FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Recognition Highlights 30 Years of Servant Leadership and the Technical Excellence Powering Mid-Atlantic Infrastructure
EDGEWOOD, MD / April 7, 2026 – The Baltimore Business Journal (BBJ) has named Harley Flack, CEO of Stella May Contracting, Inc., as an honoree for the 2026 Executive Leadership Awards. The award underscores Flack’s commitment to “Servant Leadership,” a core principle that drives the firm’s growth and its ability to provide family-sustaining opportunities across the Mid-Atlantic.
Under Flack’s guidance, Stella May has become one of the fastest-growing critical energy and utility infrastructure firms in the region. The company’s success is built on a foundation of disciplined execution and specialized technical expertise in substation construction, natural gas distribution, and electrical transmission and distribution duct banks. Flack often credits this growth to the “village” of professionals and partners who serve as the “heartbeat of the Mid-Atlantic community”.
“My personal motto has always been ‘Adapt and overcome,’ because while adversity is constant, it also offers the choices that allow a leader to grow,” stated Flack. “This honor from the Baltimore Business Journal is a testament to our team’s ability to combine visionary progress with the ‘old-fashioned’ hard work required to manage complex, large-scale utility and heavy civil projects. We aren’t just building infrastructure; we are building a reliable future for our region through technical precision and a deep-seated commitment to integrity and accountability.”
The firm’s mission, “Build it Safely to Serve and to Shine,” remains the guiding standard for every project. With a focus on Safety First, Stella May provides over 24,000 hours of employee training annually and has been recognized with multiple awards for Safety Excellence and Zero Lost Time. This rigorous adherence to safety and quality management ensures that Stella May continues to power progress while caring for its “work family.”
Executive Leadership Awards Honorees 2026 – Baltimore Business Journal
Executive of the Year: Neil Meltzer, President and CEO Emeritus, LifeBridge Health
Executive Leadership Awards:
- Janet Abrahams, President and CEO, Housing Authority of Baltimore City
- Ronald Attman, Co-CEO, Acme Paper & Supply Co., Inc.
- Franklyn Baker, President and CEO, United Way of Central Maryland
- Christopher J. Barber, Chief Nerd, Cheaper Than A Geek!!!
- Mike Blair, President and CEO, JMT (Johnson, Mirmiran & Thompson)
- Jeff Breslin, President and CEO, Boys and Girls Club of Metro Baltimore
- Nicole Earle, President, Dominion Community Development Corporation
- Harley Flack, CEO, Stella May Contracting
- Sam Guedouar, President and CEO, Roland Park Place
- Alex Jacobs, Owner, Coppermine
- Ricardo R. Johnson, Executive Vice President and Chief Growth Officer, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield
- Anthony Moag, Chief Operating Officer, Whiting-Turner Contracting Company
- Tonia Niedzialkowski, President and CEO, Point Breeze Credit Union
- Kristen Pironis, CEO, Visit Annapolis & Anne Arundel County
- Juan Ponce, CEO, Priority Construction Corp.
- Janine Ratliff, Senior Vice President of Retail Operations, Curio Wellness and Far & Dotter
- Frank Remesch, General Manager and Senior Vice President, CFG Bank Arena
- Jonathan Rondeau, President and CEO, Fello
- Roger J. Ward, Provost and Executive Vice President, University of Maryland, Baltimore
- Brock Yetso, President and CEO, Ulman Foundation
Partner with a Leader in Infrastructure
Stella May Contracting invites public and private clients to experience the excellence that defines our 30-year legacy in energy and utility infrastructure. We provide innovative, cost-effective solutions built on a foundation of performance and accountability. To learn more or to request a quote for your upcoming energy or utility infrastructure needs, please visit our website at www.stellamay.com or contact our headquarters directly.
About Stella May Contracting
Stella May Contracting is a premier critical energy and utility infrastructure firm serving Maryland and the Mid-Atlantic region. With over 30 years of experience, the company specializes in managing complex, large-scale projects across the gas, electric, wet utility, and heavy civil sectors. Committed to the mission “Build it Safely to Serve and to Shine,” the firm provides 24,000+ annual training hours and is a multi-award winner for Safety Excellence and Zero Lost Time. For more information, visit www.stellamay.com.
Media Contact: Donald Ellis, Vice President Stella May Contracting (410) 679-8306
SOURCE: Stella May Contracting
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Infrastructure Leader and Keynote Speaker Recognized for Visionary Growth, Safety Excellence, and Community Impact
HANOVER, MD / Stella May Contracting, Inc. / February 4, 2026 – In observance of Black History Month 2026, the Md. Washington Minority Companies Association (MWMCA), in partnership with The Cordish Companies and Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland, celebrated ten distinguished Black History Heroes at the 13th annual event dedicated to honoring local leaders who provide positive influence and significant contributions to Maryland’s African American community. Among the honorees was Harley Flack, CEO of Stella May Contracting, Inc., who delivered the event’s keynote speech.
