MARBIDCO Staff

Stephen McHenry

Executive Director

smchenry@marbidco.org

Stephen McHenry has served as MARBIDCO’s Executive Director since December 2006. The majority of his career has been devoted in one way or another to serving the rural citizens of Maryland. He previously served as Executive Director of the Rural Maryland Council and Director of Government Affairs for the Maryland Municipal League. 

As MARBIDCO’s Executive Director, Steve has overall management responsibility for the staff, budget, and day-to-day operations. Steve supports MARBIDCO’s Board of Directors, providing strategic visioning and implementation of policy while reporting on the performance of the organization. He develops and maintains relationships with key stakeholders, such as federal and State agencies, commercial banking institutions, farm and rural industry groups, agricultural land preservation organizations, and regional and local economic development agencies.

Steve also develops relationships with other providers of capital and credit, advises rural business owners on financing options, and ensures that MARBIDCO’s financing programs are meeting established credit underwriting and programmatic objectives.

Steve is a founding member and past chair of the Microenterprise Council of Maryland and Partners of Rural America. He serves on the boards of LEAD Maryland Foundation, the Maryland Forests Association, and the Keystone (Cooperative) Development Center. He also served for six years on the administrative council of the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (NESARE). Steve has also served in the past as chair of the Maryland Working Waterfront Commission and as a member of the Governor's Intergovernmental Commission for Agriculture. Earlier in his career, Steve served on the Maryland Rural Broadband Coordination Board and as chair for both the Agricultural Education and Rural Development Assistance Fun Board (RMC). He also served on the advisory boards of the Maryland Rural Enterprise Development Center (UME), Institute for Governmental Services (UMCP), and the Northeast Regional Centerfor Rural Development.

Steve earned a bachelor of arts degree in social science (political science) from St. Mary's College of Maryland and a master of general administration degree from the University of Maryland's Graduate School of management and Technology. He is a member of several trade and professional organizations, including the Maryland Farm Bureau and the Maryland Economic Development Association. Steve was a member of the 2000 Class of LEAD Maryland and the 2002 Class of Leadership Maryland. A lifelong Maryland resident, Steve and his wife reside in Anne Arundel County. They have three daughters.