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Maryland Chamber Hosts Tradepoint Atlantic Tour and Leadership Roundtable for Young Professionals

May 5, 2025

On April 29, the Maryland Chamber of Commerce hosted an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of Tradepoint Atlantic in Baltimore County. The event, part of the Chamber's HYPE: Helping Young Professionals Excel series, presented by UnitedHealthcare, attracted more than 50 attendees eager to learn about one of the East Coast’s largest industrial redevelopment projects.

Inside Tradepoint Atlantic

On the former Bethlehem Steel plant at Sparrows Point, once the world’s largest steel mills, Tradepoint Atlantic covers over 3,300 acres (nearly the size of the city of Annapolis), making it one of the largest industrial sites on the East Coast.

Strategic Location: Direct access to the Port of Baltimore with deepwater berths for international cargo make Tradepoint Atlantic an ideal import and export center for goods. The site is served by CSX and Norfolk Southern railroads and is in close proximity to the I-95 corridor.

Economic Impact: As a designated Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ), companies like Amazon, FedEx, BMW, Volkswagen, Home Depot, Floor & Decor and Under Armour maintain fulfillment and warehousing centers, employing over 13,000 full-time positions.

Sustainability & Cleanup: Decades of steel production produced a site coated in toxins and harmful materials. Over $48 million have been invested in environmental remediation in coordination with Maryland Department of the Environment and EPA. The site’s vast leftovers of slag, a byproduct of steel production, makes for an excellent construction material and is used in pad preparation at no cost to the tenant once remediation has been completed.

Insights from Our Panelists

Our HYPE: Inside Tradepoint Atlantic event included a leadership roundtable discussion featuring guests Kathy Blessington, Global Vice President, Real Estate, Under Armour; Jay Bouis, Asst. Dean, Applied Technology and Logistics, Community College of Baltimore County; Brian W. Hammock, Resident Vice President, CSX Transportation; and Jonathan Sachs, Director, Baltimore County Department of Economic & Workforce Development.

In addition to their jobs and what they do in the Grater Baltimore region, our panelists spoke to their career journeys, professional development and the importance of advocacy.

Put Advocacy Into Practice: Engage with local and state government — attend public meetings, contact your elected officials, support community-led initiatives and, most importantly, stay informed on policy proposals that impact you and your neighbors.

Career Lessons: Recognize that setbacks, shifts and unexpected opportunities often hold the most valuable lessons — each turning point can guide you toward greater clarity, resilience and purpose in your professional journey.

Stay Curious: Continuously seek out new knowledge, ask questions and explore unfamiliar areas — curiosity fuels growth, innovation and adaptability throughout your career journey.

The HYPE Program: Nurturing Maryland's Future Leaders

The Tradepoint Atlantic tour and accompanying roundtable discussion exemplified the HYPE program's goal of providing young professionals with unique insights into key industries driving Maryland's economy. The program aims to foster professional development, civic engagement, leadership growth and network expansion.

By facilitating connections between emerging leaders and established industry figures like Brian Hammock and Jonathan Sachs, HYPE cultivates a new generation of business leaders well-informed about the complex factors shaping Maryland's economic landscape, and knowledgeable about how they can advocate for personal, community and business issues they care about.

The Power of Collaboration

As the greater Baltimore region continues to grow and adapt to global economic trends, events like this HYPE tour play a crucial role in educating the next generation of business leaders about the importance of maritime commerce to Maryland's economy.

For young professionals interested in future HYPE events or looking to get involved with the Maryland Chamber of Commerce, visit mdchamber.org/HYPE for more information.