ELLEN HEMMERLY

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President and Executive Director (Retired)
bwtech@UMBC Research and Technology Park

As president and executive director of the bwtech@UMBC Research and Technology Park for 24 years, Ellen Hemmerly oversaw an ambitious enterprise that included three incubators – for Cybersecurity, Live Sciences and Clean Energy.

It was the first university-affiliated research park in the state, and under Hemmerly’s leadership it grew to house 20 technology, life sciences companies and research facilities. Hemmerly retired in 2019.

“Ellen has set the standard for what it means to be an economic development professional,” Greg Simmons, vice president for institutional advancement at UMBC, told UMBC Magazine shortly before Hemmerly retired. “She has that rare balance of vision and pragmatism that has allowed her to see the big picture vision for bwtech and UMBC, while using her considerable expertise to focus on the myriad of details required to build a park, engage partners, negotiate leases, host industry leaders and build an innovation community.”

“It has been a wonderful and rewarding experience leading bwtech and witnessing its growth and success,” she said. “The interactions with colleagues from UMBC and the local entrepreneurial community have been especially fulfilling.”

Hemmerly noted that many of the companies that graduated from the incubators remained in the state, and said she was proud that more than half of the companies are owned and operated either by women or underrepresented minorities, which contributes to the diversity of tech companies in the area.

“I am most proud of the success of the many companies which have been part of bwtech and the increased visibility over time of bwtech’s brand,” Hemmerly added. “Bwtech is considered an important asset to UMBC, the local entrepreneurial ecosystem, and our regional economic development partners.”