2024 MEDA Winter Conference
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MEDA Winter Conference
When: January 11, 2024
Location: Governor Calvert House, Annapolis, MD
2024 Legislative Outlook For Economic Development
The 2024 MEDA Winter Conference, held on January 11th at the Governor Calvert House in Annapolis, MD, was a great success! The conference provided a unique opportunity to learn about pivotal economic development legislation from esteemed leaders in both the public and private sectors. The event began with a warm welcome to Anne Arundel County and the City of Annapolis from Amy Gowan, CEO of Anne Arundel Economic Development Corporation, Steuart Pittman, Anne Arundel County Executive, Stephan Rice, Economic Development Manager of the City of Annapolis, and Gavin Buckley, Mayor of Annapolis, followed by the MEDA Business Meeting. Next was the Maryland Business Leadership Report, where distinguished professionals discussed the current state of business in Maryland and shared their insights on the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. Tiffany Harvey, Principal of Cornerstone Government Affairs, moderated the panel which consisted of Mark Anthony Thomas, President/CEO of the Greater Baltimore Committee, Mary Kane, President/CEO of the Maryland Chamber of Commerce, Theresa Brown Kuhns, Chief Executive Officer of the Maryland Municipal League, Jack McDougle, President/CEO of the Greater Washington Board of Trade, and Michael Sanderson, Executive Director of the Maryland Association of Counties.
The afternoon continued with Maryland’s Legislative Outlook, where panelists shared their perspectives on the legislative landscape in Maryland and discussed the potential impact of upcoming policy changes on Maryland’s business community. Tammi Thomas, Chief Development and Marketing Officer at TEDCO and VP of the Board of Directors for MEDA, moderated this panel. It was made up of Honorable Malcolm Augustine, Senate President Pro Tem, Honorable Stephen Hershey, Jr., Senate Minority Leader, Honorable David Moon, House Majority Leader, and Honorable Jason Buckel, House Minority Leader. The conference concluded with the keynote address, which was delivered by Governor Wes Moore, where he stated, “If you want to have a growing economy, make sure everyone is growing in that economy.”
We extend our sincere appreciation to all sponsors for their invaluable expertise and contributions.
Click here to view photos from the 2024 MEDA Winter Conference
Click here to view the draft minutes from the 2023 Fall Conference Business Meeting
When
Thu, Jan 11, 2024
Where
Governor Calvert House
58 State Circle
Annapolis , MD 21401
Conference Speakers
The 2024 MEDA Winter Conference Speakers
Wes Moore is the 63rd Governor of the state of Maryland. He is Maryland’s first Black Governor in the state’s 246-year history, and is just the third African American elected Governor in the history of the United States.
Born in Takoma Park, Maryland, on Oct. 15, 1978, to Joy and Westley Moore, Moore’s life took a tragic turn when his father died of a rare, but treatable virus when he was just three years old. After his father’s death, his family moved to the Bronx to live with Moore’s grandparents before returning to Maryland at age 14.
Moore is a proud graduate of Valley Forge Military Academy and College, where he received an Associate’s degree in 1998, and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army. Afterward, he went on to earn his Bachelor’s in international relations and economics at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa.
While at Johns Hopkins, Moore interned in the office of former Baltimore Mayor Kurt Schmoke. Moore was the first Black Rhodes Scholar in the history of Johns Hopkins University. As A Rhodes Scholar, he earned a Master’s in international relations from Wolfson College at Oxford.
In 2005, Moore deployed to Afghanistan as a captain with the 82nd Airborne Division, leading soldiers in combat. Immediately upon returning home, Moore served as a White House Fellow, advising on issues of national security and international relations.
In 2010, Moore wrote “The Other Wes Moore,” a story about the fragile nature of opportunity in America, which became a perennial New York Times bestseller. He went on to write other best-selling books that reflect on issues of race, equity, and opportunity, including his latest book “Five Days,” which tells the story of Baltimore in the days that followed the death of Freddie Gray in 2015.
Moore built and launched a Baltimore-based business called BridgeEdU, which reinvented freshman year of college for underserved students to increase their likelihood of long-term success. BridgeEdu was acquired by the Brooklyn-based student financial success platform, Edquity, in 2018.
It was Moore’s commitment to taking on our toughest challenges that brought him to the Robin Hood foundation, where he served for four years as CEO. During his tenure, the Robin Hood foundation distributed over $600 million toward lifting families out of poverty, including here in Maryland.
