2024 Economic Development Day In Annapolis

Secretary Kevin Anderson is a business executive who has extensive experience in economic and community development as well as public service. He was named by Governor Wes Moore as Secretary of the Maryland Department of Commerce in January 2023.
Anderson is the founder & CEO of Cardinal Atlantic Holdings, an economic and community development firm targeting scaled social impact and investment in urban centers. With specializations in real estate and education technology, CAH advises funds, corporations and governments on economic and community development strategy and projects.
Anderson previously served as Senior Vice President for Global Partnerships at EVERFI, Inc., an educational software company for financial literacy and life skills education where he led government relations and conducted business development. Anderson helped create and launch the company’s diversity content while securing public and corporate partnerships to support digital innovation in school districts across America. A SaaS company, Anderson helped lead EVERFI’s growth from 32 employees to over 600, and from $6mm in revenue to over $120mm during his tenure.
Before joining EVERFI, Anderson was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of City First Homes, Inc. – a $6 million community land trust created to support workforce housing and ensure ongoing affordability for working families in the District of Columbia. Launched in 2008 as the District’s most aggressive affordable housing initiative, City First Homes navigated the financial crisis stabilizing mixed income development and created over 100 units of affordable housing.
Prior to his appointment at City First Homes, Anderson was Chief Financial Officer and Vice President for Equity Capital at the Jair Lynch Companies, Inc., a for-profit real estate and community development firm in Washington, D.C. He was responsible for the financial management of JLC’s public, corporate and real estate ventures. Anderson helped establish JLC’s initial investment fund, a $120 million facility for commercial and housing development in the DMV region.
In 2000, Anderson served in Washington, D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams’ administration as Special Assistant to the City Administrator and Chief of Staff at the D.C. Department of Transportation. He helped usher an era of accountability and transparency in city operations and managed the restructuring of DDOT to a cabinet-level agency. Anderson led the hiring of over 100 new employees, the establishment of a local trust fund for street and infrastructure maintenance and implementation of performance metrics to meet citizen needs. Mayor Anthony A. Williams proclaimed March 31, 2004 “Kevin Anderson Day” in the District of Columbia.
Anderson began his professional career at the investment banking firm of Pryor, McClendon, Counts & Co., Inc. in Philadelphia, PA as an Institutional Bond Salesman. He served pension funds, insurance companies, investment advisers, and money center banks. Anderson provided coverage for PMC’s landmark financings as lead manager for the $320 million Atlanta Hartsfield Airport financing and the $390 million Denver Airport financing.
Anderson is the former Chairperson of the NEA Foundation’s Board of Directors (National Education Association), and recently completed 19 years of service on the Board of Trustees of Lawrence Academy. He is a member of Leadership Greater Washington’s Class of 2006 and Leadership Prince George’s Class of 2008. Anderson has held and holds professional licenses and designations in securities trading, commodity futures trading, and economic development finance. He has also prepared financial reports for expert testimony in D.C. Superior Court and local jurisdictions.
A native of Washington, D.C., Anderson graduated from Lawrence Academy in Groton, MA. He holds a BA in Economics from Stanford University, and has completed finance, leadership, and executive education at the JFK School of Government at Harvard University, and the National Development Council. Anderson lives in Upper Marlboro, MD with his wife, The Honorable Tiffany H. Anderson, daughter, Kendall, and twin sons, Kennedy and Kolby.

Brad Fallon serves as a Deputy Legislative Officer to Governor Wes Moore. Since 2017, Fallon has worked in and around the Maryland General Assembly where he has worked on a diverse array of legislation that impacts the lives of Marylanders. In his current role, Brad focuses on economic development, housing, workforce, community development, and a range of other topics that seek to expand opportunities for Marylanders.

Richard Griffin, AICP, CEcD is the Director of Economic Development for the City of Frederick.
In that role oversees four City Departments including the Department of Economic
Development, Downtown Parking Department, Frederick Municipal Airport, and Weinberg
Center for the Arts. Griffin is accredited economic developer and urban planner with over 30
years of experience.
During his 23-year tenure in Frederick he has overseen major City Projects including the design
and development of award-winning Carroll Creek Park, airport expansion, and parking garage
development along with coordinating complex development projects delivering jobs and tax
base in downtown and commercial corridors. He has worked with many businesses in Frederick
including AstraZeneca, Fort Detrick, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Stulz,
Wilcoxen, Precision For Medicine, and many small mom and pop shops, and minority and
women owned businesses.
Richard has experience working at the city, county, regional, and federal level in Maryland,
Virginia, North and South Carolina and Washington State. He served on the district staff of the
late US Representative James Clarke from the 11th District of NC. He is a US Army veteran
having served as a Cavalry border guard on the East German Border during the cold war and as
a commissioned Armor officer in the NC National Guard and Army Reserves.
Mr. Griffin holds degrees from Western Carolina University and Clemson University. He serves
on the Board of Directors for the Maryland Economic Development Association (MEDA), Fort
Detrick Alliance, the Frederick Innovative Technology Center, Inc, and others. He is Rotary Paul
Harris Fellow and volunteers as a scout leader and youth mountain bike race team coach. His
wife Lynne is a FCPS teacher and they live, work, and play in Downtown Frederick.

