KEN ULMAN
PRESIDENT
Ken Ulman is the President of Margrave Strategies, an innovative strategic consulting firm that provides a comprehensive array of economic development, planning and visioning services to institutions, businesses and other groups throughout Maryland and the mid-Atlantic. The firm’s principal initial client is the University of Maryland College Park Foundation, where Ulman serves as Chief Strategy Officer for Economic Development.
Ulman previously served two terms as Howard County Executive, where he earned a reputation for a leadership style that blends innovation and common sense, with a goal of providing the most efficient and effective government services possible. During his time in public office, Ulman took Maryland’s sixth-largest jurisdiction to new heights in education, healthcare, environmental protection and economic development. Under Ken’s leadership, Howard County became one of the first communities in the nation to offer affordable access to healthcare for uninsured residents, through the Healthy Howard Access Plan. He launched the largest food-scrap composting program in the state, created Maryland’s first Office of Environmental Sustainability, and placed Howard County at the forefront of the cyber-security industry and 3D manufacturing. Ken has won numerous awards, and was named a Tech Titan by Washingtonian Magazine, a Top 25 Doer, Dreamer and Driver by Government Technology Magazine and a Regional Visionary by the Greater Baltimore Committee for his leadership to bring broadband technology to Maryland, enabling the state to become one of the most wired in the country.
Ken served as president of the Maryland Association of Counties and as chairman of the Baltimore Metropolitan Council, taking leadership roles in transportation, health care and fiscal affairs throughout Central Maryland. He lives in Columbia, with his wife, Jaki, and their daughters Maddie and Lily.
BILL COLE
PARTNER
William H. “Bill” Cole IV, a partner in Margrave Strategies, has spent his career helping private businesses develop and implement visionary plans that benefit communities and neighborhoods.
Prior to joining Margrave in 2019, Cole served for five years as president and CEO of the Baltimore Development Corp., the city’s economic development agency, working to bring growth and jobs to neighborhoods, industrial areas and business districts in Maryland’s largest city. His leadership paved the way for development projects across Baltimore and added thousands of new residential units to a city with one of the nation’s fastest growing millennial populations in the United States.
During his tenure at BDC, Cole managed the public approval process for the 200-plus-acre Port Covington redevelopment project and led the city’s efforts to expand and renovate the Baltimore Convention Center complex. In addition, Cole has overseen the redevelopment of the Pimlico Racecourse property to retain the Preakness Stakes, while supporting economic development in the Park Heights neighborhood. He accelerated the disposition of city-owned real estate in Baltimore’s downtown west-side and supported anchor institution-led development projects around the University of Maryland-Baltimore and Morgan State University.
Under his leadership, BDC provided millions of dollars in grants and loans to support business and job growth in Baltimore and helped hundreds of businesses reopen after the civil unrest in 2015. In addition to its lending portfolio, Cole was responsible for nearly 50 employees at BDC and enterprises like the Emerging Technology Centers, Made in Baltimore, and Foreign Trade Zone #74. He also created the nation’s first dedicated Opportunity Zone coordinator in an urban market, supporting Baltimore’s 42 opportunity zones.
Prior to joining the BDC, Cole was a member of the Baltimore City Council from 2007 to 2014, and served as the Associate Vice President of Institutional Advancement at the University of Baltimore for more than a decade. His public service also includes a term as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates from 1998 to 2002, and six years as a Special Assistant to U.S. Representative Elijah E. Cummings.
Cole is currently Maryland Stadium Authority board member and has served on dozens of boards, commissions and task forces during his career. He diverse board experience includes more than 12 years as Chairman of Cecil Bank and its holding company, Cecil Bancorp, Inc. where he led that institution from distressed condition to recapitalization to sale in 2026. He is a 2018 Rose Center Fellow in Equitable Economic Development, a partnership with Urban Land Institute and the National League of Cities.
Tom Parker, Vice President
Tom Parker is Vice President of Margrave Strategies where he focuses on all aspects of the real estate development process including concept, execution, and management. In this role, Parker actively manages the redevelopment of strategic assets on behalf of the Terrapin Development Company at the University of Maryland, including the negotiation of development agreements, financial analyses, and oversight of projects under construction. Notable projects include (total dev. cost, key partners): Union on Knox ($138M, Greystar), The Aster College Park ($165M, Bozzuto), College Park City Hall ($45M, TDC/UMD/City of College Park), The Hotel at UMD ($185M, Southern Management). Additionally, Parker oversees the day-to-day asset management, property management and leasing of assets that are completed and operational, as well as the company’s core operations such as managing operating budgets, financial reporting, and supervising the accounting and insurance teams.
Parker is proud to work with other anchor institutions such as Bowie State University, Saint Agnes Hospital, Towson University, and Salisbury University to comprehensively plan and execute a variety of real estate initiatives alongside institutional leadership.
Prior to joining Margrave Strategies, Parker served as a Project Manager with the University of Maryland’s Real Estate Office and Facilities Management-Capital Projects Department, where he was responsible for procuring design teams and contractors, managing the overall schedule and budget of a project, and navigating the State’s approval process. Projects of note include Tawes Theater Renovation ($15.9M, 2016 ABC Excellence in Construction Award), Cambridge Hall Renovation ($15.1M) and the Physical Sciences Complex ($100M). Previously, Parker also managed construction projects for a roofing and masonry restoration contractor, Simpson of Maryland Inc. in the Baltimore-Washington region.
