Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation
Phillip Singerman is a recognized national innovator in public/private partnerships to promote economic development, job creation, and nation security through technology development, transfer and deployment. His five-decade career includes senior executive positions in the private and public sectors at the local, state, and federal levels. He currently serves as the Senior Advisor for Technology Transfer and Commercialization, Montgomery County (MD) Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC); Senior Advisor, Renewing American Innovation Project, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS); Senior Advisor for Performance Measurement, American Manufacturing Communities Collaborative (AMCC), and Elected Fellow, National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA).
Mr. Singerman recently stepped down from federal service after nine years as the first Associate Director for Innovation and Industry Services, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). In this position he led NIST’s unique national technology transfer program. In addition to coordinating the commercialization of intellectual property assets for NIST, (the nation’s $1+ billion national metrology research institute), he was responsible under the Stevenson-Wydler Act for inter- agency policy development/reporting on the federal government’s annual $50 billion investment in intramural research, and regulatory promulgation under the Bayh-Dole Act for the annual $100 billion investment in extramural research. In 2019 NIST released the first comprehensive and detailed review of the nation’s technology transfer policies, programs, procedures and practices, with 15 specific recommendations designed to significantly increase the nation’s return on the federal investment in R&D.
As one of NIST’s three career SES Associate Directors, Mr. Singerman was responsible for NIST’s suite of advanced manufacturing deployment and technical assistance programs, including the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP – a $250 million program, cost-shared with industry, that annually provides in-depth technical assistance to 10,000 small manufacturers through a network of 51 state- based independent organizations, with 1300 experts), and the Manufacturing USA Innovation Institute National Network (MFG-USA - 15 industry-led manufacturing technology centers representing a multi-agency, multi-year federal investment of over $1 billion matched by $3 billion).
During his tenure, the Congress enacted landmark legislation to promote advanced manufacturing – the Revitalize American Manufacturing and Innovation Act of 2014, establishing the now named Manufacturing USA (MFG-USA) Program; the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act of 2016, which provided the most comprehensive reform of the MEP program in its 30 year history; and the Global Leadership in Advance Manufacturing Act of 2019, which broadened NIST’s flexibilities and expanded its responsibilities under the MFG-USA network.
Previously Mr. Singerman served as U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development (a Presidential Appointment requiring Senate confirmation), and directed the Economic Development Administration (1995- 1999), the federal government’s lead economic assistance organization, with a $400 million annual budget providing grants to distressed communities for revitalization activities such as re-use of closed military bases, research parks, business incubators, and revolving loan funds. Under his leadership, EDA secured legislative reauthorization for the first time in 20 years.
Mr. Singerman was the founding chief executive of two of the most successful and long-lasting state-sponsored technology-led economic development public/private partnerships, Philadelphia’s Ben Franklin Partnership for Technological Innovation (1983-1995) and the Maryland Technology Development Corporation (1999- 2005). In Pennsylvania, Mr. Singerman catalyzed hundreds of industry-academic R&D projects and launched initiatives that included a regional seed capital fund, technology training programs, dual use defense conversion, and a micro-loan program for minority entrepreneurs. He served as Philadelphia’s first planning coordinator for conversion and re-use of the Philadelphia Naval Base.
In Maryland Mr. Singerman established groundbreaking technology transfer programs linking Maryland companies with federal research laboratories and developed a comprehensive statewide business incubation and entrepreneurial development network. He pioneered the use of Partnership Intermediary Agreements (PIAs) with federal research institutions, including the Army’s Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Johns Hopkins’ Applied Physics Laboratory, the Naval Surface and Naval Air Warfare Centers, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, the National Security Agency, and USDA’s Beltsville Agricultural Research Center. Mr. Singerman secured federal funding for programs to serve economically distressed communities and disadvantaged populations, connecting minority entrepreneurs to federal R&D funding through HBCUs, providing
companies in economically distressed urban areas with business school assistance, and sponsoring community college business incubation programs.
Mr. Singerman’s private sector experience includes as a Venture Partner with Toucan Capital Corporation (2006-2008), a $120 million private venture capital firm (SBIC) investing in early-stage life science companies, and Senior Vice President, B&D Consulting (2008-2010), providing strategic planning assistance to universities and economic development organizations. Mr. Singerman has held high level policy development and program management positions at the local and state level in New Haven, Philadelphia and Connecticut.
Throughout his career Mr. Singerman has served on numerous organizational boards of directors including the State Science and Technology Institute, the International Economic Development Council, the Tech Council of Maryland, Drexel University College of Engineering Advisory Council, MDBio Foundation, Pennsylvania Biotechnology Association, Philadelphia Commercial Development Corporation, the Maryland Health Care Product Development Corporation, and NSF’s Small Business Innovation Advisory Committee. During his NIST tenure he served as US Co-Chair of the US-Israel Bi-National Research and Development Foundation (BIRD-F). He held top secret security clearances.
Mr. Singerman received his B.A. from Oberlin College and his PhD from Yale University, and taught at Barnard College (Columbia University), Yale University, and the Fels Center of Government (University of Pennsylvania). After graduating from College, he served in the Peace Corps as a Rural Community Promotor de Accion Comunal in Colombia, South America.