‘Let’s Get Started’

Watson Introduces New Role To Business Community

By Raoul Dennis

PHOTOGRAPHY BY AMIR STOUDAMIRE

“I'm not my predecessors,” Prince George’s Economic Development Corporation President & CEO Ingrid Watson informed the leaders of the Greater Prince George’s Business Roundtable on March 11.  “I appreciate them and all that they did, but I like what you put on the agenda to move on in economic development because that's what I plan to bring.”

Watson was appointed to the position on January 16, 2026. But the Roundtable’s meeting earlier this month was the first time since her appointment that the new CEO formally addressed GPGBR, one of the region’s most influential collectives of businesses, community, state, and federal leaders. It’s comprised of over 100 VIP members. Watson leveraged the opportunity to make it clear that a new era was coming to PGCEDC.

“My main goal is to attract new businesses, attract new jobs,” she said.  “My main goal is to take care of home. We must take care of the businesses that are here. We want to help you get through the process. We see helping people with site selection, permitting and all of that as very important. But our goal is to help our small businesses.”

Watson explained that support from federal partners may not currently be as strong as hoped and views local cooperation among businesses and leadership as a key to success.

“We're not getting the support from the federal government as we should, so our minority and women-owned businesses, they feel maybe left out there a little bit,” she said. “We have to make sure that they know there's an opportunity for them, and we want to continue to support them. We are responsive. I need to actually get the word out a lot more about what the EDC does and who we are. I feel like people say, ‘Oh, it's a hidden gem.’ It's a gem, but it shouldn't be hidden. We're the front door of business.”

Watson has over 30 years of experience working in the county in various capacities (most recently as District 4 county councilmember) and reminded business leaders that she knew how to get things done – and more importantly, she knew how to break the silos that have previously restrained the county from reaching its potential.

“When you come to Prince George's County, you should call EDC,” Watson said of business owners seeking new destinations. “I want to be the face that you see when you walk through that door. Also, you know that you have a person in there who's built relationships. I've built relationships over the last 30 years since I've been in this county. I know legislation. I know my colleagues. I know my former colleagues.”

  Part of her strategy has to do with breaking county silos. “Like I keep saying: break down the silos so we can all walk the same walk and talk the same talk, and build Prince George's County as a unit.”

“Our goal is to build a commercial tax base, as well as bring jobs and opportunity,” Watson said. “We want to bring wealth and build wealth to the county.”