Esen Paradiso doesn’t think Howard County has straight lines. Rather, the farmland showcases the county’s curves, while the aqueducts and the Chrysalis amphitheater at Merriweather Park both boast arches. She incorporated these characteristics into her design entry for a new county flag.

On Tuesday afternoon, county leaders announced that Paradiso’s design had been selected from among three finalists to replace a county flag that has been flying since 1968. Around 100 people gathered outside the county government’s offices for the announcement, the culmination of a yearlong process that drew more than 200 entries.

“I didn’t expect it, honestly, but we’ve lived here for so long, and it means so much to me,” said Paradiso, a county resident of nearly 50 years, on a sunny Tuesday afternoon.

County Executive Calvin Ball, reading a description of Paradiso’s flag, said her design “represents an evolving agricultural past blended with an optimistic cultural, environmental and economic future, which is cosmopolitan, vibrant and thriving.”

The design shows arching gold and white lines over a field of green and blue, intended to reflect “the diversity and inclusion” of Howard County’s natural and human resources and a historically proud and future-oriented community, the description reads.

It notes that the golden circle represents the sun’s “boundless energy”; the blue represents “the optimism of endless skies,” hope, and the abundance of natural resources and waterways; and the green represents the preservation of the environment, with a nod to the county’s agricultural economy and “the promise of growing a culturally appreciative community.”

Four generations of Paradiso’s family have lived in Howard County — first in Columbia and then in Ellicott City. Paradiso’s mother, the matriarch of the family, died on Sunday at the age of 102.

Paradiso worked as the art director for Patuxent Publishing Co. before launching Columbia Creative Services — a company that provides graphic design services, marketing and advertising to nonprofits and small businesses.

Tuesday’s decision was nearly 14 months in the making. The county established a flag commission in January 2024, and from there community members submitted more than 200 flag designs.

“When it comes to art, its meaning and beauty are in the eye of the beholder. The commission was selected to represent our community and is made up of people from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences,” said Coleen West, chair of the flag commission.

The group reviewed each submission and deemed 184 were eligible for further consideration after assessing them according to the guidelines and rules.

After holding a public meeting last fall, the commission narrowed the number of finalists down to 10. Howard residents voted on 10 options from November until this past January. The commission then recommended three designs to Ball, who chose Paradiso’s design.

“I want each of our commission members to know how incredibly grateful I am for your contributions, your time and your talent,” Ball said.

Pending County Council approval, the new flag will be raised in a couple months, according to Brian Shepter, a deputy chief of staff to Ball. It will replace the current county flag, which dates back to Sept. 19, 1968.

The current flag includes a red-and-white design that incorporates part of the Maryland flag, with a sheaf of wheat in gold in one window and a green outline of the county set in a triangle of gold in the other.

That design was picked from among 40 entries.

“After 56 years,” Ball said Tuesday, “the time has come to update and modernize Howard County’s flag design to align to our realities, our present values and our future.”

Paradiso received an $1,500 honorarium for her winning entry. The other two finalists were Jennifer Murphy and Paul Burke, who each got an honorarium of $1,000 for their work. All top 10 finalists were recognized Tuesday afternoon.