John N. Hickman – Director of BEACON (Business Economic and Community Outreach
Network) at the Perdue School of Business, Salisbury University. He leads a team of
professionals and students providing private, public, and nonprofit sector decision makers
with the business & economic development data, information, and impact reviews they
need to make better decisions.
Prior to BEACON, Mr. Hickman served as the Regional Director of the SBDC at
Salisbury University. He was the Maryland SBDC State Star in 2003. He has worked
with other government agencies and private businesses to develop and expand businesses
on the Eastern Shore.
In addition to his work as BEACON Director, John is an adjunct professor at the Perdue
School where he teaches Small Business Consulting and Applied Business Learning. He
is a board member or past board member of many local nonprofits and economic and
community development entities and serves as an advisor to several community loan
funds.
Before joining the SBDC, Mr. Hickman held a number of positions in banking, marketing
of both recreation services and agricultural products, and management that have allowed
him to put to practical use the knowledge he acquired while earning his degrees. These
skills have allowed him to provide a range of solutions and evaluations for businesses,
nonprofits and governmental entities.
John N. Hickman holds a Bachelors of Science in Agricultural Economics from North
Carolina State University and a Masters of Business Administration from the College of
William and Mary.

Member of Senate since January 12, 2011. Member, Budget and Taxation Committee, 2023- (capital budget subcommittee, 2023-; health & human services subcommittee, 2023-); Joint Committee on Legislative Information Technology and Open Government, 2015-; Joint Committee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Biotechnology, 2017-; Joint Committee on Federal Relations, 2017-; Legislative Policy Committee, 2015-20, 2023-; Rules Committee, 2015-20, 2023-; Joint Committee on Fair Practices and State Personnel Oversight, 2023-. Member, Joint Advisory Committee on Legislative Data Systems, 2011-14; Joint Committee on Transparency and Open Government, 2011-14; Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee 2011-15 (environment subcommittee, 2011-15; health occupations subcommittee, 2011-15). Minority Leader, 2014-20. Member, Public Safety and Policing Work Group, 2015-16; Joint Committee on Children, Youth, and Families, 2015-20; Joint Committee on Spending Affordability, 2015-20; Finance Committee, 2015-22 (property & casualty subcommittee, 2015-17; transportation subcommittee, 2015-18; health & long-term care subcommittee, 2019-22). Member, Executive Nominations Committee, 2016-20; Joint Covid-19 Response Legislative Work Group, 2020-21. Member, Senate Executive Board, Maryland Veterans Caucus, 2022- (vice-chair, 2022-23).
Member, Task Force on the Membership and Operation of the Baltimore County Board of Education, 2011; Wetlands and Waterways Program Funding Work Group, 2011; Commission to Study Campaign Finance Law, 2011-13; Pesticide Advisory Committee, 2011-; Maryland Sustainable Growth Commission, 2011-20; Maryland Pesticide Reporting and Information Work Group, 2013-15; Economic Development Advisory Board, Harford County, 2015-; Maryland Dairy Industry Oversight and Advisory Council, 2017-; Maryland Medicaid Advisory Committee, 2021-.

Member of House of Delegates (Republican), representing District 7, Baltimore County and Harford County, January 8, 2003 to January 12, 2011. Deputy Minority Whip, 2003-06. Member, Environmental Matters Committee, 2003-06 (environment subcommittee, 2003-06; local government & bi-county agencies subcommittee, 2003-06; agriculture, agriculture preservation & open space subcommittee, 2003-06; wetlands & waterways funding work group, 2004; motor vehicle & transportation subcommittee, 2006; natural resources subcommittee, 2006; chair, natural resources work group, 2004); Agricultural Stewardship Commission, 2005-06; Ways and Means Committee, 2007-09 (finance resources subcommittee, 2007-09); Judiciary Committee, 2009-11 (civil law & procedure subcommittee, 2009-11). Chair, Harford County Delegation, 2009-11. Member, Maryland Fire, Rescue and EMS Caucus, 2003-; Maryland Rural Caucus, 2003-; Maryland Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus, 2003-; Taxpayers Protection Caucus, 2003-.

Member, Environmental Noise Advisory Council, 2003-05.

Staff assistant, U.S. Representative Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr., 2nd Congressional District, Maryland, 1997-98.

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, March 27, 1974. Attended Dulaney High School, Timonium, Maryland; Essex Community College, A.A., 1995. University of Baltimore, B.S. (business administration), 1997. Serving in Maryland Air National Guard, 2008-. Lifelong farmer (beef cattle farmer, Castle Rock Farm, 1992-2008; dairy farmer/owner, Cedar Side Farm, 1992-). Co-owner and president, The Mill of Hereford, Inc. (feed store), 1998-. Volunteer Firefighter, Jacksonville Volunteer Fire Company, Station 47, 1990- (certified firefighter I, II, & III, emergency medical technician, rescue technician, hazardous materials operations, and instructor I). Western Firefighter, Interagency Wildfire Crew, Maryland Forest Service, 1992-96. Delegate, Republican Party National Convention, 2016. Married; two children.

