2022 C&O Canal Tour
2022-06-08 11:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | C&O Canal – Cushwa Basin Visitor Center, 205 W. Potomac St, Williamsport, MD, 21795, United States
** EXCLUSIVE TO MEDA AND LEADERSHIP MARYLAND MEMBERS ONLY **

Come join MEDA and Leadership Maryland for an exclusive Members Only C&O Canal Tour. We’ll be touring the C&O Canal’s Cushwa Basin with its working aqueduct and electric boat rides, and take a walk in downtown Williamsport.
Registration is limited to MEDA and Leadership Maryland Members only, so sign up soon!
Located in the town of Williamsport, the C&O Canal is a historic treasure for Maryland. The Canal has been operating for almost 100 years and in 1971 was established as the C&O Canal National Historical Park. A few of the highlights of this area include two historic structures: the last standing railroad lift bridge in the country, and the Bollman Bridge, one of the first iron bridges ever built in the U.S.
Join us to see the sights!
The tour is open to MEDA and Leadership Maryland members only.
Note: Registration is limited, so please sign up early.
Info:

June 8, 2022 11am-2pm, Williamsport, MD
Cost: $25.00 (includes lunch)
Casual dress and comfortable walking shoes are suggested
Address for parking: 142 W Potomac St, Williamsport, MD 21795 for parking
Register below

Schedule:
11:00

Gather in the C&O Canal National Historic Park’s new HQ facility. Welcome by Donnie Stotlmyer, Williamsport Town Administrator, and Mainstreet Manager, Kathryn Gratton.
Speakers: Dan Spedden (President and CEO of the Washington County Convention and Visitor Center) and members of Port 44, the all-female real estate investment group transforming the streetscape.
Speaker John Noel (Deputy Superintendent of the C&O Canal NHP) will present an overview of the significant investment made in the Cushwa Basin and the extraordinary partnership that made it happen. Other collaborators will be on hand to answer questions.

12:30

Walk the short distance to the Cushwa Basin to visit the C&O Canal interpretive center and enjoy a boxed lunch from Williamport’s own Desert Moon Cafe.
Electric boat rides with an interpretive guide will be offered to traverse the only watered-aqueduct on the C&O Canal.

2:00

Optional walking tour of Williamsport’s Main Street area led by Kathryn Gratton, Main Street Manager, to see the projects already in motion.

Speakers for the Canal Tour:

Dan Spedden

Originally from Baltimore County Maryland, Dan Spedden is a graduate of the University of
Maine’s Natural Resource Management program. Dan is the retired State Park Superintendent
for the South Mountain Recreation Area, a cluster of four State Parks and a State Battlefield on
the border of Frederick and Washington Counties. Dan was a law enforcement ranger who
retired at the rank of Captain in October 2013. Dan is currently the President of the
Hagerstown/Washington County Convention and Visitors Bureau, a 501 C6 corporation with a
mission to improve the economy of the community through the promotion and development of
travel and tourism. He has been appointed to the Governor’s State Tourism Development
Board and the Maryland Heritage Area Authority Board of Directors. Dan resides in Hagerstown
with his wife Janette.

Brenda Paul

Port44 Co-Founder and Chief Financial Officer

Jesse Burgoon

Port44 Co-Founder and Chief Operations Officer

Lettie Wilkes

Port44 Co-Founder and Chief Marketing and Communications Officer

Selena Wilkes

Port44 Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Susie Miller

Port44 Co-Founder and Chief Operations Officer

John Noel

C&O Canal Superintendent

Special thanks to our sponsor: Washington County Convention & Visitors Bureau

Watch our video to get learn more about the importance of the canal and the projects that have enhanced its economic development.

2022 MEDA Primer for Economic Development in Maryland
2022-06-22 09:00 - 15:00 | City Garage, 101 W Dickman St, Baltimore, MD, United States
Join MEDA for a training that has been created to provide participants an introduction and overview of how Maryland practices economic development. Course attendees will quickly develop a network of resources and connections, all while building camaraderie among participants to further Maryland’s economic development team.
This course is designed for those who are new to economic development in Maryland, in addition to strategic partners in collaborative industries. Find out how economic development transforms lives by creating opportunities, inspiring innovation, and enriching communities. Together we can work to make a brighter, more prosperous future for the state of Maryland!
Agenda (link to printable copy)
View the speaker slides from our Ignite panelists— click here.
9:00 – 9:05 Welcome and Moderator
Richard Griffin, CEcD, AICP Vice President, Maryland Economic Development Association
9:15 – 9:45 Fundamentals of Economic Development – Q&A
An overview of the basics of economic development and an opportunity to have questions answered.
David Iannucci, President & CEO, Prince George’s Economic Development Corporation
9:45 -10:00 Break
10:00 – 11:15 Maryland’s Economy, Key Industries and Strategic Advantages – click here to view these slides from this presentation
This session provides an overview of Maryland’s economy, its competitive strengths and weaknesses, and key economic assets. We’ll take a closer look at Maryland’s different regions and key industry sectors, how Maryland competes with other states and discuss Maryland’s value proposition for new business investment.
Panelists:
Lori Ratzburg, Senior Director, Regional Growth & Retention, Maryland Department of Commerce
Roger Venezia, CEcD, Director of Operations and Special Projects, Maryland Department of Commerce
Sharon Disque, CEcD, Economic Development Manager, City of Gaithersburg
11:15 – 11:30 Break
11:30 – 12:30 State Agencies Panel
Hear from State Agency leaders as they discuss how they interact with economic development.
Moderator:
Len Parrish, Director, Community & Economic Development, Harford County
Panelists:
Rob McCord, Secretary, Maryland Department of Planning
James Rzepkowski, Assistant Secretary, Maryland Department of Labor
Heather Gramm, CEcD, Assistant Secretary, Maryland Department of Commerce
Earl Lewis, Deputy Secretary, Maryland Department of Transportation
Owen McEvoy, Deputy Secretary, Maryland Department of Housing & Community Development
12:30 – 1:00 Lunch
1:00 – 1:15 Ignite Presentations: City/County

Richard Griffin, CEcD, Director, City of Frederick Department of Economic Development
Heather Tinelli, Director, Economic & Tourism Development, Queen Anne’s County
1:15 – 1:45 Ignite Presentations

Randy Baynes, Senior Account Executive, Baltimore Gas & Electric
Frank Dickson, Director, Strategic Business Initiatives, Maryland Department of Housing & Community Development
Julie Woepke, Executive Director, Maryland Economic Development Commission
Tom Sadowski, Executive Director, MEDCO
Tammi Thomas, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, TEDCO
Stanley Tucker, President, Meridian Management Group, Inc.
1:45 – 2:00 Break
2:00 – 3:00 How Does Maryland “Do” Economic Development?
Our moderator will provide an overview of how state and local representatives work together, and break down the scenarios for how specialized programs depend on the jurisdiction, the company, and the overall needs of the community.
Presenters will provide a discussion of varying approaches for business startups, growth, retention and attraction, from the perspective of the state and rural, suburban and urban communities. The panel will address significant elements of what goes into the business development process depending on the jurisdiction, the project, and the requirements of the company. Speakers will share case studies to show the key elements of a project.
Moderator:
Susan Grimes, Director of Business Development, Washington County
Panelists:

Dave Ryan, Executive Director, Salisbury-Wicomico Economic Development
Kim Clark, Executive Vice President, Baltimore Development Corporation
Jayson Knott, Senior Director, Office of Business Development, Maryland Department of Commerce
Amy Seitz, Director, Community Access and Partnership, Maryland Department of Housing & Community Development
Jessica Reynolds, CEcD, Senior Director, Office of International Investment & Trade, Maryland Department of Commerce
3:00 Wrap-up / Tour of City Garage

Speakers

Richard Griffin, AICP, CEcD
MEDA Vice President
Mr. Griffin has served as Director of Economic Development for the City of Frederick, Maryland since 2002. An urban planner and economic developer with 25 years of experience, Richard has worked at the city, county, and regional level in Maryland, Virginia, South Carolina and Washington.
During his tenure in Frederick he has overseen several million in public and private revitalization including the design and development of award-winning Carroll Creek Park and million’s in renovations and new infill development delivering jobs tax base in downtown.
His previous assignments include serving as the executive director of the Downtown Frederick Partnership, Program Manager of Comprehensive Planning for Loudoun County, Virginia and Senior Regional Planner for the Appalachian Council of Governments , and on the district staff of US Representative James McClure Clarke (11th NC)..
Mr. Griffin holds degrees from Western Carolina University and Clemson University. He serves on the Board for the Downtown Frederick Partnership, the Frederick Innovative Technology Center, Inc. and others.

David Iannucci

David S. Iannucci has served in the Administration of Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker as the Assistant Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Economic Development since 2011. In that position, he directly oversees the activities of Prince George’s County Economic Development Corporation, FSC First, and the Conference and Visitors Bureau. Mr. Iannucci plays a prominent role on the County’s key projects such as the pursuit of the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation headquarters, a new Regional Medical Center, and the Purple Line, working to retain and support the County’s existing business community, and oversight of the County Executive’s $50 million Economic Development Incentive Fund. In his 40 year career, Mr. Iannucci has served in many positions within state and local government. His previous positions include Secretary of the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development, Executive Director of the Baltimore County Department of Economic Development, and under former Maryland Governor William Donald Schaefer, Chief Legislative Officer. Mr. Iannucci is a 1979 graduate of the University of Maryland College Park. David S. Iannucci is also a former President of the Maryland Economic Development Association and is a member of the MEDA Hall of Fame. A long-time resident of Prince George’s County, he resides in Bowie with his wife and daughter.

Roger Venezia, CEcD

Roger Venezia has been an economic developer for 40 years. He serves as Director of Operations & Special Projects for the Division of Business and Industry Sector Development at the Maryland Department of Commerce. In this capacity he serves as chief administrative officer of the agency’s largest division. He has been with Commerce since 2000.
Mr. Venezia has held marketing, research, and managerial positions for three different county economic development offices in Maryland. He served as Director of the Cecil County Office of Economic Development during which time he led the effort to develop the county’s first economic development strategic plan. He also served as Research Manager for PECO Energy Company of Philadelphia, one of the country’s largest electric utilities.
Mr. Venezia earned his Certified Economic Developer designation in 1988. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a second major in Economics from the University of Delaware.

Sharon Disque, CEcD

Sharon Disque is the Economic Development Manager for the City of Gaithersburg, Maryland. She has more than 30 years of experience in economic development, including business park development, real estate sales and leasing, corporate site selection, community strategic planning, marketing and market analysis, and downtown redevelopment. Before joining the City of Gaithersburg, Sharon ran a community development corporation, provided real estate consulting services for clients in Maryland and West Virginia, and was Regional Director of Industrial Development for CSX Transportation. She began her career with the Hagerstown-Washington County Economic Development Commission. Sharon earned a Master’s in Real Estate from Johns Hopkins University and a Bachelor’s in Economics from the University of Virginia. She is a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD).

