Marc Elrich

County Executive
Montgomery County

Marc Elrich has served as county executive for Montgomery County since November 2018. During his decades-long career in public service, Elrich has also served on the Montgomery County Council and Takoma Park City Council. For 17 years, he worked as a teacher at Rolling Terrace Elementary School in Takoma Park.

As a county councilmember, Elrich led the successful effort to increase the minimum wage to $11.50 an hour and spearheaded legislation that will eventually increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour. Elrich is a graduate of the University of Maryland, College Park.

What is the most important life lesson you learned?

Patience and keeping your head during difficult moments and seemingly insurmountable odds. I have learned that life is full of twist and turns that can make you lose sight of your goals. But people who keep their heads and remain focused on their goals despite the obstacles tend to find success.

What is your proudest professional accomplishment?

My proudest accomplishment is our success in our response to the pandemic. By relying on data and science, not politics and public opinion, Montgomery County became one of the best in nation for lower transmission and higher vaccination rates. In the future, when historians write about the pandemic, Montgomery County will stand out as a standard bearer of best practices.