About Us

Eugene Cornelius, Jr.

Eugene Cornelius currently serves as Executive Director to the Pike District Partnership, an organization that leads in the promotion and assistance with economic development in Maryland, USA, He is a Certified Economic Development professional, an AGOA-GSP Trade Advisor (USAID) and Advisory Committee member to the U.S. Export Import Bank. Gene has served as the Center for Regional Economics Senior Director with the Milken Institute, Center for regional Economics and has a distinguished career in public service, as Senior Advisor to the Office of International Trade, U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). After successfully setting up and organizing the Office of International Trade at the U.S. Small Business Administration, as Deputy Associate Administrator, Gene accepted a one year detail to the International Council of Small Business (ICSB), located at George Washington University, where he brought his extensive international experience and executive leadership to the design, development, and delivery of the ICSB Global program between the United States and ten allied countries around the world that are interested in learning best practices on how to establish small business support agencies. In addition to his agency role, Gene served as an international consultant in the countries of Bahrain, Tunisia, Jordan, Egypt and Morocco under the U.S. State Department Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) where he facilitated public private forums to streamline registration and regulations and zoning policies and expanded lending and non-financial services to small and medium sized enterprises. As Deputy Associate Administrator for the Office of International Trade, Gene was responsible for administering the oversight and execution of four program divisions:

(1) The Federal & State Trade Development Division —which focuses on delivery and management of grants program, 

(2) The International Trade Finance Division — which provides Trade Financing, counseling, and training with SBA & 3 Loan programs via 21 Export Assistance Centers Nationwide, 

(3) The International Affairs & Trade Policy Division — which focuses on National initiatives, Trade policy mandates, export promotion interagency collaborative efforts, field network and outreach, and 

(4) Administration & Operations 

He previously served as the Deputy Associate Administrator for Office of Business and Economic Development where he provided senior leadership to over 42% of the Agency’s budgeted workforce, ensuring the implementation of its overall goals, programs, and operations. Gene was responsible for management and oversight of over 90 offices covering all 50 States and U. S. Territories. Gene is a graduate of both the Economic Development Institute at the University of Oklahoma and Acquisition (Level 3) Senior Project Manager Program at American University and is nationally certified as an Associate in Risk Management (ARM). 

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a Master’s degree in Public Administration and received certifications in ESG, Risk Management, International Trade, and Supply Chain Management. He was awarded the Harvard University School of Business “Bright Idea” for Innovation in American Government Award for the Business Builder economic development initiative.