The Business Development Committee connects MEDA with public and private funding partners who invest in the organization’s mission and vision for Maryland’s future. Aside from spreading the word of MEDA’s impact throughout the state, this effort yields the financial support necessary to allow MEDA to provide quality services to all members.
For more than 50 years, MEDA, Maryland’s only economic development association, has evolved into a powerful force, providing valuable benefits and services to its partners. Today, our vibrant membership holds key leadership positions in local and regional economic development organizations, as well as cabinet-level positions in state agencies. Our members work for virtually all of the state’s 23 counties and the City of Baltimore, leading private companies and non-profit agencies, all of whom have a stake in Maryland’s prosperity.
Our partners recognize that MEDA members propel Maryland’s economic success. As a result, they view MEDA as a valuable networking and training resource for the economic development community. MEDA sponsorship benefits include access to this diverse group of members and partnership with an organization strategically positioned to heighten visibility in Maryland.
Committee members serve a one-year term beginning in May after the MEDA Annual Conference.
Jerry T. Sanford is a seasoned professional with nearly three decades of experience in economic development, public policy, public private partnerships, real estate development, energy and corporate relations. Mr. Sanford currently serves Washington Gas a WGL Company as Economic Development Manager. WGL’s economic development initiative is focused on supporting regional growth and prosperity through the improvement of the region’s energy security, infrastructure, transportation, housing and economic resiliency. Jerry partners with the public and private sectors to develop effective techniques to achieve goals.
Prior to joining WGL, Jerry served the Maryland Department of Commerce as Director of Business Recruitment & Location Services. Mr. Sanford led a staff who marketed Maryland’s strategic advantages and provided confidential business location assistance. Innovative sales strategies were used to maximize the effectiveness. The location assistance provided included: Request for Proposal responses; site selection; resource identification; incentives coordination; economic data research and collaboration with government, utilities, businesses and academia. Mr. Sanford dealt with sensitive public policy issues such as taxes, transportation, infrastructure, MBE contracting, permitting/zoning and workforce.
Jerry also managed the Downtown Silver Spring Urban District in Montgomery County, Maryland. Jerry led this 360 acre special taxing district during a period of redevelopment and revitalization to become a vibrant center of the community. Jerry marketed the business district to real estate developers and businesses. Jerry managed the Optional Method Development (OMD) program that encouraged land assembly and mixed-use development. Under OMD, higher densities were allowed in exchange for significant public amenities and facilities to support the additional density. Mr. Sanford negotiated public-private-partnerships as part of the OMD program. Mr. Sanford was also responsible for intergovernmental affairs, Clean & Safe programs; public space management; business retention & expansion; community outreach; strategic planning; neighborhood revitalization and overseeing the daily downtown operations with a staff of 45.
While at the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), Jerry performed technical engineering work as an owner’s representative, overseeing complex multi-million dollar capital projects. Mr. Sanford also served the City of Takoma Park, Maryland (as Code Enforcement Director, Special Events Manager and Community Outreach Manager.
Mr. Sanford’s public service includes volunteering as a Firefighter-Emergency Medical Technician and First Aid/CPR Instructor in Montgomery County, Maryland since 1991. Jerry has received commendations for courage, valor and actions above the call of duty (1993, 1995, 2004 and 2005). Jerry also serves on the Dispute Resolving Board of the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC), College of Southern Maryland Foundation Board and the Southern Maryland Minority Chamber of Commerce Board. Previously Jerry served on the City of Bowie, Maryland Administrative Review Board and Board of Appeals.
Jerry is a graduate of the University of Maryland University College with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management and a minor in Economics. Mr. Sanford is a Fellow of the Industrial Asset Management Council (IAMC). Mr. Sanford also has received further economic development education through Pennsylvania State University, Virginia Tech, Urban Land Institute (ULI) and the International Economic Development Council (IEDC).
John Stalfort is the managing principal of the firm’s Washington, D.C. office.