While the Robin Hood foundation is headquartered in New York City, Wes and his family never moved from their home in Baltimore.
Moore has also worked in finance with Deutsche Bank in London and with Citigroup in New York.
Moore and his wife Dawn Flythe Moore have two children – Mia, 11; and James, 9.
Member of Senate since January 9, 2019. Member, Finance Committee, 2019- (energy & public utilities subcommittee, 2019-). Senate Chair, Joint Committee on the Management of Public Funds, 2019-. Member, Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive and Legislative Review, 2019-; Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee, 2019-; Joint Committee on Federal Relations, 2019-; Joint Electric Universal Service Program Work Group, 2020-; Joint Committee on Behavioral Health and Opioid Use Disorders, 2019, 2020-; Joint Committee on Children, Youth, and Families, 2021-. Member, Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland, 2019-; Maryland Legislative Latino Caucus, 2019-. Co-Chair, Maryland Legislative Transit Caucus, 2019-.
Member, Work Group on Alcohol Outlet Density Zones in Prince George’s County, 2019-20; Virginia I. Jones Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Council, 2019-; Task Force to Study Transportation Access, 2019-; Work Group on Low-Income Utility Assistance, 2021-.
Board of Directors, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, 2015-19. Member, Washington Suburban Transit Commission, 2015-19.
Chair, Cable Television Commission, Prince George’s County, 2012-15.
Born in Lafayette, Louisiana, March 10, 1969. Attended Pittsford Mendon High School, Pittsford, New York; Harvard University, A.B. (government), 1991. Business executive. Principal, Gyde Communications, LLC, 2002-. Director of Business Development, Intra Mail Network, 2006-. Operations support analyst, Federal Reserve Bank of New York, 1991-93. Co-founder and managing director, Alliance Telecom, Inc., 1993-95. Executive Vice-President, Eltrex Industries, Inc., 1998-2003 (general manager, office products & office equipment divisions, 1996-98; general manager and corporate vice-president, 1996-98). Owner, MDiagnostix, LLC, 2005-13. Member, Executive Committee, Progressive Cheverly, 2014- (co-chair, 2012-). Member, Prince George’s County Democratic Central Committee, 2015-18. Founder, Think Health Now. Life member, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, 1989-. Member, Advisory Board, St. Ambrose Catholic School of Cheverly, 2012-. Member, St. Ambrose Catholic Church, Cheverly, Maryland (parish pastoral council, 2009-14). Married; two children.
Ms. Beaver has served as the Carroll County Deputy Director of Economic Development since 2001. Prior to that Ms. Beaver held several Carroll County workforce development roles serving Carroll County businesses and citizens for a total of 27 years.
Selected as a Leadership Maryland Class of 2021 member and elected MEDA secretary in April 2021, Ms. Beaver also currently represents Carroll County at the Economic Alliance of Greater Baltimore Advisory Board, the Baltimore Gas & Electric Carroll County Advisory Council, the Carroll Transit Advisory Council, and the Mid-Maryland Workforce Development Board. Previously, Ms. Beaver was a founding member, board member, and Secretary of the Carroll Technology Council (now Carroll Technology & Innovation Council) for 16 years.
Ms. Beaver holds degrees from Kutztown University and Towson University and resides in Westminster.
Member of House of Delegates since January 14, 2014. Minority Leader, 2021-. Member, Ways and Means Committee, 2015- (election law subcommittee, 2015-17; finance resources subcommittee, 2015-19; revenues subcommittee, 2017-; racing & gaming subcommittee, 2020-); Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive and Legislative Review, 2019-; Rules and Executive Nominations Committee, 2021-; Legislative Policy Committee, 2021-; Joint Committee on Children, Youth, and Families, 2021-; Spending Affordability Committee, 2021-; Legislative Redistricting Advisory Commission, 2021-; Consent Calendars Committee, 2021-; House Cannabis Referendum and Legalization Work Group, 2021-. Chief Deputy Minority Whip, 2017-18. Member, Tax Credit Evaluation Committee, 2017-21; Work Group to Address Police Reform and Accountability in Maryland, 2020. House Chair, Allegany County Delegation, 2016-. Member, Maryland Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus, 2014-.
