The Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) is investigating an armed robbery that occurred on Thursday afternoon near the 19100 block of Montgomery Village Avenue. (more…)
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The National Park Service (NPS) has released its prediction for the cherry blossom ‘Peak Bloom’, and they believe it will fall between March 28-31 this year.
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 Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) is seeking the public’s help in identifying a suspect involved in multiple thefts and burglaries at Montgomery County Liquor and Wine on Hampden Lane in Bethesda between April and October 2024. (more…)
Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – Special Victims Investigations Division are asking for the public’s assistance in locating Nehemie Price, a missing 14-year-old. (more…)
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October 10 & 11, 2026
The MoCo Epic is a festival celebrating mountain biking, natural surface trails, and the community that makes this region a great place to ride! 2026 marks the 16th anniversary of the MoCo Epic.
In October we let you know that T Pot Hot Pot & Korean BBQ is coming to 9679 Lost Knife Road in the Montgomery Village Crossing shopping center in Gaithersburg. A permit for $289K worth of improvements was issued to the restaurant earlier this month, so construction is expected to begin soon in the space that was previously home to Golden Star Buffet.
Jimmie Cone has been serving soft serve ice cream and frozen yogurt in Damascus since 1962, and will open for its 63rd season in March 17. The iconic ice cream spot has an additional location in Mount Airy.
Growing up in Montgomery County, Maryland, Nicholas Sefcik lived in both Damascus and Gaithersburg, where he laid the foundation for his future as an educator and author culminating in his debut book, For The Win!: It’s spOiler Time. Nicholas attended Woodfield Elementary School, Baker Middle School, and Damascus High School, where he thrived both academically and athletically. A notable athlete, he played basketball and football during high school, earning the honor of winning two State Championships in football.
Two Montgomery County Middle Schools to Compete in 13th Annual Real Food for Kids Culinary Challenge
Takoma Park Middle School and Shady Grove Middle School will compete in the 13th Annual Real Food for Kids Culinary Challenge on March 8 at Hayfield Secondary School in Alexandria, Virginia. (more…)
Montgomery College has named Bernadette Maldonado as its new vice president for Development and Alumni Relations and executive director of the Montgomery College Foundation. She brings over 20 years of experience in fundraising and advancement and will oversee philanthropic efforts and community partnerships. (more…)
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UPDATE: D’vario Renee Lewis has been located safe and unharmed. Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – 6th District Investigative Section are asking for the public’s assistance in […]
Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich praised the County Council’s unanimous approval of new Building Energy Performance Standards (BEPS) regulations, which set energy efficiency requirements for commercial and multifamily buildings over 25,000 square feet. (more…)