The Democratic Club of Kent County is proud to be able to acknowledge the long career of service and active engagement of our friend Mark Mumford. Many of us know Mark from his many years of serving as Drum Major for different marching bands in our area, and for his 30 years of service as Clerk of the Court, as well as for his active and enthusiastic engagement with Kent County Dems over many years. Mark has demonstrated decades of dedicated service to our community; he recently stated “I’ve always been an involved community member; I got that from my mother.”
Born March 16, 1958, Mark attended Kent County High School and Chesapeake Community College (accounting). Employment prior to his election as Clerk of the Court included several roles including Loan Officer with Peoples Bank of Kent County Maryland, 1975-84; Manager, Queen Anne’s County Bowling Center, 1983-85; and Assistant Vice-President, Second National Federal Savings Bank, 1985-90 (former Branch Manager). Mark’s community service includes: Board of Directors, Kent Youth, Inc. (Treasurer, 1985-88); Chestertown Tea Party Festival, (President 1987, 1993); Kent County Chamber of Commerce; Board of Directors, Kent County Unit, American Cancer Society, (Treasurer, 1989); Crossroads Community Center; Chestertown Jaycees (President, 1986-87); Chestertown Rotary (President, 1991-92); Chestertown Lions (Eye Committee Co-Chair) ; Outstanding Service Award, 1985, 1986, and Affiliate of the Year, 1989, 1990, Kent County Association of Realtors; Life Member, Chestertown Volunteer Fire Company.
Mark Mumford was elected to the position of Clerk of the Court in Clerk of Circuit Court, Kent County, December 1990, serving with distinction until April 30, 2020, when he retired. Current Clerk of the Court Sherise Kennard was appointed to fill the position, and Mark campaigned energetically and effectively to help Ms. Kennard win election to a full term in November 2022. Mark served as a member of the Conference of Circuit Court Clerks, 1999-2020, a member of the Judicial Ethics Committee, 2006-15, Maryland Judicial Conference, and a member of the Judicial Ethics Committee, Judicial Council, 2015-16. (Additional information about the Kent County Circuit Court is available here:
https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/36loc/ke/html/kej.html#circuit)
Mark’s involvement with music began in the 5th grade in the Kent County Public Schools, and he credits Mrs. Bergen at Chestertown Middle School for her encouragement and for recognizing some of what he had to offer to the field of musical performance. Attending a summer music camp after grade 9, Mark was recruited by Band Director Clarence Nicholas (“Mr. Nick”) to try out serving as a drum major, as the current drum major for the high school band would be graduating the following year. Mark went on to serve as Drum Major for the High School Marching Band from 1974 until he graduated in 1976. After graduation, he worked with the Band Director for a number of years to support the organization.
In 1982 he was approached by Leone Woodall to serve as Drum Major for the Galena High School Alumni Marching Band, where he served for six years. Ms. Woodall served as his Treasurer for his 1990 campaign for Clerk of the Court. He served as Drum Major for the Smyrna Fire Company Citizens’ Hose Co. Marching Band for 17 years, leading the group to many Delaware state championships. Working with Tom McHugh, he helped to found and serve as Drum Major for the Kent County Community Marching Band, in time for them to participate in Kent County’s 350th Anniversary celebration. He has also served as Drum Major for the Northeastern Region Notre Dame Alumni Marching Band, the Delmarva United Marching Band (DUMB), and a Mummer’s Band that Mark established called the Lobster Club in Philadelphia. All told, Mark has served as Drum Major for seven marching bands, over a span of 47 years.
As if that weren’t enough, Mark’s amazing career has also included many years of participation in the “Burning Man” festival (https://burningman.org/) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burning_Man), an event focused on community, art, self-expression, and self-reliance held annually in the western United States. Working with a prominent local artist, he helped to assemble several major art installations at Burning Man in 2005 (Papillon Camp) and 2006 (Putt-Putt on the Playa), among others. He has served on the fire department and on the Artist Support Staff group, among other services to the Burning Man Project.
DCKC is proud and humbled to be able to share details of the amazing career of this remarkable man – and we have to say “Thank You, Mark!!”