Reboot

The Economic Alliance of Greater Baltimore newsletter is going through a reboot. Let me introduce myself and explain…

I am Michele Whelley, and, as of last month, the newly appointed president and CEO of the EAGB. Over the past few weeks, I’ve taken a deep dive into the organization, reviewing previous marketing materials, talking with members of our Board, partner organizations and other stakeholders to evaluate how the Alliance can best market the Greater Baltimore region to support and foster economic growth. There is much to be done and I look forward to leading that charge.

Together with COO Sharon Markley Schreiber and other EAGB staff, I envision moving forward with a robust industry-focused marketing and communications strategy and platform that supports, leverages, and acts as a catalyst for economic growth and vitality throughout the Greater Baltimore region. Our newsletter –Region On Point – is being updated to reflect that strategy. Here’s what you can expect as part of its evolution:

Thematic monthly highlights on various industry sectors with a focus on supporting and strengthening those sectors
Reoccurring content areas on employment and workforce
A new quality of life section where the richness of our Region’s art, culture and entertainment will be celebrated
A special section where the Region’s localities will have the opportunity to highlight a project, person or initiative (or all three!)
And lastly, an interactive component in the newsletter allowing readers to give us direct feedback

Given the pace of distribution of news in this “digital” age, our marketing platform must be current and topical and distributed through multiple communication channels in order to reach audiences locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. A monthly newsletter, blog posts, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter posts, and a regional video series will continue to be avenues for the Alliance to highlight the activities, projects and people that are making a positive economic difference within our seven-jurisdiction Greater Baltimore region -- Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Cecil, Carroll, Harford, and Howard Counties and Baltimore City. As we work to strengthen regional messaging and underscore region-specific assets, the Alliance will:

emphasize high-growth industry sectors and infrastructure that supports those sectors,
amplify the Region’s highly-trained workforce, site location andtransportation assets along the mid-Atlantic coast,
support the Region’s world-class educational institutions and hospitals,
elevate awareness of Greater Baltimore’s proximity to federal agencies,
and celebrate the abundance of art, culture and entertainment which add to quality of life in our Region.

While being topical, what we communicate via the Alliance’s marketing platform will reflect not only the priorities of each of our jurisdictions, but also serve as the connective tissue between economic development activity and opportunities throughout the Region. What occurs in one locality has a direct and/or indirect benefits that are realized throughout the Region. Consequently, we will look to our economic development partners in local jurisdictions, the institutions and businesses represented on our Board, other stakeholders and partners, and you, our readers, for contributions.

Sharon and I are also developing a strategic plan that will be implemented over the next few months that will broaden our marketing platform and reach. Understanding the priorities of each of our Region’s jurisdictions is of the utmost importance to us. As we implement an evolving marketing and communications strategy, our outreach and delivery of content must also evolve; consequently, we will be tweaking the look and content of future newsletters to continually improve and broaden our reach. We want you to expect more, demand more, and help us send the message over and over again that the Greater Baltimore Region’s assets and opportunities make this THE location of choice for businesses, residents and visitors.

Join me.

Michele Whelley
President & CEO, Economic Alliance of Greater Baltimore