Kate OstrowskiPete and Eileen Buzy have long supported initiatives that make Maryland a better place for everyone. Most recently added to that list is the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) and its Community Engagement Center (CEC).
As an accomplished biotechnology executive and investor, Pete Buzy is an industry veteran who most recently led Paragon Bioservices, one of the fastest-growing biotech companies in Maryland, until its purchase by Catalent in 2019. He is currently the president of Catalent’s gene therapy business unit, which includes nearly 1,000 employees in five locations in Maryland. Catalent is the leading global provider of advanced delivery technologies, development, and manufacturing solutions for drugs, biologics, gene therapies, and consumer health products.
Catalent is a core tenant at UMB’s BioPark, with nearly 500 employees. During his time working in the BioPark, Pete Buzy became a UMB neighbor and partner, learning about its work in groundbreaking medical research, top-tier educational instruction, and the fostering of important community connections. He also became a UMB Foundation, Inc. (UMBF) trustee in 2019. Meanwhile, Eileen became a student at the University of Maryland School of Nursing, returning to education after raising children and exemplifying the couple’s commitment to public health and the community.
The Buzys were specifically drawn to the CEC’s work in providing direct health, employment, legal, educational, and social services to nearby residents, building meaningful relationships with neighbors, working on neighborhood-strengthening advocacy projects, and creating opportunities for students to engage with the community. They decided to deepen their partnership with UMB and West Baltimore by committing significant charitable funds through a multiyear pledge so the center can succeed over the long term in its freshly renovated space, which is on schedule to be completed in summer 2020. Funding from the Buzys and other benefactors will allow for an expansion of the CEC’s key programs such as fitness classes, weekly fresh food markets, after-school programming, legal clinics, case management, and workforce assistance. They hope that with the right support, this fantastic momentum will continue.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Buzys felt urgently compelled to increase their support to the community. Inspired by family members in the health care system and all those who are putting their health and safety at risk during these times, Pete Buzy said, “The more we can do for them, the better.” The couple saw an opportunity to support everyday heroes by giving to UMB’s Food for Our Front Lines initiative. Their donation provided UMB’s front-line employees with a week’s worth of lunches from Baltimore restaurants, expressing gratitude to those having the most impact on the community while also supporting local businesses.
Pete and Eileen Buzy exemplify UMB partnership in many ways — as a student, a BioPark core tenant, a UMBF trustee, and dedicated supporters of the CEC. The Buzys sees themselves as catalysts for getting the word out about the great things UMB is doing, from community engagement to the quality of research. Through the generous philanthropic investments the Buzys have made in UMB and West Baltimore, they continue to do just that.
For more information on how you can touch lives and change the trajectory of children and families growing up in poverty and vulnerable situations in West Baltimore, visit: https://umaryland.givecorps.com/causes/1401-umb-community-engagement-center
To support UMB’s COVID-19 response, visit : https://umaryland.givecorps.com/causes/16586-covid-19-response
Office of Philanthropy Staff
David Beaudouin, MA, MA
