The quality and availability of the region's work force is frequently cited by companies coming to the western part of this stretched-out state. But transportation system improvements to the west and east have enabled companies to get goods to market like never before. Such improvements have helped land multiple investments from American Woodmark in western

Maryland Dept. of Business & Economic Development www.choosemaryland.org Maryland Port Administration www.marylandports.com Maryland Economic Development Association www.midasmd.com

Maryland and a high-velocity DC from Wal-Mart in the Eastern Shore community of Princess Anne. The transport improvements only figure to continue, as the 2004 legislature raised the state's transportation funding by more than $200 million.
      Gene Burner gives credit for recent successes to the aggressive efforts of the Dept. of Business and Economic Development, led by Sec. Aris Melissaratos.
      "He really does 'get it,' " says Burner of the longtime Westinghouse Electronics Systems executive. "He's been there. He had to meet payroll and produce value for shareholders, so he's got a better perspective."