In his keynote address, Flack emphasized that his recognition is a reflection of a much larger lineage of excellence, noting that he stands “on the shoulders of those who came before,” from Tuskegee Airmen to governors and local community pillars. He described the gathered professionals not merely as industry experts, but as the essential talent driving the region’s progress. “Whether it is our blood relatives, our professional networks, or our partners, no leader finds success in a vacuum,” Flack stated, highlighting his “family” philosophy and the “village” that supports high-level service.
“When I looked out at the 400 faces during my keynote at the Md. Washington Minority Companies Association (MWMCA) awards, I didn’t see just ‘professionals.’ I saw the heartbeat of the Mid-Atlantic community.”
– Harley Flack, CEO, Stella May Contracting, Inc.
As one of the fastest-growing critical energy and utility infrastructure firms in the Mid-Atlantic region and employing more than 325 professionals, the company provides specialized services across gas, electric, wet utility sectors, and heavy civil including substation construction, overhead and underground utility work, and gas operator qualification (OQ) programs. This growth, spanning over 2,000 completed projects, is anchored in the company’s mission statement, “Build it Safely to Serve and to Shine.”
Harley Flack’s dedication to excellence is evident in Stella May’s rigorous adherence to quality and safety management, which has earned the firm multiple awards for Safety Excellence and Zero Lost Time. For Flack, “Building it Safely” means ensuring every team member returns home, while “Serving and Shining” represents a drive for integrity and top-tier industry performance.
“Each year, we are overcome with honor and pride to recognize the latest group of devoted Black History Heroes who selflessly serve this community,” stated Wayne R. Frazier, Sr., President of MWMCA. Flack shared this year’s distinction with a cohort of leaders whom he described as a “profound reminder of the talent driving our region forward.”
The 2026 MWMCA Black History Hero Honorees include:
- Harley Flack, CEO, Stella May Contracting, Inc.
- Quincy Bareebe, CEO, Royal Homecare & Staffing, LLC; Royal Assisted Living Inc.
- Coretta L. Bennett, Senior Director of Operations, Design & Construction, Johns Hopkins University
- Bradley S. Chambers, Senior Vice President and COO, Baltimore Region MedStar Health
- Dr. Norvel “Rock” Dillard, President and CEO, ND4 Success Group, LLC
- Joseph W. Dixon, Chief, Baltimore County Fire Department
- LaRian Finney, Managing Partner, The Finn Group, LLC
- COL Yolanda D. Gore, Garrison Commander, Fort George G. Meade, U.S. Army
- Julian E. Jones, Jr., Councilman, 4th District, Baltimore County
- Mark Anthony Thomas, President & CEO, Greater Baltimore Committee
Partner with a Leader in Infrastructure
Stella May Contracting invites public and private clients to experience the excellence that defines our 30-year legacy in energy and utility infrastructure. We provide innovative, cost-effective solutions built on a foundation of performance and accountability. To learn more or to request a quote for your upcoming energy or utility infrastructure needs, please visit our website at www.stellamay.com or contact our headquarters directly.
About Stella May Contracting
Stella May Contracting is one of the fastest growing critical energy & utility infrastructure construction firms serving Maryland and the Mid-Atlantic region that happens to be minority owned. With over 30 years in business, the company specializes in managing complex, large-scale projects through disciplined execution and an unwavering commitment to quality. Stella May is dedicated to the highest standards of safety and quality, providing 24,000+ hours of employee training annually to ensure excellence from concept to completion. For more information, please visit www.stellamay.com.
Media Contact: Donald Ellis, Vice President Stella May Contracting (410) 679-8306
SOURCE: Stella May Contracting
Article from I95Business.com | By Vicki Franz and Mary Falls | Photography by Maximillian Franz
“We reinvest in our people, we reinvest in our training, we reinvest in our equipment. We are a company who truly puts our money where our mouth is, and we try to use all the tools at our disposal.”
When Flack succeeded founder Stella May Miller and took over as CEO in 2017, revenue was $29 million with a company roster of 148 employees. Through his first seven years, the firm more than doubled business, reporting revenue of $63 million and grew its employees to 275 by expanding on the founders’ core culture around safety, training and development of employees and specializing in certain types of projects.
Flack’s partnership team now includes Chief Operating Officer Brad Hanks and Chief Strategic Officer Christian Johansson. Hanks, who brought Flack into the company, was Stella May’s first employee. Johanssson, informed by his prior experience as Maryland’s Secretary of Economic Development, translates vision into action through governmental and legislative relationships.
Through the implementation of strategic methodology and processes, Stella May Contracting is experiencing “explosive year-over-year growth,” Flack shares.
Today, with 320 people Stella May is on track to close out 2025 with a jaw-dropping score in successful scalability with annual revenue of $90 million. Since June of this year, the company has grown a staggering 314%. With contracts to date, Stella May is expected to exceed $200 million in revenue in 2026.
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