Eric Packard
Eric Packard’s Biography
January 2, 2026
Eric Packard-Bio
Eric is a commissioner to the Maryland Sports Fisheries Advisory Commission. Representing the tidal and non-tidal recreational anglers in southern Maryland
Eric is a contributing writer to FishTalk Magazine, providing content with respect to kayak fishing, shoreline fishing and weekly reports with respect his fishing around the Chesapeake Bay region, fresh and saltwater.
Eric is a self-taught artist making a variety of art each day, including oil paintings, ink or pencil drawings, and oil pastels. He sells his art out of his online store, Apple Green Arts.
Eric started his professional career in 1984 as a fire sprinkler fitter apprentice with Road Sprinkler Fitters Local Union 669. Once he completed his apprenticeship his duties as a journeyworker included installation of fire sprinkler systems, day work, and inspections of fire sprinkler systems and their water supplies. In 1996 he took on the added duties of an instructor for Local Union 669 Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee in the southwest region of Ohio.
In 1998 Eric was hired as the Director of Apprenticeship for Local Union 669 Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee in Columbia, Maryland. He managed the $4mil ERISA program with an office staff of 11 and training staff of 31 part time instructors, training 3800+ apprentices in 46 states via distance education.
The United Association of Plumbers and Pipe fitters (UA) hired Eric in 2007 as one of their Training Specialists. He worked in that position until November 2011 when he became the Funds Administrator of the UA’s International Training Fund. A $21mil ERISA program focusing on the recruitment and training of over 300,000 members in the United States and Canada. Managing an office and staff of 16 office professionals.
In December 2015 Eric became the IT Director for the UA’s national office. Managing an office staff of 21 software writers, data managers, network managers and additional staff, he developed and updated the UA’s software and IT network.
Eric graduated in 2003 from the UA’s Instructor Training Program, as a certified instructor. Eric graduated in June of 2004 with a BA in Labor Education and Labor Studies from the George Meany Center for Labor Studies-National Labor College in Silver Spring, MD and with an AAS degree in Industrial Education from Washtenaw Community College in August 2004 in Ann Arbor MI.
Mr. Packard was a principal member on several NFPA committees, the Technical Correlating Committee on Automatic Sprinkler Systems; Technical Committee on Sprinkler Installation Criteria; Technical Committee on Residential Sprinkler Systems; Technical Committee on Inspections, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Systems and served as alternate on the Technical Committee on Hanging and Bracing of Water-Based Fire Protection System.
Eric retired in 2016 and now resides in Southern Maryland selling his art and spends his time fishing (on average 240 days per year) when not spending it with family and friends.