A New Partnership for Prosperity: Baltimore County Reveals Public-Private Economic Vision

July 1, 2026

TOWSON, Md. — A coalition of some of Baltimore County's most influential business executives, university presidents, healthcare leaders and economic experts met at Towson’s StarTUp at the Armory to unveil an ambitious plan that could significantly reshape how the county attracts businesses, creates jobs and grows its economy over the coming decade.

The announcement marked the public release of the 89-page report, "Globally Inspired, Locally Connected," prepared by the Baltimore County Economic Development Advisory Board (EDAB). Commissioned by County Executive Kathy Klausmeier, the report is the culmination of nearly a year of meetings examining how Baltimore County can remain economically competitive while preserving the quality of life that has long made it one of Maryland's most desirable places to live and work.

Unlike many government studies that remain on a shelf, board members emphasized that this report is intended to become a blueprint for action.

"Our responsibility was never to reinvent Baltimore County," said Neil Meltzer, President and CEO of LifeBridge Health and chairman of the advisory board. "Our responsibility was to identify how we build on its strengths, create new opportunities for businesses and families, and ensure the county remains one of the most dynamic markets in the country.”

The Economic Development Advisory Board was appointed by County Executive Klausmeier and is chaired by Neil Meltzer with Paul Tiburzi, former managing partner of DLA Piper, serving as vice chair. The Board includes leaders representing major employers, small businesses, chambers of commerce, and higher education institutions across Baltimore County.

The recommendations were developed by a diverse advisory board representing healthcare, higher education, business, finance, manufacturing, construction, real estate and economic development.

Over the past year, members met monthly at locations throughout the County to evaluate Baltimore County's economic development efforts, how the County supports private sector growth, and how it can enhance the local business climate. It also heard from stakeholders and examined best practices used by peer jurisdictions.The report concludes that Baltimore County's current economic development structure places the County at a competitive disadvantage.

While Baltimore County has the second-largest local economy in Maryland, its economic development operates with among the smallest staffs and budgets compared with neighboring jurisdictions.The Board's top recommendation is to create a new structure for how the County retains, attracts, and markets itself to employers in order to promote job growth and expand the tax base in Baltimore County, while maintaining core government functions within the Department of Economic and Workforce Development.

“Baltimore County has always been a great place to live and work. It's a great place to raise a family, to start a business or to grow one,” said Baltimore County Executive Kathy Klausmeier. “We want to keep it that way. A strong economy creates good-paying jobs. It gives our residents more opportunities. It helps build stronger communities. I'm grateful to the members of our Economic Development Advisory Board for the time and hard work they put into these recommendations. Together, we can keep Baltimore County growing for generations to come.”

At the heart of the report are five recommendations designed to modernize Baltimore County's approach to economic development. The most significant proposal calls for establishing a Baltimore County Business Development and Retention Corporation, a public-private organization governed by business leaders that would become the county's primary economic development entity. Supporters believe the new model would provide greater flexibility, stronger private-sector involvement and a more aggressive approach to recruiting employers than the county's current structure.

The report also recommends increasing investment in economic development, expanding incentives for targeted industries, streamlining permitting for priority projects, strengthening workforce partnerships with higher education and addressing housing shortages that make it difficult for employers to recruit talent.

The board identified six industries where Baltimore County has the strongest opportunity for growth: transportation and logistics, healthcare and life sciences, information technology and cybersecurity, aviation and defense, manufacturing, and financial and professional services.

During Wednesday's event, economist Dr. Anirban Basu, chairman and CEO of Sage Policy Group, said the recommendations come at a critical moment."The goal of this group is to help foster an economic renaissance in Baltimore County," Basu said. He noted that Baltimore County has approximately 16,000 fewer employed residents than before the pandemic, a trend he said illustrates why economic growth can no longer be taken for granted. Housing, he argued, has become one of the county's biggest economic challenges

"Housing may actually come first," Basu said. "We have businesses that need workers, but we don't have enough housing for young people and families. That's become a real barrier to prosperity."

Higher education leaders also praised the report, saying a stronger economy directly benefits students by creating more opportunities to build careers locally."The more successful Baltimore County is at attracting and growing employers, the more opportunities our students have to launch their careers, build their lives, and stay right here in Baltimore County," said Dr. Valerie Ashby, president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

Ashby added that closer partnerships between employers and universities would strengthen entrepreneurship, technology transfer and workforce development throughout the county. A New Mindset for Business RecruitmentBusiness leaders described the proposed corporation as a fundamental shift in philosophy, from waiting for companies to express interest in Baltimore County to proactively pursuing new investment.

"We've been fishing. We've been waiting for the fish to come to us," said Nancy Hafford, executive director of the Towson Chamber of Commerce. "Now we'll be able to go out there and hunt and bring businesses in."

County Council Chairman Mike Ertel echoed that sentiment, saying Baltimore County already possesses many competitive advantages, including its location, transportation infrastructure, colleges and universities, and workforce."We know we can do it," Ertel said. "We just need the tools to keep employers here, bring new ones in, and continue building our economy."

If adopted by the County Council, the report's recommendations could fundamentally change how Baltimore County approaches economic development. Rather than relying primarily on government-led efforts, the proposed corporation would allow business leaders to play a much larger role in recruiting employers, raising private funding, pursuing grants and coordinating long-term economic strategy.

Supporters believe the changes could help attract new employers, retain existing businesses, create higher-paying jobs, expand the county's commercial tax base and better position Baltimore County to compete with neighboring jurisdictions such as Howard, Anne Arundel and Montgomery counties.

The report argues that growing the economy, not increasing taxes, is the most sustainable way to fund county services in the years ahead. Whether county leaders embrace the recommendations remains to be seen, but Wednesday's announcement made one point clear: many of the region's most prominent business and civic leaders believe Baltimore County has the assets to become an even stronger economic engine, provided it adopts a more aggressive and collaborative approach to growth.

Full Report Available Here