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.

Secretary Mike Gill is a business leader with four decades of experience as an entrepreneur, a technology executive, an investment banker, and a public servant.

​He was tapped by Governor Larry Hogan to lead the Maryland Department of Commerce (formerly the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development)​ in January 2015. Prior to his appointment, Mike Gill led Evergreen Advisors, an investment bank, as chairman and principal. Previously, Gill founded Hoyt Capital, an investment and advisory firm serving start​ups and growth companies. Mr. Gill was also a founder of First Page, which was acquired by Metrocall; served as chairman of Curtis Engine, a Baltimore power generator company; and was chairman of Bluefire Security Technologies, a mobile cybersecurity developer, from 2006 to 2008. In 1984, Gill founded AMERICOM, a Baltimore-based provider of cellular products and services to businesses in the area. Under Gill’s leadership, AMERICOM expanded nationwide with more than 1,200 team members. In 2000, it was acquired by Solectron. He started his career with IBM and held a number of positions in sales and marketing. He then became Director of Data Systems in the mid-Atlantic region for Ernst & Young.

Gill served on the University System of Maryland Board of Regents from 2004 to 2009, heading the audit committee and technology transfer and commercialization workgroup. His past and present board memberships also include the Calvert Hall Board of Trustees, Baltimore County
Economic Development Commission, St. Joseph’s Medical Center, Bay National Bank, and Towson University of Board of Visitors. He is also a member of the President’s Advisory Board at Clemson University.

Gill earned his B.S. in business administration from Towson University in 1974 after first attending Clemson University on a baseball scholarship. He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree by Towson University in 1996.

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.

Dr. Memo Diriker is the founding director of the Business, Economic, and Community Outreach Network (BEACON). Celebrating its 30th year in AY 2018-2019, BEACON is a Regional Think Tank and an Applied Business and Economic Research unit of the Franklin P. Perdue School of Business at Salisbury University. Dr. Diriker serves as the Board Chair of Leadership Maryland; Vice-President of the Network of International Business Schools; Board Member and Chair of the Quality Oversight Council of the Peninsula Regional Medical Center, and Board Member of Peninsula Regional Health System, as well as Peninsula Health Ventures. He is the Immediate-Past Board Chair of the Maryland Chamber of Commerce Foundation and Past President of the Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce; Salisbury Sunrise Rotary, and the American Marketing Association in Boston. Dr. Diriker is a frequent contributor to print and electronic media as well as a popular public speaker.

Wight served since 2013 as president of Weber State University (WSU) in Ogden, UT. At Weber State, he pursued five priorities: college affordability, diversity and inclusion, maintaining a beautiful and sustainable campus, improving student success, and building mutually positive relationships with the community.

During his five years as Weber State’s president, the university achieved significant progress. Wight led a $164 million fundraising campaign that exceeded the original goal by $39 million. Need-based financial aid was expanded to make the university more accessible to students from modest means. He created the school’s first LGBT Resource Center, named its first chief diversity officer and opened a Community Education Center in downtown Ogden to guide students of color through the application and financial aid processes.

The campus also expanded under Wight’s leadership. Student enrollment grew by 5.3%, while more than $150 million in state, private and institutional funding supported the construction or renovation of eight new buildings for science, business, social science, library, student recreation and residence, health and engineering. And under his guidance, Weber State boasts the fastest growing computer science and engineering programs in Utah.

Despite this growth, Weber State’s campus became more sustainable during Wight’s tenure through the implementation of conservation programs that save $2 million per year on fuel, power and water.

A professor of chemistry and an expert in chemical explosions, Wight demonstrated his commitment to undergraduate education by teaching an Honors General Chemistry course every spring semester. He is also known for conducting science demonstrations at campus events.

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.