I am Ed Leister, democratic candidate for Judge of the Orphans' Court of Carroll County. I am soliciting your vote in the primary election in June and moving on to the general election in November 2014, to be elected Judge of the Orphans' Court.
A life-long resident of Carroll County and having been employed in Carroll County, I have committed my talents and time to better Carroll County. With 37 years in personal and commercial banking plus an additional 10 years in financial services, and with over 50 years of community service, I have dedicated myself to improving and enhancing peoples' lives.
As Judge of the Orphans' Court, my financial competencies will allow me to render consensus building decisions with fairness and equity according to the law.
My educational background demonstrates my financial competencies: graduate of Baltimore Business College; the American Institute of Banking, Baltimore; and University of Maryland, Maryland Bankers School. My financial expertise has been demonstrated in my banking career at five Carroll County banks: Union National Bank, Taneytown Bank & Trust Co., Carroll County Bank, BB&T, and New Windsor State Bank. At these various banks, I was involved in insurance sales, annuities, mortgages, and commercial lending and development. The ten years spent in financial services allowed me to work in insurance and investments with Lutheran Brotherhood and Thrivent Financial.
My banking career and community service demonstrate honesty, integrity and dedication, integral qualities for the position of Judge of the Orphans' Court.
In addition to my banking career and financial services, I have been vitally involved in many community services and organizations, all of which help to make Carroll County an outstanding place to live and work. Currently, I am Vice Chair of the Commission on Aging and Disabilities, appointed by the County Commissioners to oversee services for the aging, the disabled, and veterans. Currently, too, I am a member of the Carroll County Property Tax Assessment Appeals Board that evaluates tax assessment appeals based on financial and legal constraints.
Other community projects are numerous. I was a founding board member, treasurer, and current board member of Carroll Lutheran Village, a continuing care retirement community in Westminster, that is now in its 34th year. Because of my work with Carroll Lutheran Village, I became a founding board member and current vice-chair of The Lutheran Village at MILLER'S GRANT in Howard County and a sister community of Carroll Lutheran Village, slated to break ground in 2014. Having also been a founding board member of the Carroll County Children's Fund, I have served the younger and the older generations.
Still other community projects that I am proud to be associated with include Carroll County Food Sunday, where I served as President of the board for three years. While in that position I worked to make the charity financially stable by increasing fundraising and grant writing and by utilizing cost-efficient purchasing of food. I also served as a past President of the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce, chaired fundraising appeals for a number of charities, and served as treasurer of many non-profit organizations.
My church, Grace Lutheran in Westminster, is very dear to my heart. Having been a member for 41 years, I serve on the Finance and Property committees and Chair the Planned Gifts Committee of the church.
Objectivity and commitment, which have been the hallmarks of my career in banking and financial services as well as in my community outreach, will be paramount to my role as Judge of the Orphans' Court.
I am committed to the people of Carroll County. I will use my skills and expertise to render decisions as Judge of the Orphans' Court that are fair and equitable according to the law.