Len Parrish

Director, Community & Economic Development, Harford County

Robert McCord

Secretary Robert S. McCord provides comprehensive leadership of the Department’s mission, objectives, and initiatives. With the Maryland Department of Planning since 2015, he has served as Assistant Secretary of Operations and Deputy Secretary. McCord comes to Planning with private sector and public experience. He worked in private practice in Bel Air, Maryland before joining the Harford County Law Department in 1998 as Deputy County Attorney, then County Attorney from 2004-2014. He has seen issues from Western Maryland to the Eastern Shore as a trustee on the Local Government Insurance Trust. He is an Adjunct Professor, University of Baltimore School of Law, 1990-present. He holds a degree from Loyola University Maryland, B.A. (Business Administration and Philosophy), 1983; M.B.A. (Marketing), 1985; University of Baltimore School of Law, J.D. cum laude, 1989.

James Rzepkowski

James E. Rzepkowski is the Assistant Secretary for the Division of Workforce Development and Adult Learning at the Maryland Department of Labor. Within the Division are five Offices that implement the mission of the Division: Workforce Development, Adult Education & Literacy Services, Correctional Education, Fiscal Administration, and Workforce Information & Performance. From January 2019 to August 2019, he served as Acting Secretary of the Maryland Department of Labor.
Prior to his appointment by the Hogan-Rutherford Administration in February 2015, he served 8 years as the Corporate Director of Workforce Development at Constellation Energy Nuclear Group, LLC (CENG), headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland. He developed and implemented the company’s mission critical workforce development initiative leveraging strategic partnerships with educational institutions in multiple states to provide a pipeline of skilled and qualified workers to meet the growing needs of the energy industry. Mr. Rzepkowski represented CENG on numerous national industry association boards focused on adult learning and technical training as well as state and local workforce development organizations.
Concurrent to his employment at CENG, Mr. Rzepkowski was appointed to the Anne Arundel County Board of Appeals in January 2007 to a four-year term by unanimous vote of the Anne Arundel County Council. The quasi-judicial Board that renders final decisions on appeals related to zoning, variances, licenses, permits, personnel, and executive, administrative, and judicatory orders in Anne Arundel County, Maryland.
Prior to joining CENG in February of 2007, he served 12 years in Maryland State Government in both Executive and Legislative capacities – three years as an Assistant Secretary within Maryland’s Department of Business and Economic Development and nine years as an elected member of the Maryland House of Delegates representing the 32nd Legislative District in Anne Arundel County.
He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Government and Politics, with Phi Beta Kappa Honors, from the University of Maryland – College Park.

Heather Gramm, CEcD
MEDA Past President
Heather Gramm joined the Maryland Department of Commerce as Senior Director of Strategic Industries and Entrepreneurship in June 2019. In this role, she oversees the development and implementation of the state’s efforts to grow the strategic industries of biohealth and life sciences, cybersecurity and aerospace, manufacturing, energy and agriculture. In addition, she oversees Commerce’s strategic initiatives for entrepreneurship, small business, and workforce development.
Prior to this role, she served as Deputy Director for the Frederick County Office of Economic Development overseeing the county’s business development efforts, including business attraction, retention and expansion, small and minority business development strategies, as well as industry-sector development in the county’s targeted sectors.
Heather has more than 17 years of experience in municipal, county and state economic development in a variety of roles including business development, community development and downtown revitalization. She earned a B.A. in Business Administration from Hood College and the Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) certification through IEDC. She serves as President of the Maryland Economic Development Association (MEDA) Board of Directors.

Earl Lewis

R. Earl Lewis, Jr., was appointed on January 20, 2016, to serve as Deputy Secretary of Policy, Planning, and Enterprise Services for the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT), which is comprised of The Secretary’s Office, State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA), Maryland Transit Administration (MDOT MTA), Motor Vehicle Administration (MDOT MVA), Maryland Port Administration (MDOT MPA), Maryland Aviation Administration (MDOT MAA) and the Maryland Transportation Authority.
As Deputy Secretary, Mr. Lewis oversees the administration of twelve offices in the Secretary’s office. He also chairs MDOT’s Public Private Partnerships Steering Committee, reporting directly to the Secretary on the oversight of P3 initiatives by MDOT’s transportation business units. In 2017, he was certified as a P3 Foundations Professional by APMG International, a global accreditation agency. Mr. Lewis represents the Secretary as Chair of the State of Maryland’s Zero Emission Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Council, The National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board and often represents the Secretary on several other groups such as the Maryland Commission on Climate Change (MCCC) and the Commerce, International Affairs, and Smart Growth Sub-Cabinet as well as the Maryland Economic Development Corporation (MEDCO.)
In 2018, Mr. Lewis received the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials National Corporate Executive of the Year Award, as well as the Baltimore Chapter of WTS Honorable Ray LaHood Man of the Year Award for being supportive of careers of women in transportation.
Mr. Lewis has a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Virginia and an MBA and a second Master’s degree in Information Systems from the University of Maryland’s Smith School of Business.

Owen McEvoy

Owen McEvoy serves as Deputy Secretary of the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD).
Prior to his current role, McEvoy served as DHCD’s Director of Public Information where he managed a team of marketing, communications, outreach, business development and customer service professionals. During his tenure, he directed a series of business development and marketing campaigns that have enabled the Maryland Mortgage Program to achieve more than $1 billion in mortgage reservations.
Before his time in Maryland state government, he served as Director of Media Relations and Public Information Officer for former Anne Arundel County Executive Steve Schuh, where he worked extensively on land use and development issues. He also served previously as a Deputy Communications Director for Speechwriting for former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett, and as an aide to former Maryland Governor Bob Ehrlich.
A graduate of Villanova University School of Law and Georgetown University, he resides in Anne Arundel County with his wife.

Randy Baynes

Randy Baynes Sr. Economic Development Specialist Economic Development, BGE
Randy Baynes is a Sr. Economic Development Specialist in Governmental and External Affairs at BGE. He is responsible for ensuring a positive customer experience for our State and Local Economic Development Officials. Randy works closely with the administration of BGE’s Smart Energy Economic Development Incentive. The SEED incentive provides relief to construction and distribution expenses to qualifying new and expanding businesses in Central Maryland. Through this initiative Randy works with BGE’s New Business Design and Engineering teams to ensure a seamless customer experience. Additionally, Randy works with our state and local partners on the attraction, retention and expansion of businesses in BGE’s service territory. Randy is an active member of the Utility Economic Development Association (UEDA), a national organization of utility professionals that work to advance economic growth. Randy has been with BGE over 17 years and formerly held roles in Commercial and Industrial Engineering and Large Customer Services.
CIVIC INVOLVEMENT // For over ten years Randy was a coach and director of Loch Raven Recreational boys’ and girls’ soccer and lacrosse programs. Randy was formerly the Head Women’s Lacrosse Coach for the Institute of Notre Dame, an all-girls high school in downtown Baltimore. Randy is currently a member of the Board of Directors for the Archbishop Curley Alumni Association.
EDUCATION // Randy holds a bachelor’s degree (B.A.) in Geography from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and has taken additional coursework in Environmental Studies from Johns Hopkins University.
FAMILY // Randy is a lifelong Baltimorean, now resides in Baltimore County. He lives in Parkville with his wife Stephanie and three children, Jack 22, Ella 20 and Carter 17.

Frank Dickson

Frank is leading DHCD’s efforts in promoting and supporting investment into Opportunity Zones throughout Maryland. Frank will work with investors, businesses, and local leaders to capitalize on the Opportunity Zone tax incentives. Previously, Frank led the Maryland Venture Fund for several years and led the $100M raise for InvestMaryland in 2012.

Julie Woepke

Since its reorganization in 2015, Ms. Woepke has served as the Executive Director of the 25 voting and four (4) non-voting member Maryland Economic Development Commission. The Commission establishes economic development policy in the State and oversees the Department of Commerce’s efforts to support the creation, attraction and retention of businesses and jobs. Ms. Woepke coordinated the development of a Strategic Plan and works with the Department to oversee implementation, performance evaluation and tracking of the plan. She also coordinates the work of Subcommittees.
From its inception in 2015, Ms. Woepke has coordinated the Commerce Subcabinet, an 11 member State Agency Subcabinet with six (6) Workgroups – Customer Service; Job Creators; Small Business; Workforce Development; Regional Resources; and Sustainable Materials Management Maryland (SM3). The Subcabinet advises the Governor on proposals to enhance the State’s business climate, gathers information necessary to promotes its goals, collaborates to facilitate and expedite critical economic development projects; and provides additional assistance that may further the goals of the state and enhance business climate.
As part of senior leadership within the Department, she coordinates all Boards, Commissions, Councils and Authorities.
Prior to 2015, Ms. Woepke served as an Assistant Director in the Office of Military and Federal Affairs serving as the liaison to Fort George G. Meade, Walter Reed Military Medical Center, Joint Base Andrews, Naval Support Activity Annapolis and Army Research Lab Adelphia. Ms. Woepke was instrumental in the successful execution of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) decision, which resulted in over 19,000 direct jobs and nearly 20,000 indirect and induced jobs to the State.
Ms. Woepke also served in the Department as a Business Development Representative in the Capital Region assisting businesses of all industry sectors and size – from start-ups to large corporations.
Prior to joining the State of Maryland, Julie held Economic Development positions for El Cerrito, CA, Belmont, CA, Bowie, MD, Cape Coral, FL and Deerfield, IL.
Native of Chicago, Julie and her husband live in Annapolis and have two adult children.

J. Thomas Sadowski
2008 – 2009
Thomas Sadowski is MEDCO’s fourth executive director, beginning his tenure in August 2021. Appointed by the MEDCO Board of Directors and approved by the Governor, Mr. Sadowski directs a staff composed of ten administrative, finance and development specialists whose responsibilities are to assist with financing, project development, accounting, and management of MEDCO’s projects. In his role as Executive Director, Tom is dedicated to furthering MEDCO’s important mission to help advance Maryland’s economic development interests and facilitate economic growth that benefits citizens and communities across Maryland. Tom brings to MEDCO a depth and breadth of experience, a passion for the economic well-being of Maryland, and enthusiasm for a vibrant economy that is sustainable and competitive.
Tom came to MEDCO with more than thirty years of economic development experience and has held leadership positions at local, regional, and state levels. He has worked across all industry sectors, including aerospace, autonomous systems, cybersecurity, quantum computing, robotics, bio-health, clean energy, advanced manufacturing, agriculture, and education-technology.
Prior to working at MEDCO, Tom spent 5 years as vice chancellor for economic development at the University System of Maryland (USM), a major player in the success of Maryland’s economy. As the USM’s first vice chancellor for economic development, Tom focused on leveraging the talent, resources, and programming at USM’s twelve institutions and three regional centers to support the state’s economic development efforts and help grow strategic industries. He served as the USM’s senior representative on university-industry-government collaborations statewide. Tom was the system’s primary liaison to the state in support of recruiting companies and retaining and growing existing companies. Within the USM, his role focused on venture creation, tech commercialization, industry and government research partnerships, and workforce development. He also launched the USM’s $10 million venture Maryland Momentum Fund.
Prior to joining USM, Tom served as president and CEO of the Economic Alliance of Greater Baltimore, where he focused on growing and attracting companies to the region and used federal and state grant dollars to create programs supporting innovation, commercialization, and entrepreneurship. He also served as director of the Harford County Office of Economic Development and as business development director for the Baltimore County Department of Economic Development.
Tom is very active in the community, serving as the chair of the board for Junior Achievement of Central Maryland, on the Board of Visitors for the University of Maryland Technology Institute (MTech), and on the boards of the Baltimore Metropolitan Council, Cyber Association of Maryland, Maryland Information Security Institute (MISI), Maryland Marketing Partnership, Maryland Technology Council, UMBC Training Centers, the University of Maryland Medical System/Upper Chesapeake Health Foundation, and the UMB Baltimore Fund Advisory Board.
He has received several honors, including the 2016 “Alumni of the Year, Distinguished Service” award from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and the 2014 “William Donald Schaefer Industrialist of the Year” award from the Baltimore Museum of Industry. He was also recognized by The Daily Record as a “Most Admired CEO” in 2015 and 2013 and an “Influential Marylander” in 2011.
A lifelong resident of Maryland, Sadowski earned his bachelor’s degree in political science, with a certificate in public administration and policy, from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) in 1989. He is married with five children.

