Robert Wood Young (born September 3, 1947)[1] is an American broadcast journalist, author, and politician who served as Mayor of Augusta, Georgia. Young also served a presidential appointment by George W. Bush on the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation and at United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. Young later served as the President and CEO of the Southeastern Natural Sciences Academy. He is currently owner and CEO of Eagle Veterans Services and Squeaky Productions, both headquartered in Augusta.
Bob Young | |
|---|---|
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| Regional Director of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development for the Atlanta Region | |
| In office June 20, 2005 – June 13, 2006 | |
| President | George W. Bush |
| Mayor of Augusta-Richmond County | |
| In office 1999–2005 | |
| Preceded by | Larry Sconyers |
| Succeeded by | Willie Mays |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Robert Wood Young September 3, 1947 Pasadena, California, U.S. |
| Relatives | Brigham Young |
| Alma mater | Wofford College Augusta State University |
| Occupation | Journalist; politician, writer |
Early life
editYoung was born September 3, 1947, in Pasadena, California and grew up in Thomson, Georgia. He is an alumnus of Wofford College and the Augusta State University. Young is married to Gwen Fulcher Young of Augusta.
Young is a descendant of Brigham Young through his great-great-great grandmother, Lucy Decker Young[2][3]
Career
editJournalism
editDuring Young 26-year-career in broadcast journalism, he produced two award-winning documentaries: The Great March about William Tecumseh Sherman's Civil War invasion of Georgia, and Ike's Augusta, a chronicle of Dwight Eisenhower's membership at the Augusta National Golf Club.[4]
Government service
editYoung served in the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War and served as a broadcast specialist in the Armed Forces Vietnam Network as part of the Military Assistance Command Vietnam. In 1999, he became mayor of Augusta, Georgia, serving until 2005. On June 20, 2005. Young accepted a presidential appointment by George W. Bush to serve as Director of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development for the Atlanta Region. On June 13, 2007, Young was further designated Assistant Deputy Secretary for Field Policy and Management, a position overseeing HUD Regional Directors for ten regions across the nation. Previously, he was appointed to represent the nation's mayors on the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.[5]
Writing career
editIn 2009, Young began writing what would become his first novel, The Treasure Train; a historical novel set in Augusta around the end of the Civil War.[6] The book follows the account of the midnight raid at Chennault, Georgia, and the stolen shipment of confederate gold; delving into the derivative tales and folklore it spawned. Young credited Dr. Mark Waters for giving him the historical basis in fact for the storyline his fiction would closely follow.[7] In 2017 Young published his second historical novel The Hand of the Wicked, based on the events surrounding the murder of freed woman Nellie West during Georgia Reconstruction.
References
edit- ^ "The Political Graveyard: Index to Politicians: Young, A to B". politicalgraveyard.com. Retrieved April 23, 2019.
- ^ Hummel, Debbie (November 3, 2006). "Brigham Young's descendants give rocking chair to Mormon church". DeseretNews.com. Archived from the original on April 7, 2014. Retrieved April 23, 2019.
- ^ Lund, Anthon Henrik (1922). The Utah Genealogical and Historical Magazine – Volume 13. Genealogical Society, Salt Lake City, Utah. p. 174. ISBN 9781278473147.
- ^ "THE TREASURE TRAIN, a Well-Written Historical Novel, is an Exciting Way to Commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the War Between the States". PRWeb. Archived from the original on May 20, 2015. Retrieved April 23, 2019.
- ^ "Bob Young, Region IV Regional Director Atlanta, GA". hud.gov. Archived from the original on October 22, 2016. Retrieved December 31, 2013.
- ^ "The Augusta Chronicle: Local & World News, Sports & Entertainment in Augusta, GA". The Augusta Chronicle. Retrieved December 31, 2013.
- ^ "Dr. Mark Waters to speak on 'Midnight Raid at Chennault'". The Lincoln Journal. Archived from the original on January 2, 2014. Retrieved December 31, 2013.