MEDA Announces 2025 Award Winners
Baltimore, MD (February 17, 2025) – The Maryland Economic Development Association (MEDA) is pleased to announce the winners of the 2025 MEDA Annual Awards, sponsored by Miles & Stockbridge P.C. Annually, the MEDA Awards recognize the people, programs, and projects bringing economic prosperity to Maryland.
“Each year, selecting the MEDA award winners is a rewarding challenge, as we are fortunate to have so many outstanding people, programs, and projects making a meaningful impact across Maryland,” says MEDA President Richard G. Griffin, CEcD. “It’s a great challenge to have, as these efforts are directly shaping the future of our state and driving lasting economic prosperity for communities statewide.”
The Economic Development Project Awards honor entities for their significant contributions to Maryland’s economy. This year, the Large Community Project Award recognizes the revitalization of the Hoen Lithograph Campus in East Baltimore, which had been vacant for over 35 years. The transformed campus now serves as a hub for mission-driven organizations and social enterprises, creating over 175 new jobs and training thousands of apprentices and job seekers. The Small Community Project Award was awarded to Oasis Fresh Foods Market, which renovated and expanded a deteriorating building in the heart of the Town of Indian Head. Since opening in October 2024, Oasis has created 15 local jobs and plans to implement profit-sharing to further empower the community. The redevelopment also supported the local food ecosystem by sourcing produce and goods from local businesses.
MEDA’s Economic Development Program Award honors organizations for their innovative initiatives that promote best practices in areas such as financing, workforce development, tourism, and agriculture. The Large Community Program Award is awarded to the Baltimore Gas and Electric Company’s (BGE) Smart Energy for Economic Development (SEED) program for its efforts to eliminate infrastructure costs as a barrier to development. The program has helped create thousands of jobs, attract investment, and expand the local tax base, fueling long-term economic growth. Queen Anne’s County Career Center Initiative has been awarded the Small Community Program Award for its two-phase workforce development approach, which emphasizes Career Technology Education (CTE) and supports the skilled trades pipeline. By connecting employers with high school students and creating new internships and apprenticeships, the program has become a statewide model, benefiting students, parents, and educators.
MEDA’s Marketing Award recognizes organizations that have achieved exceptional results through comprehensive campaigns in economic development advertising, marketing, and public relations. The award focuses on initiatives that drive business growth and community revitalization. In the Large Community category, the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation’s “Be Next” campaign was honored for its successful effort to position Montgomery County as a prime destination for business relocation and expansion. The campaign targeted CEOs and C-suite executives in key industries, along with residents and stakeholders, using a mix of traditional and digital media to promote the county as the ideal place to start or grow a business. In the Small Community category, Make It. In The Mountains, a collaboration between Allegany and Garrett Counties and the Maryland Department of Commerce received recognition for its focused campaign to attract and retain businesses in sectors such as apparel, outdoor vehicles, timber, and specialty foods. The campaign, which reached over 54,800 unique digital interactions, aims to enhance the region’s economic profile and foster sustainable growth by targeting businesses with the highest potential for success, minimizing risks, and maximizing resources.
This year, a Transformative Economic Development Award will be presented to The Baltimore Street Project in recognition of its remarkable efforts to redevelop historically significant buildings along Baltimore Street in Cumberland, that had long sat vacant. This revitalization has reshaped the city, reducing vacant buildings, attracting private investment, boosting the tax base by millions, and creating a vibrant space for residents, workers, and visitors.
The selected projects, programs, and marketing awards will be recognized during the MEDA Awards Banquet at the MEDA Annual Conference on April 28, 2025, at the Hyatt Regency in Cambridge, Maryland. To learn more, please visit www.medamd.com.
About MEDA
MEDA is a nonprofit organization of economic development professionals. Established in 1961, MEDA members promote the economic well-being of Maryland by working to improve the state’s business climate and the professionalism of those in the field of economic development.
MEDA’s membership includes economic development practitioners employed by the government, businesses, and chambers of commerce as well as other professionals with an interest in the economy of Maryland. Through its regular meetings, special programs, and projects, members address such diverse issues as local planning, workforce, transportation, international trade, tourism, and finance.
MEDA members work diligently to transform lives by creating opportunities, inspiring innovation, and enriching communities in Maryland. To learn more about MEDA, visit www.medamd.com.
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MEDIA CONTACT:
Mia Vaccaro
mia@pprstrategies.com
240.608.4446
