An 18-month stretch that included a pandemic, recession, change of government and a wave of merger and acquisition activity has, understandably, shaken up the contracting environment for small businesses in the Fort Meade Region. Small companies vying for work with Fort Meade clients are facing a mix of robust opportunities, diminished competition, heightened challenges and new avenues to success.

With all of the constraints faced by small businesses, how do they offer much needed work-based learning experiences for individuals looking to break into the cybersecurity, computer science, and IT fields?

The Fort Meade Alliance recently hosted the first session of the Cyber Pipeline Learning Series featuring three panelists who discussed their own experiences working with businesses to find ways to offer work-based learning to students. The three-part series is a direct result of the FMA’s white paper identifying the Top 5 Challenges in Acquiring CS/IT Talent in the Fort Meade Region and discussions during the subsequent Solving the Cyber Workforce Shortage Forum.

What keeps top executives up at night? The FMA’s Rising Stars new Executive Speaker Series will answer that question to offer young professionals (35 and under) insight into the challenges faced by the top brass of a business.

“This speaker series is important to help develop professionals growing and expanding in their field,” said Mark Cruz, Rising Stars committee member. “The Rising Stars will hear form executives in their industry and take advice that will help them become the leaders they aspire to be.”

After 11+ years of research, planning, fundraising, more planning, coordinating, designing, receiving Army approvals and five Garrison Commanders, it is with great pleasure the FMA Foundation shares that construction of historic Kuhn Hall is in full swing. FMA Foundation President Deon Viergutz and Fort Meade’s current Garrison Commander COL Christopher Nyland recently hosted an online donor update chock-full of details (and pictures!) about the progress of transforming Kuhn Hall into the highly anticipated Education and Resiliency Center. The renovated facility is expected to be completed by the end of 2022.

We are thrilled to announce the FMA was named Best of Anne Arundel County in the 2021 MD Cybersecurity Awards by the Cybersecurity Association of Maryland, Inc. (CAMI). Presented to the FMA by the Anne Arundel Economic Development Corporation (AAEDC), these competitive awards recognize leading-edge cybersecurity product and services companies headquartered in Maryland for their innovations and contributions to the state’s cybersecurity ecosystem.

Thank you, CAMI, for the honor of this recognition and for your support in our efforts to generate real impact for our region through education and workforce development initiatives, transportation solutions, business connections and DoD community support.

For anyone who wasn't able to make the Members Only Networking Reception on September 27, the photo gallery of the event is now available on the FMA website. As our gift to our FMA members, this complimentary event is one of our favorites throughout the year as we share our appreciation for the Fort Meade community.

Join us in-person or online to learn more about USCYBERCOM's DreamPort, a combination of state-of-the-art facilities, innovative programs, and imaginative people charged with finding that spark that leads to unparalleled capability for USCYBERCOM and the warfighters at large.

Defense Architecture Systems, Inc.

Interim Homes

Maryland Economic Development Corporation - MEDCO

BrainTrust

LG-TEK

Howard Community College

IndraSoft

KatzAbosch