Easton Economic Development Corporation Welcomes Four New Board Members

Easton Economic Development (EEDC) welcomes four new members to its Board of Directors: Mary Ellen Carter, Lauren Catterton, Frank Gunsallus, and Tom Klein.

“In the past year, the Easton Economic Development Corporation (EEDC) has expanded its operations significantly by adding downtown activities, including the management of Easton’s Main Street and Arts and Entertainment Districts,” says Tracy Ward, Executive Director of EEDC. “We are thrilled to welcome our new board members who will bring deep business experience and local knowledge that will support the success of our continued operations.”

Mary Ellen Carter is the owner of the local staffing franchise, Express Employment Professionals.  Together with her husband, Carter and their staff have put thousands of people to work for hundreds of companies across the Shore since 2007.  She also works with selected clients as a Human Resources Consultant and Advisor.  Before moving to the Eastern Shore, Carter was the worldwide Chief Human Resources Officer for Covington & Burling in Washington, DC.  She has her bachelor’s in English & Journalism from The University of Alabama and attended Trinity College for her Master’s.  She has served as a member & chairperson for the Upper Shore Workforce Investment Board, served on the Executive Committee for the Talbot Chamber of Commerce, and has served on several other local boards and committees.  Carter is a member of Saints Peter & Paul Church and lives in Easton with her husband, Scott, and their three children, Sammy (20), and twins Benny and Mary Claire (16).

Lauren Catterton, originally from Bucks County, PA, is the General Manager of the Tidewater Inn and has called Easton home since 2002.  She graduated with a B.A. in Theatre and Speech from DeSales University.  Following college, Catterton performed on the Spirit of Philadelphia while doing freelance event management for SPW Productions. In 2002, she accepted a position as a Sales Assistant at the Tidewater Inn. From 2004-2007, Catterton worked as a front-of-house Conference Service Manager for the Marriott at the Aspen Wye River Conference Center before moving to New Jersey to advance her career in hospitality.  In 2009, she returned to the Tidewater Inn as the Director of Catering and, in 2011, was promoted to Senior Sales Manager. In 2014, she became Hotel Manager, and a year later, she became the General Manager. Catterton has been involved in numerous local organizations and formerly served on the Talbot County Chamber of Commerce board of directors.  She currently resides in Talbot County with her son, Gabriel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Frank Gunsallus is the General Manager of Konsyl Pharmaceuticals, whom he joined in 2012. He earned his B.S. from the U.S. Naval Academy, an M.B.A. from National University, and an M.A. in National Security and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College.  After graduating from the Naval Academy, he served in the U.S. Navy for over 20 years, retiring at the rank of Commander.  Following his naval service, Gunsallus returned to Easton as Chief Operations Officer/Senior Vice President of the Japan Spectroscopic Company (JASCO) for five years, before joining Konsyl Pharmaceuticals. Gunsallus is currently on the Advisory Board of Mid-Shore Together. He recently served on the Board of Directors of the Talbot County Chamber of Commerce from 2015-2020.  He is also active in the Naval Academy Alumni Association and currently serves as the Chairman of Finance for St. Mark’s United Methodist Church.  Gunsallus lives in Trappe with his wife, Beth, and enjoys traveling, cycling, and golf.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tom Klein retired in 2018 after 30 years of Federal Government service. He worked in various positions at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), including in the Director’s Strategic Planning Office, as the Chief of the Leadership and Occupational Development Division, and as the Chief of Staff for the Office of Public and Governmental Affairs. At ATF, Klein created the Bureau’s Leadership Institute, two five-year strategic plans, streamlined the congressional response process, and created an agency-wide health improvement program. In addition, he led/served on numerous work teams, including ones to create an ATF brand, critical incident media response plan, special agent career plan, and total quality management initiative.  Klein enjoys volunteer work and has served as a physical fitness consultant, the head coach of a travel baseball team, and a Howard County, MD High School Sports Advisory Committee member.  He currently volunteers with the St. Vincent de Paul Food Bank and as Community Liaison Committee Chair for the Easton Club East community.  Klein and his wife, Joanie, moved to Easton in 2019 and enjoy cycling, hiking, and gardening.

The four will join current members: Herbert Miller, Chairman Emeritus, President Scott Beatty, Vice President Ann Yonkers, Treasurer Matt Peters, and Secretary Marilyn Neal, Ted Bautz, Ron Engle, Rabbi Peter E. Hyman, Anthony Kern, Kerri Langlais, Rose Potter Doug Walker, and Mayor Robert Willey.