Commissioner President Wayne Cooper

President Cooper was elected to his first term as County Commissioner in November 2002. In 2004, he was appointed President of the Board of County Commissioners to fill an unexpired term and in 2006, he was elected President of the Board of County Commissioners.

Prior to his election as a County Commissioner, he served two terms as an elected member of the Charles County Board of Education. First elected to the Board of Education in 1996, he served as Chairman of the Board for three consecutive years. He ran on a platform of accountability, state of the art technology, science, math and to have a comprehensive career and high technology school in the County. His dedication to education began many years before. Mr. Cooper was active in the Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) and the community. In the CCPS, he was Past President of the House Foundation for the Career and Technology Center, the Past President of the Maurice J. McDonough High School Parent Teacher Student Organization for nine years, a Booster Parent and as a member of the Textbook Review Committee.

He has more than 31 years of leadership experience with Waco, Inc., a General Contractor and environmental contracting company, including 21 years as the Corporate Vice President. He retired from the Accokeek, Maryland, office in 2005. He has an extensive background in general contracting and environmental construction. Mr. Cooper has experience as a superintendent, project manager, contract administrator and estimator and as a member of the American Institute of Plant Engineers which he joined in 1983.

Mr. Cooper is also certified in the State of Maryland, Virginia and Region III of the Environmental Protection Agency to teach certain environmental courses. He is currently a member of many community groups, including the Charles County Chamber of Commerce and the Charles County Black Caucus.

Commissioner President Cooper serves on the Civista Medical Center Board of Trustees, the Maryland Association of Counties (MACo) Legislative Committee, its Legislative Planning Committee, he chairs the Educational Sub-Committee, and it’s Board of Directors, where he is presently serving as 2nd Vice President. In addition, he serves on the Lower Potomac Tributary Team, and co-chairs the South Potomac Community Relations Council, Naval Support Activity.

He is a Past Secretary for the United Way of Charles County, Past President of the Southern Maryland Apprenticeship Council for the College of Southern Maryland, Past Secretary of the ABC, Past Vice Chairman of the ABC Apprenticeship Program, and Past President of the Potomac Baptist Association of Men's Brotherhood.

He lives in White Plains with his wife, Judy. He has two children and two grandchildren.