HAGERSTOWN — The Washington County Department of Business and Economic Development received a 2023 Excellence in Economic Development Gold and Bronze Awards from the International Economic Development Council.

The awards were bestowed specifically for the organization’s work in the Magazine & Newsletter (gold) and Multimedia/Video Promotion (bronze) categories that impacted 25,000-200,000 residents.

Leslie Hart, business specialist, was acknowledged and honored at the IEDC 2023 Annual Conference during the inaugural Recognition Night event in Dallas, Texas, on Sept. 19.

“The Washington County Department of Business and Economic Development has raised the bar for excellence in economic development with its “Grown Local Magazine” and “Faces of Farming Video” campaign. This award is a testament to The Washington County Department of Business and Economic Development’s dedication to its residents and serves as a great example of how economic development can help transform a community for the better,” said Nathan Ohle, IEDC president/CEO. “It is IEDC’s honor and privilege to present the Washington County Department of Business and Economic Development with this award and recognize its leadership and innovation in the field of economic development.”

Every year, IEDC looks specifically for economic development organizations, government entities, initiatives and programs that have demonstrated consistent, exemplary performance in the economic development profession, leading the execution of projects that have a significant impact on revitalizing communities and playing a major role in shaping and improving the practice of economic development.

“The Washington County Department of Business and Economic Development is proud to have been awarded not only one but two awards for the marketing efforts of our Business Specialist in the industry of Agriculture,” said Jonathan Horowitz, director of the Department of Business and Economic Development. “The ‘Grown Local Hagerstown’ magazine publication conveys the heart and soul of what farming in our community looks and feels like while providing our citizens with a resource to engage with the industry’s products. The ‘Faces of Farming’ video campaign can tug at even the toughest of heartstrings and are designed to be used in perpetuity as educational pieces to a variety of audiences. Thank you to the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) and the Washington County Board of County Commissioners for their recognition of our efforts.”