Highlighting Economic Development and Higher Education in Maryland

Thomas Sadowski is MEDCO’s fourth executive director, beginning his tenure in August 2021. Appointed by the MEDCO Board of Directors and approved by the Governor, Mr. Sadowski directs a staff composed of ten administrative, finance and development specialists whose responsibilities are to assist with financing, project development, accounting, and management of MEDCO’s projects. In his role as Executive Director, Tom is dedicated to furthering MEDCO’s important mission to help advance Maryland’s economic development interests and facilitate economic growth that benefits citizens and communities across Maryland. Tom brings to MEDCO a depth and breadth of experience, a passion for the economic well-being of Maryland, and enthusiasm for a vibrant economy that is sustainable and competitive.

Tom came to MEDCO with more than thirty years of economic development experience and has held leadership positions at local, regional, and state levels. He has worked across all industry sectors, including aerospace, autonomous systems, cybersecurity, quantum computing, robotics, bio-health, clean energy, advanced manufacturing, agriculture, and education-technology.

Prior to working at MEDCO, Tom spent 5 years as vice chancellor for economic development at the University System of Maryland (USM), a major player in the success of Maryland’s economy. As the USM’s first vice chancellor for economic development, Tom focused on leveraging the talent, resources, and programming at USM’s twelve institutions and three regional centers to support the state’s economic development efforts and help grow strategic industries. He served as the USM’s senior representative on university-industry-government collaborations statewide. Tom was the system’s primary liaison to the state in support of recruiting companies and retaining and growing existing companies. Within the USM, his role focused on venture creation, tech commercialization, industry and government research partnerships, and workforce development. He also launched the USM’s $10 million venture Maryland Momentum Fund.

Prior to joining USM, Tom served as president and CEO of the Economic Alliance of Greater Baltimore, where he focused on growing and attracting companies to the region and used federal and state grant dollars to create programs supporting innovation, commercialization, and entrepreneurship. He also served as director of the Harford County Office of Economic Development and as business development director for the Baltimore County Department of Economic Development.

Tom is very active in the community, serving as the chair of the board for Junior Achievement of Central Maryland, on the Board of Visitors for the University of Maryland Technology Institute (MTech), and on the boards of the Baltimore Metropolitan Council, Cyber Association of Maryland, Maryland Information Security Institute (MISI), Maryland Marketing Partnership, Maryland Technology Council, UMBC Training Centers, the University of Maryland Medical System/Upper Chesapeake Health Foundation, and the UMB Baltimore Fund Advisory Board.

He has received several honors, including the 2016 “Alumni of the Year, Distinguished Service” award from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and the 2014 “William Donald Schaefer Industrialist of the Year” award from the Baltimore Museum of Industry. He was also recognized by The Daily Record as a “Most Admired CEO” in 2015 and 2013 and an “Influential Marylander” in 2011.

A lifelong resident of Maryland, Sadowski earned his bachelor’s degree in political science, with a certificate in public administration and policy, from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) in 1989. He is married with five children.

Dr. James D. Fielder, Jr. is a highly regarded executive and public servant with a passion for leading change, focused on improving the economic well-being of Marylanders through educational and business opportunity.

He has served four Maryland governors, lending his talents and expertise in numerous leadership capacities. Some of these include his current position as: Secretary of Higher Education; Secretary of Appointments for Governor Hogan; Secretary of Labor, Licensing, and Regulations; Acting Secretary for Business and Economic Development; Member of Governor-elect Hogan’s Transition Team.

He also served as Towson University’s Vice President of Finance and Administration.

Secretary Fielder received his Ph.D. at Michigan State University in Higher Education, and his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of Maryland, College Park.

James E. Rzepkowski is the Assistant Secretary for the Division of Workforce Development and Adult Learning at the Maryland Department of Labor. Within the Division are five Offices that implement the mission of the Division: Workforce Development, Adult Education & Literacy Services, Correctional Education, Fiscal Administration, and Workforce Information & Performance. From January 2019 to August 2019, he served as Acting Secretary of the Maryland Department of Labor.
Prior to his appointment by the Hogan-Rutherford Administration in February 2015, he served 8 years as the Corporate Director of Workforce Development at Constellation Energy Nuclear Group, LLC (CENG), headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland. He developed and implemented the company’s mission critical workforce development initiative leveraging strategic partnerships with educational institutions in multiple states to provide a pipeline of skilled and qualified workers to meet the growing needs of the energy industry. Mr. Rzepkowski represented CENG on numerous national industry association boards focused on adult learning and technical training as well as state and local workforce development organizations.
Concurrent to his employment at CENG, Mr. Rzepkowski was appointed to the Anne Arundel County Board of Appeals in January 2007 to a four-year term by unanimous vote of the Anne Arundel County Council. The quasi-judicial Board that renders final decisions on appeals related to zoning, variances, licenses, permits, personnel, and executive, administrative, and judicatory orders in Anne Arundel County, Maryland.
Prior to joining CENG in February of 2007, he served 12 years in Maryland State Government in both Executive and Legislative capacities – three years as an Assistant Secretary within Maryland’s Department of Business and Economic Development and nine years as an elected member of the Maryland House of Delegates representing the 32nd Legislative District in Anne Arundel County.
He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Government and Politics, with Phi Beta Kappa Honors, from the University of Maryland – College Park.

Kurt L. Schmoke was appointed as the University of Baltimore’s eighth president as of July 7, 2014. He brings to the University a wealth of experience in public service, higher education and leadership.

