PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, MD —Prince George’s County has been positioning itself as an attractive place for small business growth and as a result, it’s become one of the fastest growing counties in the Washington DC area.
“We have been the fastest growing county in all of Maryland for the past almost six years, and that was not by accident, that was the result of strategic focus, planning, and really careful execution of those plans, that led us to lead the entire state of Maryland in job growth.” David Iannucci
President and CEO of the Prince George's County Economic Development Corporation told 104.7 WONK FM’s Jen Richer.
Iannucci credits that success to both the wealth of assets at the counties’ fingertips, but also the stability of a federal presence. “We have a very knowledgeable workforce, we have great transportation opportunities, we’re home to the flagship University of Maryland campus in College Park, Maryland, and all of these strengths, along with this major federal presence, have allowed us to grow than any of our neighbors,” Iannucci said.
Success has been years in the making. “Our success was not by accident, it was by careful planning. The county adopted a new strategic plan that identified the key industry sectors where we had the greatest economic growth opportunities, both in the number of jobs but also the quality of jobs,”Iannucci explained.
The pandemic this year, however, has added a few challenges to that trajectory. “We’ve instituted a number of programs to mitigate the effects of the pandemic, but there is no denying that it’s had very difficult impact on our small businesses. As in with the rest of the nation, our restaurant industry and our hospitality industry have been feeling the worst of this pain,” Iannucci described.
With over 90 percent of businesses in Prince George’s County being small businesses, they are working quickly to offer opportunities and support. One of those special programs is the Innovation Station Business Incubator offered to entrepreneurs and small businesses.
“We’re open to new businesses and we would welcome new applications [for the program]. We have physical space, large and small offices, co-working and virtual environments as well …to create a nurturing, supportive environment for these entrepreneurs and these innovators,” Iannucci said.
Listen to the full interview with 104.7 WONK FM’s Jen Richer here:
For more information visit PGCEDC.com.
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