Beginning on January 1st, a new law known as HB 1339 – recently approved by the Maryland General Assembly and endorsed by Governor Wes Moore—will expand coverage to include adults. This law mandates that insurers, HMOs, and nonprofit health service organizations provide a certain level of coverage for hearing aids for adults.
Prince George’s County Police Homicide Unit detectives charged a suspect in connection with a fatal shooting that occurred in December. The suspect is 20-year-old Jaiden Thomas of Silver Spring. He is charged with fatally shooting 18-year-old Rasheed Davis of Germantown, MD.
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?”
This past summer, Tara Thai closed its Rockville location at 12071 Rockville Pike in Montrose Crossing permanently. THAIROCK is now open in the space– a restaurant by the owners Thaisons, located in Falls Church, VA.
Earlier this week, we reported that 7-Eleven had closed its location at 8472 Piney Branch Rd in The Flower Center shopping center at the intersection of Piney Branch Rd and Flower Ave in Takoma Park. We have also learned that the 7-Eleven at 1701 Rockville Pike in The Shops at Congressional Village has also recently closed after ten years in business. (more…)
We’ve Got the Ticket to Every Sunday Showdown! 🏈🔥
Catch every live out-of-market Sunday game with NFL Sunday Ticket this football season at Lucky Strike Rockville!
Come enjoy the day at our annual Washington Grove Arts and Craft Festival in a beautiful outdoor setting. This festival highlights local artisans including wood creations, pottery, visual art, household products and so much more. We also have food trucks from El Parente Tacos, El Jeffe Wood-fired pizzas, Bruster’s Ice Cream and beverages from Saints Row Brewery. Bring the whole family because we have a kids activity area too. Pets on a leash are welcome too!
Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) released a bus network redesign plan based on the Ride On Reimagined Study, introducing improved routes, expanded coverage, and new services to enhance transit access and sustainability, including the transition to zero-emission buses and long-term visions for expanded rapid transit lines.
The Mega Millions jackpot has grown to an estimated $1.15 billion for the Friday, December 27 drawing, making it the fifth-largest in the game’s history. A $1 million-winning Mega Millions ticket sold at a Wawa in Bel Air, MD remains unclaimed as of Wednesday, December 25. Additional details below courtesy Mega Millions:
Rockville will honor Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy with its 53rd annual celebration, featuring a unity gathering on Sunday, January 19, and community service activities, including assembling care kits, making blankets, and park cleanups, to promote service and community betterment. (more…)
Considered one of the quintessential Christmas films, Home Alone has captured the hearts of audiences for generations. This beloved holiday classic not only entertains, but also boasts a fascinating connection to Montgomery County through two of its stars: Daniel Stern and the late John Heard.
On Monday, Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) responded to Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda on Friday, December 23, after a fire broke out in the utility room of Kapow Buddy restaurant. (more…)
Since its opening in 2019, Pumpernickel & Rye in Urbana has established itself as a must-visit destination for deli lovers in Frederick County. The innovative deli offers a fresh take on classic favorites, featuring house-made pastrami, roast beef brisket, and smoked turkey, and now it’s operated by Montgomery County’s Jonny Allen, who is the founder of Pizza CS and CSNY Pizza (1020 Rockville Pike).
Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – 4th District Patrol Investigation Unit are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying suspects who attempted to steal and assaulted an employee at a clothing store.