Ward 5 Commissioner Chad Malkus was born and raised in Cambridge where he grew up on his father’s farm on the Little Blackwater River.  He graduated from Cambridge-South Dorchester High School in 1990 where he was Junior Class President and Senior Class President, as well as Captain of the Varsity Soccer Team.  Upon graduation, Chad attended Clemson University in Clemson, South Carolina.  While at Clemson, he was a member of the Delta Chi Fraternity where he served as Rush Chairman, Social Chairman, and Alumni Chairman.  He graduated from Clemson in 1994 with his B.A. in Secondary Education & English.  

After teaching for several years, Chad enrolled in Law School at the University of Baltimore School of Law.  There he taught legal analysis, research & writing to incoming law students, and concentrated in Land Use and Environmental Law before receiving his Juris Doctor in 2001.  He became a member of the Maryland State Bar Association soon thereafter, and began practicing law throughout the state of Maryland. 

As an attorney, he represented the Dorchester Planning Commission, as well as numerous homeowner’s associations on the Eastern Shore.  On behalf of Layton’s Chance Vineyard & Winery, he successfully drafted and introduced zoning legislation to allow for farm wineries in Dorchester County, which made Dorchester the most business-friendly county in the State for farm wineries.  He also served as vice-president and President of the Dorchester County Bar Association. He has extensive experience in Land Use, Zoning, Business Organizations, Planned Giving, Estate Planning, Elder Law, Trust Administration, Veteran's benefits, and Wealth Preservation. In 2014 he became a Vice President with PNC Wealth Management serving as a Senior Fiduciary Advisor for the Delmarva region. Chad also serves on PNC's National Talent & Diversity Council as well as the Greater Maryland LGBT Sub-Committee. 

For many years, Chad was the host of "ShoreLaw with Chad Malkus" on Radio 1240 WCEM, which provided legal insight into business, wealth preservation, and life on the Eastern Shore. 

Chad has had a close personal and family connection to those living and suffering from Alzheimer's disease and dementia. This lead him to serve for many years on the Board of Directors of the Alzheimer's Association, Maryland, eventually serving as its Vice President and President. 

He is the past-President of the Board of Directors of Sailwinds, Inc., and the past Vice President of Mid-Shore Pro Bono.  He has also been a member of the Dorchester Chamber, and Cambridge Rotary. For many years, he served as Vice-President and later President of Cambridge Main Street, focusing on the redevelopment and revitalization of historic downtown Cambridge, Maryland. 

On an adjunct basis, Commissioner Malkus has taught at the University of Baltimore School of Law and Howard University School of Law. He currently teaches Trusts and Estates at the Purdue School of Business at Salisbury University, as well as the Capstone Course in Financial Planning. 

For almost 20 years, Chad has been the founder and sole organizer of The Kite Festival at Sailwinds, an annual free festival that brings hundreds of families from all over the Delmarva region to the banks of the Choptank River for a day of food, music, fun, and kite flying.  He also successfully lead the effort to rename Great Marsh Park after the late community leader Gerry Boyle. 

Chad Malkus is committed to the community by serving as the recently elected City Council Commissioner for Ward 5 for the City of Cambridge.   He lives in Cambridge with his husband Thom and his two sons.