Clarence T. Bishop was appointed Deputy Secretary for the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development by Secretary David Edgerley in February 2007.

Immediately prior to his appointment as DBED Deputy Secretary, Mr. Bishop completed four years (2003 – 2006) of successful service to the City of Baltimore as Chief of Staff to former Mayor Martin O'Malley, who was inaugurated as Maryland's 61st governor in January 2007. As Chief of Staff, Bishop was instrumental in overseeing economic development in Baltimore.  

In the O’Malley mayoral administration, Bishop was intimately involved in leadership roles in all aspects of the mayor’s highly successful economic development program, resulting in Baltimore City boasting a record $11 billion in projects. As examples, Mr. Bishop was deeply involved in the city’s successful effort to build a $305 million convention center hotel; oversaw for the mayor the mammoth $800 million, 80-acre East Baltimore housing development and biotech park; and helped guide several other large-scale redevelopment projects.

Mr. Bishop has served on more than a dozen business and economic development oriented boards and commissions including the Baltimore City Planning Commission; Baltimore Hotel Corporation; Baltimore Development Corporation; and the National Aquarium in Baltimore.  He is also the former Chairman of the Baltimore Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Mr. Bishop has more than 25 years of leadership experience in federal and local government including service as Confidential Assistant to the U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce, Chief of Staff to Georgia Congressman and civil rights legend John Lewis, and Chief of Staff to former Maryland Congressman and national small business advocate Parren J. Mitchell.

A native of Baltimore City, Mr. Bishop lives in Columbia, Maryland, with his wife Deidra.