Charles Isaac Ecker | |
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5th County Executive of Howard County, Maryland | |
In office December 1990 – December 1998 |
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Preceded by | Elizabeth Bobo |
Succeeded by | James N. Robey |
Personal details | |
Born |
Uniontown, Maryland |
December 8, 1928
Died | October 21, 2015 | (aged 86)
Political party | Republican |
Profession | Councilman, Superintentdent |
Website | Howard County Government |
Charles Issac Ecker (December 8, 1928 - October 21, 2015) was the former County Executive of Howard County, Maryland.
Born in Uniontown, Maryland, December 8, 1928. Attended Westminster High School. Worked in feed mills and Lehigh Portland Cement Co. as a laborer. Served in U.S. Navy, 1945-47. University of Maryland; Western Maryland College (now McDaniel College), B.A. (biology & physical education), 1951; University of North Carolina, M.E.D. (physical education), 1955, and Ph.D. (education administration). In 1956 he returned to a family bakery business and carnival prize supply business. In 1964 He worked for the Carroll County, Maryland school system after writing a paper on Gymnasium efficiency. He became the President, Association of School Business Officials, 1971-72. In 1984 he was a finalist for the Howard County Public School Superintendent, losing to Micheael E. Hickey. Delegate, Republican Party National Convention, 1996. Board of Directors, American Lung Association of Maryland, 1998-. Member, Executive Committee (at large), Maryland Council on Economic Education, 2003. Trustee Alumni Award, McDaniel College, 2010. Ecker was married with two children, eleven grandchildren.
Dr. Ecker served as Assistant Superintendent of schools. After Dr. Ecker became Superintendent of Carroll County Schools. In 2006 He gained attention for banning the book The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things for language, starting a student petition against the book ban.
Dr. Ecker was the County Executive for Howard County from 1990-1998. Councilman Darrel Drown recommended Ecker for a candidate against incumbent Elizabeth Bobo. Ecker changed from Democratic to Republican party to run for the position. Ecker approved the loan started before his term to renovate the historic Savage Mill. Early in his term, he removed an 18 month building restriction prior to implementing an Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance. In 1994, Ecker implemented the first use of self-insurance of the county to settle the case of the death of Carl Jonathan Bowie at Oakland Mills High School.
In 1998 Ecker ran for Governor of Maryland against Ellen R. Sauerbrey.