Our Principals:

David Young knows that being a Public Official in today’s environment takes a great deal of personal integrity. As a local government leader, he has spent the last 16 years in local government serving on the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners and as the President of the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners.

David has chaired the Asheville Regional Airport Authority, helped establish a partnership with the local chamber of commerce to create a public/private economic development commission and is currently serving on the UNC Board of Governors. Having served as a board member for the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners since 1994 and as the board’s president in 2007, David has a great understanding of the unique challenges facing local governments today. David has actively been involved with searches for county managers, airport directors, nonprofit directors, economic development recruiters and for state association directors.
He has the depth of knowledge and understanding of how to find the right fit for a local government entity and the experience from hiring these key positions in a public setting. David will personally be involved with your search.

Leigh Young brings a unique blend to your search process with 22 years of involvement in the Public and the Private Sectors. Since her start in 1980’s as an intern for Governor Jim Hunt, Leigh has stayed involved in the political and advocacy arenas especially in the area of Women and Children’s Issues. Her duties in her position in the Office of the Governor included Appointments and assistance in the implementation of the Conference on Women and the Economy. In 1984, Leigh began her career with NCR Corporation in Sales and Marketing in the healthcare computer systems industry. Subsequent to this, she was heavily involved in sales marketing, training, and management in her own companies. In 1986, Leigh became a Principal in Fugazy Travel heading the Corporate and Group Divisions for Fugazy Travel. In the 1990’s, Leigh expanded her businesses to include residential and commercial real estate investments.

In addition to hiring and managing personnel for her private ventures, Leigh has served on and hired key positions for several state wide and local organizations. Her Statewide experience has included serving as a Director on the Boards of UNC TV, the North Carolina Business Committee for Education, and the North Carolina Child Advocacy Institute, chairing the State Public Affairs Committee for the Junior Leagues of North Carolina, and chairing the Foundation Board for UNC TV.

On a local level, Leigh has chaired the Corporate Champions for Children, the Asheville High School Business Alliance, and has served on the Boards of the Asheville City Schools Foundation, Children First, Memorial Mission Hospital Children’s Wing, the Ruth and Billy Graham Healthcare Center, the Arts Alliance, and Western North Carolina Junior Achievement, and as the Vice President for Community Development for the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce. Leigh is heavily involved in Central United Methodist Church.

Leigh has been a speaker for Children’s Issues on television interviews, on radio shows, for church congregations, for civic organizations, and for conference keynote addresses.

Leslie Summey is Communications
Expert for Young and Associates.  Leslie graduated from the University of North Carolina at Asheville with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Education in 1989. 

In 1991 she graduated from Cecil’s Junior College of Business with a degree in Travel Careers. She has over 17 years experience in a local travel agency in the fields of Secretarial and Administrative sciences. 

Currently, she works with Young and Associates in Information Technologies and Communications Management.  She is responsible for organizing mailing list prospects and managing job candidate files via iContact.  She researches and compiles data for cities, municipalities, jurisdictions, and counties in need of local governmental searches.
Leslie coordinates the marketing efforts for Young & Associates using the various delivery systems including mail, new media, and print advertising. 

In addition to these duties, Leslie also conducts internet research and handles clerical and administrative duties as well as fielding phone calls, greeting clients, and typing and composing letters.