Schmoke is a believer in Baltimore and a big believer in UB. His message to the University community, its friends and supporters is this: Education works—for people, for neighborhoods, for society as a whole.

“It has been clear to me for many years that next to my parents, it was the education I received that has had the most profound effect on the achievements that I have made in my adult and professional life,” he wrote in a 2007 editorial in The Journal of Negro Education. “The interaction between family and teachers was significant, sustained and life altering.”

Schmoke served as the mayor of Baltimore from 1987-1999 and was the Baltimore City State’s Attorney from 1982-1987. Prior to joining UB, he was dean of the Howard University School of Law in Washington, D.C., from 2003-2012. Following that, he was appointed general counsel for Howard and also served as the institution’s interim provost.During his tenure as Baltimore’s mayor, Schmoke initiated a number of innovative programs in housing, education, public health and economic development. In 1992, President George H.W. Bush awarded him the National Literacy Award for his efforts to promote adult literacy. Two years later, President Bill Clinton praised his programs aimed at improving public housing and enhancing community-based economic development. The Clinton administration selected Baltimore as one of six cities to receive an Empowerment Zone designation in 1994.

Schmoke’s public service record extends back to the 1970s, when he was appointed assistant director of the White House Domestic Policy Staff under President Jimmy Carter. He also served as an assistant U.S. attorney for the District of Maryland.

After completing three terms as mayor, Schmoke returned to the practice of law as a partner in the firm of Wilmer, Cutler and Pickering. He became actively involved in the National Bar Association and the American Bar Association, serving a term as chair of the Council on Racial and Ethnic Justice of the latter. He has provided countless hours of pro bono legal services to charitable organizations such as the Children’s Health Forum, a nonprofit group established to combat lead poisoning among children. Later, Schmoke’s commitment to public service led him to focus on increasing Howard University’s bar passage rate when he was the law school’s dean and to expand its clinical law program to emphasize environmental justice, fair housing and civil rights.

Schmoke earned his undergraduate degree in history from Yale University. While at Yale, he co-founded a child care center that has been in continuous operation as the Calvin Hill Day Care Center and Kindergarten since 1970. He pursued graduate studies on a Rhodes Scholarship at Oxford University and earned his Juris Doctor degree from Harvard Law School.

Schmoke is a member of the Hippodrome Foundation Board, the Lyric Foundation Board, the Baltimore Development Corporation Board, the Baltimore Community Foundation Board, The Howard Hughes Medical Institute, McGraw-Hill Financial, the Carnegie Corporation of New York and the Harvard Law School Visiting Committee

Schmoke is married to Dr. Patricia Schmoke, an ophthalmologist. They have two adult children, Gregory and Katherine.

Kimberly A. “Kim” Clark

Kim Clark is the Executive Vice President of the City of Baltimore Development Corporation (BDC). In her capacity as EVP she oversees neighborhood development, downtown development, capital budgeting, commercial revitalization, and urban design and planning.

Among her achievements at BDC, Kim helped structure public private partnership financing for several major redevelopment projects, including several Tax Increment Financing (TIF) projects; the redevelopment of Belvedere Square, all parcels at Inner Harbor East, Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOTS) for several major developments, including the Westside and the several grocery store projects. She was instrumental in retaining several businesses of all sizes and assisted smaller businesses with expansions and in the development of the Horseshoe Casino Baltimore.

Kim is the Secretary of the Maryland Economic Development Association, Treasurer of the Urban Land Institute Baltimore Council, Board member and Committee Chair of the Star Spangled Flag House, Board member of the Emerging Technology Centers, Leadership Maryland and the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts and is a member of the International Economic Development Council. Kim graduated Leadership MD in 2009 and is a Greater Baltimore Committee Leadership Class of 2007 graduate.

Murray M. Dalziel, is the 12th dean of the University of Baltimore’s Merrick School of Business. He is an academic thought leader, longtime business developer and adviser to senior executives in a number of top global companies, particular the U.S. and Europe. He frequently coaches and advises senior executives and is active in advising and investing in early stage businesses. His expertise is in the fields of organizational behavior, human resource management and global business strategy. Dean Dalziel takes pride in developing business and the people to deliver it. At his previous role as Dean of the University of Liverpool’s Management School, he led the team that obtained the school’s AACSB accreditation.

As Assistant Secretary at Maryland Department of Commerce, Signe Pringle leads a team of economic development professionals focusing on business attraction, expansion and retention efforts. Ms. Pringle oversees the offices of business development; finance programs; international investment and trade; and military and federal affairs. 
 
Ms. Pringle previously served as Managing Director of the Office of International Investment and Trade responsible for the State’s global operations, including foreign direct investment attraction and export promotion. Prior to that, Ms. Pringle served as a Regional Manager for Europe, assisting Maryland companies with developing export markets for their products and services, and attracting investment from Europe. Prior to joining state government, Ms. Pringle worked as a global supply chain manager at an international marketing and distribution company in Estonia.


Ms. Pringle holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from University of Baltimore, and a Bachelor’s Degree in International Business, Banking and Accounting, from Estonian Business School and a certificate from the Copenhagen Business School in Denmark. She currently serves as president of State International Development Organizations (SIDO), the leading U.S. organization dedicated to supporting state international trade agencies, and serves on the boards of the DC/MD District Export Council, Governor’s Subcabinet on International Affairs, and the Center for Global Business at Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland.