Trending
LEWISTOWN -- Edward "Ed" A. Mann has announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination for Derry Township Supervisor.
Mann grew up in Bellefonte, Centre County, and entered the United States Air Force in 1977 as a fire protection specialist. He completed assignments at Ellsworth Air Force Base (AFB) in South Dakota; Kadena AFB in Okinawa, Japan; Warren AFB in Wyoming; and Eglin AFB in Florida. He came to Lewistown in 1986 as an Air Force recruiter and joined the Fame Fire Co. and Ambulance Service, where he served in a variety of capacities.
In 1990, he was assigned as a fire protection specialist at the Royal AFB in Alconbury, England, and remained there until his retirement in 1994.
Mann and his family then settled in the Glenwood Section of Derry Township. In September 1994, he was appointed by Sen. J. Doyle Corman as an executive assistant, helping constituents with problems and issues they had with state agencies. Additionally, he acted as a liaison for the senator, proactively working with local elected officials and agencies to help them improve services to their communities.
Mann also worked in a similar capacity for Sen. Jake Corman. In June 2000, he was appointed as state fire commissioner by former Gov. Tom Ridge. He continued to serve under Pennsylvania governors Mark Schweiker, Ed Rendell and Tom Corbett until January 2015.
That February, Mann was hired as a regional director at Provident, a company that provides insurance programs to emergency services organizations nationwide. Two years later he was promoted to his current position of director of training and education.
Mann was an active member of the East Derry Fire Co., serving in many roles from 1995 to 2019. In 2020, the company merged with the Highland Park Hose Co. to become the Chief Logan Volunteer Department. Mann fulfilled a promise to remain active with the new organization for two years, retiring as fire chief at the end of 2021.
Mann says his years of interacting with citizens, government officials and agencies at all levels to help resolve problems makes him an excellent candidate for supervisor. "I have spent a lifetime in public service in a variety of capacities, and I want to continue that service to the citizens of Derry Township."