According to the Frederick Pulse, at approximately 9:30 a.m. today Frederick County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) deputies were dispatched to a residence in the 3800 block of Braveheart Drive for an unknown emergency. Upon arrival, gunshots were heard coming from a single-family residence.
Aldi has set a tentative opening date for its upcoming location at 737 S Frederick Avenue in the Walnut Hill Shopping Center (Gaithersburg).
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?”
The Office of Governor Wes Moore issued the following news release on Friday, June 21: (more…)
The Montgomery County Council will hold public hearings on Tuesday, June 25 and Tuesday July 9, 2024. Full details below courtesy Montgomery County:
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.
Music. Art. Food. Community. The Takoma Park Folk Festival brings it all together for one free, unforgettable day. Discover six stages of live music from around the world, shop an acclaimed juried craft show, enjoy international cuisine, connect with local community organizations, and let the kids explore crafts and activities in the Children's Nook. It's one of the region's most beloved traditions, and a celebration of the creativity, diversity, and welcoming spirit that has long defined Takoma Park.
New this year! Jam at the Crossroads is a place for musicians of all levels to come together and be part of the music.
In response to today’s United States Supreme Court’s 8-1 ruling in U.S. v. Rahimi, Attorney General Anthony G. Brown issued the following the statement:
Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) responded to Old Gunpowder Rd, near Cross Creek Club, in Beltsville (just outside of Montgomery County) for a “likely fatal crash” according to MCFRS Chief Spokesperson, Pete Piringer. Old Gunpowder Rd is closed/blocked as of 5:30pm.
MOD Pizza, a fast-casual pizza restaurant with over 500 locations nationwide, has closed its location at 12027 Rockville Pike (Montrose Crossing). The closure comes approximately three months after the Kentlands location closed.
On June 20 at approximately 8:16 pm, Takoma Park Police responded to a report of an armed carjacking in the 6500 block of New Hampshire Avenue, specifically in the parking lot of the Mid-Atlantic Seafood restaurant.
The Montgomery County Board of Education will formally appoint Dr. Thomas Taylor as the next superintendent of schools at its regular business meeting meeting June 25.
Per MCPS: Dr. Taylor has more than 25 years of experience as an educator, with more than 12 years in district level leadership and 6 years as a superintendent. He is currently the superintendent of Stafford County Public Schools in Virginia and has an established track record of success as an education leader. Dr. Taylor was named Virginia Region III Superintendent of the Year in 2024, honoring the student-focused work he led in Stafford County.
Maryland State Police are investigating a hit-and-run crash and a secondary subsequent crash that claimed the lives of two teens this morning in Montgomery County.
Montgomery County issued the following news release on Friday, June 21, 2024: (more…)