About Ken
Biography
On Dec. 6, 2010, Ulman was sworn in as County Executive for a second term, reaffirming his commitment to the citizens of Howard County with energy, passion, and innovation.
Ulman’s practical approach to governing and fiscal responsibility saves taxpayers dollars without sacrificing core public services, while also allowing his administration to focus on initiatives in strategic areas like environmental sustainability, healthcare, technology, and economic development efforts.
In one of his first actions as County Executive, Ulman created the Howard County Office of Environmental Sustainability with a mission to protect and enhance natural resources and the quality of life in our community through the conservation, preservation and restoration of our land, air and water. Through this office, Ulman has enacted many measures that have reduced the County’s environmental footprint, such as the transformation of the County’s fleet of vehicles to hybrids wherever possible, enactment of green building standards and a single-stream recycling program that serves as a model for neighboring jurisdictions.
In addition to environmental issues, Ulman has a strong commitment to public health. At a young age, he witnessed his younger brother battle and beat cancer. Driven by this personal experience and the belief that everyone should have access to affordable and preventive healthcare, Ulman and Health Officer Dr. Peter Beilenson launched Healthy Howard.
In 2008, Howard County became one of the first in the nation to offer affordable access to health care for uninsured residents. The Healthy Howard Access Plan has earned numerous awards, including the “Government Innovation Award” from the Maryland Society of Public Administration and was the winner of the “Bright Ideas” award from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. In 2008 The Daily Record recognized Ulman and Health Officer Dr. Peter Beilenson with the “Innovator of the Year Award.”
Last year the Ulman Administration led the way on yet another national front – Howard County became the grant sub-recipient responsible for managing $72 million of the $115 million awarded to the state of Maryland to direct the Inter-County Broadband Network (ICBN), a collaborative intergovernmental consortium comprised of 10 central-Maryland jurisdictions including Baltimore, Anne Arundel, Harford, Carroll, Prince George’s, Montgomery, Frederick, Baltimore City and Annapolis. ICBN directly connects 715 anchor institutions, including hundreds of public schools, libraries, public safety agencies, community colleges, and other government institutions, is estimated to save $28 million in savings per year, and is projected to save or create over 1700 Maryland jobs.
Recognizing that the base realignment efforts are expected to bring an additional 15,000 private sector jobs to the region by 2012 and that Fort Meade would also be the hub for the Department of Defense’s Cyber Command, the Ulman Administration formed the BRAC Task Force, BRAC Business Initiative, and a cyber commission to connect over 1,100 businesses and help guide them to information around job and technology growth around Fort Meade.
Ulman currently serves as President of the Board of Directors for the Maryland Association of Counties (MACo), an organization that makes sure Maryland’s 23 counties and the City of Baltimore are heard when decisions are made in the state’s capital.
In 2011, Ulman was named “Regional Visionary” by the Greater Baltimore Committee for his innovative approach to governing and was also recognized as an “Innovator of the Year” for a second time by The Daily Record for his efforts with broadband. For three consecutive years, Howard Magazine readers voted the Executive “Best Elected Official.” Ulman was also named the 2009 and 2010 “Dignitary of the Year” by the American Red Cross for his Summer of Service initiative. In 2008, The Daily Record recognized Ulman and Health Officer Dr. Peter Beilenson with the “Innovator of the Year Award” for the Healthy Howard Health Plan, and Ulman was among Baltimore Magazine’s “15 Most Intriguing People of 2007.”
Ulman is a graduate of The University of Maryland, College Park and earned his law degree from Georgetown University Law Center. He and his wife, Jacqueline, reside in Columbia with their two daughters, Maddie and Lily.
Ulman is also the Vice-Chair of Health Policy for the National Association of Counties, Treasurer for the National Democratic County Officials, and a member of the Democratic National Committee.
He is also a member of numerous boards including:
- Baltimore Metropolitan Council Board
- Baltimore Regional Transportation Board
- Maryland Highway Safety Foundation Board
- Board of Trustees for the Greater Washington Initiative
- The Comprehensive Energy Outlook Advisory Committee
- Board of Directors of the Economic Alliance of Greater Baltimore
- Board of Visitors for the R. Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, University of Maryland Medical System
