Ulman Cancer Fund, Four Other Columbia Businesses are Best Places to Work Nominees

Five Columbia businesses—a small local charity dedicated to helping kids fight cancer, a large regional healthcare organization, a law firm, a staffing firm and a software development company—were announced as 2012 finalists in the Baltimore Business Journal's 2012 Best Places to Work contest on Wednesday.

So who are they?

1. Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults

Columbia Address: 6310 Stevens Forest Road, Suite 210, Columbia

What they do: Founded in 1997 by cancer survivor Doug Ulman, the brother of Howard County Executive Ken Ulman, the Ulman Cancer Fund works at a grassroots level to support, educate, connect and empower young adult cancer survivors, according to the organization's website.

Category: Micro Businesses

2. Ultimate Staffing Services and Ledgent

Columbia Address: 8825 Stanford Blvd., Suite 311, Columbia

What they do: Open since 1994, Ultimate Staffing works to connect businesses and job seekers. They have locations across the country and in addition to their location in Columbia, they also have offices in Baltimore, Frederick, Rockville and Timonium, according to their website.

Category: Micro Businesses

3. Intelligenesis

Columbia Address: 7164 Gateway Drive, Suite 120, Columbia

What they do: Software development and management for companies and government agencies.

Category: Small Business

4. Pessin Katz Law

Columbia Addres: 10500 Little Patuxent Parkway, Suite 650

What they do: Full service law firm with multiple practice areas. They are based in Towson with offices in Bel Air, Cambridge and Columbia.

Category: Small Business

5. Medstar

Columbia Address: 5565 Sterrett Pl

What they do: $4 billion not-for profit regional healthcare system with a network of nine hospitals and 20 other healthcare businesses across Maryland and Washington D.C.

Category: Large Business

According to the Baltimore Business Journal, three winners in each category will be chosen on Sept. 20.