As we approach the midpoint of the season, several teams have firmly established themselves as dominant forces, while others are still fighting to stay in contention. Here’s a look at this week’s top 10 rankings.
A Montgomery County judge denied Lee Boyd Malvo’s motion to vacate his guilty plea for six murders during the 2002 DC Sniper Attacks, deferring his re-sentencing until he completes his Virginia prison sentence.
Talent is one of the most important factors influencing where companies choose to invest, expand, and grow. As competition for skilled workers intensifies, employers are embracing a broader talent strategy: one that leverages partnerships. Last week, almost 120 business leaders, elected officials, and members of Montgomery County’s business community attended the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation’s (MCEDC) panel, “The Talent Advantage: A Growth Strategy for Companies in Montgomery County, Maryland,” to hear how local businesses are capitalizing on the County’s world-class academic institutions, innovation ecosystem, quality of life, and economic development resources to attract and retain top talent.
Moderated by Dr. Anne Khademian, Executive Director at The Universities at Shady Grove (USG), the panel included executives from businesses and institutions across industries, including Lockheed Martin, TrilliumBIO, Thales Defense & Security, Johns Hopkins, Montgomery College, and AstraZeneca, who discussed their companies’ strategies for developing their workforce.
Talent as a Business Strategy
For companies competing in highly specialized industries like the defense industry, access to talent directly influences where they choose to locate and grow. For Lockheed Martin, which employs nearly 1,000 people in Montgomery County, talent is one of the primary reasons the company chose to be headquartered here.
“Talent is in the top one or two reasons why we are in the County,” said Todd Cohen, Senior Lead of Strategic Workforce Development, Lockheed Martin.
According to Cohen, Lockheed Martin begins working with partners to develop their talent pipeline well before students enter the workforce, including partnering with Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) on programs such as coding challenges. Lockheed Martin also maintains close relationships with local higher education institutions, including the Universities at Shady Grove (USG).
That local talent pipeline is also an important factor for AstraZeneca, which employs more than 5,000 employees and contractors in Montgomery County. According to Tiffany Lukis, Director of STEM and Community Engagement at AstraZeneca, the company often taps into its alumni base from Montgomery College (ranked #26 nationally among community colleges) and USG (which offers nine different public universities onto one campus), and other local institutions to fill highly technical roles.
Local Companies Are Developing Talent and Not Just Finding It
According to the panelists, investing in existing employees is just as important as recruiting new ones.
At Suburban Hospital, workforce development is closely tied to talent retention. The hospital partners with local educational institutions to provide employees with opportunities to gain new skills and advance their careers. Programs include a Certified Nursing Assistant program through Montgomery College and English as a Second Language classes.
“A huge part of our talent strategy is to prioritize holding on to our top tier talent,” said Corey Lewson, MSW, Program Manager, Workforce Development, John Hopkins Medicine.
For smaller companies, developing talent internally can be especially valuable. Lane Edwards, Vice President of Operations, TrilliumBIO, a biomarker discovery company with fewer than 20 employees based in Rockville, described the challenge of balancing the need for highly specialized expertise with the realities of building a team at an early-stage company.
“When it comes to hiring, we have to be very strategic,” Lane said. “Do we have someone who has the expertise or someone that we can build on?”
At approximately 9pm on Tuesday night, Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) responded to a fire in the unoccupied and soon-to-be demolished school building that was home to Joann Leleck Elementary School at 710 Beacon Rd. in Silver Spring.
Gregory Jerome Stamps, a 65-year-old from Manassas, Virginia, was arrested and charged with two burglaries in 6000 block of Brookes Lane in Bethesda on September 11, 2024, after a homeowner’s […]
When I moved back to Northern Virginia after several years in New York, most of my old friends had moved away. I found myself rebuilding a social circle from scratch.
I had plenty of people I could connect with online, but that wasn’t translating into anyone to grab a beer with after work, play trivia with, or text when I wanted to get out of the house. Making new friends as an adult required far more deliberate effort than I remembered.
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Bring your family and friends to our free , all-day outdoor Oktoberfest celebration. These will be an outdoor craft fair featuring local artisans and professional woodworkers, a chainsaw carving, woodworking and tool demonstrations by Festool, Montgomery Wood Turners and Carvers. There will also be lots of delicious food provided by El Parente Tacos, El Jeffe Wood-fired pizzas, Bruster's Ice cream and seasonal craft brews from Saints Row Brwsing Company.
The Maryland Department of Health, in partnership with the Baltimore Ravens, has launched a new campaign featuring Ravens tight end Mark Andrews to raise awareness about addiction, reduce stigma, and provide resources for seeking help, with support from Governor Moore and running through October 27. (more…)
Go to Maryland Teams With Baltimore Ravens for New Campaign Addressing Stigma of Addiction
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The second annual Buckets and Beats: Silver Spring Youth Block Party will take place on Friday, Sept. 27, from 2-6 p.m. at Veterans Plaza, featuring a free 3-on-3 basketball tournament, soccer skills station, arts activities, a live DJ, and free food for youth, with the event aimed at fostering positive youth engagement in the community. (more…)
The National Football League announced today that Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels has been named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week for Week 3. Not only did his impressive showing on Monday night earn him the award, but it also earned him some praise from New York Jets quarterback and future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers.
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Kanpai Southeast Asian BBQ and Shabu Shabu Buffet at 1701 Rockville Pike STE A10 in Rockville will begin its soft opening on Wednesday, September 25, from 5-10pm.
Falafel Inc is coming to Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda, taking over the space recently occupied by Butter Chicken House, next to Chick-Fil-A. The DC-based quick service chain serves falafel, hummus, bowls and sides like Zaatar fries and Tabouli salad. (more…)
Subway is set to open at the Montgomery Mall Food Terrace, taking over the former space of J. Chow’s, which closed in December 2023.
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Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) responded to the area of the 300blk of University Blvd E, near E Franklin Av, for smoke near Eastern Middle School. Once there, it was realized the smoke was coming from the school building that was home to Joann Leleck Elementary School at 710 Beacon Rd. in Silver Spring.