Tammi Thomas
MEDA Vice President
Tammi Thomas serves as Chief Marketing & Communications Officer at the Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO). In this role, she is responsible for the development of TEDCO’s marketing, public relations and communications strategy and will contribute to TEDCO’s organizational strategic operations.
Ms. Thomas, a seasoned administrator, has extensive managerial experience in the higher education sector and possesses a record of success in jump-starting initiatives and helping them flourish. With more than 25 years of experience in the marketing and public relations fields, she has served as advisor and consultant to senior-level executives in industry, government and academia; developed and executed comprehensive strategic, marketing and communications plans; coordinated and managed internal and external partnerships and initiatives; and facilitated large scale panels, workshops, and discussions involving a variety of executive and managerial-level individuals in the technology, government, and higher education communities.
Previously, Ms. Thomas served as chief of staff to the president at Bowie State University. She provided strategic leadership and support for the president’s initiatives and priorities. Prior to this position, she served as vice president of strategic management for Data Solutions & Technology Incorporated (DST). The company, headquartered in Lanham, Md., provides a full spectrum of professional services in information technology, logistics and operations, management, and scientific and technology support. Before DST, Ms. Thomas served as the director of University Relations and Marketing at Bowie State University for more than three years. She was also director of Business Development and Marketing at the University of Maryland Baltimore County’s Research Park and Business Incubator, where she served for eight years. She has taught marketing and communications courses at Bowie State and the University of Baltimore as an adjunct professor.
Ms. Thomas earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing from Alabama State University and a Master of Business Administration degree in International Marketing from the University of Baltimore. She is a contributor to A Practical Guide to Business Incubator Marketing (NBIA Publications, 2007) and a guest editor of Bowie State University’s Undergraduate Journal of Research and Writing Across the Curriculum (Bowie State University, 2013).

Stanley Tucker

President of Meridian Management Group, Inc.

Dave Ryan
1999 – 2000
David Ryan is a veteran economic development professional and the Executive Director of the Salisbury-Wicomico Economic Development Corporation, a public – private partnership charged with strengthening the economy of Salisbury, Wicomico County and region.
Ryan shares a passion for promoting his hometown of Salisbury and as he implements meaningful programs and initiatives to succeed in the economy of today and tomorrow. During his tenure, he has helped create a cluster of telecommunications manufacturers and a growing life science sector, assisted in the formation and operation of a regional revolving loan fund, established the county’s first small business incubator, planned with the private sector a new industrial park and formed the county’s first business expansion fund for startup, existing and new businesses. He’s brokered more than $35 million in direct lending accounting for more than 6,000 jobs and more than $150 million in capital investment.
Ryan consistently serves on statewide task forces and committees, is a Past President of the Maryland Economic Development Association and is active on local advisory boards associated with Salisbury University, Wor-Wic Community College, and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. In addition, he is a member of the Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, the Greater Salisbury Committee, the Delmarva Water Transport Committee and the Wicomico County Airport Commission.
From a community perspective, Ryan is active in Asbury United Methodist Church, serving as a past Treasurer and as an Executive Committee member to the Asbury Child Development Center, a pre-school ministry of the Church. He is a past board member of the United Way of the Lower Eastern Shore, the Salisbury YMCA and a Past President of Lower Shore Enterprises, a non-profit corporation connecting people with disabilities to job opportunities.
Ryan received his Bachelors of Science Degree in Marketing and Economics from Old Dominion University and his MBA from Salisbury University. He is a former tennis professional, the longest actively serving Economic Development Director for a major jurisdiction in the State of Maryland and is a member of the Maryland Economic Development Association Hall of Fame.

Kimberly Clark

Kim Clark is the Executive Vice President of the City of Baltimore Development Corporation (BDC). In her capacity as EVP she oversees neighborhood development, business development, capital budgeting, Small Business Resource Center, Emerging Technology Centers, Baltimore Main Streets program, marketing and research and analytics.
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 Vice President of the Maryland Economic Development Association, Chair for Mission Advancement of the Urban Land Institute Baltimore Council, Second Vice President 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.
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.

Jayson Knott

Jayson Knott is Senior Director of the Office of Business Development at the Maryland Department of Commerce. He leads teams responsible for attracting new businesses to Maryland, growing existing Maryland businesses, and providing assistance to Maryland small businesses. Knott began his tenure with the Department in 1998, first working in publications and advertising, and then moving into business development in 2000. Prior to the Maryland Department of Commerce, he spent nine years coordinating publications for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Knott received his BFA from Rochester Institute of Technology in 1987, and has completed numerous continuing education courses with IEDC. A Westminster native, Knott lives in Towson with his wife and two sons.

Amy Seitz

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.

Jessica Reynolds, CEcD

Jessica Reynolds is an international trade and investment specialist serving as Senior Director for the Office of International Investment and Trade at the Maryland Department of Commerce since August 2019. She previously served as a regional manager in this office, covering South Asia, Middle East, Africa, and Europe. Prior to joining Commerce, Mrs. Reynolds worked as a consultant for an economic development and planning firm, and as a Senior Manager and consultant in the international economic development field, working on US Government, World Bank, and other donor projects. She started her international career as an intern at the World Trade Center Institute in Baltimore.
Mrs. Reynolds holds a Master’s Degree from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a Bachelor’s Degree from Loyola University Maryland. She holds professional memberships in the International Economic Development Council and the Maryland Economic Development Association, and in March 2021,earned her CEcD certification as a certified economic developer.

Parking:

Parking at City Garage is located outside the main entrance.
Thanks to our Sponsors for the Primer:
City Garage, Scheer Partners, and South Duvall Commercial Real Estate Investments.

2022 MEDA Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) Program Webinar
2022-07-13 11:00 - 12:00
$198M For Maryland Small Businesses
As an economic development professional, you are working with Maryland small businesses and supporting Maryland’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. In this webinar, you will learn how you can assist your businesses in applying for funding through Maryland’s State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI).
The State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) was established by Congress in 2010 to provide loans and investments to underserved small businesses and received a $10 billion allocation as part of the American Rescue Plan Act. The funds from SSBCI will be used to augment existing business lending programs to support businesses with limited opportunities for growth whether due to the pandemic or historic disinvestment. Maryland’s statewide SSBCI initiatives will target communities and areas with a high concentration of small, micro, and Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Individual (SEDI) businesses to support ongoing state investments in underserved communities.
Frank Dickson, the Director of Strategic Business Initiatives at the Maryland Department of Housing & Community Development, is joined by Randy Croxton, Senior Vice President at Meridian Management Group, and Jack Miner, Chief Investment Officer at TEDCO, to discuss the initiative and eligibility to apply.

THIS IS A MEDA MEMBER-ONLY EVENT. IF YOU’D LIKE TO JOIN MEDA, PLEASE VISIT https://www.medamd.com/membership/

2022 MEDA Chesapeake Basic Economic Development Course
2022-07-25 09:00 - 2022-07-28 17:00 | VIRTUAL
2022 MEDA Chesapeake Basic Economic Development Course
July 25 – July 28 – Virtual
Course Daily Schedule
** Scroll down to register **
Whether you’re new to the world of Economic Development or you’d like to get in-depth with a refresher, the Chesapeake Basic Economic Development Course is your ticket to the fundamental concepts, strategies, and tools needed to be successful in today’s complex economic environment. This essential course is designed to prepare participants for the challenges they face in the practice of developing communities, and assist them in gaining capacity-building skills, resources, and networks to accelerate economic development.
New This Year – An All-Virtual Course!
In previous years, our 4-day Basic Course was held in Baltimore, which required travel expenses, time away from home, and extra planning and organization. With our all-virtual course this year, you can learn it all from the comfort of your own home, making it the perfect accessible, efficient and cost-saving way to take in the fundamentals of economic development. We have excellent instructors lined up to teach, and you’ll get to meet and network with other participants… all virtually!
This course will be offered online (via Zoom). Please note that the time zone is Eastern Time (ET).
What You’ll Learn:

Grow your skills and understanding of economic development foundational elements
Best practices in economic and community development
Managing an economic development program
Financing economic development projects and using incentives
Explore new methods and programs to promote job growth and investment
Business retention and expansion
Marketing and business attraction
Discuss emerging trends and factors that shape local and regional economies
Ethics in economic development
Gain detailed knowledge of successful initiatives
Strategic planning
Small business and entrepreneurship
Tools for planning your economy and how to use them.
Researching your prospects and building a community data profile.
Real estate development and reuse
Neighborhood revitalization
Managing real estate inventory.
Develop a valuable network of fellow economic development professionals and resources
Learn from outstanding experts and practitioners in the field

Who Should Take the Course?
The Basic Economic Development Course is designed for community leaders and stakeholders who participate in the process of community and economic development at local, regional, state and federal levels. Typical attendees include:

Economic development practitioners
Business leaders
Community volunteers
Public utility personnel
Government agency staff
Real estate professionals
Chambers of commerce members
Business development professionals
Cooperative extension personnel
Planning and development agencies
Bankers and financial institution professionals
Community development organization professionals
Municipal, town and county government elected and appointed officials
Others interested in facilitating job creation and capital investment in their community, region or state

Your First Step Toward Certification
For those seeking national certification, the Economic Development Basic Course is the first requirement in the process of becoming a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD). This Chesapeake Basic Economic Development Course qualifies as a professional development training requirement needed to sit for the CEcD exam. CEcD certification through the IEDC is a national recognition that denotes a mastery of principal skills in economic development, professional attainment, and a commitment to personal and professional growth.
Lofton Scholarships for MEDA Members
Members of MEDA can apply for a Lofton Scholarship to cover the tuition for the Chesapeake Basic Economic Development Course in full. MEDA’s Lofton Scholarship exists to support the growth of professional skills and knowledge by economic development practitioners in Maryland.
Apply for the Lofton Scholarship before you register for the Chesapeake Basic Economic Development Course. Upon acceptance, you will be given a discount code to use with your registration. Last day to apply for the Lofton Scholarship for the Basic Course is July 17. NOTE: Deadline has passed.
Details
The 2022 MEDA Chesapeake Basic Economic Development Course will be held July 25 – July 28 (virtually) from approximately 9am to 5pm Eastern Time.
Tuition is:

$590 for MEDA members (Lofton Scholarship available for full tuition to members)
$765 for non-members (tuition includes MEDA membership for a year)

Register today!
** Scroll down to register **

Instructors

Jamie Williams, CEcD

Jamie Williams, CEcD, is the Director of Kent County Economic & Tourism Development. Williams began Economic Development work with Kent County seven years ago, and achieved her Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) certification in October of 2019. Previous work included 20 years at a Millwork Distributor where she filled many positions, office manager for a local land surveyor, and administrative work in the County Commissioners Office. Her previous experience working for a large employer and a small business served her well in working with the business community.
Williams is a member of the Maryland Economic Development Association and serves as MEDA Professional Development Co-Chair.

