Rise of Downtown Columbia: An Ecosystem for Success

Kristi Smith is President of the Maryland Region for Howard Hughes, leading the growth and success of the 14-million-square-foot, mixed-use development plan for Downtown Columbia, which is transforming the city’s urban core. Prior to joining Howard Hughes in 2023, Ms. Smith served as Executive Vice President in charge of Development for JBG SMITH, a publicly traded, multifamily and office real estate investment trust in the Washington, D.C. market. She oversaw the company’s mixed-use multifamily and commercial projects in top submarkets, including the development of Amazon's HQ2 in Arlington, VA. Previously, she was an Investment Associate with CIM Group and a Development Executive at Clark Realty Capital. A founding member and co-chair of the JBG SMITH’s Women’s Initiative, Ms Smith remains dedicated to the advancement of women and overall inclusivity in the workplace. She also serves on the Board of Directors for NAIOP DC | MD. Ms. Smith holds a B.S. in Commerce from the University of Virginia, and a MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.

Howard County Executive-Elect Dr. Calvin Ball has been serving Howard County since 2006 as the County Council member. Calvin is a former Howard County Firefighter and Emergency Medical Technician who served as a three-term Councilmember. He made history in 2006 when he was elected as the youngest Council Chairman ever in Howard County. Calvin remains dedicated to making our community a better, brighter place for future generations. A member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated, Calvin, an educator, received his Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Religion from Towson State University, a Master of Arts in Legal and Ethical Studies from the University of Baltimore and was awarded a Doctor of Education from Morgan State University. Calvin has been honored with numerous awards including the Michaeline R. Fedder Award for Public Health Legislator of 2015, the Marilyn J. Praisner Public Service Award, Daily Record’s 2014 Very Important Professionals Successful by 40 Award, William Donald Schaeffer Helping People Award, Louis Goldstein Award for Democratic Spirit, the Kittleman Award for Legislative Leadership, Community Champion of the Year Award, Jenkins Odoms, Jr., Freedom Fighter Award, Richard C. McCauley Transformative Leader Award, Humanitarian Award, and 2018 Senator James Clark Award. A Maryland native and Columbia resident, Calvin and his wife, Shani Ball, RN, BSN, are proud parents of two daughters who both attend Howard County Public Schools. Calvin gained his passion for public service from his parents Calvin Ball Jr. and Carolyn Ball.

Kimberly Prescott is the founder and President of Prescott HR, Inc. Her primary area of expertise is Human Resources/Employment Law Compliance and Employee Relations. She brings over 20 years of progressive corporate HR leadership experience with firms such as Giant Food, Whole Foods and Allegis Group (TEKsystems and Aerotek). She has earned her Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) designations. Kimberly has been recognized for her leadership and contributions to the business community by being named by the Baltimore Business Journal as one of the 2023 Enterprising Women of Influence, The Daily Record as one of Maryland's Top 100 Women in 2023, the 2022 Howard County Chamber of Commerce's Businessperson of the Year and a 2019 I-95 Magazine Woman of Influence. In addition to being a member of Leadership Howard County Class of 2018, she is a member of Leadership Maryland Class of 2023. She is also actively involved in the community, including several leadership roles: Board Member of the Maryland Chamber of Commerce, Board Member of the Downtown Columbia (MD) Partnership, Co-Chair of the Legislative Affairs Committee and Chair of the Labor and Employment subcommittee for the Howard County Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Howard County Board Secretary, Girl Scouts of Central Maryland Board Member and Board Member of The 3rd.