Member, Maryland Redistricting Reform Commission, 2015-18; Tri-County Council for Western Maryland, 2015-; Local [Video Lottery] Development Council, Allegany County, 2015-; Task Force to Study Tax Sales in Maryland, 2017-18. Chair, Task Force on the Canal Place Preservation and Development Authority, 2018-19, 2020-. Co-Chair, Task Force on the Economic Future of Western Maryland, 2020-22. Member, Task Force to Study the Maryland Orphans’ Courts, 2021.
Born in Allegany County, Maryland, November 3, 1971. Attended Bishop Walsh High School, Cumberland, Maryland; George Mason University, B.A. (political science), with honors; University of Maryland School of Law, J.D., with honors. Admitted to Maryland Bar, 1996. Attorney. Managing Partner, Buckel, Levasseur & Pillai, LLC. Member, Maryland State Bar Association. Member, Allegany County Republican Central Committee, 2006-14. Member, LaVale Lions Club. Associate member, Lodge no. 40, Frostburg, Fraternal Order of Police. Member, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Cumberland, Maryland.
Born on February 8, 1963 in Boksburg, South Africa, Gavin was raised in Perth, Australia by his single mother, Pauline. He attended Belmont City College located in Australia’s southwest coastal area near the Indian Ocean. Gavin worked his way across the world after departing Perth in 1984 after he dropped anchor in Spa Creek in 1992 with only $200 in his pocket, fell in love with Annapolis for its unique blend of history, maritime culture, and small-town friendliness, and fell in love again when he met future wife, Annapolis local Julie Williams. They married in 1997 and together they are now raising two children, Dash & Miles.
From his first job as a server at Middleton Tavern, Gavin showed the vision and entrepreneurial spirit for which he is so well known. He quickly learned the basics of business, raised capital, and navigated bureaucracy to open Annapolis’ first coffee shop, The Moon, in 1993.
In time, Gavin began to see potential in West Street – then considered the “wrong part of town,” where drug deals and prostitution were common. He opened pan-Asian restaurant, Tsunami, in 2000. A diverse group of residents, passionate about their community, responded to his vision and Tsunami soon became “the place” to be. Tsunami’s success encouraged Gavin to establish new restaurants, including Lemongrass and Metropolitan in 2005 and Sailor Oyster Bar in 2016. All of his business ventures are located on West Street in Annapolis.
But becoming a successful businessman was just the beginning for Gavin. His dedication to West Street and its communities inspired Gavin to help create the Sunday Arts Festivals, followed by the Annapolis Fringe Festival, the Chocolate Binge Festival, the Annapolis Color Run, West Street Holiday Light Canopy, and the wildly popular Dining Under the Stars.
Gavin is committed to preserving the historic character of Annapolis with leadership and vision to ensure it remains a dynamic, living city. This is why he challenged and defeated the City’s plan to demolish 100-year-old homes on West Street to make way for an 800-car garage. This area is now the West Village Precinct – a flourishing hub for local businesses, residents, and visitors.
Gavin knows that community connections are at the heart of West Street’s transformation. He has served on the boards of Friends of St. Johns College, Visit Annapolis and Anne Arundel County’s Citizens Advisory Board, and the West Street Business Association. Gavin also is a member of the Anne Arundel County Chapter of the NAACP and a founder of the Annapolis Arts District. He is longtime champion of public art and supporter of local musicians.
Elected Mayor of Annapolis in November 2017, Gavin is committed to bringing together business owners, community leaders, and residents to develop innovative ideas and economic opportunities for Main Street, Maryland Ave, West Annapolis and all parts of the city. These include 21st century transit solutions, a more transparent development process, strong community policing, and greater focus on the needs of the local community.
Gavin imagines an inclusive city, full of opportunities for all citizens as part of his One Annapolis vision. He is committed to our shared community and our shared future. His vision is for a vibrant, sustainable, and inclusive Annapolis with infrastructure, services, and events that make it a wonderful place to work and live for all.
Amy Gowan has worked across the land use spectrum for over 15 years managing and leading teams within the areas of land use, housing, community and economic development. Amy is currently the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Anne Arundel Economic Development Corporation (AAEDC), where she directs the organization’s efforts to promote economic growth and business development. She oversees all aspects of AAEDC’s operations, including business attraction and retention, workforce development, financial lending, revitalization efforts and small business support.
Prior to her current role, Amy served as the Director of Howard County Planning and Zoning and as the Deputy Director for approximately eight years. In her leadership roles, she oversaw department operations, programs and initiatives including review of development projects, commercial center redevelopment projects, long–range community planning, historical and agricultural preservation programs, and all zoning issues affecting the County. Key initiatives during her tenure include a new character based Comprehensive Plan for the county focused on sustainable redevelopment, an unprecedented community engagement effort targeting populations underrepresented in planning processes, an urban renewal project to redevelop a blighted village center and creation of a Citizen Planning Academy.
