Business Booming In Frederick County, According To The County Executive

She said many who were surveyed say they like doing business in the county.

 

Frederick, Md (KM) Frederick County Executive spent her public information briefing on Thursday touting the success of local businesses during her term in office. “Over the past four years, we’ve added about 6500 net new jobs across nine industry sectors,” she says. “And that;s good news and the sign of a strong economy.”

Gardner cited the recent opening of two new businesses in the county, TELEFEN and Thermo-Fischer Scientific. She also said another company will be opening in Frederick County on Friday., . “As a German oncology company called In-Veg-U-Med marks the grand opening of its US headquarters in Frederick County. So this is its first headquarters in the United States,” she says.

She says businesses are attracted to the county by its location, growth opportunities, and a high quality of life. “Certainly, my vision and goal is to create all kinds of interesting jobs in Frederick County, jobs that will attract and interest people with a wide variety of skills and interests. So that people who live here can also choose to work here and enjoy our high quality of life,” says Gardner.

Another point, she said, is the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation has recently projected that Frederick County will see the fastest rate of business growth in all of Maryland.

October 15th through the 19th was Business Appreciation Week in the county, and representatives from the Office of Economic Development visited more than 100 companies, thanking them for their work, and giving them some moral support.

Gardner said these businesses were asked to participate in a survey. She said 71% of those polled say that business is better for them this year compared  to last year, and 73% said they plan to expand their operations. “That percentage has increased by almost 150% over four years ago,” she said.

Many of the companies the OED visited were service and manufacturing sectors, agriculture based, health care,  food service  and  non-profits/  These included  companies involved in biotech, education, transportation, recreation, real estate, hospitality. construction, mining and even home-based businesses.

“And every single business–100% of them–said they like doing business in Frederick County,” she said. “And these are businesses from  all across Frederick County from a wide range of industries representing 4300 employees.”

Gardner says local government has made this success  possible through fast-track permitting and free press release service.  And now  there’s  a new video services so businesses can record a pitch to raise money to support their companies and their expansions. And the county has  helped  to recruit employees and find training grants, through the Workforce Services.

 

By Kevin McManus