Sandy Dubay, CEcD

Sandy Dubay, CEcD is the CEO and Founder of PPR Strategies, as well as a publicist, marketing consultant, public speaker, spokesperson, and public relations team leader.
Sandy is passionate about helping communities in the mid-Atlantic region grow and diversify their economies and job opportunities for residents. She brings her expertise in communications, social media, marketing, economic development, and tourism to help clients create & implement customized communications plans right for them.
Sandy is a graduate of Shepherd University with a Bachelor of Science in economics and business administration. She previously served as a Research Specialist at the Jefferson County Development Authority in Charles Town, WV and most recently as a Business Development Specialist in the Frederick County Office of Economic Development in Frederick, MD.

Lara Fritts, CEcD

Lara Fritts is a certified economic developer with over 25 years of experience in economic development, management, and technology. Her experience spans city and regional levels in both the public and private sectors.
Most recently Lara served as the President and CEO of the Greater Richmond Partnership (GRP), the national and international sales team which serves as the lead regional economic development organization. GRP is a public/private, non-profit that represents the city of Richmond and counties of Chesterfield, Hanover and Henrico in the 1.4 million population of the Richmond MSA in Virginia.
Prior to her role with GRP, Lara was the Director of Salt Lake City’s Department of Economic Development (SLC DED) where she oversaw three divisions – Business Development, the Redevelopment Agency of Salt Lake City and the Salt Lake City Arts Council. Under her leadership, the Department worked to bring more than 30 new companies to Salt Lake City including UPS, Amazon, Stadler Rail, and others totaling over 9,000 jobs and nearly a billion dollars in capital investment.
Before relocating to Salt Lake City, Lara managed several economic development organizations in the DC/Maryland/Virginia region over the last three decades including President and CEO of the Annapolis Economic Development Corporation; Executive Director of the Southeast Fairfax Development Corporation (SFDC); Executive Director of the Greater Rockville Partnership; and the President and CEO of the Washington, D.C., Technology Council.
Known for her strengths in strategic planning, collaboration, marketing, and leadership, Lara currently serves on the board of the International Economic Development Council (IEDC). Lara holds a Master’s in Urban Studies from the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee, and a Bachelor’s degree in Regional Analysis from the University of Wisconsin at Green Bay.
Lara was the recipient of Consultant Connect’s Top 50 Economic Developers in 2019 and was named a Fellow Member of the International Economic Development Council in 2020 which honors economic development professionals for attaining unusual stature in their field and closely-related disciplines.

Heather Gramm, CEcD
MEDA Past President
Heather Gramm joined the Maryland Department of Commerce as Senior Director of Strategic Industries and Entrepreneurship in June 2019. In this role, she oversees the development and implementation of the state’s efforts to grow the strategic industries of biohealth and life sciences, cybersecurity and aerospace, manufacturing, energy and agriculture. In addition, she oversees Commerce’s strategic initiatives for entrepreneurship, small business, and workforce development.
Prior to this role, she served as Deputy Director for the Frederick County Office of Economic Development overseeing the county’s business development efforts, including business attraction, retention and expansion, small and minority business development strategies, as well as industry-sector development in the county’s targeted sectors.
Heather has more than 17 years of experience in municipal, county and state economic development in a variety of roles including business development, community development and downtown revitalization. She earned a B.A. in Business Administration from Hood College and the Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) certification through IEDC. She serves as President of the Maryland Economic Development Association (MEDA) Board of Directors.

Dan Taylor

Dan Taylor is the Managing Director of Business and Neighborhood Development at the Baltimore Development Corporation (BDC). Since joining BDC in 2013 he has managed the disposition and redevelopment process for more than two dozen city-owned properties, and has worked on real estate and economic development projects in commercial areas throughout Baltimore. Dan has led BDC’s small business & neighborhood response to the COVID-19 crisis and has been BDC’s lead on the development of Harbor Point, Downtown’s Westside, and redevelopment of the Inner Harbor. He manages a 20-person team that assists businesses and developers throughout the City.
Dan holds a Masters of Community Planning Degree from the University of Maryland, and a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Michigan, where he was a dual-major in Economics and Political Science. Dan has lived in Baltimore City since 2007 and currently resides in the Hampden neighborhood.

Wynne Briscoe

Wynne is a graduate of University of Maryland with a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice, Minor in Business and Concentration in Business Law. Wynne has over 30 years of entrepreneurship and business ownership experience to include retail, professional services, technology and manufacturing. Since 2001, Wynne has successfully consulted and advised thousands of entrepreneurs, businesses and non-profit organizations. She is known for her creativity and innovation in the development of new businesses by offering in-depth experience and assisting them from concept to profitability to exit strategy. Wynne has a passion to work with Young Entrepreneurs. She enjoys coaching and mentoring youth towards years of success, while helping them realize business ownership and self-employment as a viable career option. Wynne is establishing a young entrepreneurship mentoring program and summer camp for youth to start and thrive as successful business owners.
The United States Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship requested Wynne testify in person on Capitol Hill on Thursday, March 12, 2020 at a hearing for “The Coronavirus and America’s Small Business Supply Chain.” Her testimony before the United States Senate was broadcasted live via C-SPAN as a Manufacturing Subject Matter Expert representing the Maryland Small Business Development Center. Her proposal solution was adapted into the 2020 CARES Act Legislation. Maryland Department of Commerce and MD Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MD MEP) utilized Wynne’s US Senate proposed solution to develop a Maryland Made Directory for manufactures/suppliers/buyers to provide a platform for maintaining a supply chain within the State of Maryland.
In July of 2020, Wynne was appointed Regional Director for the Maryland Small Business Development Center – Southern Maryland Region.
Since 2016 she has worked with the U.S. Small Business Administration, Maryland Small Business Development Center – Southern Maryland Regional Office as the Business, Management, Technology & Manufacturing Consultant and consults select industries Statewide. She also enjoys assisting the Retail and Resta urant industries as they often have the highest failure rates among business types and need additional support or guidance to ensure success. Wynne is an AASBC Certified Business Consultant and a Certified Technology Business Consultant from the Institute for Technology Commercialization at University of Houston. As the SBDC Technology Liaison for the Southern Maryland Region, she has assisted in taking technological concepts through the technical and intellectual commercialization process to mass market. As the Maryland SBDC Statewide Manufacturing Consultant, she has assisted startup entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies.
During the America’s Small Business Development National Center Conference in Long Beach, California – Wynne was awarded the top honor of Maryland State Star recognizing her as the top business consultant in Maryland for 2019.
The County Commissioners of St. Mary’s County presented Wynne with the 2019 Small Business Proclamation which acknowledges the contributions made by small businesses to the economic growth and quality of life locally, in the State of Maryland in the United States.
Wynne was presented the “Power of One” Award in 2018 from the NAACP St. Mary’s County Branch “For Excellence in Entrepreneurship, Small Business Ownership and Development” with St. Mary’s County and the surrounding region.
Wynne was awarded the 2017 Maryland Governor’s Citation in Recognizing Small, Minority and Women-Owned Businesses.
“Ms. Briscoe’s enthusiasm and drive for small business growth is infectious. Always ready to lend a hand and genuinely deserving of the St. Mary’s County Department of Economic Development’s nomination for the Governor’s Citation recognizing small, minority and women-owned businesses.” Robin Finnacom, Former Deputy Director, St. Mary’s County Department of Economic Development.
Wynne received the Southern Maryland Chapter of Top Ladies of Distinction “Igniting Innovative Inspirations” Award during their 2017 Women’s Empowerment Day event where she was a keynote speaker.
Wynne founded Forever Eden Organics in 2010 as Maryland’s second Certified Organic Bodycare Manufacture with a commercial production facility located in California, MD. Creating and overseeing the entire production process of over 55 exclusive organic products which are enjoyed by customers globally. She is also proficient in the health and wellness industry and has assisted many naturopathic and holistic entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses.
In 2007 Wynne became a Licensed Maryland Real Estate Agent with Century 21 New Millennium. She has assisted many first-time homebuyers by helping them realize their American Dream is possible and handholding them through the entire home ownership process. Wynne also enjoys commercial real estate and has helped many small businesses with architectural designs, site selection locations, commercial leases, purchases, construction build outs, layouts and merchandising.
Wynne is highly engaged in the Southern Maryland community and the Maryland Small Business Eco-System.
Professionally, she is the former Chairwoman of the St. Mary’s County Government Economic Development Commission (County Commissioners Appointed), Chairwoman of the St. Mary’s County NAACP Economic Development Committee, Southern Maryland Minority Chamber of Commerce Regional Vice President, St. Mary’s County Chamber of Commerce Ambassador, Official Brand Ambassador for the Potomac Jazz and Seafood Festival, Southern Maryland Liaison for the Maryland Million Women Mentor & STEM Initiative, Ambassador for the Dream Queen Association, Mentor for Gals Lead Teen Mentoring Progr am, Facilitator of Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University, College of Southern Maryland Business Course Instructor, Maryland Small Business Development Center Diversity and Inclusion Task Force Member, Member of the University of Maryland Alumni Association, Planning Team Member for the Southern Maryland Innovates, Workshop Facilitator and Mentor for the SOMD STEM-ING Teen Girl Program, Mentor and Program Facilitator for the St. Mary’s County Public Schools Future Business Leaders of America Program and College of Southern Maryland Technology Council Board Member.
Personally, her passion is growing her relationship with God, always willing to help others, and assisting the local homeless shelters and food banks. In addition to serving her local community, Wynne loves the beach, traveling, modeling, baseball, reading and spending time with her large family and loving friends!

Amy Seitz

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.

Latrice Lewis

Latrice Lewis is a Business and Employment Consultant and ReEntry Project Manager with Frederick County Workforce Services a proud partner of The American Job Center Network! She has over 15 years in Business Development and Career & Workforce Development. She has a unique perspective on Workforce and Economic Development having spent time in both private and public sector positions, as well as the Frederick County Public School system.
Latrice’s primary focus is partnering with the Frederick County (FC) business community to assist with their workforce development needs: recruitment, staff development/training and LMI. She works with small-to-very large organizations in the FC community. She also works closely with an under-served population in our community of Justice-Involved citizens.
Latrice has had opportunities to share her expertise with such organizations as the United Way of Fredrick County, The Local Management Board (Office of Children & Families), Hood College Leadership Program, Mountain Manor Treatment Center, and other local schools and colleges – she has earned a reputation for being a “Trusted Business Advisor” in the Frederick County community.
Latrice is passionate about serving the Frederick County community and ensuring both businesses and citizens are aware of all the resources available to maximize their success.