Prior to moving to and working for Howard County, Amy worked for the City of San Diego, where she held numerous policy and land use related positions. She served as an advisor to the Mayor on various land use projects, most notably as a project manager for a multi-million dollar public/private partnership to construct a new iconic downtown library for San Diego.
In her role as Assistant Deputy Director of Economic Development, she was responsible for implementing the city’s economic development programs, including managing over $15M in Community Development Block Grants, business assistance resources and commercial and neighborhood revitalization programs.
Amy also spent several years as a Policy Advisor for the San Diego Housing Commission and the City of San Diego, working on affordable housing and homeless issues and programs.
In addition to her multi-faceted work experience, Amy has a Master of Public Administration with a specialization in city planning from San Diego State University, and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Scranton.
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.
Tiffany Harvey, Vice President, Government & Regulatory Affairs for Maryland and Delaware. In her role, Tiffany leads Comcast’s government advocacy programs in both states and represents the company’s interests in front of the state legislatures along with respective executive branch agencies and Attorney General offices.
A Maryland resident since 1990 with extensive legislative and legal affairs experience, Tiffany previously was Director of State and Government Affairs for Verizon, handling legislative matters before the Maryland General Assembly. Prior to that, she served as Chief Counsel for Legislative Affairs in the Office of the County Executive for Prince George’s County in Largo, Maryland, and the Office of the Attorney General in Baltimore.
Before working in legislative and government affairs, Tiffany spent several years as a trial attorney in Maryland.
Member of Senate since October 1, 2013. Member, Finance Committee, 2015- (health subcommittee, 2015-18; energy & public utilities subcommittee, 2019-). Member, Joint Committee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Biotechnology, 2014-; Joint Committee on Legislative Ethics, 2015-; Joint Committee on Unemployment Insurance Oversight, 2015-; Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive and Legislative Review, 2019-; Joint Covid-19 Response Legislative Work Group, 2020-. Member, Judicial Proceedings Committee, 2013-15; Joint Committee on Access to Mental Health Services, 2014; Joint Information Technology and Biotechnology Committee, 2014; Maryland Economic Development and Business Climate Commission, 2015-16. Minority Whip, 2015-20. Member, Executive Nominations Committee, 2015-20; Legislative Policy Committee, 2015-20; Rules Committee, 2016-20; Marijuana Legalization Work Group, 2019. Chair, Kent County Delegation, 2013-; Queen Anne’s County Delegation, 2013-; Caroline County Delegation, 2015-.
Member, Maryland Offshore Wind Business Development Advisory Committee, 2013-; Governor-elect’s Transition Team, 2014-15. Board of Directors, Upper Shore Regional Council, 2014- (council member, 2011-). Member, Task Force on the Maryland Clean Energy Center, 2016-17; Work Group on Rural Health Care Delivery, 2016-17; Strategic Energy Investment Advisory Board, 2016-; Oyster Advisory Commission, 2016-. Alternate member, Southern States Energy Board, 2019-.
Member of House of Delegates, representing District 36, Caroline, Cecil, Kent and Queen Anne’s Counties, January 12, 2011 to October 1, 2013. Deputy Minority Whip, 2013. Member, Economic Matters Committee, 2011-13 (banking, economic development, science & technology subcommittee, 2011-13; unemployment insurance subcommittee, 2011-13); Business Climate Work Group, 2013. House Chair, Queen Anne’s County Delegation, 2011-13. Member, Maryland Veterans Caucus, 2012-13.
Member, Bainbridge Development Advisory Board, 2011-; Mid-Shore Regional Council, 2011-; Tri-County Council for the Lower Eastern Shore of Maryland, 2011-.
Member, Economic Development Commission, Queen Anne’s County, 2002-06.
Assistant Secretary of Planning, 2003-04. Assistant Secretary, Department of Natural Resources, 2004-06.
