TEDCO Talks: Troy LeMaile-Stovall Interviews Bill Tompkins

TEDCO and MCEDC CEOs discuss Montgomery County’s growth and development

COLUMBIA, Md. (December 13, 2023) – TEDCO, Maryland’s economic engine for technology companies, released an episode of the thought leadership series, TEDCO Talks. Throughout this insightful series, TEDCO CEO, Troy LeMaile-Stovall, connects with thought leaders throughout the state of Maryland and beyond, to discuss different topics regarding economic development.

On this latest episode, LeMaile-Stovall speaks with Bill Tompkins, president and CEO of the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC). This fireside discussion touches on various topics, including the growth of a diverse economy in Montgomery County, the evolution of the media and publications industry, and much more.

“If you look at what’s happening in economic development in Montgomery County, it still is one of the wealthiest counties in the United States; it’s incredibly successful and incredibly diverse. But at the same time, it’s a changing county. 115 languages are spoken in Montgomery County,” Tompkins said.

“When you’re looking at a wealthy county, you also need to look at how it’s changing and how you manage economic development to help a changing environment… In 1970, Montgomery County was 98% white. In 2023, it is about 52% people of color… so things have changed dramatically, but they’ve also changed for the good… we want to make sure these industries can grow so we can also take the diversity of the county and the opportunity to help new industries and people… to make sure there is also the opportunity for those who are coming in and just starting out to be just as successful as those who have been here for a long time.”

Diving a bit more into MCEDC, Tompkins explains that the company focuses on creating and growing jobs. Through these efforts, MCEDC can promote diversification, innovation and continued economic development success.

Learn more about MCEDC, their impact on Maryland’s economic development and more by listening to the full episode here. Then make sure to subscribe to TEDCO’s YouTube channel to be notified each time a new episode of the TEDCO Talks series is released.