This is a special announcement from The Maryland Economic Development Association. BLS Managing Directors are frequently called upon to participate at special events and conferences as panelists and moderators, providing insight on economic development strategies, economic development incentives, site selection and land use strategies. Jay Biggins, Executive Managing Director, participated as a panelists for this event.
Economic development is a full contact sport. Is Maryland equipped to play?
The Maryland Economic Development Association's (MEDA) 2010 Annual Conference will take a hard look at Maryland's strengths, challenges, and opportunities as we move into the second decade of the 21st Century.
To be held from Saturday - Monday, June 6-8, at the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay in Cambridge, MD, "Maryland's Competitiveness: Leading the Pack or Following the Leader" will feature a line-up of speakers that includes national, local, and regional heavy hitters from the business and government arenas. Featured speakers include:
•Ken Moreland (CFO, T. Rowe Price) will deliver the conference's keynote address, discussing why his company chooses to make Maryland its corporate home;
•Anirban Basu (Chairman & CEO, Sage Policy Group) will provide an economic outlook with specific attention to corporate stress, the labor market, and housing;
•Thomas T. Dubel, Jr. (Senior Manager, SC&H), Mary Faye LaFaver (Executive Director, Ernst & Young), and Jay C. Biggins (Executive Managing Director, Biggins Lacy Shapiro & Co.) will discuss competitive business attraction strategies;
•Donald Fry (President & CEO, Greater Baltimore Committee) will examine where Maryland stands in comparison to other states and what impact various rankings and surveys have on corporate relocations and business expansion;
•Kenneth M. Atkins (Executive Director, Wake County Economic Development), Gerald L. Gordon (President & CEO, Fairfax County Economic Development Authority), Karl Kalbacher (New Castle County, DE), and Thomas G. Morr (President & CEO, Select Greater Philadelphia) offer insight into how Maryland's competitors view the state.
In addition, the MEDA Annual Conference will feature a panel discussion on how Maryland's budget issues will impact state programs, led by seven prominent members of Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley's Cabinet:
•Richard Eberhart Hall, Secretary, MD Department of Planning;
•Luwanda Jenkins, Special Secretary, Governor's Office of Minority Affairs;
•Christian S. Johansson, Secretary, MD Dept. of Business & Economic Development;
•Alexander Sanchez, Secretary, MD Department of Labor, Licensing & Regulation;
•Raymond A. Skinner, Secretary, MD Department of Housing & Community Development;
•Beverley Swain-Staley, Secretary, MD Department of Transportation; and
•Shari Wilson, Secretary, MD Department of the Environment.
In addition to formal sessions, MEDA's 2010 Annual Conference will include networking events, MEDA's Annual Golf Tournament, tours of Downtown Cambridge and Layton's Chance Vineyard, a Silent Auction, and more.
MEDA's 2010 Annual Conference is open to economic development officials and business executives. Registration is $350 for MEDA members and $500 for non-members. The non-member rate includes membership in MEDA. For more information and a full agenda or to register for this important conference, visit MEDA online at www.medamd.com or call 410-575-6027.
About MEDA
The Maryland Economic Development Association (MEDA) enhances the knowledge and skills of its members and encourages partnerships and networking among those committed to bringing jobs and investment to Maryland.
MEDA is a nonprofit organization of economic development professionals. Established in 1961, MEDA members promote the economic well being of Maryland by working to improve the states business climate and the professionalism of those in the field of economic development.
The MEDA membership includes economic development practitioners employed by government, business, chambers of commerce, and other professionals with an interest in the economy of Maryland. Through its regular meetings, special programs and projects, members address such diverse issues as local planning, workforce, transportation, international trade, tourism and finance.
