Maryland’s Commerce Secretary visits the Eastern Shore
SALISBURY, Md. — Maryland’s secretary of commerce visited the city of Salisbury on Tuesday morning.
The trip was an opportunity for Maryland Commerce Secretary Harry Coker to gain a better understanding of the economy on the Eastern Shore. His first stop was in Salisbury’s Unity Square.
“I’m taking visits to every county in the state, and the question I always ask is: How can the Maryland Department of Commerce and the state of Maryland be a better partner to the county? That’s my focus. Tell us how we can do better, and that’s what I want to hear,” Coker said.
Coker was appointed in February and said he has been eager to make a difference since. “We care about all of Maryland, and we know that in order for Maryland to succeed, Wicomico County needs to succeed.”
He added that he first came to Maryland to attend the U.S. Naval Academy and has wanted to return since. “It’s a blessing. It’s an honor. I enjoy public service — that’s been my passion. I went to the Naval Academy, and that’s when I began this track of my public service career, and I’ve been fortunate enough to continue that.”
David Ryan, executive director of the Salisbury-Wicomico Economic Development Corp., said hosting the secretary was a special opportunity to explain Salisbury’s economy.
“It means a lot for us because our bandwidth is only so much,” Ryan said. “If we couple that with the state of Maryland — and the trade events, the conferences, the contacts and the networking they can bring to our city and our county — it just opens more doors.”
Coker toured Chesapeake Shipbuilding, downtown Salisbury and the Wicomico County Airport on Tuesday morning and said he is pleased with the county’s economic progress.
“I also want the folks here to know that they have what they need — beautiful location, great colleges and universities from Salisbury University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, and then a wonderful community college as well,” Coker said. “They have it all. The strategy is in place — just need to execute.”
Ryan said he appreciated Coker’s visit. “He’s got a new outlook. He comes from the data world, and I think everyone can really foresee how important data storage and compilation are going to be — not just to the state of Maryland, but also to Salisbury and Wicomico County. He brings a wealth of contacts and knowledge in that cyber space.”