Paul G. Skalny is an attorney and the Managing Director of Davis, Agnor, Rapaport & Skalny, LLC, a mid-Maryland based law firm primarily devoted to representing entrepreneurs and investors, and serving as general counsel to businesses, financial institutions, and non-profit organizations. He counsels clients in all phases of their business life, from formation or acquisition; to planning, strategy and growth; through sale and transition. Clients frequently rely on Paul’s advice for a wide range of legal matters, including contract negotiations, commercial transactions, private stock offerings, employment matters, protection of intellectual property, and disputes among business owners. He is particularly well versed in helping businesses, including family-owned companies, address the sensitive and often complex issues associated with business succession, as well as mergers and acquisitions. Paul also works with land owners, developers and builders in a number of industry-specific issues and he oversees the firm’s affiliate real estate title company, Crossroads Title Group, LLC. Paul serves as the Managing Director of Davis, Agnor, Rapaport & Skalny, LLC, a role that he considers critical not only to the growth and success of the firm, but one which allows him to ensure that the firm’s clients receive superior service and counsel. Paul believes that supporting the various communities in which he, as well as the firm’s clients and employees, live, work and play is extremely important. He has a strong track record of involvement, often in leadership roles, in numerous business associations and non-profit organizations, particularly in the areas of business advocacy, economic development, technology, leadership development and health care. Amongst other roles, Paul currently serves on the Board of Directors of Respite Retreats, the BWI Business Partnership, and Maryland Free (formerly the Maryland Business for Responsive Government), and he serves as a Judge for Simulated Congressional Hearings at local elementary schools. Paul previously served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Johns Hopkins Howard County General HospitalMedical Center, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Howard County Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Howard County, and the Howard County Division of the American Heart Association; he also served as a member of the Board of Trustees of Johns Hopkins Medicine, and as a Director of the Maryland Chamber of Commerce, the Howard Technology Council’s Advisory Board and the Howard County Art’s Council. Paul obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from the Johns Hopkins University and his Juris Doctorate from the University of Maryland School of Law. Paul lives in Ellicott City with his family., Hhe loves to travel, and enjoys spending time outdoors, and is always up for a good adventure.

Rick is a founding member and Chief Executive Officer of Evergreen Advisors, LLC. He has over 30 years of experience in advising early stage growth and middle-market companies on finance, recapitalization and exit strategies. These financing alternatives and exit strategies include capital raises, recapitalizations, mergers, sales, and ESOPs. Rick was also a co-founder and managing member of the Chesapeake Emerging Opportunities Club, an early stage venture capital fund. Education: Rick is a graduate of Loyola University in Maryland. He holds his MBA from the Sellinger School of Business with a concentration in Finance & Marketing and a BA in Accounting. Licenses and Certifications: Rick holds the Series 7 and 79 General Securities Representative License, Series 24 General Securities Principal License, and the 63 Uniform Securities Agent License. He also has passed the Series 65 License Exam. Speaking Engagements: An engaging speaker, Rick often speaks on topics such as capital raising, exit strategies, economic climate for transactions and entrepreneurship. Interests: The many lives of Rick Kohr include former accountant turned entrepreneur, angel investor, and sports enthusiast. Always up for competition: golf, corn hole, or your choice.

Alex Hancock is the Senior Vice President, National Sales & Leasing for Howard Hughes, overseeing the creation of a strategic national platform to expand outreach and business development for commercial opportunities. Mr. Hancock joined Howard Hughes in 2023. Prior to Howard Hughes, he served as Executive Vice President at Transwestern Commercial Services, one of the largest privately held brokerage firms in the country, where he was consistently ranked among the top ten brokers in the nation. While at Transwestern, he led third- party leasing efforts for over 12M SF of office assets in the Mid-Atlantic, including Reston Town Center and Downtown Columbia. Previously, he worked for Cushman & Wakefield and Newmark representing leading corporations on a range of real estate strategies. Mr. Hancock graduated from Wake Forest University with a B.S. in Economics.

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.

Phillip Dodge is the Executive Director of the Downtown Columbia Partnership (DTCP). He has a background in place management, fund development, communications, marketing, and non-profit leadership and has held positions at the Community Action Council of Howard County, Healthy Howard, and the National Center for Healthy (NCHH) Housing. While at NCHH, Mr. Dodge led in the creation of a foundation affinity group, the Health and Housing Funders’ Forum. He serves on the Howard County Library System’s Board of Trustees and formerly chaired the Friends & Foundation of the Howard County Library System. He also serves on the board of Visit Howard County and the Howard County Multi-Modal Transportation Board and is a 2020 graduate of Leadership Howard County and a 2022 graduate of the International Downtown Association’s Emerging Leaders Fellowship. He resides in Columbia, MD with his wife, Alison and two daughters.

