Howard County Executive Allan Kittleman and the Howard County Commission for Women have announced the 2017 inductees into the county’s Women’s Hall of Fame.

“Through their significant contributions in historic preservation, philanthropy, leadership, volunteerism, education and advocacy, these five accomplished women have made a lasting impression on the lives they have touched,” said Kittleman. “They are role models and an inspiration for future generations. It is an honor to recognize them for all that they have done and continue to do to make Howard County a better place.”

This year the Commission has selected five outstanding Howard County women for induction into the Women’s Hall of Fame.

  • Mary Catherine Cochran: In 2000, Mary Catherine Cochran founded Preservation Howard County, which supports historical and cultural preservation, as well as education; she was named Howard County Preservationist of the Year in 2014. Cochran also has served as director of the Claudia Mayer/Tina Broccolino Cancer Resource Center for the past 10 years (she lost her husband to cancer at a young age). Under her leadership, the center has grown from serving 614 patients a year to more than 5,000.
  • Sandra Harriman: Since 1990, Sandy Harriman has been raising funds in support of educational and medical institutions, including Howard Community College and Howard County General Hospital, and has secured a $5 million gift that is believed to be the largest individual charitable gift given to a nonprofit in Howard County. She is a member of the Maryland School for the Deaf Board of Trustees, and The Daily Record has named her among Maryland’s Top 100 Women in 1997, 2005 and 2008, thus ensuring her induction into the publication’s Circle of Excellence.
  • Stacie Hunt: For more than 14 years, Stacie Hunt has served at the forefront of Leadership Howard County (LHC) as its president and CEO. She has shared her extensive knowledge of community affairs and civic engagement with more than 2,000 community leaders, mentoring and helping them become more engaged citizens for the future. In 2015, Hunt was recognized by The Daily Record as one of Maryland’s Top 100 Women, and in 2016, she was awarded the Smart CEO Brava Award, which honors exemplary female leaders.
  • Abbie Diane Martin: A committed community leader for more than 30 years, Abbie Diane Martin currently serves as the director of Community Outreach and Engagement for the Howard County Public School System. Throughout her career, Martin has positively impacted the lives of Howard County women and children in the areas of education, science and technology, human services, civil rights and family life.
  • Margaret Schultz: A teacher in the Howard County Public School System for 52 years, Schultz has spent her adult life advocating for and developing programs that serve youth. Her impact in Howard County touches beyond education, as is demonstrated by her efforts to preserve and promote the agricultural heritage of Howard County. For 24 years she has served as a member of the Howard County Fair Board. Schultz was one of the original organizers of the Lisbon Farmers’ Feed the Hungry Christmas Parade and has been an officer of the Maryland Western Horse Association since 1952.

The 2017 class of inductees will be honored at the annual Women’s Hall of Fame ceremony on Thursday, March 9, at 7:30 p.m., in the Banneker Room of the George Howard Building, 3430 Court House Drive, Ellicott City. The event is free and open to the public.

To request an interpreter or other accommodations to attend, call the Department of Community Resources and Services at 410-313-6400 (voice/relay) between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.