Gov. Wes Moore tapped Ed Rothstein, a Carroll County commissioner and retired Army colonel, to lead the Maryland Department of Veterans and Military Families.
“Ed Rothstein has dedicated his career to serving this country and the people of Maryland,” Moore, a Democrat, said in a statement Monday. “I am honored that he has raised his hands once again to serve the state as Maryland’s next secretary of the Department of Veterans and Military Families.”
Rothstein will step into the role on August 1. Ross Cohen, who is serving as the interim acting secretary, will become the agency’s deputy secretary.
Rothstein is taking the reins of the agency from former Secretary Anthony C. Woods, who stepped down in May to join a tech startup.
A Republican, Rothstein is in his second term as a Carroll County commissioner. Before becoming a county commissioner, he was the executive director of the BWI Business Partnership and served on multiple boards of directors for state and regional nonprofits, including the Carroll County Veterans Advisory Council.
“Having worked with Commissioner Ed Rothstein for over six years, I know he’ll make an excellent Secretary of Maryland Department of Veterans and Military Families,” Roberta Windham, the Carroll County administrator, said. “His dedication to veterans and his passion for service is evident in everything he does. Carroll County’s Commissioners and I wish him all the best in his new role.”
Rothstein boasts a military career that spans three decades and includes several deployments and multiple duty stations. He began his military career in 1983, when he enlisted in the Army Reserves. In 1990, he transitioned to the military intelligence corps.
Rothstein retired in 2014.
During his final military assignment, Rothstein served as the garrison commander at the Fort George G. Meade U.S. Army Installation, where he supported more than 227,000 personnel across five states.
He has also been very open about the mental health struggles of military members, recalling witnessing drug abuse, domestic violence, and suicide while in command at Fort Meade.
“Ed’s track record as a distinguished Army veteran and a devoted public servant demonstrates his commitment to live mission first, people always,” Moore said. “During this next critical phase of our work, he will help lead our efforts to build a state that is safer, more affordable, more competitive – and one that leaves no one behind.”
In a statement Monday, Rothstein said that veterans and military families have “carried a tremendous burden,” and that uplifting them is “essential.”
“The governor’s faith, trust, and confidence in my approach is all I can ask for from a true leader,” he said. “I am deeply honored to serve under his visionary leadership.”
Upon his retirement from the military, Rothstein served as the economic developer for Anne Arundel County and established ERA Advisory LLC, a small business and leadership consultancy firm focused on giving back to the community.
He earned his bachelor’s degree from Lock Haven University and received master’s degrees from Webster University and the Eisenhower School for National Security.
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