Jen LaHatte is the Managing Director of Policy, Research and Government Affairs for the
Maryland Department of Commerce, the State’s primary economic development agency. In this
role she oversees a group of ten research and policy staff responsible for identifying and
enhancing economic development policies and providing high quality research products and
economic analyses leading to strategies that maximize the State’s economic growth. Jen has
worked for the Maryland Department of Commerce in a variety of roles since 2012, including
Director of Policy and Program Development as well as Business Policy Analyst, and has been
managing her division since 2021. Prior to joining Maryland Commerce, Jen worked for a
political fundraising consulting firm. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Peace
Studies from the University of Notre Dame, and lives in Cockeysville with her husband and two
young sons.

Andrea Mansfield joined Manis Canning & Associates, one the of the premier lobbying firms in Annapolis, as a lobbyist in December 2015. With more than 20 years of government relations, management, and administration expertise, Andrea successfully executes advocacy efforts and programs on behalf of multiple clients before state and local executives and elected officials. Her broad experience and involvement with the Maryland Legislature on policy, fiscal and budget matters; and her ability to work with diverse groups and build consensus on complex issues is an asset to the firm.

Andrea has extensive experience at the state and local level, having led and coordinated policy efforts for the Maryland Association of Counties (MACo) and implemented the legislative agendas of state agencies. As MACo’s Legislative Director she advised, crafted, and implemented the common agendas and legislative goals of Maryland’s 23 counties and Baltimore City.

In state government, she worked within three Administrations in positions of increasing responsibility, serving as legislative liaison to the Legislature for the Department of Budget and Management, and the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (DLLR); and Special Assistant, Director of Financial Aid, and Assistant Secretary of Finance Policy with the Maryland Higher Education Commission.

Andrea is the current Chair of the Odenton Town Center Advisory Committee, serves on the board of directors for the Maryland Economic Development Association and as Co-Chair of the Public Policy Awareness Committee, and is a member of Leadership Maryland’s Class of 2019. She has a Master of Policy Sciences from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and a Bachelor of Arts in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland, College Park.

With over 25 years of service in state and local economic development agencies, Larry has experience in economic development strategy, legislative policy, entrepreneurship, and community development.

Major areas of expertise include:

Economic development strategy
Business attraction and retention
Entrepreneurship
Small business financing
Business incentives
Disaster response and recovery
Legislative policy
Major accomplishments include facilitating strategic plans that led to the creation of over 30,000 new jobs, $2B in capital investment, and impacting over 12 million sq ft of industrial, office, and retail space. Other accomplishments include launching the Maryland Innovation Center (a 60,000 sq ft incubator, co-working, and collaboration space), leading the business recovery of Ellicott City after the 2016 and 2018 floods, and implementing a small business loan fund that has invested over $18M in over 100 businesses creating almost 900 new jobs.

He was awarded a Governor’s Citation for his role in the Ellicott City flood recovery and received two National Association of Counties (NACO) awards (2021, 2023) for innovative and effective business programs.

He currently leads an economic development practice focused on strategic planning and executive leadership and is a consultant to the U.S. Dept. of Commerce Economic Development Administration.

Larry is a Past President of the Maryland Economic Development Association (MEDA) and currently serves on the Public Policy Committee and the Professional Development Committee.

He is a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) and holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Loyola University – Maryland and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Maryland.

Lori C. Valentine is the Vice President of Policy and Public Relations for the Prince George’s County Economic Development Corporation (EDC), leading the organization’s business marketing and communications arm as well as its legislative teams. She is an experienced policy and public relations professional with years of experience in the public sector on the state and local levels serving as legislative directors for several state agencies, including the Maryland Department of Commerce (formerly DBED) and Prince George’s County government under former County Executive Rushern L. Baker, III.
Prior to taking on her roles in Prince George’s County, Valentine gained valuable experience in legislative policy and negotiating after being tapped to serve as a legislative officer for Maryland Governor Robert Ehrlich. On a mission to support Prince George’s County’s efforts to attract, retain and support the existing business community, she is focused on improving local entrepreneurs’ access to County programs and resources. Her team continuously creates stimulating communications and marketing collaterals that increase the visibility of the EDC programs and services, taking businesses to the next level of growth.
Lori can also be credited with contributions towards the passage of numerous pieces of legislation that support the business community’s ability to develop and expand in Maryland and Prince George’s County, supporting the County’s efforts to rebrand with its Experience, Expand, Explore campaign, coordinating County Executive Angela Alsobrooks record-breaking inaugural State of the Economy address, and creating diverse, interactive and informative programming to support the County’s business community.
Valentine is a proud native of Chicago, Illinois, a Juris Doctorate graduate of the Howard University School of Law, a MEDA Board Member, and a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.