Allegany County continues to invest in long-term economic growth by strengthening the systems that support entrepreneurs at every stage. Administered locally by Allegany County Economic and Community Development (ACECD), in partnership with the Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO), a new Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR) program is launching to expand entrepreneurial opportunities, align existing business support resources, and help retain talent in Western Maryland.
Supported by a $25,000 TEDCO grant, the 12-month program will build on ACECD’s broader economic development efforts, including business financing programs, workforce partnerships, and incubator initiatives. Through coordinated outreach, mentoring, and programming, the EIR will help connect entrepreneurs with the tools, partners, and resources needed to start and grow businesses in Allegany County.
Frostburg-based entrepreneur Ardon Hall has been selected to serve as the Entrepreneur-in-Residence representative for Allegany County. Hall is the founder and CEO of Clean Compost, a local business focused on sustainable food-waste management, and brings firsthand experience navigating the region’s entrepreneurial landscape—experience that will now be leveraged to support others.
When asked about the program, Hall says, “The goal is to create a connected, circular ecosystem. There are strong programs already in place across the County and the region. This [EIR] role is about helping entrepreneurs understand what those opportunities are, how they fit together, and how to use them effectively.”
Hall also notes that a central focus of the EIR program will be addressing population loss and local talent migration, or “brain drain,” particularly among college graduates. He says that many students leave the region without fully realizing the range of viable business opportunities available locally.
“There are real opportunities here, especially in sectors like agriculture, infrastructure, energy, and applied technology. The ceiling is high in Western Maryland. What’s often missing is visibility…people don’t always see how their ideas can work here,” Hall says.
Through workshops, mentoring, and outreach hosted in partnership with partners like Frostburg State University, Allegany College of Maryland, Western Maryland Works, and the Acceleration Trail Business Incubator, the EIR program will focus on helping entrepreneurs identify market gaps, validate ideas, and understand available resources. The program will also collaborate with the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES), which provides access to a statewide network of laboratories and scientific expertise to support applied research, innovation, and environmentally focused business development. The intent is to ground entrepreneurship in the realities of the region: its industries, workforce, and communities.
The TEDCO-supported EIR program is designed to better align existing business resources. Hall emphasized the importance of early-stage guidance through organizations such as the Maryland Small Business Development Center (SBDC), which helps entrepreneurs test viability, build financial projections, and make informed decisions before committing significant time or capital.
As businesses mature, other partners (including the Allegany County Chamber of Commerce, the Tri-State Growth and Commerce Coalition, regional lenders, and State of Maryland programs) play an increasingly important role in market access, financing, and expansion. The EIR program aims to help entrepreneurs navigate these transitions more deliberately.
Hall also highlighted the importance of trust-building in rural communities like Allegany County, as this is an essential consideration for sustainable economic development: “This community has gone through a lot…When a community goes through a lot, they require a certain level of trust.”
That perspective will shape how the EIR program engages residents and business owners, emphasizing listening, outreach, and responsiveness to community needs.
For Allegany County Economic and Community Development, the EIR program represents a targeted investment in entrepreneurship as a driver of economic growth, business development, and talent retention.
“This program is about strengthening the connections that already exist within Allegany County’s entrepreneurial ecosystem,” says Nathan Price, senior project manager at Allegany County Economic and Community Development. “Working in partnership with TEDCO and local organizations, the Entrepreneur-in-Residence program helps ensure local residents and businesses can succeed in Allegany County.”
By embedding an experienced entrepreneur within the local ecosystem, the County and TEDCO are working to ensure that new ideas are supported and scaled locally—strengthening businesses and helping talent remain in Western Maryland.
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