2015 Chesapeake Basic Economic Development Course in Maryland
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The Chesapeake Basic Economic Development Course provides an introduction to the fundamentals of economic development. The course is designed to prepare participants for the challenges they face in the practice of developing communities.
Lofton Scholarships are available to MEDA members. Click here to learn how to apply for a Lofton Scholarship.
Laurie Boyer is the Economic Development Manager in the Division of Fiscal Management for the Montgomery County Government Finance Department. She is responsible for overseeing the County’s economic development incentive programs and for managing contracts with third-party vendors who provide economic development-related services on behalf of the County.
Previously, Laurie served as the Executive Director of Rockville Economic Development, Inc. (REDI), a public-private economic development partnership in the City of Rockville, and as Executive Director for the Frederick County Office of Economic Development.
In May 2006, Boyer earned her professional Economic Development Certification (CEcD) from the International Economic Development Council. She has nearly 18 years of economic development experience.
Ms. Boyer is a graduate of Leadership Montgomery Class of 2014 and Leadership Frederick County Class of 1997, serves as Secretary of the Maryland Economic Development Association (MEDA) Foundation Board, and is on the MEDA Council of Past Presidents. In 2012, she was named one of “Maryland’s Top 100 Women” by The Daily Record.
Ms. Boyer has a Bachelor’s degree in Communications and Spanish from Juniata College in Huntingdon, PA and a Master’s degree in Communication Studies from West Virginia University in Morgantown, WV.
Kim Clark is the Executive Vice President of the City of Baltimore Development Corporation (BDC). In her capacity as EVP she oversees neighborhood development, downtown development, capital budgeting, commercial revitalization, and urban design and planning.
Among her achievements at BDC, Kim helped structure public private partnership financing for several major redevelopment projects, including several Tax Increment Financing (TIF) projects; the redevelopment of Belvedere Square, all parcels at Inner Harbor East, Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOTS) for several major developments, including the Westside and the several grocery store projects. She was instrumental in retaining several businesses of all sizes and assisted smaller businesses with expansions and in the development of the Horseshoe Casino Baltimore.
Kim is the Secretary of the Maryland Economic Development Association, Treasurer of the Urban Land Institute Baltimore Council, Board member and Committee Chair of the Star Spangled Flag House, Board member of the Emerging Technology Centers, Leadership Maryland and the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts and is a member of the International Economic Development Council. Kim graduated Leadership MD in 2009 and is a Greater Baltimore Committee Leadership Class of 2007 graduate.
Greg Cole joined the Department in 1998 after 25 years of banking and commercial finance. He oversees the statewide activities of eight finance programs and twelve tax credits used to leverage private capital investment and stimulate economic development. Projects range from small business to the Fortune 100’s. In 2010, he became the state’s principal architect working with the U. S. Treasury to establish the State Small Business Credit Initiative, a first ever federal funding of $1.5 billion dollars directly to state’s economic development efforts. Maryland originated this concept and received a $23 million share.
He serves on numerous economic development boards including the Maryland Economic Development Corporation (MEDCO), the Maryland Agricultural and Resource Based Industry Development Corporation (MARBIDCO), and the Rural Maryland Council. Additionally, he is the state’s board member to the Council of Development Finance Agencies (CDFA), a national organization promoting economic development through creative finance.
He is a graduate of the University of Maryland and lifelong resident of Howard County.
Greg Cole joined the Department in 1998 after 25 years of banking and commercial finance. As the Director, he oversees the statewide activities of eight finance programs and twelve tax credits used to stimulate economic development and leverage private capital investment. Projects range from small business to the Fortune 100’s. Further, he serves on numerous economic development boards including the Maryland Economic Development Corporation (MEDCO), the Maryland Agricultural and Resource Based Industry Development Corporation (MARBIDCO), and the Rural Maryland Council.
As President and CEO of the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), Jeff Finkle is a recognized leader and authority on economic development. With the formation of IEDC in 2001 following the merger of the Council for Urban Economic Development (CUED) – where he was president for 15 years – and the American Economic Development Council (AEDC), Jeff set the course for a more effective and influential organization. Today IEDC is the world’s largest economic development membership organization and is a $5 million annual operation that is renowned for its leadership in professionalizing and diversifying the field of economic development.