Richard Griffin, AICP, CEcD
MEDA Vice President
Mr. Griffin has served as Director of Economic Development for the City of Frederick, Maryland since 2002. An urban planner and economic developer with 25 years of experience, Richard has worked at the city, county, and regional level in Maryland, Virginia, South Carolina and Washington.
During his tenure in Frederick he has overseen several million in public and private revitalization including the design and development of award-winning Carroll Creek Park and million’s in renovations and new infill development delivering jobs tax base in downtown.
His previous assignments include serving as the executive director of the Downtown Frederick Partnership, Program Manager of Comprehensive Planning for Loudoun County, Virginia and Senior Regional Planner for the Appalachian Council of Governments , and on the district staff of US Representative James McClure Clarke (11th NC)..
Mr. Griffin holds degrees from Western Carolina University and Clemson University. He serves on the Board for the Downtown Frederick Partnership, the Frederick Innovative Technology Center, Inc. and others.

Sharon Disque, CEcD

Sharon Disque is the Economic Development Manager for the City of Gaithersburg, Maryland. She has more than 30 years of experience in economic development, including business park development, real estate sales and leasing, corporate site selection, community strategic planning, marketing and market analysis, and downtown redevelopment. Before joining the City of Gaithersburg, Sharon ran a community development corporation, provided real estate consulting services for clients in Maryland and West Virginia, and was Regional Director of Industrial Development for CSX Transportation. She began her career with the Hagerstown-Washington County Economic Development Commission. Sharon earned a Master’s in Real Estate from Johns Hopkins University and a Bachelor’s in Economics from the University of Virginia. She is a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD).

Stephen Primosch

In his current role as Vice President of Financial Services for the Anne Arundel Economic
Development Corporation, Steve is responsible for managing the, Arundel Community
Reinvestment Fund, Anne Arundel Incentive Fund, the Next Stage Fund and the VOLT Fund.
Steve is responsible for managing financial services staff and developing the protocols and
processes used to manage the flow of applications for all of the corporation’s lending programs,
from origination and underwriting to the closing and servicing of loans. Steve oversees a
portfolio of approximately 100 small business loans totaling approximately $7 million.
Steve has more than a decade of finance and lending experience. Prior to arriving at AAEDC,
he served as Vice President of Private Business Banking for BankAnnapolis. Previous to that,
he was at the Harbor Bank of Maryland for four years as Vice President and Commercial
Lending Officer.
Steve holds an MBA and a bachelors degree in marketing, both from Frostburg State University.
Steve has served on the Board of several non-profit organizations including the Maryland
Economic Development Association Foundation, Maryland Economic Development Association,
Arundel Child Care Connections, and the Maryland Commercial Lenders Lending Association.

Laura Fritts, CEcD

Chief Operating Officer, Community Redevelopment — Lara Fritts is a certified economic developer with over 25 years of experience in economic development, management, and technology. Her experience spans city and regional levels in both the public and private sectors assisting companies to execute their location strategies or development projects while helping communities achieve their goals. She has an expertise in building economic development organizations for elected officials having started six public-private partnerships/departments.
Lara has an extensive economic development background, having held positions in Wisconsin, Maryland, Washington, DC, Virginia and Utah. As the Director of Salt Lake City’s Department of Economic Development (SLC DED) she was the architect of developing an economic development department where she oversaw three divisions – Business Development, the Redevelopment Agency of Salt Lake City and the Salt Lake City Arts Council. In three years, she worked to bring more than 30 new companies to Salt Lake City including UPS, Amazon, Stadler Rail, and others totaling over 9,000 jobs and nearly a billion dollars in capital investment. With her team she helped to deploy over $44 million into an affordable housing strategy creating over 3500 units throughout the city.
Known as a community vitality champion she has strengths in economic recovery, affordable housing, strategic planning, tax credits and incentives, and organizational development. She is a sought-after speaker and consultant on real estate, community revitalization, and economic development finance. Lara gives back to the economic development profession by co-moderating Clubhouse discussions on economic development topics. Lara has a Master’s in Urban Studies from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, and a Bachelor’s degree in Regional Analysis from the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay.
Lara is the recipient of Consultant Connect’s Top 50 Economic Developers from 2019 and was named a Fellow Member of the International Economic Development Council in 2020 which honors economic development professionals for attaining unusual stature in their field and closely-related disciplines.

Trish Heidenreich, CEcD
MEDA Professional Development Co-Chair
Trish Heidenreich has served as the Economic Development Director for the Town of Bel Air since 2006. Prior to joining the Town, Trish worked in real estate administration and held a 25-year career in the entertainment industry, specializing in concert production logistics, business development and marketing.
Trish sits on the Board of Directors for the Maryland Economic Development Association (MEDA) and is Co-Chair of MEDA’s Professional Development Committee. Trish holds a Certification in Economic Development (CEcD) from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) in Washington and is a member of the Board of Directors. In addition to her certification, she holds a Master of Business Administration from Johns Hopkins University and a BA in Communications and Television Production from Concordia University in Montreal, Canada.

2022 MEDA Summer Conference
2022-07-27 09:00 - 12:15
2022 MEDA SUMMER CONFERENCE
“WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT“
July 27, 2022
9:00 am – 12:15 pm
Virtual
Workforce development is an essential aspect of economic development. Businesses can’t thrive, grow, and succeed without a trained, skilled, and educated workforce to employ. There are so many innovative ideas and programs being created and implemented in the workforce development sphere; our 2022 MEDA Summer Conference is about bringing together an engaging group of experts and professionals to share and discuss what’s new, what’s happening, and what’s next in workforce development.
Here are just a few of the topics our panelists and keynote speaker will discuss:

micro-credentialing and other “new” initiatives that help with a career path
strategies for talent recruitment and retention
how “paper ceiling” degree requirements hurt upward mobility for employees, and impact employers’ diversity efforts and business growth
how apprenticeship, upscaling, and rescaling efforts can keep a business relevant
how to leverage your current workforce development infrastructure to maximize economic impact
how industry is adapting and evaluating their recruitment requirements

Speakers and panelists will discuss and share, and be available for Q&As.
Click here to view the Agenda.
Click here to view the minutes from the April Business Meeting.
** Register Below **

Opening Remarks: James E. Rzepkowski, Assistant Secretary, Division of Workforce Development & Adult Learning, Maryland Department of Labor
Panel 1: “Future of Workforce Development: Building Local Workforce Development Systems that Produce Talent & Meet the Needs of Businesses”
Moderator: Amanda Wagner, Chief Operating Officer, Employ Prince George’s
Panelists:

Chris Guidry, Vice President, Council for Adult & Experiential Learning (CAEL)
Manoach (Manny) Lamarre, ETA, United States Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration
Dr. Christopher Laney, EdD, CWDP, Senior Workforce Strategist, Lightcast

Maryland has 13 different local workforce development areas, with 13 different local workforce development boards, over 30 different job centers, and thousands of staff operating them, but each of Maryland’s local workforce development areas have a common group of core partners and elements that can help drive the success of local economies. This panel of local and national experts will examine the current state of local workforce systems, the future of Maryland and America’s workforce systems, and how economic development organizations can leverage their local workforce systems to maximize economic outcomes in their local economy.

Panel 2: “Advancing Workforce Preparation: Adaptive Strategies and Solutions to Current Skills Shortages”
Moderator: Ellen Flowers-Fields, Associate Vice President for Continuing Education and Workforce Development, College of Southern Maryland
Panelists:

Nicholas D’Antonio, Workforce Development Strategist, Lockheed Martin
Becky Klein-Collins, Vice President of Impact, Council for Adult & Experiential Learning (CAEL)
Tim Tatsui, Vice President for workforce development career & technical education, National Education Foundation
Kelly Koermer, Vice President of Continuing Education & Training, Carroll Community College

Panelists will engage in an interactive discussion on effective strategies that are accelerating credential completion. Learn how the blueprints for Prior Learning Assessment (PLA), stackable credentialing, micro-credentialing, and digital badging supports this.

Keynote Speaker: Bridgette Gray, Chief Customer Officer, Opportunity@Work
Bridgette will be speaking on “STARs: The Strategy to Find The Skilled and Diverse Talent You Need in Today’s Workforce”
Employers today say there’s a talent shortage – but what if they’re just not looking in the right place? There are more than 70+ million workers Skilled Through Alternative Routes (STARs), rather than through a bachelor’s degree, who are being overlooked today. Nearly half of these STARs have the skills to thrive in in-demand roles, but they’re overlooked and held back by the paper ceiling – the invisible barrier that comes at every turn for workers without a bachelor’s degree – and it’s hurting their upward mobility and employers’ diversity efforts. Learn about the size, demographics, and skills of the STARs talent pool, ways to find them, and how your organization can start supporting STARs.

Keynote Speaker

Bridgette Gray

Bridgette Gray is a strategist, operator, and organization builder. She exemplifies leading-edge best practices in inclusive talent development and onramps to opportunity, and currently leads the Customer Success & Delivery team as Opportunity@Work scales the hiring of workers who are Skilled Through Alternative Routes (STARs) nationwide.
Gray joins Opportunity@Work after seven-and-a-half years at Per Scholas, where she was their first Chief Impact Officer, responsible for managing all training operations, and organizational impact for Per Scholas’ 17 campuses. Bridgette joined Per Scholas in 2014 as the startup Managing Director for the National Capital Region where she was instrumental in leading Per Scholas’ cybersecurity training efforts, including a regional cybersecurity task force, which led to sizable investments from Symantec and Capital One. In 2015, Bridgette joined the Executive Leadership team as the Executive Vice President of national program operations, managing all training locations.
In 2019, Bridgette became the Chief Impact Officer responsible for managing org-wide training operations & delivery, impact, and strategic programmatic growth. Under Bridgette’s leadership, Per Scholas expanded its gold-standard evidenced-based model from five to 17 campuses, from 800 to 3,000 learners trained with a strategic plan to expand to 25 campuses and 10,000 learners trained by 2025; and built a national team to support the growing campuses. Additionally, and in response to COVID-19, under Bridgette’s leadership, Per Scholas expanded its traditional training model to not only in-person but also remote offerings.
Prior to Per Scholas, Bridgette held several senior and executive leadership roles at Year Up, the Points of Light Foundation, and the Corporation for National and Community Service. Bridgette has spent the last 20+ years helping diverse talent access and benefit from training and employment opportunities, and helping businesses to acquire this talent, and influencing DEI as central to their bottom line.
Bridgette can often be found adding her thought partnership and leadership to collective impact work with the Markle Foundation’s Rework America Alliance, JFF’s Thrive @Work Innovation Council, Racial Equity Learning Community @PolicyLink, America Forward WFD & Economic Justice Task Force, as a LEAP Ambassador, and as a Founding Member of Chief DC. Bridgette served on the Montgomery County Maryland Workforce Board from (2014-2019).

