WWSG Exclusive
62nd Governor of Maryland, Entrepreneur, Bipartisan Leadership Expert, Bestselling Author
Governor Larry Hogan brings audiences firsthand insight into executive leadership, economic strategy, bipartisan negotiation, and leading through crisis at the highest levels of government and business. His experience as a successful entrepreneur and one of America’s most widely respected governors makes him an impactful speaker for corporations, financial institutions, healthcare organizations, trade associations, and universities seeking practical perspectives on resilience, decision-making, and organizational performance. Whether in a keynote, fireside chat, boardroom discussion, or policy forum, Governor Hogan delivers thoughtful, engaging conversations that connect leadership principles to today’s most pressing business and societal challenges.
Commencement Address to Washington College Class of 2026
Leadership
Courage
Another Time For Choosing
In this timely address, former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan explores how political leadership directly shapes economic opportunity. Drawing on his experience governing a deeply divided state, Hogan examines how tax policy, regulatory discipline, infrastructure investment, and bipartisan collaboration create the conditions for business confidence and long-term growth. He offers a practical roadmap for policymakers and business leaders seeking stability, predictability, and prosperity amid national polarization.
Governor Hogan discusses the tangible ways public policy decisions influence capital formation, job creation, and private investment. He highlights the importance of fiscal responsibility, regulatory balance, and cross-party governance in fostering a competitive business environment — and warns of the economic costs when politics becomes untethered from economic reality.
Reflecting on his tenure, Hogan examines how elected leaders can partner with the private sector without sacrificing accountability. He outlines the essential ingredients of a healthy business ecosystem and argues that effective governance—not ideology—is the strongest driver of economic resilience.
While you may know him as the most popular Governor in Maryland’s history, Larry Hogan is also a respected business leader and passionate bipartisan problem-solver. A successful entrepreneur and lifelong small business owner before entering public service, Hogan brings practical, real-world leadership experience to a wide range of conversations, including economic growth, crisis management, leadership, public policy, workforce development, and bipartisan collaboration. In 2026, he launched the Hogan Institute at Washington College, a nonpartisan leadership initiative focused on restoring ethical leadership and encouraging political cooperation.
As Governor of Maryland from 2015–2023, he led one of the nation’s most dramatic state economic turnarounds, moving Maryland from near the bottom of national economic rankings to one of the country’s top-performing states for business and job growth. Throughout his terms, Governor Hogan successfully guided Maryland through major crises, including civil unrest in Baltimore and the COVID-19 pandemic, all while fighting his own battle with cancer and serving as Chairman of the National Governors Association. His leadership earned praise from corporate executives, healthcare leaders, and policymakers across the political spectrum for its transparency, decisiveness, and focus on results. Hogan’s best-selling book, Still Standing: Surviving Cancer, Riots, and the Toxic Politics that Divide America was called a testament to the “perseverance when facing what appeared to be insurmountable odds” by Cal Ripken Jr.
Throughout his two terms, Hogan worked across party lines to deliver historic tax relief, strengthen Maryland’s business climate, invest in infrastructure and transportation, and improve government efficiency. His ability to build consensus in a politically divided environment has made him a sought-after keynote speaker for corporations, trade associations, healthcare organizations, leadership summits, universities, and public policy forums.
Governor Hogan’s speaking engagements provide audiences with actionable insights on executive leadership, navigating uncertainty, resilient decision-making, economic competitiveness, bipartisan negotiation, innovation in government, and leading through disruption. Combining executive experience from both the private and public sectors, he offers audiences a rare perspective on how to drive measurable results in times of challenge and transformation.
Gov. Hogan was refreshingly genuine and down to earth.
Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives
