Guest feature: Pam Ruff is the Executive Director of the the Maryland Economic Development Association. Follow MEDA on Facebook and Twitter.
On October 22, we kick off Economic Development Week in Maryland to highlight the positive impact that is made every day in the name of job creation and investment in our future.
Maryland’s community of economic developers, businesses and government leaders usher dreams that build business into the pipeline. At this very moment, economic and community development professionals throughout the state are providing start-up support, gap funding, workforce training, and location assistance, among other services, to help businesses fuel forward motion. These public and private sector partners transform our communities, one passion project at a time.
When a business owner needs more space, more training, or more capital, they call on our economic development community to assist them with their needs. Entrepreneurs with innovative ideas turn to economic developers to help move the needle forward on their professional goals. If a building is renovated downtown, a groundbreaking takes place on a property that will employ residents in the area, or a restaurant gets new equipment to expand their services to customers…you can bet an economic developer was involved in making it happen.
As Executive Director of the Maryland Economic Development Association (MEDA), I watch economic development professionals, our members, attract and expand businesses, revitalize Main Streets, beautify neighborhoods and improve infrastructure all the time. From raising your home value to cutting your commute, economic development touches every aspect of your life.
Economic development transforms lives by creating opportunities, inspiring innovation, and enriching communities. Get to know more about what economic developers do and who they are by joining our statewide celebration of Economic Development Week from October 22-28. This week provides jurisdictions an opportunity to reaffirm the importance of business development within their communities. It also gives citizens the forum to ask good questions about projects in the works within your town or city.
To engage in the dialogue:
- Go to medamd.com for a list of local Economic Development Week activities
- Visit your local economic development office website for news, resources and programs
- Join a civic or neighborhood association to make your mark
- Attend a conference or program to network with the economic developers in your community, city, state, or region
Whether you float a new idea, attend a workshop or meet an inspiring entrepreneur, Economic Development Week is your chance to participate in progress.
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