Howard County in Motion

Thu Aug 20, 2026

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Howard County in Motion

How Mixed-Use, Multifamily, and Life Sciences are Propelling the Region's Economic Growth

Thursday August 20 2026 @ 8:00 AM EDT

$105.00

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Presented By

Speakers and Panels

Calvin Ball

County Executive, Howard County

Jennifer Jones

Jennifer Jones has over 20 years of business and leadership experience in the private and public sectors. As Chief Executive Officer of the Howard County Economic Development Authority, Jennifer is responsible for being a catalyst for economic growth, supporting existing businesses, targeting new businesses, and working with stakeholders to set the vision and direction for Howard County that positions it as a regional, national, and international business location. In her years in the public sector, she has been an integral part of the Howard County business ecosystem, directly assisting and helping thousands of Howard County businesses who have grown to know and trust her. As a former Deputy Chief of Staff in Howard County Government, she worked collaboratively with the Howard County Economic Development Authority, the Chamber, and others, to devise millions of dollars in grant programs that ultimately helped thousands of businesses survive and thrive through the pandemic. She also led in accelerating opportunities through the pandemic. Leveraging federal funds, she quickly produced a strategy and executed new public and private partnerships so that Howard County was the first in the state to stand up county testing sites and mobile vaccination. Previously, Jennifer served as Vice President, Business Development at Live Nation, where she was responsible for business analysis and market expansion. She also worked with various other Fortune 500 companies, notably Sony and Universal Studios on international business development, and as a Manager at Ernst and Young, LLP, assisting middle market companies with their corporate finance needs. A Howard County native and graduate of Wilde Lake High School, she holds a Juris Doctor from Pepperdine University School of Law, a Master of Business Administration from Pepperdine University School of Business, and a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University.

Howard County Economic Development Authority

CEO

Jennifer Jones

CEO, Howard County Economic Development Authority

Janine Lind

Janine Lind is the President of Enterprise Community Development, the largest nonprofit affordable housing developer in the Mid-Atlantic and an affiliate of Enterprise Community Partners. In this role, she leads the Community Development division’s high-impact residential development, preservation, asset and property management, and resident services work and its $1.4 billion portfolio of 115 communities serving 24,000 residents. Lind is an experienced leader with an extensive background in community development and affordable housing, having led companies with portfolios ranging from 15,000 to 40,000 homes across 28 states, including substantial experience in the Mid-Atlantic. Most recently she served as MidPen Housing Corporation’s first chief operating officer, where she oversaw the organization’s work to develop and manage high-quality affordable housing in Northern California. Lind’s career includes leadership roles at Progress Residential, Cerberus Capital, Edgewood Management Corporation, Guardian Management, and WinnCompanies. Lind is the founder of the Permanent Supportive Housing Coalition, a Bay Area group of eight nonprofits focused on driving systems and policy change. She also is a board and advisory member of the Housing Partners Insurance Exchange and has been a member of the National Apartment Association and the National Multifamily Housing Council. She previously served as the vice chair of the Affordable Housing Management Association’s legislative and regulatory affairs committees. Janine holds an M.B.A. in real estate finance from Marylhurst University, a B.A. in marketing from the American College of Applied Arts, and has earned the reputable certified property manager designation through the Institute for Real Estate Management. She is an associate certified coach through the International Coaching Federation, a Gallup-certified strengths coach, and a recipient of the Harvard Kennedy School Executive Certificate in Public Leadership. She speaks fluent English and Dutch and is proficient in German.

Enterprise Community Development

President

Janine Lind

President, Enterprise Community Development

Kristi Simon

President & CEO, Howard County Chamber of Commerce

Why You Can't Miss This Year's Howard County Event

What You’ll Learn:

The economic, demographic and policy trends shaping commercial real estate in Howard County
How the county’s high-income population, strong schools and strategic location continue to attract residents and employers
Why life sciences, healthcare, multifamily and mixed-use development are gaining momentum
How Downtown Columbia and other redevelopment efforts are reshaping the county’s commercial landscape
Where the next investment and development opportunities are emerging across the county
How planning frameworks, transportation access and infrastructure investments influence development decisions
The challenges developers face including land constraints, entitlement timelines, construction costs and financing conditions

Why This Matters:

Howard County sits at the center of one of the East Coast’s most powerful economic corridors, positioned between Washington, D.C. and Baltimore. As demand grows for housing, research space, retail amenities and walkable communities, the county is entering a new phase of strategic development and redevelopment. Major projects and districts are already helping shape this next chapter, including the continued evolution of Downtown Columbia and the vibrant mixed-use environment emerging in the Merriweather District. At the same time, development momentum continues along key corridors such as the Route 1 Corridor, while established employment and mixed-use hubs like Gateway Overlook and Maple Lawn attract companies, residents and retailers seeking high-quality suburban environments.

With major employers expanding across technology, healthcare and research sectors, understanding how these projects, planning priorities and market fundamentals intersect will be critical for developers, investors and occupiers looking to capitalize on Howard County’s continued growth. Join Bisnow as we convene developers, investors, public leaders to explore where Howard County’s market is headed, the projects shaping its future and the opportunities emerging across one of Maryland’s most competitive real estate markets.

Agenda

Time	Activity
8:00 AM 9:00 AM	Registration, Breakfast, and Networking
9:00 AM 9:45 AM	A Market Evolving: Howard County’s Economic Growth and Development Outlook Howard County stands out as one of the region’s most stable and desirable commercial real estate markets, supported by a highly educated workforce, strong public planning and proximity to both Washington, D.C. and Baltimore. The continued evolution of Columbia is driving new mixed-use and residential opportunities and employers are expanding across technology, healthcare and life sciences. Hear from local leaders and developers about the economic forces shaping Howard County’s real estate landscape, the role of master-planned communities and development in future growth, and how the county is balancing thoughtful planning with the need to accommodate housing, jobs and new commercial space.
9:45 AM 10:00 AM	Networking Break
10:00 AM 10:45 AM	Building Howard County: Development Trends Across Multifamily, Life Sciences, Retail and Mixed-Use From the continued transformation of Downtown Columbia to emerging development opportunities along major corridors and transit-connected nodes, Howard County’s real estate activity is evolving across asset classes. Developers are responding to demand for multifamily housing, neighborhood-serving retail, life sciences facilities and walkable mixed-use environments that align with the county’s long-term planning vision. As the county continues to attract residents and businesses seeking high-quality suburban environments with urban-style amenities, explore which asset classes are seeing the strongest momentum, how developers are navigating entitlement and cost challenges and where new opportunities for investment and development may emerge.
10:45 AM 11:15 AM	Closing Networking

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Call:	202-684-2034
Email:	eventregistration@bisnow.com