Business Visit to the Plamondon Companies

Director of Economic Development Richard Griffin participated in a business retention visit at the Plamondon Companies with representatives of Frederick County including Commission President Blaine Young.  The Plamondon Companies employ several hundred in the Frederick area at Roy Rogers restaurants and Marriott hotels.  

Chamber of Commerce Holds CIty Business Update

The Chamber of Commerce held its annual City Business Update at City Hall with the Mayor Randy McClement and the Board of Aldermen.   The City of Frederick Department of Economic Development was highlighted along with other city departments.   Attending the event were Heather Gramm and Richard Griffin.   Frederick is home to 3,500 businesses and 49,000 employees.

2012 Frederick County Entrepreneur Council Annual Awards

The Entrepreneur Council of Frederick hosted its annual awards dinner with 185 in attendance at Linganore Wine Cellars.   Winning awards were Carl Zukus (CV Wallets), Julia Schillaci (Soapprizes),  Phil Bowers (Fountain Rock Management), Dr. Maria Higgins (Unique Optique), Rob and Debbie Truelove (Signs by Tomorrow), Jean-Lois LePlage (Custom Imprints), and Jim Caruso (Flying Dog Brewery).  Richard Griffin, Director of Economic Development for the City  was on hand for the awards.

Five Questions with Richard Griffin, City Economic Development

1. What does your office do?

We are advocates for the 3,500 businesses and 49,000 employees who call Frederick home. We focus on retaining them and helping them expand. This means working on permitting, workforce, development policies and regulations, infrastructure and business incentives. Recruiting new businesses is also an important part of our strategy and requires that we engage with companies regionally and internationally. 

2. What is your department's biggest challenge?

National economics aside, the biggest challenge is infrastructure capacity and cost. Utilities are difficult for some businesses, and transportation is equally challenging. That said, we know that most communities in our region face these issues. Frederick is well positioned to deliver talented employees and top-notch buildings as the economy continues to improve. 

3. How do you promote Frederick to businesses?

Frederick is a unique community with an enviable quality of life. Once a business executive visits Frederick, we know that our chances of landing that company and keeping it here is high. We use our website at www.businessinfrederick.com, along with social media, advertising and trade shows to market Frederick. 

4. What is the biggest company you've landed?

More than 97 percent of Frederick's businesses are small, entrepreneurial shops. We are fortunate to have larger companies like MedImmune, US Silica, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, Wegmans, Charles River Labs and others. Frederick's hi-tech business incubator has churned out over 200 jobs and dozens of businesses including Akonni Biosystems, WGS, Widearea Systems and Imagillin Technologies. All companies play a part in the Frederick economic ecosystem. 

5. How did you get involved in economic development?

I spent many years in city and regional planning in Greenville, S.C., Seattle, Frederick, and Leesburg. That evolved into becoming involved in urban revitalization as director of the Downtown Frederick Partnership and finally into my role at the City of Frederick as director of economic development for the past 10 years.