Economic Development Committee Briefing: MCEDC's Efforts to Create a Comprehensive Economic Strategy10/6/2021
MCCC’s Economic Development Committee met on October 6, 2021 to hear a presentation on the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation’s (MCEDC) efforts to create a Comprehensive Economic Strategy (CES). Providing the presentation were MCEDC’s Bill Tompkins, Executive VP and COO, Brad Stewart, SVP of Business Development, and Nadia Khan, Counsel and Special Projects Manager. MCEDC is tasked with putting together a new five-year strategic economic development plan for Montgomery County, which is due by December 31, 2021. The CES is focused on addressing several issues, including housing, workforce development, and business development while including a plan for a diversified and thriving economy, racial and social equity, innovation, and environmental sustainability. MCEDC also engaged MCCC members in a listening session to get input and direction on key issues and economic development priorities. View the powerpoint below: 
 On September 15, 2021, MCCC held a joint Economic Development Committee/Legislative Affairs Committee meeting focused on what happens next for 5G in Montgomery County. Joining the joint committee meeting were Councilmember Hans Riemer, Ashlie Greenspan, Public Affairs Manager, Crown Castle and LaTara Harris, Regional Director, External & Legislative Affairs, AT&T. After several years of deliberation, the Montgomery County Council passed a zoning text amendment (ZTA) that creates a regulatory pathway to the adoption and installation of 5G technologies. Councilmember Riemer, the sponsor of ZTA 19-07, said that it was important to move Montgomery County forward by allowing 5G technologies. Panelists noted that these new technologies not only provide great connectivity and faster Internet speeds, but they help close the digital divide. They also pave the way for smart cities technology and improved telehealth capabilities. There are still challenges that remain with the implementation of 5G, including the lack of local authority to allow microtrenching, which is a quicker and less disruptive construction method for installing fiber to support 5G technologies. The Chamber is a longtime supporter of 5G technologies and will continue to advocate in support of this issue.   MCCC’s Infrastructure and Land Use Committee met on September 14, 2021. This meeting featured a discussion with the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) regarding the Building Energy Performance Standards (BEPS) legislation and how it relates to the County’s proposed Climate Action Plan. DEP Director Adam Ortiz provided remarks along with Lindsey Shaw, Manager of Energy and Sustainability Programs, Stan Edwards, Chief of DEP’s Energy, Climate and Compliance Division, and Emily Curley, Commercial Energy Program Manager. To meet long-term County energy performance standards, the BEPS bill expands the number of buildings covered by benchmarking requirements. Currently, the only jurisdictions that have BEPS are Washington, D.C., St. Louis, Missouri, New York City, and Washington State. The Chamber advocated that the Montgomery County Council make several amendments to the BEPS bill, including a delayed implementation of 18 months while the County recovers from the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. View the powerpoint presented below.
 On July 14, 2021, the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce Legislative Affairs Committee welcomed guest speaker Richard Madaleno, Chief Administrative Officer for County Executive Marc Elrich.
Madaleno focused his remarks on COVID-19, the County's budget, and the County Executive's policy priorities. He shared that Montgomery County has vaccinated 91% of eligible residents with at least one dose, which is vital to economic recovery. The unemployment rate in Montgomery County prior to the pandemic was hovering around 3.1%. It peaked at 8.6% after the start of the pandemic and now sits at 5.6%. On November 2, 2020, the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce Infrastructure and Land Use Committee held a meeting featuring a briefing on the Thrive Montgomery 2050 Plan.
Guest speakers were Montgomery County (MD) Planning Board Chair Casey Anderson and Montgomery Planning staff. A discussion regarding the future of Montgomery County followed.  Left: Mark Penn, President & Managing Partner, The Stagwell Group Right, Top: Leslie Ford Weber, MCCC Immediate Past Board Chair and Director of Campus, Government & Community Affairs, Johns Hopkins University & Medicine Right, Bottom: Gigi Godwin, MCCC President & CEO Immediately following our September Board of Directors Meeting, Mark Penn (President & Managing Partner, The Stagwell Group) and John Gerzema (CEO, The Harris Poll) provided a special presentation to MCCC's Board of Directors, members, and invited guests. The presentation was titled, "America... In the Next 90 Days: Latest Consumer Data and Insight from The Harris Poll.
This presentation was moderated by Leslie Ford Weber, Immediate Past Board Chair and Director of Campus, Government, & Community Affairs, Johns Hopkins University & Medicine.  On Wednesday, August 26, 2020, the MCCC Board of Directors hosted a Health System CEOs Panel, joined by:
This panel was moderated by MCCC Board Member Bridget Plummer, Director of Operations for Urgent Care Services, Adventist HealthCare.  Montgomery County Councilmember Andrew Friedson updates MCCC Members on his first-year accomplishments and vision for the remainder of his term.  Left to right: MCCC Infrastructure & Land Use Committee Co-Chair Bob Elliott, COG Deputy Executive Director for Metropolitan Planning Kanti Srikanth, COG Executive Director Chuck Bean, Land Use & Infrastructure Committee Chair Gus Bauman, and MCCC President & CEO Gigi Godwin. MCCC's Infrastructure & Land Use Committee was pleased to host Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) Executive Director Chuck Bean and Deputy Executive Director for Metropolitan Planning Kanti Srikanth. These guests speakers led a robust discussion on the future of transportation and housing in our region, including transportation and future initiatives to support our region's growth over the next 25 years.
View this PowerPoint presentation here.  Left to right: Lou Boland (BOLAND), Erin Allen (CONTEMPORARIES, Inc.), Bruce Lansdowne (Trinity Technology Partners, Inc.), Kal Attia (CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield) On Thursday, December 12, MCCC’s Small Business Committee – headed by Vice-Chair Erin Allen (CONTEMPORARIES, Inc.) and Co-Chair Kal Attia (CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield) hosted the final Business EXCELerator of the year. The topic was “Meet the Award Winners and Learn From the Best!” and featured the following guest speakers who were recently recognized at MCCC’s 2019 Business Awards Dinner:
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