Ella Hillen Pierce

PIERCE, ELLA H.

Ella H. Pierce, a pioneering public servant and longtime City of Baltimore official died on Sunday, January 25, 2026. She was 98.
Mrs. Pierce devoted decades of service to the City of Baltimore and was widely respected for her integrity, professionalism, and leadership. In 1987, she made history as the first woman and first African American to serve as City Purchasing Agent. Earlier, in 1966, she was the first African American hired as a Buyer in the city’s Bureau of Purchases. Over the course of her distinguished career, Mrs. Pierce held numerous leadership roles, including Buyer, Senior Buyer, Principal Buyer, Head Buyer, and Assistant Buyer. She served under Mayors Thomas D’Alesandro III, William D. Schaefer, Clarence H. “Du” Burns, and Kurt L. Schmoke. Her leadership helped expand opportunities for women and professionals of color in municipal government.
Mrs. Pierce received many honors for her contributions to public procurement, including the Stanley D. Zemansky Award from the Maryland Public Purchasing Association in 1993 and the Albert M. Hall Memorial Award from the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing (NIGP) in 1999. She was named a Fellow of NIGP in 2002. In 2020, she received NIGP’s Inclusion and Diversity Award, and in 2021 the organization named its annual trailblazer award in equity and inclusion in her honor.
In 2008, Mrs. Pierce was appointed by Governor Martin O’Malley to the Maryland Video Lottery Facility Location Commission, where she participated in overseeing the competitive bidding and licensing process for slot machine facilities across the state.
Beyond her professional achievements, Mrs. Pierce was deeply devoted to her family and community. An avid traveler, she enjoyed sharing her journeys with family and friends. She was known for her wisdom, warmth, humor, and generosity and was affectionately called “Mom” by many colleagues, family and staff in recognition of her mentorship and compassion.
As the last of the “Fab Five” Hillen siblings, she was a symbol of resilience, grace, and lifelong devotion to family.
A memorial service celebrating her life will be held on April 14, 1:00 pm at the War Memorial in Baltimore.
For additional information, please contact Jean H. Ross at (404) 210-9471 or [email protected].