On Thursday, September 19, 2024, the SACC hosted its September General Membership luncheon at the Wicomico Civic Center in Salisbury, Maryland.
Before an audience of seventy-five regional business and organizational leaders, the Chamber welcomed Maryland Secretary of Commerce Kevin Anderson as the keynote speaker.
Secretary Anderson addressed several Maryland Commerce initiatives and told the audience, “Our department recognizes the vibrant economy that makes up our state’s Eastern shore, and our team at Commerce is here to support those businesses.”
When addressing Maryland’s competitiveness with neighboring states, he noted, “Our state needs to play to its strengths to attract and retain businesses and the talent employed by those businesses. Maryland is rich with a vibrant tech sector, healthcare sector, manufacturing, and education assets, to name just a few.”
The Secretary further touted Maryland’s education assets, “I am familiar with numerous states across America and their education systems, and I would put Maryland’s above all of them.”
Secretary Anderson spoke about several Commerce Department initiatives and highlighted the new funding for Research Professorships with five Maryland higher education institutions.
The endowments were made through the Maryland E-Novation Initiative (MEI), a state program created to spur basic and applied research in scientific and technical fields at colleges and universities.
“The latest round of grants from the Maryland E-Novation Initiative Fund will support cutting-edge research in critically essential disciplines such as cybersecurity, cancer detection, chronic disease treatment, applied mathematics, economic development, and more,” said Secretary Anderson.
The Secretary closed his remarks by thanking the lower shore business community for their resilience during tough economic times with the hope that yesterday’s interest rate cut from the Federal Reserve will nudge the Maryland economy to grow faster.
The next General Membership Luncheon, featuring the annnual Mayors of Delmarv
a Forum, is scheduled for October 9th at 11:30 at the Cambria Ocean City Bayfront. Tickets are $35 for members and $45 for nonmembers. Register at www.salisburyarea.com.
