Howard County Executive Ball to Lead BCCC as Interim President

Howard County Executive Calvin Ball is ending his tenure as the county’s chief administrator to assume an interim leadership role at Baltimore City Community College.

Ball announced the transition on Monday afternoon. He will step down from his post as county executive on Nov. 16. He serves his second and final term in that position. The move creates a leadership gap at the county level just one day before the general election.

Brandee Ganz, the county’s chief administrative officer, will serve as acting executive. She will hold that title until the newly elected official is sworn in on Dec. 7. Howard County voters will select their next executive on Nov. 3.

Ball is returning to the education sector after a 20-year career in Howard County government. He spent the past eight years as county executive and the 12 years prior on the county council. Before his 2018 election, he led BCCC’s Complete College Baltimore program for four years. That initiative provided career support, transfer assistance, and tuition waivers to students pursuing four-year degrees.

The vacancy at BCCC arises because current president Debra McCurdy plans to retire on Dec. 31. McCurdy informed faculty and staff of her departure in a message sent last week. Ball stated that he intends to build on the progress made under McCurdy’s leadership. He described his previous role at the college as one of the best jobs he has held.

Ball also held positions at Morgan State University, Towson University, and the University of Phoenix. He served as an assistant professor at Morgan State and as a director of special projects at Towson. In a message to residents, he cited the influence of Fred Rogers on his approach to public service. He thanked residents for allowing him to serve as their neighbor and executive.