Views from Charles

When a young Brian Keesee decided in 1996 to open a Crown Trophy franchise, he was fresh out of the Air Force and thought it would be easy. After three years of long hours and eating cheap frozen dinners, he says he realized his error in judgment. ... Read More...

A group of us from the EDD represented Charles County at the ICSC (International Council of Shopping Centers) RECon on May 20-23 in Las Vegas. “We’re working with developers, property owners, brokers and consultants in Charles County ... Read More...

We sat down recently with Darréll Brown,  the EDD director, to learn more about him as a person and the kinds of things he enjoys both on and off the job.

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Did you know that Charles County has the third highest public school graduation rate in Maryland?

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Charles County’s farmers’ markets are back for the 2018 season!

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The recent announcement that Safeway will close their store in Bryans Road came as a surprise – a very bad surprise, to be sure. There was no hint or warning, just some social media buzz over the weekend that we – the economic ... Read More...

Located about 20 miles from Washington, DC, Charles County touts some of the best commercial real estate in Maryland.

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After several years of behind-the-scenes activity, one of the largest economic development projects in recent county history went public in January of last year when Nammo Energetics Indian Head and an official from the naval facility at Indian Head ... Read More...

Brian Seeling, co-owner of Peerless Tech Solutions in La Plata, has always wanted to own his own business. “I was always trying to find ways to be an entrepreneur,” he says. “I wanted to find anything where I was successful and ... Read More...

Our “Meet the EDD” blog series regularly profile a member of our team. Through our interviews, we hope you get to know the hardworking members of our staff that are dedicated to the economic vitality of Charles County.

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For our latest edition of “Looking Local,” we spoke to Paul Peynado, executive vice president and CFO of All Technically Proficient Professionals LLC (ATP2), to learn more about ATP2's cost-effective solutions for businesses and government organizations.

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While business attraction is certainly a component of the work we do, the EDD also places high priority on growing companies that are already in Charles County and doing as much as we can to help them succeed.

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The Indian Head Rail Trail, a scenic 13-mile bike trail built along an abandoned railroad corridor, traverses almost halfway across the county. The James E. Richmond Science Center at St. Charles High School includes a NOAA Science on a ... Read More...

Owner Basile Aziagbe and wife/Managing Director, Dominika M. Plesiak In a specialized industry like healthcare, having the technical skills to do the job is important, but according to Basile Aziagbe of Reliant Healthcare Solutions, ... Read More...

For our latest edition of “Looking Local,” we spoke to Kelsey Pearson, director of marketing at Sagepoint Senior Living Services. 

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As we reflect on 2017 and all that we have achieved as a county and department, collaboration is the common thread among all of Charles County’s economic development accomplishments.

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We just celebrated our Fall Meeting, and we are grateful to our generous sponsors who helped make the meeting a success. The Fall Meeting was sponsored by 19 local businesses and they all make significant contributions to our community in just about ... Read More...

Infographic courtesy of article, "Small Business Saturday Statistics" on grasshopper.com. Online shopping can sound very attractive when considering getting out in the cold and battling holiday traffic on Waldorf’s Route 301. But, this ... Read More...

Learn more about our Chief of Business Development Lucretia Freeman-Buster in our blog series, “Meet the EDD,” where we regularly profile a member of our team. Through our interviews, we hope you get to know the hardworking members of our staff that are dedicated to the economic vitality of Charles County. 

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MD-PACE is an innovative and affordable way for commercial, industrial, and nonprofit building owners in Charles County to pay for energy improvements. In this blog, we highlight some of the program's advantages and discuss how contractors, lenders, and property owners in Charles County can utilize MD-PACE.

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We have started an “EDD Director’s Views” blog series, where our Director, Darrell Brown, will regularly share updates and topics related to economic development. This is the first blog of the series.

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Medical cannabis is here, and with it will come a whirlwind of business opportunities for Charles County. It’s vital our community is educated and equipped with the right tools for success, to have the chance to leverage this industry, as well ... Read More...

Entrepreneurs are the essence of economic development. Without them, Charles County wouldn't be home to new industries or budding small businesses that bring vibrancy and character to our community. “Promoting economic development through ... Read More...

The retail industry is changing. How will Charles County adapt? As one of the most prominent industries in Charles County, the shifting nature of the retail industry is a hot topic locally and nationally. Our Fall Meeting has dedicated an entire ... Read More...

Charles County is evolving. Do you know where we’re going? Join us to get an inside look at the transformation of key industries, the introduction of new ones, and the entrepreneurs who are making it all happen. The Fall Meeting is your ... Read More...

In our latest “Ignite Entrepreneurship” blog, Daniel Thompson, CTO of the newly launched PeakeNet Broadband – a locally owned and operated internet service provider bringing connectivity to rural Maryland communities – shares his insights for other entrepreneurs in Charles County.

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Relationships. That’s what Darlene Breck, entrepreneur and owner of the Southern Maryland Business Center, says ignited her business and ignited her success. Those relationships built over 32 years owning businesses in Charles County are a ... Read More...

For our latest edition of “Looking Local,” we spoke to Cindy Johannessen, owner, operator, and founder of La Plata-based Live Out Loud Yoga. 

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The Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) recently recognized the Charles County Chamber of Commerce with a Membership Achievement Award for Member Retention, an award that acknowledges Chambers with the most effective membership retention strategies nationwide. This blog post explores why the Chamber received this award and what services they offer local businesses. 

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In our newest blog series, “Ignite Entrepreneurship,” we profile local entrepreneurs to learn more about what “ignited” their success, and also gain insights about being an entrepreneur in Charles County. For the first blog of this series, we sat down with Thomas Luginbill, director of the College of Southern Maryland’s newly-established Entrepreneur and Innovation Institute (EII).

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