Full Name
Paul Edwards
Job Title
Chairman
Company
Garrett County Board of County Commissioners
Speaker Bio
Paul has been the Chairman of the Board of Garrett County Commissioners for the past 11 years. He was formerly the Mayor of Grantsville for 10 years, on the Grantsville Town Council for 6 years, and a past president of the Maryland Municipal League Al-Gar branch. While Mayor, Grantsville became the fastest growing town in Garrett County and was its first Arts and Entertainment District. As Commissioner, Paul has worked hard to solve complex problems such as attainable housing and rural broadband expansion in creative and new ways. Commissioner Edwards is on the Board of Directors for the Maryland Association of Counties – currently serving on the executive board as the treasurer, and the Board of Directors for Tri-County Council and the Western Maryland Consortium.
Paul’s leadership abilities have awarded him with selections to two different Governor appointed statewide commissions—the Post Labor Day School Start Commission by Governor O’Malley, and the MORE (Maryland Outdoor Recreation and Economy) Commission by Governor Hogan. Commissioner Edwards is also a Fellow in the Academy for Excellence in Local Governance through the University of Maryland School of Public Policy and is one of only a few in the state to earn the designation of Torchbearer through that program.
On top of politics, Paul has worked for the Garrett County Board of Education for the past 27 years. First as a social studies teacher and basketball/football/track coach, and then as an administrator. He is currently the Director of Secondary Education, Athletics, and CTE for the school system. He was awarded by the Technology and Engineering Educators Association of Maryland with the Maryland Technology Education Leadership Award in 2020 for his work with the Garrett County Public Schools!
Paul is the father of five beautiful daughters, Samantha, Emma, Stella, Angelina, and Gianna, and one son George, and lives in Grantsville with his amazing wife, Emily! Together Paul and Emily have opened The Mountain Grape Tavern, Maple and Vine Market, and Casselman View Cottages.
Paul’s leadership abilities have awarded him with selections to two different Governor appointed statewide commissions—the Post Labor Day School Start Commission by Governor O’Malley, and the MORE (Maryland Outdoor Recreation and Economy) Commission by Governor Hogan. Commissioner Edwards is also a Fellow in the Academy for Excellence in Local Governance through the University of Maryland School of Public Policy and is one of only a few in the state to earn the designation of Torchbearer through that program.
On top of politics, Paul has worked for the Garrett County Board of Education for the past 27 years. First as a social studies teacher and basketball/football/track coach, and then as an administrator. He is currently the Director of Secondary Education, Athletics, and CTE for the school system. He was awarded by the Technology and Engineering Educators Association of Maryland with the Maryland Technology Education Leadership Award in 2020 for his work with the Garrett County Public Schools!
Paul is the father of five beautiful daughters, Samantha, Emma, Stella, Angelina, and Gianna, and one son George, and lives in Grantsville with his amazing wife, Emily! Together Paul and Emily have opened The Mountain Grape Tavern, Maple and Vine Market, and Casselman View Cottages.
