First African American Elected Chair Of Maryland's TEDCO Board

COLUMBIA, MD — The Maryland Technology Development Corporation, designed to enhance economic empowerment growth through the fostering of an inclusive entrepreneurial innovation ecosystem in the state, has announced Morgan State University's Omar Muhammad as its newly appointed chair of the board. He becomes the company's first Black leader.

The rest of the board's officers are being filled by:

• Vice Chair – Chung Hei Sing, Applied Derivative Research;
• Treasurer – Michael J. Howard, MJH Group;
• Secretary – Jennifer Elisseeff, Johns Hopkins University (JHU) School of Medicine.

"I don't take this opportunity for granted. Working with other board members several years ago, we were able to provide diversity by investing in entrepreneurs (African American and women) and staffing. It is an honor to take the role of chair for this innovative and driven organization," Muhammad said. "After the challenges (global pandemic and racial inequities) posed on all of us last year, we plan to find more ways to support our entrepreneurs as we navigate this new economy."

Troy LeMaile-Stovall, CEO of TEDCO, expressed his enthusiasm for having Muhammad at the helm.

"Excited seems too small a word for how I feel about having Omar as TEDCO chair," LeMaile-Stovall said. "His energy, passion and creativity will amplify TEDCO's mission to new heights. And having both he and I as black men leading TEDCO at this juncture of history isn't an accident. I can't wait to work with him and the TEDCO board to bring real wealth expansion and inclusion to more Marylanders."

TEDCO is managed by a 19-member board of directors, 14 of whom are appointed by the governor, two appointed by the president of the Maryland Senate and two appointed by the speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates. Each serves staggered 4-year terms. The 19th member is the Maryland Secretary of Commerce, who serves ex officio. Each member appointed by the governor is confirmed by the Senate.

TEDCO's full board of directors are: Chair, Omar S. Muhammad, MSU; Vice Chair, Chung Hei Sing, Applied Derivative Research; Treasurer, Michael J. Howard, MJH Group; Secretary, Jennifer Elisseeff, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine; John Bohanan, Cornerstone Government Affairs; Kathie Callahan Brany, FITCI; Cliff Coppersmith, Chesapeake College; Ellen Flowers-Fields, College of Southern Maryland; Matthew Lee, FASTech; Myra Norton, Arena Analytics; John Parris, Parriad, LLC; Kelly M. Schulz, Maryland Department of Commerce; Amita Shukla, Vitamita; Eben Smith, Three|E Consulting Group; Francis Smyth, Century Engineering and Robert Wells, Miles & Stockbridge.