Born in Washington, DC, May 2, 1964. Attended Bowie High School, Bowie, Maryland; James Madison University; Catholic University of America, B.C.E. (civil engineering), 1987; George Washington University, M.B.A., 2002. Vice-President, Jones Lang LaSalle, a commercial real estate services company, 2006-. Vice-President, Trammell Crow Company, 1999-2003. President, Queen Anne’s County Republican Club, 2002-04. Chair, Queen Anne’s County Tricentennial Celebration Committee, 2004. Youth football coach, 2006-09. Delegate, Republican Party National Convention, 2012. Past member, Board of Directors, Harry R. Hughes Center for Agro-Ecology, Inc.. Member, Our Mother of Sorrows Catholic Church, Centreville, Maryland. Married.
Mary D. Kane is a proven leader in state, federal and global organizations and joined the
Maryland Chamber of Commerce as President & CEO in October 2021. Kane leads the 6500-
member organization in Annapolis that advocates for Maryland businesses by advancing
inclusive partnerships for a Maryland where all businesses and their communities thrive.
Kane has a rich professional history, most recently at the U.S. Department of State as Director
of the National Museum of American Diplomacy (NMAD). NMAD is the first museum in the
nation dedicated to telling the story of American diplomacy through interactive exhibits and
thought-provoking education programs.
Kane also served as the President and CEO of Sister Cities International, a citizen diplomacy
network founded by President Dwight D. Eisenhower to promote global peace through mutual
respect, understanding and cooperation.
Prior to leading Sister Cities International, Kane was an Executive Director at the U.S. Chamber
of Commerce and an Assistant States’ Attorney in Montgomery County, Maryland.
In 2005, Kane was appointed by Governor Robert Ehrlich to be the Secretary of State for
Maryland. In this position she led the Governor’s Subcabinet on International Affairs and
started the Maryland Safe at Home program to protect victims of domestic violence.
Kane received her J.D. from the Catholic University of America’s Columbus School of Law and
earned her B.S. in Business and Finance from Mt. St. Mary’s University, Emmitsburg, MD, where
she served as the first woman Chair of the Board of Trustees. Kane has three grown children
and lives with her husband in Annapolis, MD.
Theresa Kuhns serves as Chief Executive Officer of The Maryland Municipal League (MML), a professional association serving Maryland’s cities, towns and special taxing districts. The League represents 160 local governments and serves as the voice for the 2 million Marylanders who call a municipality home. As CEO, Kuhns is responsible for leading the executive operations and day-to-day management of the association and its affiliate groups and has the honor to lead the 15 member staff team in its practice areas of advocacy, public policy, leadership development and member experience.
In addition to her executive role, Kuhns also serves as President of the Maryland Municipal Insurance Agency; Board of Trustee for the Local Government Insurance Trust and Board of Trustee for the NLC Mutual Insurance Company. Kuhns currently serves on the National League of Cities and American Planning Association joint effort, Housing Supply Accelerator National Committee. She also serves on the boards of Sustainable Maryland and the University of Maryland Academy for Local Excellence in Government. Kuhns was honored to co-chair a transition team for Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman.
Her 20+ years public affairs background includes her tenure with the United States Chamber of Commerce, Maryland Realtors and Greater Washington Board of Trade and Aristotle International. Prior to her current role, Kuhns served on the Calvert County Economic Development Authority; United Way of Southern Maryland Board of Directors and the Calvert County Chamber of Commerce Business Advisory Group. Additionally, Kuhns also served on the National Association of Realtors Government Affairs Advisory Committee. She is a proud graduate of Leadership Southern Maryland Class of 2019, Georgetown University McDonough School of Business Executive Leadership Program 2005 and Kutztown University of Pennsylvania 2001. Kuhns and her family reside in Huntingtown, MD.
Jack McDougle is the president and chief executive officer of
the Greater Washington Board of Trade, a business
organization that has served the District of Columbia, Northern
Virginia, and suburban Maryland for more than 130 years.
Jack has worked with business, government, and nonprofits for
more than 30 years to enhance competitive advantage. Before
joining the Board of Trade, he worked on economic capacity
building projects in the U.S., Central Asia, and India. Jack led
the National Manufacturing and Innovation Initiative at the
Council on Competitiveness. He also served as Deputy Undersecretary for Economic
Affairs and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Industry Analysis at the U.S. Department of
Commerce. At the U.S. Department of State, he led components of the U.S.-hosted G8
Summit at Sea Island.
In the private sector, Jack was Vice President for Strategic Management at People’s
United Bank.
Jack regularly discusses economic, business, manufacturing, and trade issues with
senior government and industry officials as well as presenting at various meetings and
events. Jack earned his M.B.A. in strategy and finance at Northeastern University in
Boston, Massachusetts.
David Moon serves as Majority Leader in the Maryland House of Delegates. First elected in 2014, Moon is a member of the House Judiciary Committee and also chairs the Criminal Law Subcommittee. His past legislative efforts have focused on expanding constitutional rights, promoting criminal justice reform, and defending our diverse communities. Outside of elected office, David works as a grassroots organizer, political consultant and policy attorney. His projects have included work on immigration reform, transit, criminal justice, fair elections, LGBT rights, civil liberties, youth mobilization and more. David is a Montgomery County native and lives in Takoma Park with his wife Melinda.
Steuart Pittman, Jr. was elected Anne Arundel County Executive after his first campaign for public office in 2018.
Born and raised on his family farm in Davidsonville, Steuart graduated from the University of Chicago and then went on to work as a community organizer in Chicago and Des Moines, Iowa. In that role, he built neighborhood organizations, confronted environmental hazards, and attracted private investment to blighted communities.
Once back home, Steuart coordinated national programs for National Low Income Housing Coalition and Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) before starting his own business as a farmer and horse trainer. He is best known in the horse industry for creating Retired Racehorse Project, an award-winning national nonprofit that is responsible for transitioning thousands of racehorses into second careers.
Steuart’s philosophy of government is both conservative and progressive. As a farmer, he worked hard against onerous regulations that had no public benefit and promoted policies to make the industry commercially viable. As a Director of the Anne Arundel County Soil Conservation District, he pushed for compliance with erosion and sediment control standards to protect local waterways.
As County Executive, Steuart has pledged to make Anne Arundel County “The Best Place,” by “Putting Communities First.” His strategy is to engage communities from every sector and to practice transparency and data-driven policymaking.
Stephen Rice serves as the Economic Development Manager for the City of Annapolis, Maryland. In this role, Stephen co-leads the Community and Economic Development Division within the Department of Planning and Zoning. He manages economic development projects, facilitates revitalization efforts and helps to recruit and retain businesses in the city. Stephen also advocates for policies that ensure that Annapolis continues to be a great place to start, grow or expand a business.
Previously, Stephen worked for American Communities Trust in Baltimore as Director of Community Development. In this role he worked with New Markets Tax Credits to revitalize challenged communities across the country. Stephen also served as Vice President of Business Development for the Howard County Economic Development Authority after a long tenure at the Greater Baltimore Urban League where he led the economic development team.
Stephen was raised in Columbia, Maryland and is a proud graduate of Wilde Lake High School. He then completed his undergraduate education at Morehouse College where he studied Economics. Stephen later completed his Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree at Vanderbilt University and his Master in Public Administration (MPA) degree at Harvard University. He can often be found enjoying the wonders of Annapolis with his wife Edith and their daughter.
Ms. Robertson-Slagle was appointed Director of Economic Development for Charles County, Maryland in Nov 2021. In this role, Ms. Robertson-Slagle directs all services and activities of the 10 person department including attracting increased capital investments and expanding and diversifying employment opportunities, agricultural development and marketing.
Ms. Robertson-Slagle is a results-oriented and strategic leader with over 25 years of extensive experience in planning, organizing and implementing economic development functions from conception to completion, including working with new and expanding businesses and cultivating relationships between the local business community, counties, and economic development agencies at the state, regional and federal level.
Prior to joining Charles County Government, Ms. Robertson-Slagle served fifteen years with the Calvert County, Maryland Department of Economic Development holding positions in both business retention and business development as well as serving as the Director of Economic Development from July 2017 – Oct 2021. Her previous economic development experience also includes serving as director of the Maryland Small Business Development Center (SBDC) where she provided leadership in planning, coordinating and overseeing the development, delivery and reporting of all professional programs, activities and services for the Southern Maryland region and business development specialist with the Maryland Department of Commerce where she worked directly with local jurisdictions on business retention and expansion projects.
Ms. Robertson-Slagle currently serves on the Board and is the Co–Chair of the Maryland Economic Development Association (MEDA) Program Committee, is a founding board member of Southern Maryland Innovates initiative and is the current Chair of the Southern Maryland Regional Innovation Collaborative. She is Vice Chair of the Southern Maryland Economic Development Association (SMEDA) and is a board member of the Cedar Point Federal Credit Union Board of Directors and the University Systems of Maryland at Southern Maryland Board of Advisors.
