This trip is no vacation.
Gathering a group of the region?s business, government and educational leaders, the Economic Alliance of Greater Baltimore took its annual visit to a site targeted for relocation by the Base Realignment and Closure initiative. The delegation of movers and shakers went to Fort Monmouth, N.J., to meet workers, contractors and businesses that are interested in relocation.
And with Maryland estimating BRAC to bring about 40,000 jobs to the region, these trips can help the region secure big business.
“It is critical that the region shows genuinely that it is working together to respond to the challenges and opportunities that arise from BRAC,” said Andrew Frank, deputy mayor of neighborhood and economic development. “I believe that businesses that we met and the Defense Department civilians were comforted by the fact that the region has its act together and is there to listen and respond to concerns.”
Typically, the Economic Alliance takes a trip similar to this twice a year, but since 2005, it has taken a BRAC slant on the visits, said Thomas Sadowski, executive vice president for the Economic Alliance.
Other destinations included New York, Boston and Chicago. Consisting of 23 members, this most recent delegation included Sadowski, Frank, Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown, Harford County Executive David Craig, Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith and Cecil County Commissioner William Manlove.
In the meetings, the delegation made presentations to Maj. Gen. Michael R. Mazzucchi and Gary P. Martin, the technical director of a company, CERDEC, coming to Aberdeen Proving Ground. Potential obstacles like job options, infrastructure and education were all discussed in roundtable formats, with representatives from the University of Maryland, College Park, University of Baltimore and Towson University all discussing their roles in BRAC.
“A lot of these companies already are established defense contract service providers and to some extent may have business at APG or Fort Meade, but these transactions are in response to the growth at both installations,” Sadowski said. “The discussion points all surfaced around kind of in a three-legged stool, [balancing government, business and education].”
The next networking event for the Economic Alliance is tentatively scheduled for the Washington area in the fall.
