Baltimore’s economic-development arm is rolling out a revamped leadership bench, tapping veteran policy and finance official Tricia Kerney‑Willis as executive vice president and chief economic development officer. The beefed-up C‑suite is built to move big projects from talk to construction, with the city’s long‑troubled Superblock site squarely in its sights.
According to a BDC release posted via I95Business, Kerney‑Willis will be joined by Roy Broderick Jr. as senior vice president and chief business development officer, Jeremy Watson as senior vice president and chief real estate officer, Maggie McDonough as senior vice president and chief innovation officer, and De’Von Douglass as senior vice president and chief strategy officer. The hires follow a national search as BDC’s president and CEO has assembled a senior team built for execution, a shift the Baltimore Business Journal reported is meant to push the agency into an implementation phase.
AFRO noted that the new leaders have been stressing equity and hard numbers in early public remarks. Broderick told the outlet, “Know that every action and every step we will take will have rationale that is measurable,” framing the revamped operation as one that is supposed to center benefits for Black businesses and neighborhoods, not just glossy renderings. Inside City Hall circles, the shakeup is being cast as BDC’s attempt to move from planning to delivery on some of Baltimore’s thorniest economic‑development priorities.
Superblock in their crosshairs
The new team inherits the Superblock, a stubborn five‑block stretch on the west side that has racked up false starts and half‑finished demolitions over the years. BDC has previously said it will serve as master developer and aims to have a development proposal ready to present by summer or fall 2026, according to WBALTV. The Baltimore Business Journal has also pointed out that the refreshed C‑suite will be on the hook for steering the long‑stalled redevelopment of the historic Super Block and other marquee projects.
The Superblock’s history, from the city's acquisition of vacant buildings to multiple unsuccessful RFP cycles, has made it a political and technical minefield. Local coverage over the years has tracked high‑profile misfires and community pushback, with critics warning that large, single‑developer plans can squeeze out small businesses and scrub away neighborhood character. Baltimore Brew has documented many of those earlier missteps, which now serve as a cautionary backdrop for the new leadership.
City watchers say the real test will be what happens on the ground. Blocks like the Superblock will show whether BDC’s expanded leadership can turn strategy decks into deals that protect local businesses while delivering housing, jobs and usable public space. For more on the agency’s evolving priorities and upcoming announcements, see the Baltimore Development Corporation.
