2021 was a busy year in Frederick County. From grants to grand openings, the Office of Economic Development worked hard to support the county’s businesses and bring in new projects. Here are a few of the highlights of our year at OED:
- Attended more than 50 ribbon cuttings/grand openings/business anniversaries
- Virtually visited 100 businesses who recently started, expanded or located to Frederick County during Business Appreciation Week 2021
- Awarded more than 6 million dollars in grants to Frederick County businesses including Hospitality & Lodging, Food Service, Childcare Technology, Homegrown Technology, Online Sales & Technology, and Small Business Grants
- Presented 24 Agriculture Innovation Grants totaling more than $504,000
- Celebrated the opening of major life sciences companies Kite Pharma and Tonix Pharmaceuticals
- Welcomed back The Great Frederick Fair, including the Homegrown Frederick Wineries, Breweries & Distilleries Showcase and the various Agriculture awards
- Reaffirmed Frederick County’s AAA bond rating
- Recognized the 2021 Best Places to Work in Frederick County including Frederick National Lab for Cancer Research, Dustin Construction, Dynamic Automotive, Dr. Harvey Levy & Associates, and Octavo Designs
- Helped Matan Companies break ground on Progress Labs at Riverside I, a biomanufacturing site in Riverside Research Park
- Celebrated Quantum Loophole’s purchase of the former Alcoa Eastalco site, which will be turned into a first-of-its-kind environmentally friendly data center campus
- Welcomed Australian biotech company Ellume with the announcement of the company’s first U.S. location, right here in Frederick County
- Created the Frederick County Craft Beverage Passport filled with coupons and discounts for local breweries, wineries and distilleries
- Distributed more than 7,000 masks to Frederick County restaurants and craft beverage businesses at no cost
- Gave our Diversity & Inclusion program a makeover: a new name (EmPOWER), but a continued focus on networking and education
- Unveiled the 2021 issue of our Top 50 Frederick publication (the biggest one yet), featuring 100 legacy businesses who have called Frederick County home for at least 2 decades
We can’t wait to see what 2022 has in store for Frederick County. To keep up with the latest business news in Frederick County, make sure to sign up for our monthly e-newsletter here.
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