Speakers

Ellen Flowers-Fields

Ellen Flowers-Fields serves as Associate Vice President for Continuing Education and
Workforce Development at the College of Southern Maryland. She is responsible for the
oversight of all areas of the non-credit economic and community development programming in
Southern Maryland, including the Center for Trades and Energy Training, MCET, the Workforce
Center, the SBDC, the Non-Profit Institute, the Transportation Center and adult basic education
at all CSM campuses.
Ellen has over 25 years of progressive professional experience in the field of workforce
development and human capital management. Her diverse background includes the acquisition,
project management and implementation of various federal, state and local programs that
address community economic development needs. Throughout her career she has acquired
and managed nearly $100 million dollars in support of various economic and community
development initiatives. Funding acquisition from USDOL, USDA, US Dept of Commerce,
Veterans Administration, Federal Highway Administration, and numerous state and local
agencies, in NY, GA and MD.
Prior to serving in her current role, Ellen served Regional Director of the Small Business
Development Center at CSM. Ellen served as Acting Assistant Secretary, and Deputy Assistant
Secretary of the Division of Workforce Development & Adult Learning at the Maryland
Department of Labor, Licensing & Regulation from 2011 – 2014; Regional Director of Economic
Development at the Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland from 2006 – 2011; and Executive
Director for Southern Maryland Works from 2000 – 2006. In this role, Ellen led the efforts to
establish the region’s first One Stop workforce service delivery system and Workforce
Investment Board under the Federal Workforce Investment Act.
Ellen holds a Bachelors of Business Administration from Pace University in New York;
Certification from the International Business Innovation Association in Business Incubation
Management; and is credentialed as a Global Career Development Facilitator from the Center
for Credentialing and Education. She is a 2009 graduate of the inaugural Class of Leadership
Southern Maryland, an entrepreneur, and a self-published author.
Affiliations include Executive Board member Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland;
Member of the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals and the Maryland
Economic Development Association; Past Board Member Maryland Broadband Coordination
Board; Past board chair, Bethel House Inc.; Immediate past Board chair, Community
Foundation of Southern Maryland; Alumni of the Inaugural class of Leadership Southern
Maryland 2009.
Recognitions include recipient of 2017 Excellence Award from the National League for
Innovation in Community Colleges; 2018 recipient of CEO award from the Southern Maryland
Minority Chamber of Commerce; Calvert County Commissioner’s Business owner appreciation
recognition 2008 & 2014; Recipient of 2008 Woman of the Year award from Calvert County
Concerned Black Women; Recipient of 2005 Charles County Minority Business of the Year;
Nominations for the 2006 Leadership Maryland class and 2006 Maryland’s Top 100 Women.

Becky Klein-Collins

Becky Klein-Collins is the vice president for research and impact at the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL). In this role, she directs CAEL’s research agenda, oversees research initiatives, develops strategic partnerships, and advocates for policies and strategies to support the adult learner. Becky’s work has focused on prior learning assessment, competency-based education, career pathways leading to economic mobility, public policy change, and system-transforming practices in workforce development. In 2018, she published Never Too Late: The Adult Student’s Guide to College (2018). Becky has a bachelor’s degree from Grinnell College and master’s degrees from Indiana University and the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy.

Dr. Tim Tatsui

Dr. Tim Tatsui is Vice President of Workforce Development, CTE and Higher Education at the National Education Foundation. Tim is a lifelong educator and began his career in education as a classroom teacher and Teach for America corps member in the Compton Unified School District. He served in Compton, CA as a classroom educator and district trainer and curriculum coach, and he advised teacher candidates and directed clinical practicum graduate studies at California State University, Dominguez Hills, Pepperdine University and Loyola Marymount University. Tim moved to the Los Angeles Unified School District where he advised and managed policy and program development and impact evaluation in the Offices of the Executive Officer and Chief Instructional Officer.
In 2007, Tim joined Pearson and led consulting and implementation services with K12 District and State partnerships and Higher Education enterprise accounts in North America. He held a number of executive roles at Pearson, launching and leading evaluation and research teams in the US and Canada and founding and heading the company’s Learning Analytics Business as Vice President of Data and Analytics at Pearson North America.
Tim is a Board Member at the UCLA School of Education and is an advisory Board Member at Jazz Hands for Autism and Edily Learning. Tim earned a B.A. from Baylor University, teaching credentials from California State University, Los Angeles, a Doctor of Education at UCLA, and an M.B.A. from the Anderson School of Management at UCLA. Tim enjoys reading, spending time with his family, and training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

Nicholas D’Antonio

Nicholas (Nick) D’Antonio currently serves as a Senior Workforce Development Strategist at Lockheed Martin managing the corporation’s relationships with community and technical colleges. In his capacity, Nick also manages federal and state training incentives that support the company’s workforce and training needs. Previously, Nick held roles at Amazon, Koch Industries, the United States Department of Labor, and the National Association of Manufacturers. Nick is a Talent of Tomorrow Fellow with Jobs For the Future, he serves on the advisory committee for Northern Virginia Community College’s Engineering Technology Division, and is the Co-Chair of the Lockheed Martin Enterprise Operations PRIDE resource group. Nick is also a member of the Burlington County New Jersey Workforce Investment Board.
Nick is a graduate of Washington State University’s Carson College of Business (Master of Business Administration) and of American University (Bachelor in Business Administration). He is now pursuing his doctorate from North Carolina State University in Community College Leadership and Administration. Nick lives in Asheville, North Carolina with his partner (Emily) and two cats (Wonk and Buna).

Manny Lamarre

Senior Advisor
U.S. DOL, Employment and Training Administration (ETA)
Manny’s career has been focused on the intersection of workforce development and education policy,
practice, and research that leads to economic mobility for youth and adults across several states. His
background includes developing and managing career pathway strategies and policies, registered
apprenticeships, public and private sector engagement, postsecondary pathways, federal and state
workforce policies such as WIOA and Perkins.
Manny’s direct experience designing and implementing workforce policies at the state level informs his
approach. He is the former founding Executive Director of the Nevada Governor’s Office of Workforce
Innovation and served as the Governor’s Designee on the Governor’s Workforce Development Board
guiding the Board’s strategy and WIOA (Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act) implementation. In
addition, he led the implementation of the state’s workforce vision and key policies from 2016-2019
while building a new state agency and overseeing the state’s Registered Apprenticeship system. Before
joining ETA, Manny led and supported research and technical assistance projects on workforce and
economic mobility at WestEd, a national nonpartisan research organization. Earlier in his career, Manny
was a classroom teacher and associate at a community foundation working in several states.
Manny holds a B.A. in Political Science with honors from Wittenberg University, and a Master’s in
Education Policy and Management from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where he was the
recipient of the Class Marshal Award for leadership and service to the Harvard community. He has
authored several workforce reports and presented both nationally and internationally.

James Rzepkowski

James E. Rzepkowski is the Assistant Secretary for the Division of Workforce Development and Adult Learning at the Maryland Department of Labor. Within the Division are five Offices that implement the mission of the Division: Workforce Development, Adult Education & Literacy Services, Correctional Education, Fiscal Administration, and Workforce Information & Performance. From January 2019 to August 2019, he served as Acting Secretary of the Maryland Department of Labor.
Prior to his appointment by the Hogan-Rutherford Administration in February 2015, he served 8 years as the Corporate Director of Workforce Development at Constellation Energy Nuclear Group, LLC (CENG), headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland. He developed and implemented the company’s mission critical workforce development initiative leveraging strategic partnerships with educational institutions in multiple states to provide a pipeline of skilled and qualified workers to meet the growing needs of the energy industry. Mr. Rzepkowski represented CENG on numerous national industry association boards focused on adult learning and technical training as well as state and local workforce development organizations.
Concurrent to his employment at CENG, Mr. Rzepkowski was appointed to the Anne Arundel County Board of Appeals in January 2007 to a four-year term by unanimous vote of the Anne Arundel County Council. The quasi-judicial Board that renders final decisions on appeals related to zoning, variances, licenses, permits, personnel, and executive, administrative, and judicatory orders in Anne Arundel County, Maryland.
Prior to joining CENG in February of 2007, he served 12 years in Maryland State Government in both Executive and Legislative capacities – three years as an Assistant Secretary within Maryland’s Department of Business and Economic Development and nine years as an elected member of the Maryland House of Delegates representing the 32nd Legislative District in Anne Arundel County.
He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Government and Politics, with Phi Beta Kappa Honors, from the University of Maryland – College Park.

Amanda Wagner

Amanda Wagner is the Chief Operating Officer at Employ Prince George’s. In her current role Amanda
leads the internal operations of the $18 million nonprofit and serves as the organizations principal staff
member tasked with overseeing the Administrative Agent duties for the Prince George’s County
Workforce Development Board. Prior to becoming the Chief Operating Officer at Employ Prince
George’s, Amanda served as the Director, Strategic Planning & Development, leading the organization in
pursuing millions of dollars in workforce development funding to support the delivery of workforce
development services to job seekers and businesses.
Amanda is a decorated workforce development professional with certifications as a Global Career
Development Facilitator, Certified Workforce Development Professional, and a Certified Business
Services Consultant. Prior to joining Employ Prince George’s Amanda worked for two national workforce
development organizations, Henkels & McCoy and Eckerd Connects, leading teams across the United
States as One Stop Operators, WIOA Title I Adult, Dislocated Worker and Youth Career Service
providers.
Amanda has been a member of the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals for
over a decade. Along with a decorated history in the Workforce Development Industry, Amanda holds a
Master of Science (M.S.) focused on Youth Development from Clemson University and Bachelor of Arts
(B.A.) in Communications from Southern New Hampshire University. When not building the America’s
workforce, Amanda enjoys being a wife, mother to her two children, volunteer in the Charleston Area,
being a triathlete, competing in marathons and triathlons across the United States.
Amanda is a decorated workforce development professional with certifications as a Global Career Development Facilitator, Certified Workforce Development Professional and a Certified Business Services Consultant. Prior to joining Employ Prince George’s Amanda worked for two national workforce development organizations, Henkels & McCoy and Eckerd Connects, leading teams across the United States as One Stop Operators, WIOA Title I Adult, Dislocated Worker and Youth Career Service providers. Amanda has been a member of the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals for over a decade.

Summer MACoCon News & Notes - 4 Weeks To Go!
2022-08-17 08:00 - 2022-08-20 17:00
4 Rs TO GET READY FOR SUMMER #MACoCon

1. Renew Your View of Maryland –
Plan to Visit the County Exhibits in Hall ABC
Don’t miss the county exhibits in Hall ABC, especially the Taste of MD Reception on Thursday from 4:30 pm – 6:30 pm…county exhibits will offer tasting samples from around the state – oysters, pickles, cheese, jams, charcuterie, cookies, cakes, beer, wine, coffee, AND MORE!
2. Reserve Your Discounted Hotel Room
View the discounted hotel rooms and BOOK NOW – some of our blocks are already full, expired, or are selling out quickly
3. Register for the Golf Tournament
MACo’s Golf Tournament is on Wednesday, August 17, at the Ocean City Golf Club. It’s a great opportunity to meet new people or reconnect with old friends – set your own foursome or let MACo assign you to a group based on your business interests. Register for the Golf Tournament online, view the rates, or contact Virginia White for more details.
4. Review our Showcase Sessions
MACo’s Solutions Showcase features case studies and real-world examples of solutions and supports on topics like public safety and emergency communications, ransomware attacks, wind energy, nuclear power, solar permitting, health insurance options, and MORE are all being covered in our 30-minute showcase sessions. View the schedule for more info!
Read More on MACo’s Blog

Disruptor Tech Talk - Kubernetes with Cocktails
2022-08-23 16:30 - 2022-09-22 18:30
Event by partner of Regional Manufacturing Institute of Maryland (RMI)
Visit event website for more info and sign up:
https://nmtc.org/events/idisruptor-tech-talks?

