Montreal-based Garage is set to open a new location at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda, taking over the recently vacated Aeropostale space. (more…)
The Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) provided mutual aid to the Prince George’s County Fire Department (PGFD) for a house fire on Sir Walter Drive in Glenn Dale at approximately 10:05 a.m. on Thursday, January 30. (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?”
A hit-and-run in Gaithersburg on January 27, 2025, led to a stolen vehicle, a home invasion in Germantown, and an armed police pursuit across state lines, ending in Virginia with the arrest of 32-year-old Esmeraldo Martinez De La Cruz, who was reported missing from New York along with his 4-year-old daughter. Martinez now faces multiple charges in both Virginia and Montgomery County. (more…)
The Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) is investigating an armed home invasion which a suspect impersonating a police officer entered a residence in Silver Spring, threatened the victim with a handgun, and demanded money before fleeing. (more…)
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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.
Red Robin is celebrating Valentine’s Day by giving one lucky couple the chance to win a $10,000 engagement ring and free Towering Onion Rings for their engagement by proposing with an onion ring at a Red Robin location and sharing their love story online between Feb. 13-19. Red Robin currently has one Montgomery County location at 20001 Century Blvd in Germantown. Full details below courtesy Red Robin:
13 seniors from Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) have earned a full-tuition scholarship from QuestBridge, a national nonprofit organization that connects high-achieving high school seniors from low-income backgrounds with more […]
The Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) is investigating a double shooting at the Warwick Apartments in Silver Spring on January 17, 2025, and are seeking the public’s help in identifying the suspect, with a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to an arrest. (more…)
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Looking for the best spots in to celebrate National Ice Cream for Breakfast Day this Saturday? From frozen custard breakfast sandwiches at Carmen’s to espresso-infused scoops at The Charmery, there’s no shortage of sweet morning treats to enjoy on Saturday, February 1! (more…)
Montgomery County’s Department of Alcohol Beverage Services (ABS) will begin accepting mobile IDs at its Westbard retail store, making it the first government-run alcohol distribution system in the region to accept mobile IDs for age verification when purchasing alcohol. Following the pilot program, ABS may expand this initiative to all its 27 retail stores.
MoCo High School Sports Scores for Jan 29, 2025:
The Maryland Department of Labor’s Office of Financial Regulation, along with 47 other state regulators, reached an $80 million settlement with Block, Inc. for failing to comply with anti-money laundering and Bank Secrecy Act laws, with Maryland receiving $1.6 million and Block agreeing to improve its compliance program. (more…)