Contact: David Edgerley or Marie Friedman, 301-217-2345
For Immediate Release: May 20, 1998

County Executive, Business Leaders Unveil
1998 Economic Development Action Agenda

Montgomery County Executive Douglas M. Duncan and other County officials teamed up with business leaders today to unveil an economic action agenda for 1998 that features some 30 initiatives for strengthening the local economy and the County's business retention and recruitment efforts.

"We're here today not to bask in the state of our economy," said Duncan, "but, rather, to make it clear that we are going to continue to do all we can to ensure that Montgomery County remains the community of choice for businesses and residents. Now is not the time to be complacent. Today's marketplace is quite vibrant and if Montgomery County is to achieve its full economic development potential, then we must continue to be aggressive in our efforts to retain, attract and expand our business base."

One of the key initiatives in the 1998 Economic Action Agenda is the establishment of the Montgomery Business Alliance, Inc., a new, non-profit entity which will serve as a catalyst and conduit for maximizing and leveraging private and public marketing dollars in promoting Montgomery County, both internally and externally as a premiere location to live, work and do business.

"The Alliance, through its corporate and public partners, will allow Montgomery County to more effectively utilize resources within the County and be more competitive globally," said Duncan.

Other key initiatives include:

• the creation of a partnership to plan a major biotechnology conference in Montgomery County in the year 2001;
• establishment of a one-stop center to provide employment, training and educational programs accessible to all residents, as a priority for the County's workforce development efforts;
• support for major State legislative initiatives aimed at enhancing the quality of the local workforce, including the implementation of a tuition assistance program for technology disciplines, the establishment of a University of Maryland Global Learning Connection in Montgomery County, funding for a second building for the Johns Hopkins University Montgomery County Center, and funding for advanced technology programs at Montgomery College;
• establishment of the Montgomery County Technology Growth fund; completion of construction and operation of the expanded technology incubator, The Maryland Technology Development Center, at the Shady Grove Life Sciences Center;
• an expansion of the County's "green tape" program to fast-track projects that have significant impacts on the county; and
• the development, through the workings of the Economic Advisory Council, a six-year economic development strategy for Montgomery County.

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