MiHUB Monday Webinar: Minority Made in America
2022-08-29 13:00 - 14:00
Event by partner of Rural Manufacturing Institute of Maryland (RMI)
See website for details and sign up: https://baltimorembda.com/event/mihub-monday-webinar-minority-made-in-america-mbda-advanced-manufacturing-center-chat

PGCTC Summer Networking Soiree
2022-09-01 17:30 - 20:30
Event by partner of Regional Manufacturing Institute of Maryland (RMI)
Visit website for event info and sign up: https://members.mdtechcouncil.com/calendar/Details/pgctc-summer-networking-soiree-let-s-reinvent-the-wheel-725060?sourceTypeId=Website

MWCC: 2022 Lean Facilitator Certification Program
2022-09-12
REGISTRATION IS OPEN FOR FALL 2022

Lean Facilitator Certification Program
(Qualifies for 50% training reimbursement. See ** below for details.)

Since 2005, the Maryland World Class Consortia has trained and certified hundreds through our flagship program, the Lean Facilitator Certification Program (LFCP). LFCP is designed to grow your internal lean transformation specialists. This intensive four month curriculum is aimed at developing the abilities of your employees to identify, plan, execute, and sustain continuous improvement activities and projects.
Our curriculum is aligned to the national Lean Certification’s Body of Knowledge, and LFCP students can optionally pursue their Lean Bronze Certification through the course, which is jointly sponsored by ASQ/AME/Shingo Institute/SME. More information about SME Lean Certification is available online at www.sme.org/leancert.

Join the hundreds of LFCP graduates who are delivering millions of dollars of improvement value to their organizations. Build your personal lean leadership and continuous improvement capabilities!
This course can be taken “in-house” by one company or conducted with a minimum of 10 participants and hosted at participating companies for the four-week course.
Contact Joyce La Padula for more information at joyce@leanmaryland.com or 410-960-3785.
Complete program description can be found here.
**We are excited to announce that through a grant from the Maryland Department of Commerce, this training is eligible for 50% reimbursement of the program training costs if you are a Maryland manufacturing or technology company. Certain eligibility requirements must be met. (This reimbursement is subject to availability of funding and adequate appropriation.) Please contact Joyce La Padula at 410-960-3785 or via email at joyce@leanmaryland.com for details.

2022 Raising the Bar
2022-09-12 - 2022-09-14
The Raising the Bar Conference is back and we hope to see you there! We will be LIVE in person for AMAZING opportunities for your personal and professional development. This event gives you the chance to connect and foster relationships with other professionals in the region. Mark your calendars!

TEDCO's Tech Fair
2022-09-12 08:00 - 17:00 | The Hotel at the University of Maryland, 7777 Baltimore Avenue, College Park, 20742, United States
TEDCO’s inaugural Tech Fair focuses on connecting underserved small businesses to resources and technology. This FREE event will welcome the region’s entrepreneurs and business owners to gain more of an online presence and access training programs provided by larger technology companies. These technology companies can provide services such as trainings on how to use their products to information on building an online platform for sales to advertisement techniques to increase your footprint.
https://www.tedcomd.com/tedcos-tech-fair

TEDCO Tech Fair
2022-09-12 09:00 - 14:00
Event by partner of Regional Manufacturing Institute of Maryland (RMI)
Visit event website for event info and sign up: https://expo.tedco.md

Free Workforce Technical Training Grant Webinar
2022-09-13 09:00 - 10:00 | Online
Learn How You Can Get Reimbursed for Your Employees’ Training Costs!

Join us for our training webinar on Harford County’s Workforce Technical Training Grant

About this event

Join us for our training webinar on Harford County’s Workforce Technical Training Grant, where participants learn about:

The new online application portal
The conditions of program eligibility
Permitted uses for funding
And more!

Registration is required, email Lisa Krysiak at lmkrysiak@harfordcountymd.gov.
VIRTUAL, MICROSOFT TEAMS: Participants will receive instructions on how to join the seminar after registration confirmation.

Questions? bebarresi@harfordcountymd.gov or (410) 638-3059
Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/workforce-technical-training-grant-webinar-tickets-372767687187?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

To request disability-related accommodations, please contact Rachel Harbin, Manager of the Office of Disability Services at raharbin@harfordcountymd.gov or 410-638-3373.

BRTC's "What's Going on in Cyber?"
2022-09-14 08:00 - 09:30
Event by partner of Regional Manufacturing Institute of Maryland (RMI)
Visit event website for more info and sign up: https://members.mdtechcouncil.com/calendar/Details/brtc-meet-the-members-what-is-going-on-in-cyber-723974?sourceTypeId=Website

GBC Golf Classic
2022-09-14 08:30 - 16:30
Event by partner of Regional Manufacturing Institute of Maryland (RMI)
Visit event website for more info and sign up: https://gbc.org/events/2022-gbc-golf-classic

2022 IEDC Annual Conference
2022-09-18 - 2022-09-21
Join us September 18-21, 2022 in Oklahoma City, OK for the 2022 Annual Conference!

Connect with thousands of economic development professionals at the 2022 IEDC Annual Conference and turn disruption into innovation and opportunity. This year’s program is officially live; make sure to check out the amazing sessions, keynotes, and more we have lined up.

Economic developers today are facing unprecedented challenges. Rapidly changing
technology and use of data are generating a sea change in how we work, which has only been furthered by the pandemic. The pandemic has also exposed economic inequality in our communities to a degree not seen before. In OKC, we’ll work through these obstacles together and build bold solutions for the future. Learn invaluable industry insight from the experts about today’s most pressing topics, including economic reinvention, community innovation, and disaster recovery and resiliency. Finish off Economic Development Week strong and register today!

REGISTER TODAY

SEE THE PROGRAM

About Oklahoma City, OK

Named one of the Best Places to Visit by Frommer’s Travel and Travel + Leisure, Oklahoma City offers all of the culture, cuisine, attractions and amenities you’d expect in a modern metropolis. And with its rugged Western past, working stockyards and title as “Horse Show Capital of the World,” it’s rich in cowboy culture, as well.

Event Location & Lodging

Our room blocks close on August 24, 2022. We recommend booking early as the room blocks may fill before this date.

Conference Location:
OKC Convention Center
100 Mick Cornett Dr,
Oklahoma City, OK 73109

Additional Lodging:
Sheraton Oklahoma City Downtown
1 N Broadway Ave
Oklahoma City, OK, 73102
Phone: (800) 325-3535 (group code: C38)
Room Rate: $199/night

Main Lodging:
Omni Oklahoma City Hotel
100 West Oklahoma City Blvd
Oklahoma City, OK 73109
Phone: (888) 444-6664
Room Rate: $229.00/night

Additional Lodging:
Courtyard by Marriott Oklahoma City
Downtown/Bricktown
2 W. Reno Ave.
Oklahoma City, OK, 73102
Phone: (800) 217-9905
Room Rate: $179/night

J Millard Tawes Crab & Clam Bake
2022-09-28 12:00 - 16:00
All-You-Can-Eat.. STEAMED BLUE CRABS Steamed Clams, Steamed Corn, Suck’m down as they Shuck’m Raw Clam Bar,
Fried Clam Strips, Fried Fish,

Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/j-millard-tawes-crab-clam-bake-tickets-337495477057?aff=ebdssbdestsearch
J. Millard Tawes Crab & Clam Bake
About this event
45th Annual J. Millard Tawes Crab & Clam Bake
Maryland’s Largest AYCE Seafood Festival
“In the Heart of the Chesapeake Bay”
All-You-Can-Eat.. STEAMED BLUE CRABS Steamed Clams, Steamed Corn, Suck’m down as they Shuck’m Raw Clam Bar, Fried Clam Strips, Fried Fish, Sweet Potato Fries, French Fries, Onion Rings & Watermelon
INCLUDES beverages with all-can-drink Iced Cold Pepsi & Bottled Water Cold Draft Beer (with I.D.) Drink responsibly & bring a designated driver!
No Coolers Allowed In The General Admission Area !!
Bring family, friends & co-workers to join us for a beautiful day by the Bay with musical entertainment and enjoy the finest seafood our local waters & watermen have to offer.
“It’s a way of life.” Come make it your tradition.
Join us in the “crab capital” on September 28th!
Private Corporate Hospitality Spaces available with the advanced purchase of 30
or more tickets
for details call :
(410) 968-2500

Chesapeake College Job Fair
2022-10-04 15:00 - 19:00 | Chesapeake College, Eastern Shore Higher Education Center, Room HEC-110, Wye Mills, MD, United States

Maryland Manufacturing Innovation Conference
2022-10-06 07:30 - 16:30
Event by partner of Regional Manufacturing Institute of Maryland (RMI)
Visit event website for more info and sign up:
https://web.cvent.com/event/eb320dfa-f231-4b58-b7ca-b320377b567f/summary

Maryland Municipal League (MML) Fall Conference
2022-10-09 - 2022-10-11 | The Graduate Hotel, 126 West St, Annapolis, MD, United States
MML Fall Conference
October 9-11, 2022
This will be an in-person only event.

The Graduate Hotel
126 West St, Annapolis, MD 21401
Registration: http://www.mdmunicipal.org/65/Fall-Conference

Be the Leader! Secure your organization as the information resource for Maryland’s Cities and Towns. Become a conference sponsor and show you want to do business with Maryland’s 157 local governments. More details to follow.

Past MML conference attendees report that attending educational workshops and meeting with conference exhibitors have saved significant amounts of money from what their municipality had previously been spending for the same service or product. Attending MML’s 2022 Fall conference could pay big dividends.

MML is Nonpartisan
The Maryland Municipal League is a tax exempt, nonpartisan association. As such, and in compliance with IRS rules, the association cannot promote nor do we participate in any demonstration of preference or bias toward a particular candidate or political party.
MML reserves the right to decline any sponsor/exhibitor/advertiser/attendee requests who, in the opinion of the League, is not in keeping with its mission and goals.

