Mayor & City Council Member Biographies

Aberdeen Mayor Patrick McGrady is a lifelong Aberdeen community resident. Mayor McGrady attended Bakerfield Elementary School, Hillsdale Elementary School (now called George D. Lisby at Hillsdale ES), Aberdeen Middle School, and Aberdeen High School. Patrick McGrady grew up in Aberdeen working with his family business renovating houses. From a young age, he learned the value of hard work and personal determination. Patrick grew up playing Aberdeen Parks and Rec T-Ball and participating in Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts. He played Lacrosse, Wrestled, and ran Cross Country at Aberdeen High School. McGrady's grandparents, Goldie and Leonard, were entrepreneurs who built hundreds of homes in Aberdeen from the 1950s through the early 2000s, including the Aberdeen Hills, Hillcrest, and Dorseyvale neighborhoods. Patrick McGrady attended Penn State University where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics. After Penn State, McGrady attended Harford Community College to study Accounting while working full-time. Patrick McGrady is an entrepreneur -- he is the Manager of Holly Circle Townhouses, LLC, MAPA, LLC, and Cranberry Run Construction Co, Inc. These are businesses owned and operated by his family-- his father, two brothers, and sister work together to renovate homes and businesses, manage properties for others, and manufacture automotive parts. Mayor McGrady is committed to the community of Aberdeen. He lives with his lovely wife Liz, son Independence, daughter Remy, and daughter Macey at 46 Paradise Road.

 Email: pmcgrady@aberdeenmd.gov

Councilman Adam Hiob is a 4th generation resident of Aberdeen. He has deep ties to the community, having attended Aberdeen schools, participated in several local Parks and Recreation Programs, and graduated from Aberdeen High School in 2012. He continued his education at Harford Community College where he studied International Relations and earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science with a Minor in History from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) graduating in 2016. In addition, he has a certificate in Community Planning and Zoning Appeals by the Maryland Department of Planning and is a Graduate of the University of Maryland School of Public Policy’s Academy of Excellence in Local Governance (2022). Councilman Hiob is a former Student Ambassador with People to People International and a Past President of the Harford County Regional Association of Student Councils. From 2016-2019 Councilman Hiob worked as a Legislative Director in the Maryland General Assembly serving the Rt. 40 communities of Harford County. During this time, among other projects he played a role in securing the initial $250,000 for the Aberdeen Proving Ground Discovery Center. Having first been elected in 2019, Hiob was selected by his colleagues to serve as Council President in 2022. Councilman Hiob currently works as the Director of Grants & Collaboration at Harford Community Action Agency and volunteers his time to multiple community organizations including Keep Aberdeen Beautiful, Harford County Earth Day, and Habitat for Humanity. In his spare time Councilman Hiob enjoys boating, traveling, and the great outdoors. He currently resides with his family in Paradise Manor.

 Email: ahiob@aberdeenmd.gov

Councilman Bill Montgomery grew up in Dundalk and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication from Towson State University while dual enrolled at the Loyola College Army ROTC program in Baltimore City. Upon graduation, he received an active-duty commission as a U.S. Army Signal Officer. For over 30 years, Bill served 14 years overseas in Europe and Asia, several combat deployments including Desert Shield/ Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom and in multiple states across the country.  His final assignment was Aberdeen Proving Ground serving from 2009-2014, in large part as the Chief of Staff, Communications Electronics Command. A combat, disabled veteran, Bill received the Legion of Merit Medal and attained the rank of Colonel upon retirement. Married over 31 years, Bill’s wife is an Army veteran and a small business owner in Aberdeen.  Their two children attended and graduated from Aberdeen and Edgewood High Schools.  His additional education includes a Masters of Human Relations from the University of Oklahoma, Norman and a Masters of Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania. A lifelong Scouter, Bill was District Commissioner for the Harford District and received Scouting’s highest Council honor, The Silver Beaver, for over 40 years of dedication to youth development around the world. Locally, the Harford County Council nominated him to serve on the Veterans Commission from 2016-22.  Since 2019, he has served as a Credited Adjunct Professor at Harford Community College and volunteers at their radio station as an on-air DJ and radio host of Veterans SITREP. Currently, he serves as a Senior Program Manager and is a certified Project Management Professional and SAFe 6 Agilist. Bill is a Veterans of Foreign Wars life member, Co-chair of the APG Retiree Council, Five Gallon Red Cross Blood Donor, and a Maryland Food Bank Hunger Action Council member. He resides with his wife in the Windemere community. 

 Email: bmontgomery@aberdeenmd.gov

Councilwoman Tandra Ridgley has resided in Aberdeen for thirty years. Her family has roots in Harford County going back over a century. She is a graduate of Havre de Grace High School (1988), graduate of Delaware State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Marketing and Business Administration with a minor in Economics (1992). She also earned a Certificate of Paralegal Studies from Penn Foster. For twenty years, Councilwoman Ridgley served as Vice President of the GrassRoots Steering Foundation, Inc., a non-profit whose mission was to address racial inequity in the legal, law enforcement and educational systems. During this time, she also advocated for her community in Annapolis during the legislative sessions. She submitted ideas for legislation, testified on pertinent bills and participated in community lobbying. She embarked on a new business in 2021 and is the owner of Ridgley Solutions, LLC. In this capacity, she trains law enforcement agencies in police/community relations and assists police agencies in creating multi-year community relations strategic plans. She resides with family in the Bush Chapel area in Aberdeen.

 Email: tridgley@aberdeenmd.gov

Councilman Darin Wassum has been a dedicated resident of Aberdeen for over 40 years and currently resides in the Hillsdale community with his wife, Lana Wassum. Together, they’ve raised two children and are proud grandparents to one granddaughter. Darin brings a strong blend of professional expertise, civic engagement, and community pride to his role on the Aberdeen City Council. He is an Associate Certified Entomologist and serves as the Residential Sales Manager for American Pest where he works with training and coaching inside and outside sales representatives. His professional credentials include multiple certifications reflecting his commitment to public health and environmental safety. Darin’s longstanding involvement in Aberdeen’s civic life includes coaching girls’ softball and umpiring boys’ baseball through Aberdeen Parks and Recreation. He served on the Aberdeen Ethics Commission from 2019 to 2023 and the Aberdeen Planning Commission from 2024 to 2025, where he held the position of Vice Chair for nearly a year. He currently volunteers with Keep Aberdeen Beautiful, supporting local beautification and sustainability efforts. In addition to his public service, Darin is also a musician who has performed both locally and professionally, contributing to the cultural vibrancy of the community.

 Email: dwassum@aberdeenmd.gov