As the CEO of TEDCO—Maryland’s economic engine for technology companies—Troy leads the organization’s mission to support economic development through the cultivation of an inclusive entrepreneurial innovation ecosystem. He brings to bear more than 25 years of experience in investment management, higher education, telecommunications, information/communication technology, and management consulting in this leadership role. Prior to joining TEDCO, Troy was the chief operating officer at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC), the nation’s only urban land-grant university. UDC encompasses a six-site community college, a four-year baccalaureate campus, and a law school, and serves 7,000 degree- and certificate-seeking students. He oversaw an array of critical functions at UDC, including capital construction, communications, emergency management, enrollment services, facilities management, government relations, information management, institutional research, marketing, public safety, risk management, and strategic planning, to name a just a few. An entrepreneur at heart and in spirit, Troy founded the management consulting firms LeMaile-Stovall LLC and GTMS Partners, LLC. He also co-founded and served as the first president and CEO of GulfSouth Capital. His resume includes positions as the interim president of Zenith Education Group; principal at Butler Snow Advisory Services; executive vice president and chief operating officer of Howard University; and senior vice president and chief financial officer Jackson State (Mississippi) University, where he was awarded the Thurgood Marshall HBCU CFO of the Year. Earlier in his career, Troy held positions at McKinsey & Company, Southwestern Bell Telephone (now AT&T), AT&T Bell Labs, and Rockwell international. Troy is a subject matter expert in capital stack formation and a frequent speaker on venture capital, economic development, and higher education administration, among other topics. He has published articles on entrepreneurship, venture capital, economic development, diversity and inclusion, and higher education. His expertise has been recognized through the various awards he has received including the Dealmakers Award and the Most Admired CEO, among others.

Ian Kennedy is the Executive Director of the Merriweather Arts and Culture Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and elevation of Merriweather Post Pavilion's cultural legacy while nurturing a thriving artistic, cultural, community, and educational ecosystem in the heart of Downtown Columbia, Maryland. Kennedy's journey with MACC began as one of the organization's founding board members in 2013, where he played a pivotal role in the formation and creation of the organization and establishing its initial vision for revitalizing Merriweather Post Pavilion and positioning it as the centerpiece of a dynamic, inclusive cultural ecosystem that reflects the values of the community MACC serves. Kennedy became MACC’s first full-time employee in 2016. Kennedy’s involvement with Merriweather dates back to 2003, when he co-founded a successful grassroots effort called Save Merriweather to oppose a plan to close and demolish the beloved venue. Since then, he has had many vital roles in support of Merriweather and Downtown Columbia’s revitalization, including as a community organizer and advocate, a key member of the Howard County Government team tasked with developing a master plan for Downtown Columbia, and most recently as MACC’s Executive Director, overseeing Merriweather’s physical and programmatic transformation. Personally, Kennedy is a husband and father of two daughters. He is passionate about music and has performed throughout his life, including at Merriweather Post Pavilion. He is also an avid bike rider and coaches his kids’ youth mountain bike team.

Michele has an integrated commercial real estate and business and technologies transactions practice. In her real estate practice, Michele represents clients involved in all aspects of real estate including acquisition and disposition of commercial real estate; and office, retail and warehouse leasing, from letters of intent through closing and post-closing, for properties across the United States. Michele has experience with all types of property, including traditional malls, retail centers, office buildings and office parks, industrial properties, and multi-family properties. She has reviewed structured and negotiated purchase and sale agreements and leases for national retail tenants, shopping centers, medical practices, office parks and commercial warehouses. She has closed complex multi-party transactions, including sale-leaseback transactions and assisted in the purchase and sale of a number of shopping centers and office buildings in the Mid-Atlantic region. Michele's business and technology practice is broad based and includes business and information technology counseling for both providers and users of technology. She provides contract advice and counseling on a variety of subjects, including on licensing, consulting services, e-commerce and cyber-security and privacy issues, including those specific to clients in regulated industries. Michele represents clients in the preparation and negotiation of a broad range of traditional transactional agreements. Michele previously served as associate general counsel for a national homebuilder and mortgage finance company. This background, together with her substantial experience in representing both sides of transactions, has aided Michele in understanding the perspectives of all parties involved. She takes a practical and collaborative approach to resolving complex negotiations and winning favorable terms for her clients.