Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development
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| Agency overview | |
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| Jurisdiction | Maryland |
| Headquarters | World Trade Center, 401 E. Pratt Street, Baltimore, Maryland |
| Agency executive |
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| Website | http://commerce.maryland.gov/ |
The Maryland Department of Commerce is a government agency in the state of Maryland in the United States. Although its roots began in 1884, the department came to be recognized as the Department of Commerce in 2015.
The department attracts new businesses, encourages the expansion and retention of existing facilities, provides financial assistance and training, and promotes biotechnology. The Agency publicizes Maryland's attributes, and markets local products in Maryland and abroad to stimulate economic development, international trade, and tourism. The department also invests in the arts and promotes film production and sporting events in Maryland. Its mission is to create, attract and retain jobs while promoting the state’s vibrant culture and history.
Commerce Secretary Mike Gill leads the department with 40 years of business experience as an entrepreneur, veteran of large technology firms and public servant. He was appointed by Governor Larry Hogan in January 2015. Read his bio to learn more. Benjamin H. Wu, an internationally recognized technology policy expert with more than 25 years of experience and management leadership, serves as Deputy Secretary and Chief Operating Officer.
The department provides a number of services to create, attract, retain and expand businesses in Maryland. These include:
Maryland's commitment to develop economic opportunities began in 1884 with the creation of the Bureau of Statistics and Information of the Industries of the State (Chapter 211, Acts of 1884). To guide development, government needed to know the agricultural, mineral and industrial output of the state, what commerce was moving through Maryland, and whether transportation networks functioned. In 1892, the General Assembly directed the Bureau to collect statistics on labor, particularly wages and strikes; any information about agriculture calculated to attract immigration; and data on mineral products, manufacturing, transportation, shipping, and commerce (Chapter 29, Acts of 1892). The Bureau also was to receive reports from all officers and institutions of the state, publish the information in book form, and annually revise and republish. By 1916, as the Bureau of Industrial Statistics, it reformed to become the State Board of Labor and Statistics. Its information-gathering responsibilities continued even as it reorganized into the Department of Labor and Industry in 1945. Yet, over time, that department's focus shifted toward regulating the conditions of labor.
By 1948, another agency was formed to collect information about the state. Authorized by the Board of Public Works, the Department of Information began as a division of the Hall of Records Commission. In 1949, it became an independent agency (Chapter 665, Acts of 1949). The department compiled data not only about industry and agriculture, but also natural resources,
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