Paige Tilghman Selected as QAC’s Economic Development Director

CENTREVILLE –  The Queen Anne’s County Commissioners announced their recent appointment of Paige Tilghman, as the Director for the Office of Economic Development. Tilghman’s primary responsibilities will be to manage the business retention, expansion and attraction activities for the Queen Anne’s County Commissioners under the direction of County Administrator, Gregg Todd.
Commissioner Robert Buckey said, “I am very pleased to welcome Paige Tilghman as the new Economic Development Director for Queen Anne’s County. And as the Commissioners’ Economic Development Liaison I am looking forward to working with her.”
Tilghman has invested the majority of her career in state and county economic development positons and has developed an extensive network of government, private sector and nonprofit professionals to support development efforts. She most recently served as the Director for the Talbot County Office of Economic Development where she successfully completed several business expansion and retention projects for local companies.
Tilghman served with the Maryland Department of Commerce (formerly the Office of Business and Economic Development) with responsibilities for managing Regional Offices including the 8 counties of the Eastern Shore and the Southern and Mid Maryland Regional Offices. Her work included oversight for the retention of the regional business base and the brokering of state and federal resources to impact job growth and investment.
Her early work was devoted to workforce development and corporate training projects throughout the state. She completed a Master’s of Science degree in Technology Management from the University of Maryland, University College and a Bachelors of A&S degree from Catholic University of America in Washington DC in addition to professional development programs in the field of economic development through the IEDC. Tilghman resides with her husband Ben in Centreville, Maryland.
Tilghman joins Business Retention Coordinator Jean Fabi who served as the interim economic development director for after the former director, Jamie Gilbert, stepped down to return to his family in South Carolina. During Fabi’s tenure, she was able to successfully submit applications and receive approval for an Enterprise Zone designation in Queen Anne’s County; a 1,300-acre area that extends west from Nesbit Road in Grasonville to Rt. 8 in Stevensville and includes a majority of the commercial properties in Grasonville, Chester and Stevensville.
The Enterprise Zone enables businesses to claim tax credits for hiring members of targeted groups and for conducting business in specifically designated areas. With this designation, the county will be able to promote job creation to increase the commercial tax base and redevelop under-utilized or vacant commercial and industrial land in Queen Anne’s County. Fabi coordinates the business retention and call program for and administers resources to the 1,400 business of Queen Anne’s County. She also serves as the economic development liaison to the planning department and is instrumental in supporting the development process for expanding businesses or new commercial development.
Both Fabi and Tilghman are coordinating their efforts to provide a timely and unified source of information, referrals and resources to support the retention and growth of the existing business base of the county. They serve commissioners and administer and work with the county’s Economic Development Commission which advises the commissioners on economic development matters.
The Economic Development Commission meets on the first Wednesday of the month at 8 a.m. at the Chesapeake Heritage Visitor Center at the Narrows. Tilghman and Fabi are available to call on businesses to discuss retention and expansion strategies and support a strong economic base for Queen Anne’s County. You may reach the office at 410-758-4088 ext. 1340 or by calling 410-604-2100.