MEDIA RELEASE: MICHAEL MITCHELL JOINS MCEDC AS NEW VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

Michael Mitchell Joins MCEDC as New Vice President of Marketing and Communications

Patty Simonton Appointed to the Position of Strategic Initiatives Manager
Rockville, Md. — Michael Mitchell has joined the MCEDC team as the new Vice President of
Marketing and Communications and will be the first point of contact for media inquiries. He brings
to the position a proven track record of creating effective marketing and media campaigns,
strategic partnerships, launching/managing brands, live event production, communicating across
disparate departments and stake holders, liaising with international partners, and developing
clients to achieve unprecedented growth. He has previously worked for Michael Jackson, Motown
Records, BET, and Time Life Inc. Most recently, Michael was Chief Communications Officer for
the District of Columbia’s Office of Cable, Television, Film, Media, and Entertainment, where he
also worked with the Executive Office of Mayor Muriel Bowser’s Communications team.
Another addition to the MCEDC team is Patty Simonton, joining as a Strategic Initiatives

Manager. Patty brings to the position an extensive background in mentoring and assisting start-
up companies in Montgomery County. Patty was most recently the Director of Be Green

Business, the innovation at Bethesda Green. Previously, she served as the community manager
at the Mentor Capital Network, where she supported for-profit social enterprise startups around
the globe through its Sustainable Business Plan Collaboration program. In her new position,
Patty will initially focus on the buildout of the MoCo Innovation Hub and coordinating our
entrepreneurship activities.
The new team members will help MCEDC’s continuing mission of positioning and elevating
Montgomery County as one of the premier regions in the country to do business. “I’m pleased
to welcome Michael and Patty to the MCEDC team,” said President & CEO Bill Tompkins.
“Both bring to their positions strong track records of success. Their commitment to serving
Montgomery County and the region’s businesses will support our mission to promote
economic retention and growth.”

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About MCEDC

The Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC) is the official public-
private economic development organization representing Montgomery County, Maryland.

Created in 2016, MCEDC is led by a Board of Directors of business executives. Its mission is
to help businesses start, grow and relocate in Montgomery County by helping them gain
access to top talent, business and market intelligence and prime locations. For more
information, visit our website. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.