The City of Lake Charles, Louisiana

Councilman Mark Eckard was elected to his first term on the City Council in April 2009.  Mark was born in the mountains of Western Maryland in 1960 and enlisted in the US Army upon graduating from high school. He served for 3 ½ years in the Military Police and Military Police investigations. In 1982 Mark and his family moved to Lake Charles and he attended McNeese and worked to support his family. After graduating Cum Laude from McNeese State University with a degree in Economics and Finance, Mark entered the financial services industry and is currently a Certified Financial Planner™ with Abate & Eckard Financial Advisors.

Eckard was appointed by the Police Jury to the Workforce Investment Board in 2000, and served as Chairman from 2006 to 2009. He has also served on the Vision Calcasieu Taskforce, United Way Allocation and Review Committee, DeQuincy Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and the Ducks Unlimited Committee.

Mark is married to his high school sweetheart, Kimberly, they have two grown children, Jessica and Doug and seven grandchildren. They attend Trinity Baptist Church and Mark serves as a Deacon and on the disaster response team. Hobbies include umpiring high school softball, golfing and duck hunting.

Eckard believes in practical and cost efficient delivery of government services with the least amount of duplication and privatization where appropriate. Lake Charles is entering a period of unparalleled growth and development and Mark has worked with the Mayor and other Council Members to improve our city.  The decisions we are making today will shape Lake Charles for not only our grandchildren but our great grandchildren as well.