From Montgomery County Chamber President Georgette Godwin

Working together with hundreds of key business leaders, the Montgomery County Chamber plays a pivotal role in ensuring that Montgomery County is and will remain a great place to live, work and do business-and, especially to grow a business.

We know there are still significant challenges for our region on the economic front. But we also know, that, because of our many assets, our geographic location, and the vision and innovation of our leading employers, we are well-positioned or continued prosperity in the future, if we employ the right strategies to build on these strengths.

Now, more than ever, we believe it is imperative that we sharpen our ability to attract additional world-class corporations and federal agencies to Montgomery County, and especially to nurture the success of the businesses that are already here.

The Montgomery County Chamber also is working to obtain increased funding for the Transportation Trust Fund, to promote economic development, to support our educational institutions, and to ensure a competitive business climate here in Maryland. We are also playing a leading role in helping to ensure the success of a new, green economy, and to align the interests of both business and the environment.

One of Montgomery County’s natural strengths is our proximity to the federal government. With 19 federal agencies in Montgomery County, our business community has a tremendous advantage in growing companies that provide services to the federal government. With government spending at an all-time high, our GovConNet program provides opportunities for federal contractors to meet directly with procurement officers at these agencies, and other unique opportunities to ensure their growth.

The Montgomery County Chamber is firmly committed to doing all we can to ensure that our community is a prominent regional, national and global competitor. Our business and public sector leaders are inventing the future through innovation in life sciences, energy, environmental, high technology, and cutting edge services. By growing jobs in these key areas, we can and will create a sustainable future for our community.

From Frederick County Chamber President Richard Adams

Each year, the Chamber hosts business leaders, faith leaders, elected officials, students, and other members of the community at “Envisioning 2027,” where participants brainstorm ideas for improving life in Frederick County, and commit to making it happen. This year’s idea is an online community calendar, which is being produced and administered for the Chamber by The Frederick News-Post. Nonprofit and community organizations can add their event listing to the calendar, free of charge, up to a year in advance. Open communication is the best way to break down barriers, and the Chamber is thrilled to provide a way for community groups to share their news.

In other matters, in June 2009, the Chamber presented its first-ever Social Media Conference, an all-day event that provided an intensive review of strategies and tools that businesses can use to reach out to customers and grow their bottom line. Over 100 attendees participated in customized sessions for beginning, intermediate, and advanced users. The conference received outstanding reviews from members and other local professionals, and the Chamber plans another new media and technology conference in February 2010. Check online for the call for presenters, attendee registration, and other info: www.frederickchamber.org.

The Chamber was recently acknowledged as one of the Gazette of Politics and Business’s top 53 businesses and organizations in Maryland, based on criteria that included annual revenue and employee growth, as well as noteworthy innovations, community service efforts, response to the economic downturn, and work environment.

From Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber President Marilyn Balcombe

One of the most important economic development issues for any area is having a strong work force. When companies are deciding where to locate their business, they evaluate access to employees and the quality of life for them. For employers in the county and Metropolitan D.C., the Interstate 270 Corridor is a critical transportation corridor providing access to employees who live in the outer suburbs.

Dating back to the 1964 General Plan for Montgomery County, the Corridor Cities Transitway (CCT) is the Red-Line Extension that links the Shady Grove Metro Station to Clarksburg, with an ultimate extension to Frederick. One of the biggest hurdles for the CCT is educating the community as to what the CCT is and why it is so important. It is also critical to convince the governor, the secretary of transportation, and our state legislators that the CCT is an important project for the entire county, the region, and the state.

It is needed now. Congestion on I-270 has reached an intolerable level in Montgomery County and is projected to worsen daily, negatively impacting the lives of all citizens and employees. The CCT is a logical transit extension of the Red line, which will remove thousands of cars from I-270 daily, improving commute times, quality of life, and air quality along the I-270 corridor. Smart transit-oriented development along the corridor is waiting for the transit to happen. Crown Farm, Metropolitan Grove, Germantown and Clarksburg all have transit stops and will all need additional transportation infrastructure. The I-270 employment corridor needs the CCT to reach its full potential as a designation for employers.

The project, which is eligible for federal funding as a result of being included in the recent Federal Transportation Authorization Bill, is ready to go. Eighty percent of the right of way for the CCT has been set aside for its future construction and land has also been set aside for stations, parking lots and garages, all of which will promote greater economic benefit in the form of location incentives for much-needed and attractive transit-oriented development. What’s more, the CCT alignment is congruent with emerging land use patterns that will ensure ridership in transit-oriented developments that are promoting their proximity to the line.