Latinos in Tech Webinar
2022-10-13 10:00 - 12:00
The Governor’s Office of Small, Minority & Women Business Affairs
in collaboration with
TEDCO
invites you to join us in this webinar celebrating
Latinos in Tech
Thursday, October 13, 2022
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Join us in celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month, as we present a panel discussion from some of Maryland’s emerging Hispanic-owned tech firms.
Learn more about Latinos In Tech and their amazing journey, achievements, and best practices helping them lead by example and forging a path of success. Find out why Latino-owned employer tech firms now represent 19% of the industry, outpacing non-Latino-owned employer firms, which are only 14%. (The 2021 State of Latino Entrepreneurship Report (SOLE), by LBAN and the Stanford Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative).
In addition, learn how TEDCO enhances economic empowerment by fostering an inclusive and entrepreneurial innovation ecosystem. TEDCO identifies, invests in, and helps grow technology and life science-based companies in Maryland.
https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MDGOMA/bulletins/32c25f2

2022 Awards Webinar
2022-10-14 08:00 - 10:00

Latino Business & Entrepreneurship Summit 2022 - The Aspen Institute
2022-10-18 | VIRTUAL
The Aspen Latino Business & Entrepreneurship Summit brings together high-level Latino and Non-Latino cross-sector leaders at the national and local levels to uplift policies, practices, and programs supporting Latino business owners and entrepreneurs.
Representing total economic output of $2.7 trillion in 2019 and the fastest-growing segment of U.S. small businesses, Latinos are setting the stage to reimagine the U.S. economy with their hiring and buying power, labor force participation, and other key economic indicators. Nevertheless, it remains an urgent priority for U.S. policymakers, innovators, investors, and business, philanthropic and civic leaders to collectively address the myriad systemic inequities that have unjustly capped the potential of the Latinos, especially in the business community. We will also identify actions to help Latino businesses thrive in this changing economy.
The second annual event will feature in-person keynotes and panels hosted at the Park Hyatt, as well as interactive breakout sessions to workshop solutions around key topics.
Latino Business & Entrepreneurship Summit 2022

Business Plan Basics: A Small Business Essentials Seminar
2022-10-18 18:00 - 20:00 | Online
Learn from an industry professional about the key elements to structuring, running, and growing your business.
This seminar is VIRTUAL.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/business-plan-basics-a-small-business-essentials-seminar-tickets-372211593897?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

Harford Award Reception
2022-10-19 17:00 - 20:00 | Water’s Edge Events Center, 4687 Millennium Drive, Belcamp, MD, 21017, United States
The annual Business Appreciation Week celebrations kick off Wednesday, October 19 with the Harford Award reception, hosted by the Harford County Chamber of Commerce. The award honors businesses or organizations that demonstrate a strong commitment to the county business community.
The celebration continues October 20-28, when local and state officials will visit businesses reaching milestones of service in 2022. If you are or know a business with 25, 50, 75 years, etc., in Harford County, email us so our business development team can visit and help celebrate.
Follow us on Facebook as we honor those milestones and celebrate local businesses in other ways during Business Appreciation Week.

Harford County CMMC Day
2022-10-20 08:00 - 12:00 | The Ground Floor, 2021 Pulaski Highway Suite G, Havre de Grace, MD, 21078, United States
The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification(CMMC) is a new required certification for organizations within the DoD Defense Industrial Base (DIB). At this event, get insight on the CMMC framework, and timeline. Learn how to prep your organization from CMMC Subject Matter Experts (SME), get tips on what assessors are reviewing. CMMC will help you to protect your business—and our Nation.
8:00 A.M. Doors Open, Breakfast & Networking (Breakfast catered by a Harford County business)
8:30 A.M. Opening Remarks
8:45 A.M. Keynote Speaker, Michael Dempsey | Plug into CMMC: get current on the timelines and expectations, what the assessor will be looking for and what steps you can take to amp up your preparation today to pass.
9:30 A.M. Break
9:45 A.M. Guest Speaker, Andriani Buck, Associate, McCarter & English and former DoD Contracting Officer
11:00 A.M. Panel Discussion with Q&A

James Dougherty, Principal Attorney, Offit Kurman Government Contracts
Thomas D. Ficklin, ACC APG Program Integrator, US Army
Tobias Musser, CEO MNS Group, RP

11:45 P.M. Wrap-up

Strengthening the Emerging Workforce: A Career Technology Tour & Business Luncheon at Chesapeake College
2022-10-21 08:15 - 13:30 | Chesapeake College, Eastern Shore Higher Education Center, Room HEC-110, Wye Mills, MD, United States
We hope you will join us for a special kick-off event for Maryland Economic Development Week: Strengthening the Emerging Workforce: A Career Technology Tour & Business Roundtable Luncheon at Chesapeake College on October 21, 2022 from 8:15 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Choose between a tour of Chesapeake College’s trades programs or healthcare career facilities; then participate in a business roundtable discussion that will offer the opportunity for educators and business leaders to exchange information on how to engage young adults in the current workforce landscape. Lunch will be provided.
Featured speakers include Jack Wilson, Queen Anne’s County Commissioner; Hazen Arnold, President of Hydrasearch Company, and Darius Johnson, Northeast Regional Director for ACE Mentor Program of America.
This event has been organized in partnership with Chesapeake College, Queen Anne’s County Public Schools, Queen Anne’s County Chamber of Commerce, and Upper Shore Regional Council.
The deadline to register for this event is Thursday, October 6, 2022. The event will be limited to the first 120 registrants.
REGISTER ONLINE HERE.

Economic Development Week in Maryland is designed to promote awareness of economic development’s contribution to the State’s business climate, job retention and growth, the tax base, and overall quality of life in Maryland. For Economic Development Week 2022 (October 24-28), Queen Anne’s County Economic & Tourism Development will be educating, promoting, and recognizing the efforts of local partners who are making an impact on our economy through comprehensive workforce development strategies.

2022 Economic Development Week in Maryland
2022-10-24 - 2022-10-28
Save the Date: October 24-28, 2022

Overview
Economic Development Week in Maryland will emphasize the importance of economic development for the State of Maryland. The week is designed to increase understanding of economic development’s contribution to the state’s business climate, job retention and growth, the tax base, and the overall quality of life in Maryland.
Recognition
Economic development will take center stage in counties, cities, and towns throughout Maryland when proclamations are made heralding the significant projects that have made Maryland a great place to live, work, and play. Recognizing the dedicated work of economic developers is a primary focus of the effort. Listed below are the activities planned during Economic Development Week in Maryland (check back for weekly updates to this list).
Read About Economic Development Week in Maryland
**Blog: Economic Development Transforms Lives Through Teamwork
**Blog: Supporting Businesses Supports our Communities
**Blog: Why Celebrate Economic Development?
**Blog: Women in Economic Development
How to Celebrate Economic Development Week in Maryland
Please check out our Toolkit, Proclamation Template, and Press Release Template (<< click these links) to plan for your participation in Economic Development Week in Maryland. Whether elaborate or small, there is something for every level of participation.

Toolkit

Proclamation Template

Press Release Template

Sponsorship
Join us in making this event a success! If you’re interested in sponsoring Economic Development Week in Maryland, please click here.

Media Coverage
Op Ed: Economic Development: Worth the Investment
Press Release: MEDA Celebrates Economic Development Week in Maryland October 24 – 28
Proclamations
Please do not mail proclamations to the MEDA P.O. box. Email them to info@medamd.com. — Thank you!
Take a look at photos sent in of organizations with their proclamations:
Click to view photos

State of Maryland
*******************
Allegany County Department of Economic and Community Development
Anne Arundel Economic Development Corporation
Cecil County Office of Economic Development
Charles County Department of Economic Development
City of Aberdeen
City of Frederick
City of Greenbelt
City of Hagerstown
City of Hyattsville
City of Rockville
Frederick County Office of Economic Development
Garrett County Department of Business Development
Harford County Office of Economic Development
Howard County Economic Development Authority (HCEDA)
Kent County Department of Economic Development
Prince George’s County Economic Development Corporation
Queen Anne’s County Economic & Tourism Development
Salisbury Wicomico Economic Development
St. Mary’s Department of Economic Development
Talbot County Economic Development and Tourism
TEDCO
Town of Bel Air
Town of Princess Anne
Worcester County Economic Development
Special Events
Check back often for more events! Hosting an event during Economic Development Week? Let us know at info@medamd.com and we’ll post it here.
FEATURED EVENT: October 25, 2022 MEDA Fall Conference on Cybersecurity Strategies for Success
October 21, 2022 Strengthening the Emerging Workforce: A Career Technology Tour & Business Luncheon at Chesapeake College
October 24-28, 2022: Frederick County Business Appreciation Week
October 25, 2022 Free Small Business Digital Marketing Workshop
October 25, 2022 Salisbury Wicomico Economic Development 54th Annual Meeting and Mixer
October 26, 2022 Disruption! The Power of DEIB Strategies
October 26, 2022 Maryland’s Coast Mixer
October 26, 2022 MMTN Welcome Reception @ Tech at the Gap ’22
October 27, 2022 MCCEI Symposium: Solving the Workforce Development Puzzle
October 27, 2022 Security Awareness 101
October 27, 2022 Tech at the Gap: Unlocking Potential
October 28, 2022 Family Fun Night at The Grove
October 28, 2022 Grants for Organizations – Call for Panelists (deadline)
November 1, 2022 Charles County Fall Meeting– Staying Power: Helping Existing Businesses Thrive and Grow
Click the links below to learn about previous Economic Development Week in Maryland activities

2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011

Free Small Business Digital Marketing Workshop
2022-10-25 08:30 - 16:00 | North East Library, 485 Mauldin Ave, North East, MD, 21901, United States
Small Business Digital Marketing Workshop
October 25, 2022, 8:30am – 4:30pm
Small Businesses can register here!
Space is limited, only 35 seats available!
Small Businesses (25 employees or less; however, all restaurants are permitted regardless of number of employees) are invited to join us for a full day in-person digital marketing workshop featuring instructor, Antonio Guerrero of Dott Digital Marketing.

This one-day workshop will be broken down into four sessions:

Strategy – This includes creating Ideal Customer Profiles, how to craft a winning offer, and designing your customer journey map.
Website – How to create a cash C.O.W (Conversion Optimized Website) that is built to be a 24/7 salesperson driving calls and form fills for your business.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) – In this session, we will go over the fundamentals of Search Engine Optimization including how to create a Google Business Profile, On-pagetechnical SEO, and Off-Page SEO
Paid Lead Generation – We discuss how to get started with Pay-per-click digital advertising. We will review the fundamentals as well as what pitfalls to avoid. In addition, will discuss how to get started with Google and Facebook advertising platforms and the benefits of one over the other.

Location & Schedule: North East Library, 485 Mauldin Ave, North East, MD 21901
On Oct. 25, 2022, check-in and continental breakfast to begin at 8:30am and the workshop will begin promptly at 9am.
Lunch will be served at Noon and the program will conclude at 4:30pm.
Who can attend: One person from any Cecil County small business having 25 employees or less (all restaurants are permitted regardless of number of employees) in any sector looking to expand their digital marketing footprint are invited to register. Space is limited to the first 35 registrants.
TO REGISTER and secure your spot, Click Here! Maximum capacity is 35!
Potential Grant Opportunity: Eligible attendees will be invited to apply for a small grant to implement a digital marketing campaign and/or engage a digital marketing consultant.Grant eligibility criteria and the application will be made available the day of the workshop.
About the instructor: Antonio has a 20-year + background in business, technology, sales, and marketing. For the last six years, he has been a Duct Tape Marketing Certified Master Consultant and a leader in that organization training and servicing other Marketing agencies. In addition, he has the following marketing certifications:

Certified Digital Business Consultant
Certified Customer Acquisition Specialist
Certified Digital Marketing Strategist
Certified Search Marketing Specialist
Certified Sales Funnel Consultant
Certified Professional Services Marketing Expert
Certified Local Marketing Expert
And more including certifications in copywriting, email marketing, social media, and e-commerce

Anotnio is also the author of Digital Marketing for Maryland Businesses: Proven Strategies & Tactics to grow your local business.
For all questions, please reach out to Sandra Edwards at sedwards@ccgov.org
Funding for this program provided by Upper Shore Regional Council.

Click the link for more information Small Business Digital Marketing Workshop!