Ms. Robertson-Slagle earned her Associate of Science Degree in Business Administration and Management Development from the College of Southern Maryland and Bachelors of Science Degree in Marketing from the Robert H. School of Business, University of Maryland, College Park. She is a 2018 graduate of Leadership Maryland and a 2010 graduate of Leadership Southern Maryland and a 2021 graduate of the National Association of Counties (NACO) High Performance Leadership Academy.
Ms. Robertson-Slagle is a lifelong resident of Charles County and the proud mom of two children. She and her husband Jeff reside in La Plata, Maryland.
Michael Sanderson has served and advocated for local governments for nearly 30 years. He leads MACo, the state’s association of county governments, who deliver front-line services to every Maryland resident. He works actively in policy advocacy, helps to develop top-shelf conferences and events, and co-hosts the Conduit Street Podcast covering policy and politics from a local perspective.
Mark Anthony Thomas is the new President & CEO of the Greater Baltimore Committee, the first since the organization’s spring merger with the Economic Alliance of Greater Baltimore (EAGB). Mark brings more than two decades of experience leading competitive economic development strategies and public-private partnerships for the nation’s largest and most complex metropolitan areas and a lifelong passion for communications, public policy, and cities.
Mark previously served as the President for the Pittsburgh Regional Alliance and worked with public officials, development and talent partners to position the region for more than $2 billion in capital investment, with more than 100 business expansion and development projects. He chaired the Board of Directors for the Power of 32 Site Development Fund, which deploys low-cost capital for regional development projects, and co-chaired a public partnership to reposition Pittsburgh’s downtown for the post-pandemic impact of remote and hybrid work.
Before PRA, Mark served as the New York City Economic Development Corporation’s first senior vice president of partnerships, establishing teams to foster and manage industry and international relationships and business attraction. He served a pivotal role in launching NYC’s $1.3 billion cluster investment strategy to catalyze more than 100,000 jobs through emerging growth sectors and neighborhood developments. Mark has also served in Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti’s administration, leading efforts to craft and securing support to reform LA’s public works, real estate, and risk reduction operations and centralizing the city’s procurement function.
Before entering the public sector, Mark worked in the media sector, shaping content and investigative journalism on social impact, economic development, and effective governance. He received his MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MPA from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and BA from the University of Georgia, and has served on several boards supporting college access, creative arts, and civic innovation.
As TEDCO’s Chief Development & Marketing Officer, Tammi is primarily responsible for the overall strategic direction, leadership, execution and management of TEDCO’s marketing and fundraising strategies designed to broaden awareness of and resources for TEDCO and its various programs; this includes the development and implementation of the organization’s brand, marketing, and communications strategy.
Her leadership and knowledge are instrumental in forging relationships that will enable TEDCO to expand their reach and services, diversify resources and grow the innovation ecosystem as well as establishing TEDCO as the most recognized organization in Maryland for identifying, investing in, and growing technology-based businesses. Driven by this mission, she serves as TEDCO’s internal subject expert on media and public relations, social media, brand messaging, marketing, and special events.
Her resume includes C-suite positions as the Vice President of Strategic Management at Data Solutions & Technology Inc., a full-service technology solutions provider; and as the Director of Business Development and Marketing at the University of Maryland Baltimore County’s Research Park & Business Incubator. Additionally, Tammi’s professional expertise was sought after to teach the next generation of communicators as an adjunct professor at Bowie State University and the University of Baltimore. She frequently speaks and publishes on such topics as leadership, entrepreneurship, and business development.
Tammi has been recognized by her industry peers for excellence in communication and marketing. She has received the Maryland Economic Development Association’s Marketing award for TEDCO’s Entrepreneur Expo (2020), the Cybersecurity Association of Maryland’s 2017 Cybersecurity Industry Resource Award, the AMA Baltimore’s MX Award for Best Print Advertisement Campaign of the Year (2022 and 2023), and most recently was named one of The Daily Record’s Top 100 Women in Maryland (2023). She graduated from Leadership Maryland’s Class of 2018, completing the eight-month hands-on learning program focused on the State’s most vital social, economic and environmental issues. She serves on the 2023 World Trade Center Institute’s CEO Council as well as on the Maryland Momentum Fund Advisory Board and MEDA Board of Directors, where she is currently serving as Vice President of the organization.
Tammi earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Alabama State University and an MBA from the University of Baltimore. She is active in her community and serves in volunteer roles and on boards and committees for various schools and organizations in the region.
