From Pandemic To Prosperity: How Prince George's County Weathered The Storm And Continues To Thrive Economically

Prince George’s County, a Maryland suburb bordering Washington, D.C., has seen tremendous growth since the onset of the pandemic.

While the pandemic initially took Prince George’s County by storm, with a whirlwind of Covid-19 cases in 2020, the county has recovered with new job growth and businesses moving to the area.

One person instrumental in this recovery is Prince George’s County native Ebony Stocks, who has served as executive vice president of Prince George’s County Economic Development Corp. for six years, working to cultivate a strong local economy supporting entrepreneurs and business growth. Now she is PGCEDC’s interim CEO and president, and she is looking to take things further to ensure a prosperous future for the county. 

“Despite Prince George’s County being one of the hardest hit from the coronavirus pandemic, it has emerged as a leader in recovery,” she said. “The data shows that we created more jobs postpandemic than any other jurisdiction in the state, which is a testament to the strength and diversity of our economy. We went from significant losses to setting the pace for job growth in Maryland, powered by strategic development, workforce investment and our business community’s relentless spirit.”

PGCEDC’s analysis of the county's economic recovery from the pandemic, released in December, showed that the pandemic wasn't just a public health crisis but also an “economic emergency,” especially for the county’s small, minority- and women-owned businesses, Stocks said. 

The county quickly created pandemic relief programs to help make sure these economic gaps were filled. 

“In partnership with county leadership, we launched targeted initiatives like the Business Recovery Initiative, Restaurant Assistance Grant and Child Care Provider Recovery, which injected millions of dollars in relief directly into the hands of struggling entrepreneurs,” Stocks said. “These programs weren’t just lifelines — they were investments in our county’s resilience and future.”

This helped the county lean into technical assistance and capacity-building to ensure businesses could not only survive but also reposition themselves for long-term success, she said.

Stocks plans to build on this momentum in her new role by injecting new energy and intentionality into the county’s economic development strategy. She is focused on deepening the county’s support for small and midsized businesses, she said. 

“We want to expand industry-specific growth in healthcare and life sciences, technology, innovation and contracting while ensuring equitable access to opportunity across the county,” she said. “At the same time, this fresh perspective comes through a deeper engagement with our business community.”  

The county is creating more tailored support for different business segments while developing collaborative partnerships that not only complement its established strategy but also open doors to emerging opportunities, she said.

One program that highlights this strategy is the Step Forward Initiative, launched in 2022. This creates a pathway for women business owners to gain a greater understanding of the lending process and access to resources, training and capital readiness support. 

In 2024, PGCEDC launched the Government Contracting Academy, in partnership with the Maryland Black Chamber of Commerce, to equip local businesses with the tools they need to compete for public sector contracts. Stocks said this is one of the most powerful engines for job creation in the region.

She added that through its CEO Breakfast Series, the county brings together decision-makers across sectors to foster collaboration, investment and forward-thinking dialogue. These programs are designed not just to educate but also to activate opportunity and build an inclusive, thriving business community.

A new event that PGCEDC started in March is Procurement 360, which Stocks said brought contracting opportunities in the government, education, healthcare and construction industry sectors. 

“The EDC will launch a series of focused procurement events designed to connect growing businesses with specific contracting opportunities across various sectors,” she said.

Stocks said she believes that PGCEDC is more than just a building block — it is the driving force that turns the county’s economic vision into reality. 

“I envision Prince George’s County with a diverse industrial landscape where people love to live and work and a robust ecosystem where future industries can thrive and innovate,” she said. “I see our EDC as the catalyst that transforms this vision into economic outcomes that benefit all county residents and our region as a whole.”

This article was produced in collaboration between Studio B and Prince George’s County Economic Development Corp. Bisnow news staff was not involved in the production of this content.

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