Former Dayton city manager takes top job in Washington, D.C.

Dayton native and former city manager Rashad Young will be Washington, D.C.’s next city administrator.

Washington, D.C. Mayor-elect Muriel Bowser made the announcement Tuesday.

“Washington, D.C. is just a world-class and international city and community and I’m just really privileged and honored the mayor-elect asked me to serve,” Young said in an interview Tuesday. “I’m so excited to be part of her administration.”

Young, a graduate of the University of Dayton and Dayton’s Meadowdale High School, is currently city manager for the D.C. suburb of Alexandria, Va., a role he’s held since Oct. 24, 2011. He was the city’s youngest and first African-American city manager.

Young said he’s worked closely with Washington, D.C., officials already through his work in Alexandria, which is just across the river. The cities have worked closely on issues including homeland security and inclement weather.

When Bowser won the November elections, her staff reached out to Young. “I was so impressed with her vision and what she wants to do,” he said. “It really came together.”

He’ll resign from his duties in Alexandria Jan. 1, and on Jan. 2, will be present when Bowser is sworn in.

“We’re really proud that Rashad is a Dayton native and someone that helped this commission move Dayton in a positive direction during some difficult times,” Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley said Tuesday. “I am sure that he and the mayor-elect of D.C. Muriel Bowser will be a driving force for great things to happen in Washington, D.C.”

Whaley worked with Young when she was a city commissioner.

Young currently oversees a workforce of approximately 3,700 employees and a general fund operating budget of nearly $637 million. According to a story posted Monday on the Washington Post's website, Young will manage nearly 35,000 in his new position and manage a local budget in excess of $6 billion per year.

He began his career as an intern at the city of Dayton, earning both a bachelor of science and a master of business administration from the University of Dayton. After serving in several roles for the city of Dayton, Young accepted a position with the city of Cincinnati in 2002 as assistant city manager.

He moved back to Dayton in 2005 where after a brief term as assistant city manager, he accepted his first city manager appointment. He served as city manager from 2006-2009.

He later served as city manager in Greensboro, North Carolina before moving to Alexandria, Virginia in 2011 to become its 17th city manager. He is married to Tameka Jones-Young. They have two children.

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