He serves as counsel to commercial and investment banks, political subdivisions, economic development agencies, for-profit and not-for-profit entities (including health care institutions, secondary schools and other 501(c)(3) organizations), corporate trustees and bond purchasers in all types of tax-exempt and taxable bond transactions. He has served as bond
counsel in connection with many of the most significant economic development projects in
the State of Maryland and the Greater Washington region for more than 40 years. Included in these projects are the public-private-partnership (P3) financing of the Seagirt Marine Terminal in Baltimore’s harbor, the Chesapeake Hyatt Resort development (a 400-room hotel, golf course, spa and resort in Cambridge, Maryland), the National Harbor project (a 7,000,000-square-foot, mixed-used community along the Potomac River), the National Aquarium in Baltimore, the Purple Line light rail project in Montgomery County and Prince George’s County, Maryland and the redevelopment of Washington’s Union Station.
A particular focus of his practice are land-based infrastructure transactions, including
special taxing districts, tax increment financing districts (TIF) and community development
authorities in the Mid-Atlantic Region as bond counsel, developer’s counsel and underwriter’s counsel. These transactions have included the first two special taxing district financings in the State of Delaware and the redevelopment of downtown Columbia, Maryland. Several
of these transactions have involved transit-oriented development projects (TOD’s).
John’s practice also involves equipment leasing and finance transactions in which
he represents operating lessors, corporate and municipal clients as lessees and financial institutions acting as a lender, lessor, buyer, seller or trustee. These
transactions have included single-investor structures, leveraged lease structures and
synthetic lease structures. He also serves as counsel to financial institutions in connection with asset-based lending and commercial finance transactions and secured real estate loans.
John is a former member of the Firm’s Board of Directors and former Chair of the Firm’s Business Department.
John lives in Washington, D.C. and Maryland with his wife, Anne, and has two children, Elizabeth and Doug.
Andy Fish was appointed as the Senior Director of Finance Programs at the Maryland Department of Commerce in July of 2017. At Commerce, Andy and his team are responsible for the delivery, management and compliance efforts of the State’s economic development toolbox of finance programs. Prior to joining Commerce, he served M&T Bank over a 30 year career, supporting corporate and institutional clients throughout the bank’s footprint in a variety of development and leadership capacities.
Andy is a graduate of the University of Richmond and Loyola University in Maryland. He served on the boards of the Riderwood Parent Teacher Association, Cylburn Arboretum Association and the Maryland Family Network. He has been a Maryland resident for over 40 years.
Shelly Gross-Wade is the founder, Principal Consultant and CEO of Bay Crossing
Consulting Services, located in Queen Anne’s County, Maryland. Bay Crossing
Consulting provides comprehensive advisory and consulting services to economic
and community development organizations, government agencies, non-profits, and
small and minority-owned businesses.
Shelly has more than 40 years of public-private executive management experience
and has successfully developed, implemented, managed, evaluated and promoted
mission-focused economic development financing and technical assistance
programs and services.
For more than 24 years, she served as the President & CEO of the Prince George’s
Financial Services Corporation (FSC First). Under her leadership, FSC First
managed assets of more than $64 Million in outstanding loans and grants,
maintained a $5 Million economic development revolving loan fund (or loan pool),
became an SBA guaranteed lender, received designation as a Community
Development Financial Institution (CDFI), was allocated $10 Million in New
Market Tax Credits, awarded $4 Million in ARPA Funding, became a State of
Maryland Video Lottery Terminal Fund Manager and an inaugural member of the
African American Alliance of CDFI’s, lectured for the Council of Development
Finance Agencies and the Maryland Economic Development Association.
Shelly is a sought-after public speaker, management retreat facilitator, and subject
matter expert on innovative and creative financing solutions for small, minority,
and women-owned businesses.
Shelly and her husband of more than 35 years own and operate a recreational
boating service and a vacation rental home, The Woodland Retreat, on Kent Island.
Shelly has been recognized for her distinguished leadership and collaborative
services with The Daily Record 2023 Leadership ICON Honors Award and
Maryland’s Top 100 Woman Award. She was inducted into the 2023 Maryland
Economic Development Association (MEDA) Hall of Fame. She serves on the
Chesapeake College – Foundation Board, Hospice of the Chesapeake – Board of
Directors, Maryland Economic Development Association — Foundation Board and
the Queen Anne’s County Economic Development Commission.
