Names announced for new Economic Development Board
Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett sent the County Council this week a list of nominees to be appointed as members of the county’s new Economic Development Corporation Board. The board will be responsible for overseeing the nonprofit corporation, which will promote business in the county. The nonprofit corporation will replace the county’s existing Department of Economic Development with what Leggett has described as a “more nimble” entity capable of responding to the needs of the business community. It is also expected to align the county’s economic development program with that overseen by similar nonprofits in Fairfax and Howard counties. The council is scheduled Tuesday to discuss economic development goals with the proposed board appointees. The board will include 11 voting members as well as three ex-officio members that will represent the county executive, County Council and the state’s secretary of commerce.
Here’s who Leggett nominated:
- James Brady of Gaithersburg – vice president of finance for Medimmune/Astrazenca – One-year term
- Terry Forde of Rockville – president and CEO of Adventist HealthCare Inc. – One-year term
- Ronald Paul of Bethesda – CEO of Eagle Bancorp Inc. – One-year term
- Sanjay Rai of Rockville – senior vice president for academic affairs at Montgomery College – One-year term
- Robert G. Brewer Jr. of Bethesda – partner at Lerch Early & Brewer – Two-year term
- Cidalia Luis-Akbar of Gaithersburg – president and owner of M. Luis Construction- Two-year term
- Olga Sage of Silver Spring – CEO of e-Management – Two-year term
- Tien Wong of Chevy Chase – chairman of Opus8 – Two-year term
- Robert Buchanan of Gaithersburg – partner at Buchanan Partners – Three-year term
- Angela Graham – president and CEO of Quality Biological – Three-year term
- Not yet determined – representative from WorkSource Montgomery (the workforce development representative) – Three-year term
- Liliy Qi – representing the county executive – Ex-officio member, no term attached
- Jacob Sesker – representing the County Council – Ex-officio member, no term attached
- Michael Gill – representing Maryland’s secretary of commerce – Ex-officio member, no term attached
Two new stores open, one on the way at Westfield Montgomery
The Bethesda mall Westfield Montgomery is adding a few new options before the holiday season. Lolli and Pops, a San Francisco-based candy shop known for its huge selection and colorful stores, opened Oct. 23. Yogibo, a bean bag and pillow store, opened Oct. 22. And Alex and Ani, a chain of jewelry stores that sells popular bracelets and other items, expects to open in early November.
New Wheaton movie theater applies for liquor license
AMC’s new Wheaton movie theater at the Westfield Wheaton mall, which is scheduled to open in the spring, will likely serve alcohol. The national theater chain applied to the county for a liquor license and is scheduled to go before the Board of License Commissioners Nov. 5. The new theater will include nine screens, and offer reclining seats and an expanded menu of food outside of the traditional popcorn and candy. According to the company’s website, it will also be the first AMC theater in the state to serve alcohol, if it receives a county license, but not the first in the region—the AMC Mazza Gallerie in Friendship Heights serves beer, wine and cocktails.