Ulman Named Innovator of the Year

Howard County Executive Ken Ulman's  has resulted in the elected leader being named an Innovator of the Year by The Daily Record, a statewide business and legal newspaper.

Awards were presented to recipients at a ceremony at the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore Wednesday evening.

Ulman was nominated for his leadership in securing $72 million for the Inter-County Broadband Network, a collaborative inter-governmental consortium striving to increase broadband access across Maryland, according to a statement from Howard County Government.

"The overarching goal for the ICBN is to make Maryland the most connected state in the country, and Howard County is at the center of making that a reality," Ulman said in the statement.

The Daily Record recognizes innovators who have "imagination and vision, the ability to see a need and fill it, and the courage to make change happen," Publisher Suzanne Fischer-Huettner said in the statement.

Jeff Walker, founder of Innovative Mobility Solutions, which provides patent vehicle modifications systems for the disabled, received the paper's top innovator award.

Ulman is not a stranger to being named an Innovator of the Year. He and Howard County Health Officer Peter Beilenson were so recognized in 2008 for their efforts with the Healthy Howard Health Plan, which has connected thousands of residents with primary care health services.