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Clarence T. Bishop
Deputy Secretary, DBED
Clarence Bishop is no stranger to local and federal government. Before joining DBED, he served as Chief of Staff to Baltimore Mayor, Martin O'Malley, and played a key role in the City's highly successful economic development program. Clarence also helped guide several large-scale redevelopment projects, including Baltimore's successful effort to build a convention center hotel and two massive biotech facilities in East and West Baltimore.
Clarence's background includes more than 25 years of experience in government and politics, including positions with the U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce, Georgia Congressman and civil rights legend John Lewis, and Maryland Congressman Parren J. Mitchell. Clarence is the former Chairman of the Baltimore Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Board of Directors and still serves on a host of business and economic development boards and commissions. Recently, Clarence was inducted into the 2008 class of Leadership Maryland.
He holds a Masters degree in Urban Planning and Public Policy Analysis, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics, both from Morgan State University.
You can reach Clarence at cbishop@choosemaryland.org.
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Governor O'Malley names four new members to MD Tourism Board
Earlier this month, some outstanding leaders were added to the Maryland Tourism Board. Governor O'Malley announced the confirmation of four appointments effective July 1. The 24-member board is an advisory panel for the Office of Tourism Development, the tourism-marketing arm of the state.
New board members include Paul Bales, co-owner of The Crossing at Casey Jones Restaurant in Charles County and a former member of Maryland Restaurant Association's board of directors; Greg Shockley, owner of Shenanigan's Irish Pub in Ocean City and past president of the Ocean City Hotel, Motel, Restaurant Association; Christopher S. Schardt, senior general manager at Harborplace and The Gallery in downtown Baltimore; and Matthew Taylor, executive director of Adventure Sports Center International, located near Deep Creek Lake in Garrett County. Taylor was a two-time Olympian in whitewater slalom canoeing.
The new board members will be working to expand Maryland's strong tourism industry, now the fourth largest industry in Maryland. Recently compiled data from the Tourism Office shows that Maryland welcomed more than 28 million visitors in 2006, which led to more than $11.4 billion in visitor spending.
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Governor announces hundreds of new jobs for the Eastern Shore
Governor O'Malley recently announced a $10 million DBED private activity bond to help FoodSwing Inc., a Pennsylvania-based food manufacturer and packager, renovate and reoccupy the former Icelandic seafood plant in Cambridge.
 The bond, issued through DBED's Maryland Industrial Development Financing Authority, is being used by the company to build out and equip its new 200,000 square-foot facility in Dorchester County, which will house the company's packaging operations. Foodswing expects to hire 100 new fulltime employees in the first year, with plans to grow to at least 250 employees within three years.
FoodSwing was founded in 1999 in New York City as a turnkey outsource for celebrity chefs and specialty food retailers who wished to create and manufacture food products in glass jars. Today, the company is the only US private-label manufacturer that offers products in both glass and aseptic packaging.
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Farnborough event raises MD's profile in aerospace and defense
Staffers from DBED's Office of International Trade and Investment joined the Howard County Economic Development Authority and a host of Maryland companies in England this week to promote the state's aerospace and defense industries at the Farnborough International Air Show. The delegation, which includes seven Maryland aerospace and defense companies and officials from the  Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, are exhibiting in the Maryland Pavilion.
A record number of local partners and first-time exhibitors were able to participate this year thanks, in part, to DBED's Export MD program. The highly successful program offers grants to help defray marketing and promotional costs for qualified Maryland companies looking to expand in the global market. Farnborough and the Paris Airshow are the best biannual opportunities to increase Maryland's position in the growing, international aerospace market.
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State investment supports technology firm
Maryland is home to a thriving gaming industry, full of innovative technology firms. One of the latest additions is Aguru Images, which recently received a $100,000 investment through DBED's Challenge Investment Program.
Aguru Images develops and sells high-resolution commercial digital imaging hardware and software for use with animation, special effects, computer gaming and design.
 Governor O'Malley and I are pleased to welcome Aguru to Maryland's technology-friendly business community and look forward to helping cutting edge companies like them to grow their business as we prepare for the knowledge-based economy of tomorrow. |
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Three MD companies nab major federal technology grants
The U.S. Department of Commerce recently announced three grants to Maryland firms for technology development projects.
Pixelligent Technologies, LLC of College Park received $1 million to work in partnership with the industry to foster the development of high-risk technologies that offer the potential for significant, broad-based economic benefits.
The University of Maryland received $100,243 to provide federal funding to Maryland Technology Extension Services for July 1, 2008 - September 30, 2008.
Lastly, the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation in Emmitsburg received $100,000 to measure a demographically representative sub-segment of firefighter population using both traditional and 3-D anthropometric techniques.
Congratulations to all of the Maryland grant recipients. |
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County Corner
Prince George's County
The Prince George's County Economic Development Corporation (EDC), led by President/CEO Kwasi Holman, provides programs, services and tools to create a superb environment for businesses within the county to grow. This economic development framework sets the standard for smart economic policy, access to financial resources, revitalization and redevelopment of established communities, workforce development, capacity building and a focus on transit-oriented development.
 During the past year EDC has partnered with DBED to support Prince George's County businesses on several levels. In an effort to provide working capital to small businesses during the initial phase of their government contracts, a revolving loan fund was established in collaboration with DBED, which provided $250,000 of the $750,000 fund. "This fund is a clear example of this administration's responsiveness to the challenges being faced by small businesses," said President Kwasi Holman.
DBED has also worked with EDC to attract two major businesses to the county. Comcast opened an Advance Service Center in Largo, and Capital Lighting moved its headquarters, warehouse and distribution center to Forestville last year. These two business attractions alone represent nearly $4.25 million of investment and more than 735 new jobs.
Prince George's County is home to one of only four designated Foreign Trade Zones, located in a State Priority Funding Area. DBED has committed to partially fund a feasibility study for the International Office and warehouse business incubator facility at Steeplechase International Business Park. "Our EDC is excited about the partnerships with DBED, and looks forward to exploring new ways to work as a team," said Holman.
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