-1000

www.hiltonworldwide.com

Founded: 1919

President, CEO: Christopher J. Nassetta

Employees (local): 130,000 (3,026)

Now that Hilton is settled into its new headquarters in McLean, the company has been breathing new life into its food and beverage division as well as its management Web site. The company, known for such brands as the Waldorf Astoria, Doubletree and Hampton Inn, operates more than 3,600 hotels in 81 countries. Hilton, much like its larger peers, has continued to expand its brands overseas, most recently announcing that it has 14 Conrad Hotels & Resorts in development around the world.

Hitt Contracting

2900 Fairview Park Dr.

Falls Church, Va 22042

703-846-9000

www.hitt-gc.com

Founded: 1937

Chairman: Russell A. Hitt

Employees (local): 600 (411)

Hitt Contracting is one of the largest 100 general contractors in the United States, with offices in Washington, Atlanta, Baltimore, South Florida and Charleston, S.C. Hitt's expertise includes base buildings, interiors and projects for users in government, health care, technology and the legal industry. Among its local projects recently is the build-out of Hilton Worldwide's 110,000-square-foot corporate headquarters in McLean and a complete renovation and retrofit of the W Washington D.C. hotel, which involved 317 rooms and suites, the main lobby and the ballroom.

James G. Davis Construction

12530 Parklawn Dr.

Rockville, Md. 20852

301-881-2990

www.davisconstruction.com

Founded: 1966

President and CEO: Jim Davis

Employees (local): 490 (490)

An employee-owned general contractor, Davis Construction has completed base building construction, renovations and interior construction for clients of all types and sizes. In 2009, the company redeveloped 1225 Connecticut Avenue, a downtown D.C. office building owned by Brookfield Properties that received the highest level of LEED accreditation, platinum, from the U.S. Green Building Council. It also completed renovation of Constitution Center, the former headquarters of the U.S. Transportation Department that Davis transformed into a highly secure, highly energy efficient building where the Securities & Exchange Commission expects to move hundreds of workers.

Kettler

1751 Pinnacle Dr.

Suite 700

McLean, Va. 22102

703-641-9000

www.kettler.com

Founded: 1977

Chairman and CEO: Robert C. Kettler

Employees (local): 498 (490)

If it's a great time to build apartments - as it is in some markets - it's a great time to be Kettler. The company has developed more than 5 million square feet of commercial space and 50,000 housing units, producing pedestrian-friendly, ecologically sensitive and architecturally distinctive communities. It also owns and manages more than 16,000 apartments in 56 locations. In 2009, the firm completed the Millennium at Metropolitan Park, a $129 million, 300-unit, 18-story project in Pentagon City, and expanded into New Jersey near New York City.

Long & Foster

14501 George Carter Way

Chantilly, Va. 20151

703-653-8500

www.longandfoster.com

Founded: 1968

Chairman and CEO: P. Wesley Foster Jr.

Employees (local): 1,869 (734)

Long & Foster provides mortgage, title, insurance, relocation and settlement services to home buyers. It is the largest independently held residential real estate company in the country. In September, it announced a partnership with Terminix, a national leader in termite and pest control; the deal will allow Long & Foster to provide home buyers free termite inspections.

Mars

6885 Elm St.

McLean, Va. 22101

703-821-4900

www.mars.com

Founded: 1911

CEO: Paul S. Michaels

Employees (local): 65,000 (NA)

Mars is a private, family-owned candy maker responsible for some of the world's best-known sweets, including M&Ms, Snickers, Milky Way, Starburst, Dove and Wrigley gum. It also operates a pet care division that sells brands such as Pedigree, Whiskas and Greenies, and food and drink units. In September, a group of researchers led by the chocolate giant announced that it had nearly finished sequencing the genome of the cacao tree, which produces the seeds used to make cocoa. Scientists hope the information will speed up the process for creating a stronger tree that is more resistant to disease and easier to grow for millions of farmers.

M.C. Dean

22461 Shaw Rd.

Dulles, Va. 20166

703-802-6231

www.mcdean.com

Founded: 1949

President and CEO: Bill Dean

Employees (local): 3,800 (2,700)

M.C. Dean designs and builds complex electrical systems. The company specializes not just in electronics wiring, but electronic security, telecommunications, instrumentation, and command and control systems. It won a number of large contracts in 2010, including work on Metrorail's Silver Line, the North Anna nuclear power station, and in outfitting the expanding campuses of Fort Meade and Aberdeen, Md.

Mitre

7515 Colshire Dr.

McLean, Va. 22102

703-983-6000

www.mitre.org

Founded: 1958

President and CEO: Alfred Grasso

Employees (local): 6,627 (3,749)

Not-for-profit Mitre offers systems engineering, information technology and modernization expertise for government agencies. The organization manages federally funded research centers, including ones for the Pentagon, the Internal Revenue Service and the Federal Aviation Administration. This year, the non-profit proposed constructing an additional building at its Tysons Corner location.

N.E.W. Customer Service

22894 Pacific Blvd.

Sterling, Va. 20166

800-942-8763

www.newcorp.com

Founded: 1983

President and CEO: Anthony P. Nader

Employees (local) 15,942 (540)

N.E.W. is a major provider of extended service contracts and product protection programs worldwide. One of its key clients is Wal-Mart. N.E.W essentially manages the retailer's product care plan, covering everything from televisions and computers to sporting goods, lawn and garden merchandise, video games, DVDs, small appliances, automotive parts hardware and more.