Jeff previously served as Deputy Assistant Secretary in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and has received numerous awards over the years for his commitment to making sustainable economic development a priority in communities of all sizes. Significantly, in 2011 he was lauded by the U.S. Department of Commerce for his 25 years of stewardship over CUED and IEDC. Moreover, as a longtime leader in community service and philanthropy, in 2005 Jeff organized 250 economic development volunteers to work in Gulf Coast communities endeavoring to recover from Hurricane Katrina. In 1989 he also founded the Bollinger Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides financial assistance to children who have lost a parent who worked in the field of economic development.
A frequent lecturer and author of numerous articles, Jeff has appeared on CBS Sunday Morning, Fox television and the Journal Report on PBS. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in communications in 1976 from Ohio University in Athens and pursued graduate studies in business administration at Ohio State University. He maintains a strong connection with Ohio University’s Voinovich School for Leadership and Public Affairs.
Michelle Day
Acting Director, Frederick County Workforce Services (FCWS)
Frederick County, Maryland
2015
Michelle Day has over 10 years of experience in workforce development and is currently the Acting Director of Frederick County Workforce Services, the organization that administers and oversees federal and state employment and training programs for businesses, job seekers, and youth of Frederick County, Maryland. Prior to her recent appointment as acting director, Michelle managed business services, employment, and training programs under the Workforce Investment Act and is now leading the transition to the new Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.
During her time with Workforce Services she has focused on local labor market research and has presented to educators and other community groups committed to the development of an educated and skilled workforce. In 2013, Michelle was nominated and selected as the “Young Professional of the Year” by the Frederick Chamber of Commerce, becoming the very first recipient of the award.
Prior to her work with FCWS, she was the Assistant Director in Student Affairs at Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania where she oversaw student employment and student leadership development. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in History and Sociology and her Master’s in Social History from Shippensburg University. Michelle has also served as an adjunct faculty member at Frederick Community College (Maryland) where she has taught management and leadership classes.
Amy Seitz has nearly twenty years of professional experience in both private and public sector enterprises. She was formerly the Director of Community Access & Partnership for the Division of Neighborhood Revitalization within the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). Ms. Seitz was responsible for maintaining and cultivating relationships statewide with key stakeholders in community and economic development. In her role, she was responsible for strengthening and expanding the marketplace for the Division’s programmatic services and technical assistance including oversight of tax credit and grant programs totaling $5 million. Additionally, Ms. Seitz also served as the Statewide Coordinator for the Main Street Maryland program and State Leader for Keep Maryland Beautiful.
Prior to joining DHCD, Ms. Seitz worked as the Director of Development and Communications for Preservation Maryland and worked as the Executive Director for Hampden Village Main Street in Baltimore City. Ms. Seitz’s wide-ranging knowledge in strategic planning, public relations, marketing and economic development also includes work at the Howard County Economic Development Authority.
Ms. Seitz received her Bachelor’s degree in Historic Preservation from the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, VA. Her professional development includes the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Preservation Leadership certification and the Maryland Association of Nonprofits Standards of Excellence certification for nonprofit management.
Lisa Webb, CEcD, LGWebb LLC, is the leader of a consulting firm
specializing in business development strategies and relationships. With over
20 years professional experience, most recently Ms. Webb served as Economic
Development Director in Cecil County, working to best position the county
for attraction, retention and expansion. Previously, she served as Business
Development Director for Anne Arundel Economic Development Corporation, and Project
and Policy Development Manager for Harford County Office of Economic Development.
Ms. Webb also led the Fort Meade Regional Partnership in a successful and unique business
marketing and attraction effort. She took the lead on issues related to transportation, land use,
water and sewer, and development projects; and managed issues pertaining to infrastructure
improvements and impact studies. Ms. Webb earned her designation of Certified Economic
Developer (CEcD) in May of 2007, holds a Master of Business Administration from the
University of Phoenix, and is a graduate of the Oklahoma University Economic Development
Institute. She is a member of several economic development organizations including the
International Economic Development Council (IEDC) and serves on the Board of Directors
for the Maryland Economic Development Association (MEDA).
