Maryland Governor Announces New Initiative Aimed at Innovation Employers

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan recently announced a new, comprehensive statewide, economic development strategy called EXCEL MARYLAND. The initiative focuses on developing new collaborations to accelerate growth in the life sciences and cybersecurity industries. In focusing on sectors where Maryland already leads, EXCEL MARYLAND will pool the talents of state agencies, universities, and private sector industry experts.

The new effort will be guided by a steering committee in which Maryland Tech Council  (“MTC”) plays a prominent role. Membership on the Steering Committee includes MTC members MedImmune (Executive V.P. Dr. Bahija Jallal), Lockheed Martin (General Manager Stephanie Hill), Emergent BioSolutions (Daniel Abdun-Nabi), Tenable Network Security (Co-Founder Ron Gula), New Enterprise Associates (Managing Partner Peter Barris) and Convergence Technology Consulting (CEO Larry Letow).

Significantly, and in mark contrast with other Maryland initiatives, Governor Hogan has enlisted the assistance of a former leader of one of Maryland’s competitor states. The steering committee will be headed by Dr. Susan Windham- Bannister, the founder and first CEO of the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (“the Center”). The Center is a quasi-public organization charged with managing the 10-year $1 billion Life Sciences Initiative enacted by the Massachusetts Legislature in 2008.  A hallmark of her tenure in Massachusetts was spreading the benefits of the initiative statewide and to a diverse population.

The steering committee is on a fast track and is due to deliver a report to the Governor by September 1, 2017. The report will serve as a road map on how Maryland will keep its position as the national leader in cybersecurity and advance in the biohealth and life sciences sectors.