New Enterprise Associates

5425 Wisconsin Ave.

Suite 800

Chevy Chase, Md. 20815

301-272-2300

www.nea.com

Founded: 1977

Managing general partner: Peter J. Barris

Employees (local) 115 (62)

The venture fund is known for making smart bets on start-ups. At the start of the year, it announced it had closed its 13th fund, raising $2.5 billion in committed capital. An investment in the parent of Diapers.com paid off handsomely, whenAmazon bought the company for $500 million.

Ourisman Automotive Enterprises

4400 Branch Ave.

Marlow Heights, Md. 20748

301-423-4000

www.ourisman.com

Founded: 1921

Chairman and CEO: Mandell J. Ourisman

Employees (local): 1,036 (1,036)

The dealership, which sells 18 brands in 16 locations in the Washington region, is operated by second-, third- and fourth-generation members of the Ourisman family. In 2010, the company, which derives 50 percent of its revenue from imports, had higher sales in its domestic brands, particularly Chevrolet. The company opened a Hyundai dealership in Bowie and a Chevrolet, Buick and GMC dealership in Alexandria.

Presidio

7601 Ora Glen Dr.

Suite 100

Greenbelt, Md. 20770

301-313-2000

www.presidio.com

Founded: 2003

Chairman and CEO: Joel A. Schleicher

Employees (local): 1,200 (250)

Presidio designs and manages computer and telecommunications networks for commercial and government clients. It is now the third-largest partner to networking giant Cisco Systems in North America, and it partners with a host of other top names to deliver services and equipment, including Sun Microsystems, EMC, Network Appliance and IBM.

Ratner

1577 Spring Hill Rd.

Suite 500

Vienna, Va. 22182

703-269-5400

www.ratnerco.com

Founded: 1974

CEO, co-founder, stylist: Dennis Ratner

Employees (local): 12,000 (2,000)

Ratner is the largest family-owned-and-operated hair salon chain, operating some 800 stores in 16 states. Its stores go by several names. Perhaps best known in this area is Hair Cuttery. Earlier this year, the chain signed Washington Capitals hockey star Alex Ovechkin to a six-month partnership agreement, after learning he had his hair cut at one of the firm's shops near the team's Ballston practice facility.

RLJ Development

3 Bethesda Metro Center

Suite 1000

Bethesda, Md. 20814

www.rljcompanies.com

301-280-7700

Founded: 2006

Chairman: Robert L. Johnson

Employees (local): 51 (51)

RLJ Development is one part of RLJ Cos. The overall company represents a broad portfolio of interests, including hotels, auto dealerships, private equity ventures and asset management. Founded by Robert L. Johnson, the 89-employee parent company has been selling off other assets recently, including Urban Trust Bank and the Charlotte Bobcats pro basketball franchise. The company's third hotel fund has 16 institutional investors, including pension and funds and financial institutions.

Rosenthal Automotive

1100 S. Glebe Rd.

Arlington, Va. 22204

703-553-4300

www.rosenthalauto.com

Founded: 1954

Chairman and CEO: Robert M. Rosenthal

Employees (local): 950 (950)

Rosenthal Automotive acquired three new dealerships in 2010: an Audi location in Alexandria, a Porsche location in Arlington and a BMW dealership, which was recently moved from its original Arlington location to a new facility in Alexandria. This brings the company's dealership total to 19. Company President Don Bavely has said the company will continue to look for further expansion opportunities in the future.

Thompson Hospitality

505 Huntmar Park Dr.

Suite 350

Herndon, Va. 20170

703-964-5500

www.thompsonhospitality.com

Founded: 1992

Chairman, president: Warren M. Thompson

Employees 3,300 (local) (1,140)

The nation's largest minority-owned food service company expanded its restaurant business, opening American Tap Room restaurants in Reston and Bethesda. The company, which operates four restaurant brands in 22 locations in the Washington region, derives 10 percent of its revenue from that business. The bulk of its comes from managing cafeterias for universities and such corporate clients as IBM and American Express.

Vangent

4250 N. Fairfax Dr.

Suite 1200

Arlington, Va. 22203

703-284-5600

www.vangent.com

Founded: 1953

President and CEO: Mac Curtis

Employees (local): 8,700 (462)

Vangent provides a variety of services to the federal government - as well as commercial, education and health-care organizations. The company manages the federal student financial aid Web site and processed many of the vouchers used in the federal "Cash for Clunkers" car-buying program. In 2010, the firm announced plans to buy a Warrenton business that provides IT services as well as data hosting and analytics.

Wills Group

6355 Crain Hwy.

La Plata, Md. 20646

301-932-3600

www.willsgroup.com

Founded: 1926

Chairman, president: J. Blacklock Wills Jr.

Employees (local): 286 (286)

The core business for the Wills Group is selling petroleum products and related services in the greater Delaware-Maryland-Virginia region. It operates four subsidiaries: Dash In Food Stores; the Southern Maryland Oil and Delmarva Oil heating oil delivery firms; and SMO Motor Fuels, a distributor of diesel, gas and kerosene products. The company acquired 16 Exxon stations in the Wilmington, Del., area in July. The company is still owned by descendants of co-founder Jim Wills.