In Garrett County, we live with the land, and the land nurtures us back. Today, our fair county is home to more than 30 specialty manufacturers that are inspired by our heritage and natural resources. Our history—and intellectual capital—attract innovators like Beitzel Corporation, Phenix Technologies and Pillar Innovations, who rely on our workforce to create life-saving products within the coal mining industry. Whether we’re casting dies at C. Palmer, or casting sails at Flying Scot, we’re bringing our historic strengths to market. From the industrial parks off I-68 to the agribusinesses on country roads, we’re reinventing and rejuvenating rural manufacturing.
 
We’re celebrating Garrett County’s thriving manufacturing industry this month with a couple of events that will showcase the industry’s growth, as well as our historic talents and our character as a community.
 
Kicking off our celebration is the first conference in the Power of Possibilities Series being hosted by The Greater Cumberland Committee and several other regional organizations at Garrett College in McHenry on Friday, October 24th. Designed with regional infrastructure and ecosystem entities in mind, this conference will offer an update on the region’s economic outlook, as well as advice from industry and government speakers and a toolkit of resources to assist education, government, and nonprofit community organizations for working with entrepreneurs. Visit www.4ruralsuccess.com to learn more.
 
Next up are the Maryland Economic Development Association’s 2014 Fall Conference and Showcase on “Advancing Manufacturing in Maryland” Sunday, October 26th, and Monday, October 27th, at Rocky Gap in Cumberland. This two-day event will kick off MEDA’s fourth annual Economic Development Week, which emphasizes the importance of economic development for the State of Maryland to the general public with initiatives and events held throughout the state.
 
The Showcase, being held from 1 to 5 p.m. on October 26th, will feature Maryland-made products, exhibits by regional manufacturers like Garrett County’s own FireFly Farms, Simon Pearce, Phenix Technologies, and Pillar Innovations, local food samples, and networking to gear up for the conference set for 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. the following day. Sponsored in part by the Garrett County Office of Economic Development, MEDA’s Fall Conference will highlight Maryland’s momentum as a manufacturing powerhouse. We’ll deepen the dialogue among industry professionals as we explore Maryland’s manufacturing sectors on the move and hear from pacesetters in the industry who will share game-changing opportunities within the global economy. Visit MEDAmd.com to learn more and register for MEDA’s Fall Conference and Showcase.
 
In Garrett County, we understand that specialty manufacturing thrives in a sustainable space, and we continue to bolster the industry’s success. Our clean mountain air, water, and green-energy sources help companies create quality products in an energy-efficient setting. Our wide, open spaces and industrial parks offer room to grow. Local Enterprise Zones offer tax credits in return for job creation. And together with the State, we offer a variety of loans, financing, and workforce development programs that position companies for prosperity.
 
We truly are reinventing rural manufacturing here in Garrett County.
 
We hope you’ll join us in celebrating our county’s growing manufacturing industry this month. To learn more, visit www.ReinventingRural.com, call us at 301-334-1921, or email us at economicdevelopment@garrettcounty.org.