He holds a Master of Real Estate Development and a Bachelor of Science in Architecture, both of which were earned at the University of Maryland. He lives in Severna Park with his wife, Celia, and their two kids Edgar and Isolde.
JordANN DeVRIES, Vice President
Jordann DeVries is a Vice President with Margrave Strategies, where she serves as a development and implementation strategist and project management professional for complex initiatives involving higher education, economic development, real estate, infrastructure, placemaking, and public-private partnerships. She works with institutional, nonprofit, quasi-public, and private-sector clients to advance transformative projects that strengthen communities, support organizational goals, and catalyze long-term investment.
With a strong foundation in project management and implementation, Jordann is known for her ability to navigate complex initiatives involving multiple stakeholders, competing priorities, and evolving project conditions. She helps clients establish clear goals, manage risk, maintain accountability, and successfully execute projects within budgetary, operational, and timeline constraints. Her experience spans real estate development, public infrastructure improvements, strategic planning initiatives, procurement and solicitation management, community engagement efforts, organizational partnerships, and place-based economic development programs.
Prior to joining Margrave Strategies, Jordann served in a senior leadership role with a Maryland-based commercial construction firm, where she managed large-scale commercial projects and contributed to the company’s strategic growth and operations. Her construction and development background provides a practical understanding of design, budgeting, procurement, and construction processes that continues to inform her work as an advisor and project leader.
Jordann earned a Bachelor’s degree in Family and Human Services from Towson University, with a concentration in Human Services in the Nonprofit Sector. A Howard County native, Jordann resides in Severna Park with her husband, Patrick.
Jessica Jones, Vice PRESIDENT
Brennan Murray, Vice PRESIDENT of Economic & Community DevelopmEnt
Brennan Murray, Vice PRESIDENT of Economic & Community DevelopmEnt
Jessica Jones, LEED AP BD+C, is a Vice President at Margrave Strategies. Jessica manages development projects and oversees property operations for a diverse group of Margrave clients throughout the State of Maryland.
Prior to her tenure at Margrave, Jessica was a senior development manager at Enterprise Community Development. At Enterprise, she managed several multimillion-dollar Low Income Housing Tax Credit development projects throughout Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia. Notably, she managed a solar installation project designed to affix 1 megawatt of solar panels across 12 properties within the ECD portfolio. This project is recognized as one of the largest multifamily affordable housing solar panel installations in Washington, DC. Additionally, Jessica DC Mayoral Appointee to the Building Energy Performance Standard (BEPS) Task Force as an affordable housing owner representative.
Jessica holds a Master’s in Real Estate Development from the University of Maryland, College Park and a B.S. in Architecture and Environmental Design from Morgan State University. Earning her LEED accreditation in 2008, Ms. Jones has focused her career on the built environment, with an emphasis on affordable housing and sustainable design.
Additionally, Ms. Jones is a mentor/professor for the Capstone Thesis course in the Master of Real Estate Development program at the University of Maryland, College Park. As a professor, she teaches and mentors students working on their final real estate Capstone Thesis project, a requirement in order to attain their Master’s degree.
Brennan Murray, Vice PRESIDENT of Economic & Community DevelopmEnt
Brennan Murray, Vice PRESIDENT of Economic & Community DevelopmEnt
Brennan Murray, Vice PRESIDENT of Economic & Community DevelopmEnt
Brennan Murray, Vice President of Economic & Community Development is an economic development strategist and practitioner with fifteen years of experience at the intersection of design, real estate, and public-sector development. At Margrave Strategies, he works with public agencies, developers, nonprofits, and civic institutions to advance projects that require fluency across sectors — helping clients move from vision to investable reality.
Prior to joining Margrave, Brennan served as Managing Director of Business Development and Marketing for the Baltimore Development Corporation, where he led citywide investment strategy, oversaw implementation of Baltimore Together, and generated over $570 million in qualified leads and $350 million in new capital. Before BDC, he directed design studios at BCT Design Group, Streetsense, and DDG; working on transformative projects including Baltimore's Lexington Market, City Dock Annapolis, Weehawken’s Lincoln Harbor, and Chicago's Willis Tower.
Brennan serves as Chair of Mission Advancement for ULI Baltimore and on the advisory boards of the University of Maryland School of Social Work and Innovation Works. He is also an ordained pastor at Doxa Ministries Church Without Walls — a commitment to service that is not separate from his professional work, but informs how he leads, how he listens. He is an alumnus of Leadership Baltimore, Class of 2022, a graduate of the University of the Arts, and studied at the Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti in Milan.
He lives in Baltimore City with his wife Jennifer, and son Ellis.
Rebecca Grim, Executive Assistant
Rebecca Grim serves as Executive Assistant to Ken Ulman, President of Margrave Strategies. In this role, she manages executive scheduling and provides operational and administrative support across the firm, helping advance client work in economic development, real estate development, strategic planning, and placemaking.
Prior to joining Margrave Strategies, Rebecca served as a Program Associate on the Management and Integration Team within the U.S. Agency for International Development's Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance. She provided administrative and operational support to the Office of Field and Response Operations while contributing to the coordination of humanitarian response efforts overseas.
Rebecca earned a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and Criminal Justice and Psychology from the University of Maryland, College Park. She will continue her education as an evening student at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law beginning in Fall of 2026.