On Tuesday, the he Montgomery County Council approved the 2024-2028 Growth and Infrastructure Policy, which updates guidelines for balancing development with public infrastructure needs, including schools and transportation, to support sustainable growth and enhance the county’s competitiveness and quality of life. (more…)
A Maryland man was arrested for multiple weapons-related charges after detectives uncovered a large weapons cache, including 80 firearms, 3D-printed ghost guns, suppressors, and ammunition, during an investigation that began with a domestic assault report. (more…)
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?”
Sodexo, headquartered in North Bethesda’s Pike & Rose (previously Gaithersburg), has announced its acquisition of CRH Catering, one of the largest independent operators in the Mid-Atlantic region.
The Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) is investigating a fatal collision in Rockville where a 28-year-old man was struck by a Lexus while crossing Veirs Mill Road on October 30; he later died from his injuries on November 11, and authorities are seeking any witnesses. (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.
The Montgomery County Council has passed Bill 20-24, amending the County’s public campaign finance law to increase contribution limits, adjust matching ratios, and enhance support for candidates from diverse backgrounds, with the goal of reducing the influence of big money in politics and fostering a more inclusive electoral process.
Former Georgetown Hoyas basketball head coach Craig Escherick became a member of the Springbrook High School Athletic Hall of Fame last month, joining James Castonguay, Jim Dunne, Omar Evans, Thomas Higdon, Darren McLinton, Ria Peralta, Jenni Pfeiffer, and Kevin Williamson as inductees.
The Salgado family Christmas display, created by siblings Pahan and Supuli Salgado, will have its opening night on November 16, from 6:30-9:00pm at 11104 Knights Ct in Germantown.
A new women’s discount clothing store, Q, is opening at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The store will be located on the mall’s lower level, next to Macy’s. (more…)
Alert Montgomery sent out a ‘Severe Traffic Alert’ at 8:58pm regarding a Traffic incident that has closed the southbound lanes of I-270 at Middlebrook Rd. Per the alert, “Expect significant delays. Seek alternate route.” We will provide additional information if it becomes available.
MCPS today sent a message to the community regarding winter weather and the color-coded statuses that are issued when there is inclement weather. A video (available below) featuring superintendent Dr. Thomas Taylor also accompanied the message and some have wondered if the video implies that decisions would be made earlier than usual for the school district.
The 2024 Festival of Lights will take place from December 5, 2024 to January 1, 2025 at the Washington DC Temple (9900 Stoneybrook Dr in Kensington, MD). At the Festival of Lights, over 500,000 Christmas lights illuminate the temple grounds to ring in the season and celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. The lights will turn on each night at 4:45 PM and go off at 9:00 PM each evening.