Upper Shore

Regional Council

Fostering the physical, economic, and social development of Cecil, Kent, and Queen Anne’s Counties, Maryland.

Board Members

Bill Manlove began serving his third term as Commissioner of the First District on December 10, 2002. He previously served as a County Commissioner from 1978 to 1982 and 1994 to 1998. Commissioner Manlove has been a farmer in Cecil County for most of his life, and presently works in the manufacturing industry. He served in the military and received an honorable discharge. He is a member of the Cecilton Lions Club, Upper Bay Ruritan Club, the Masonic Order, and a Vestry Member of Saint Steven’s Episcopal Church. He has been married to his wife, Mary, for forty-nine years, and they have two children and two grand children.

Mark Guns began serving his second term as Commissioner of the Fifth District on December 13, 2004, and was elected by his fellow Commissioners to serve as Vice President of the Board of County Commissioners in December 2006. Commissioner Guns has lived his entire life in Cecil County, and is one of eleven children.  He is currently employed as an Associate with W.L. Gore providing manufacturing leadership for the Fabrics Division.  He is a graduate of Cecil Community College with an AAS degree in Business and Commerce, and he attended Mount Saint Mary's College in Emmitsburg, MD.  Commissioner Guns volunteered for eight years as a manager for Elkton Little League Softball, and served two terms as Secretary of the Rogues Harbor Hunting Club.  He is a member of the Parish of Immaculate Conception, Cecil County Special Olympics, North East Touchdown Club, Elkton Moose Lodge #851 and the National Rifle Association.  Commissioner Guns is a devoted father of three daughters.

Courtney M. Billups, Esquire is the managing principal of the Law Offices of Courtney M. Billups, located in Washington, D.C.  The firm provides corporate counsel services to small businesses and procurement consulting services to public entities.  Attorney Billups serves as legal counsel and business consultant to small businesses that perform in a wide variety of industries and do business in both the private and the public sector.  He also serves as a consultant to state and local jurisdictions in the area of procurement and small business utilization.  Attorney Billups has distinguished himself as a successful commercial litigator, business development specialist, and; has performed on procurement evaluations for state and local jurisdictions across the country, most recently with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority and the Maryland-National-Capitol Park and Planning Commission. 

Chair, Task Force on Broadband Communications Deployment in Underserved Rural Areas, 2003-. Member, Bainbridge Development Advisory Board, 2003-; Task Force on the Marketing of Grain and Other Agricultural Products, 2003-04; Task Force to Study Efficiency in Procurement, 2003 (chair, efficiency subcommittee); Tri-County Council for the Lower Eastern Shore of Maryland, 2003-. Born in Maryland. Attended Dundalk High School; Salisbury State College; Roanoke College, B.A.; Darden Graduate School of Business Administration, University of Virginia, M.A. Married; three children.

District 36 Delegates: Michael D. Smigiel, Sr.,  Mary Roe Walkup, and Richard A. Sossi are voting General Assembly Members of USRC.

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This Site Last Updated on 20 June 2008

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