Economic Development Director Fills Void

Michael E. Hough, newly hired Economic Development Director The Garrett County Board of County Commissioners announced at today's meeting that Michael E. Hough has accepted the position as the next Director of Economic Development.

This announcement follows a lengthy search to fill the void left by former director, Alex McCoy. Since April of 2017 the department's staff has been managing under the temporary guidance of McCoy's predecessor, and now Commissioner, Jim Hinebaugh.

A first round of interviews produced two candidates who both declined final offers from the County. The committee then retooled the job requirements, opening the door for a new set of applicants of which Hough became a part.

"We're excited to get Michael on board and get him operational here," said Commissioner Paul Edwards at today's meeting. Mr. Hough has most recently served as the Western Maryland and Pennsylvania Regional President of BB&T Corporation since September 2015. In his career spanning more than 25 years, Mr. Hough has demonstrated excellence in resource allocation, operations management and communication. Previously, Mr. Hough was the Head of Operations for Maryland, West Virginia, and parts of Pennsylvania at Susquehanna Bank. He also has served as Senior Vice President at Susquehanna Bancshares and President and Chief Operating Officer of Susquehanna Bank PA. “The Commissioners have been deliberate and patient in the search for a Director,” said Commissioner Jim Hinebaugh, “Michael’s experience and connections with the business community will help us achieve our goals and objectives for economic development.” Commissioner Hinebaugh continued to acknowledge Hough’s proven ability to develop relationships and marketing strategies to attract capital investments which Hinebaugh feels will be extremely helpful in his economic development role. Hough and his wife Annette will relocate from Hagerstown, MD and are active in various community organizations. “Garrett County is a special place with special people and I look forward to working with businesses to promote success in conjunction with economic development goals,” said Hough.

Not only is he a graduate from Madison University with a bachelor's degree in business administration, Hough is also a graduate of the Maryland Banking School and Leadership Maryland. “We look forward to Michael joining our team” said Commissioner Edwards. “He is well regarded in our regional business community and will work to provide the resources to meet our local needs. This position is key for the county administration as it serves a leadership role over resources and infrastructure across all industries and business sectors.” Commissioner Larry Tichnell thanked the Selection Committee for their time and efforts. “The Selection Committee put in many hours reviewing resumes and interviewing candidates” said Commissioner Tichnell. “Their input and recommendations were extremely helpful and we have found the best candidate for the job in Mr. Hough”.

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