August 2nd, 2022 by WCBC Radio

Governor Larry Hogan today announced that the State of Maryland will host the annual conference of the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) at Rocky Gap Resort in Flintstone, Maryland from October 17-19, 2022. After being unanimously nominated last fall, Governor Hogan was officially selected in January to serve as the ARC states’ co-chair for 2022.

The theme of this year’s conference is “One Appalachia: Connection & Collaboration” to highlight how ARC’s 13 states and 423 counties are collaborating to bring each of its strategic investments to life. 

“We are excited to host this year’s ARC Annual Conference in Western Maryland, which presents an incredible opportunity for all of our regional partners to continue working together to advance economic growth,” said Governor Hogan. “I look forward to engaging with fellow governors on new ways to bring opportunity and prosperity to the over 26 million Americans living in the Appalachian region.”

The conference will feature partners from across the region who work daily to strengthen Appalachia by creating and expanding workforce development, growing sectors like outdoor recreation, developing entrepreneurs, and building leadership and community capacity.

Conference highlights will include:

• A fireside chat between Governor Hogan and Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Cal Ripken, Jr.
• Mobile workshops highlighting Maryland’s cross-sector and cross-boundary partnerships that have led to growth in workforce development, home-grown businesses, and tourism
• A special plenary presentation from the Central Appalachian Network, which will highlight ways that multistate partnerships can drive economic growth in Appalachia
• Special addresses from ARC governors in attendance

“We’re excited to bring together our federal, state, and local partners in Western Maryland to continue our momentum in expanding economic growth throughout Appalachia,” said ARC Federal Co-Chair Gayle Manchin. “ARC knows that the key to creating transformational changes in our region is collaboration, and we look forward to bridging relationships and sharing ideas in Flintstone. It’s an incredible time for our region, and we’re eager to make the most of the possibilities before us.”