MSU’s Victor McCrary Appointed to Private Sector Economic Development Commission

PRESS RELEASE

For immediate release:
March 11, 2014

For more information:
Alexandra Hughes                     Jake Weissmann
Office of the Speaker                  Office of the Senate President
410-841-3916 (office)                410-841-3700 (office)

SENATE PRESIDENT AND HOUSE SPEAKER ANNOUNCE MEMBERS OF
PRIVATE SECTOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION

ANNAPOLIS, MD – Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr., and House Speaker Michael E. Busch, today announced members of a private sector commission created to focus on the State’s economic development structure and incentive programs to make recommendations to the presiding officers. This announcement follows the introduction of a joint legislative business and economic development agenda that was announced in January.

“The competition for jobs and economic development will no longer be limited to Maryland versus our sister states. It is going to be a global competition,” said Senate President Miller. “We are asking for the expertise of these distinguished individuals because we don’t want Maryland to merely ‘compare favorably’ to other places in the world. We plan to be at the forefront of the innovation economy of the future.”

“This commission is critically important to map out the future growth of Maryland’s economy,” said Speaker Busch. “This panel of private sector leaders have state, national and global experience in promoting business competitiveness and I believe they will produce a blueprint for the next Governor and next legislature to guide our policy making decisions to continue Maryland’s economic and private sector growth and prosperity.”

There are few states that can compare with Maryland in terms of education, research, science and innovation — in ranking after ranking, the investments Maryland has made in these areas is clearly paying off. At the same time, the competition of the future is a global one and we need to evaluate those things about our State which could hinder the success of existing businesses as well as the development of new economic opportunities.

The Commission will be chaired by Norman Augustine, former Under Secretary of the Army, President of Lockheed Martin, and Chairman and Principal Officer of the American Red Cross. He served for 16 years on the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology under both Republican and Democratic presidents.

“I look forward to working with my colleagues on this bipartisan panel to help create jobs and ensure quality lives for all Marylanders,” said Norm Augustine. “The broad charter given to the group is indicative of the commitment to the panel’s work by our state’s leaders. In today’s highly competitive global marketplace, to stand still is to rapidly fall behind.”

Members of the Commission announced today are:

· Peter Armistead Bowe, President, Ellicott Dredge Enterprises

· Calvin Butler, Chief Executive Officer, Baltimore Gas & Electric

· Douglas Doerfler, Chief Executive Officer of MaxCyte, Chairman, TechCouncil of Maryland

· Brian Gibbons, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Greenberg Gibbons

· Joshua C. Greene, Co-Founder/Executive Director, Cleantech Open Southeast & Partner, Patton Boggs LLP

· Glen Ives, Vice President of Sabre, Inc. and President of Southern Maryland Navy Alliance

· Jon Laria, Managing Partner, Baltimore, Ballard Spahr LLP

· Dr. Victor McCrary, Vice President for Research and Development, Morgan State University

· Dr. Darryll Pines, Dean of the Clark School, University of Maryland, College Park

· Dr. DeRionne Pollard, President, Montgomery College

· Kenneth Rigmaiden, General President, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades

· Mary Ann Scully, Chairman, President, Chief Executive Officer, Howard Bank

· J. Robert Smith, Vice President, Allegany Aggregates

· Christy Wyskiel, Senior Advisor for Enterprise Development, Johns Hopkins University

· Senator Ed Kasemeyer (D- Baltimore/Howard)

· Senator Catherine Pugh (D- Baltimore City)

· Senator David Brinkley (R- Frederick)

· Delegate Dereck Davis (D- Prince George’s)

· Delegate John Bohanan (D- St. Mary’s)

· Delegate Wendell Beitzel (R- Garrett/Allegany)

The Commission will begin work this session and will report back in December of 2014.

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