Ronald N. Young
Encyclopedia
Ronald N. Young is an American politician and a member of the Maryland State Senate
. Young is also a former mayor of Frederick, Maryland
.
and was raised in Frederick. He attended and graduated from Frederick High School. Young attended Frederick Community College and graduated with an Associate in Arts degree. He then attended the University of Maryland, College Park
in College Park, Maryland
and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and government.
Young completed his formal education by earning a Masters of Education degree in administration and supervision from Western Maryland College (later McDaniel College
) in Westminster, Maryland
. Young became a teacher in the Frederick County Public Schools and taught at the Yellow Springs Elementary School from 1967 to 1973.
Young became involved in local politics in the late 1960s, primarily in the Frederick County Young Democrats organization along with several friends, among them Galen R. Clagett. Young and Clagett both ran for the Frederick City Board of Alderman in 1969, and Mr. Young was elected and served on the Board of Aldermen from 1970-1974 during mayor E. Paul Magaha's administration.
Among the many accomplishments achieved or begun during Young's years as mayor were the Carroll Creek flood control project, the Market Street underground wiring project, the Weinberg Center for the Arts
, Harry Grove Stadium
, Clustered Spires Golf Course, several parking garages and the revitalization of downtown Frederick.
, and as a consultant in the years immediately following his defeat as mayor.
In 1991, he accepted Governor William Donald Schaefer
's request to work for the State of Maryland in the Maryland Department of Planning
. Young later served under Governor Parris Glendening
as the Deputy Secretary of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources
and served as the Deputy Secretary of the Maryland Department of Planning until leaving in 2000 after a dispute with Mr. Glendening. Young was actively involved in the Smart Growth
program while at the Department of Planning, and gave speeches across the country in support of Smart Growth.
In 2001, Young accepted the position of town manager of Indian Head, Maryland
. He helped Indian Head to receive funding for many vital projects, and served until 2005, when he decided to make one more run for mayor of Frederick.
After his defeat for the mayoralty of Frederick City to William J. Holtzinger, Young maintains a semi-retired lifestyle. He is still involved in commercial real estate, consulting, novel-writing, and his true love, painting.
for District 3. He defeated Don DeArmon in the Democratic primary in September 2010, and defeated incumbent Senator Alex X. Mooney
in the general election in November 2010. Young was sworn in on January 12, 2011 and appointed to the Senate's Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee.
Maryland State Senate
The Maryland Senate, sometimes referred to as the Maryland State Senate, is the upper house of the General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland...
. Young is also a former mayor of Frederick, Maryland
Frederick, Maryland
Frederick is a city in north-central Maryland. It is the county seat of Frederick County, the largest county by area in the state of Maryland. Frederick is an outlying community of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of a greater...
.
Background
Ronald Young was born in Frederick, MarylandFrederick, Maryland
Frederick is a city in north-central Maryland. It is the county seat of Frederick County, the largest county by area in the state of Maryland. Frederick is an outlying community of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of a greater...
and was raised in Frederick. He attended and graduated from Frederick High School. Young attended Frederick Community College and graduated with an Associate in Arts degree. He then attended the University of Maryland, College Park
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
in College Park, Maryland
College Park, Maryland
College Park is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, USA. The population was 30,413 at the 2010 census. It is best known as the home of the University of Maryland, College Park, and since 1994 the city has also been home to the "Archives II" facility of the U.S...
and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and government.
Young completed his formal education by earning a Masters of Education degree in administration and supervision from Western Maryland College (later McDaniel College
McDaniel College
McDaniel College is a private four-year liberal arts college in Westminster, Maryland, located 30 miles northwest of Baltimore. The college also has a satellite campus located in Budapest, Hungary. Until July 2002, it was known as Western Maryland College...
) in Westminster, Maryland
Westminster, Maryland
Westminster is a city in northern Maryland, United States. It is the seat of Carroll County. The city's population was 18,590 at the 2010 census. Westminster is an outlying community within the Baltimore-Towson, MD MSA, which is part of a greater Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia, DC-MD-VA-WV...
. Young became a teacher in the Frederick County Public Schools and taught at the Yellow Springs Elementary School from 1967 to 1973.
Young became involved in local politics in the late 1960s, primarily in the Frederick County Young Democrats organization along with several friends, among them Galen R. Clagett. Young and Clagett both ran for the Frederick City Board of Alderman in 1969, and Mr. Young was elected and served on the Board of Aldermen from 1970-1974 during mayor E. Paul Magaha's administration.
Mayor of Frederick
In 1973, Ron Young decided to run for the mayor of Frederick. He defeated former mayor and serving alderman Donald B. Rice in the Democratic primary, and then defeated serving alderman Glenmore Rice in the general election. Young assumed the role of mayor in 1974 at the age of 34. Young was re-elected as mayor in 1977, 1981 and 1985. In 1989, he was defeated by Paul P. Gordon in the general election in a bitterly contested election, ending sixteen years of service as Frederick's mayor.Among the many accomplishments achieved or begun during Young's years as mayor were the Carroll Creek flood control project, the Market Street underground wiring project, the Weinberg Center for the Arts
Weinberg Center for the Arts
The Eliyahu 'Weinberg Center for the Arts is an organization and venue in Frederick, Maryland, USA that holds various showings of music, theatre, films and visual art. The theatre was built as the Tivoli Theatre by the Stanley-Crandall concern and opened on December 23, 1926...
, Harry Grove Stadium
Harry Grove Stadium
Harry Grove Stadium, located in Frederick, Maryland, is the home of the Frederick Keys, a class A minor league affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. Opened in 1990, it seats 5,400 fans....
, Clustered Spires Golf Course, several parking garages and the revitalization of downtown Frederick.
Later years
Young worked in commercial real estate, as a part-time college instructor at Frederick Community CollegeFrederick Community College
Frederick Community College is a community college in Frederick, Maryland.-Clubs:FCC offers 33 different clubs on campus. To name a few...* Anime* Theater* Republicans* Democrats* Education* Spanish* Math* Newspaper* Tom's Shoes...
, and as a consultant in the years immediately following his defeat as mayor.
In 1991, he accepted Governor William Donald Schaefer
William Donald Schaefer
William Donald Schaefer was an American politician who served in public office for 50 years at both the state and local level in Maryland. A Democrat, he was mayor of Baltimore from 1971 to 1987, the 58th Governor of Maryland from January 21, 1987 to January 18, 1995, and the Comptroller of...
's request to work for the State of Maryland in the Maryland Department of Planning
Maryland Department of Planning
The Maryland Department of Planning is a cabinet level agency in the government of the State of Maryland. The department is part of the Executive branch of the government and answers to the Governor of Maryland....
. Young later served under Governor Parris Glendening
Parris Glendening
Parris Nelson Glendening , a member of the United States Democratic Party, was the 59th Governor of Maryland from January 18, 1995 to January 15, 2003...
as the Deputy Secretary of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Maryland Department of Natural Resources
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is a government agency in the state of Maryland charged with maintaining natural resources such as the 66 state parks, public lands, state forests, state waterways, wildlife and recreation areas....
and served as the Deputy Secretary of the Maryland Department of Planning until leaving in 2000 after a dispute with Mr. Glendening. Young was actively involved in the Smart Growth
Smart growth
Smart growth is an urban planning and transportation theory that concentrates growth in compact walkable urban centers to avoid sprawl and advocates compact, transit-oriented, walkable, bicycle-friendly land use, including neighborhood schools, complete streets, and mixed-use development with a...
program while at the Department of Planning, and gave speeches across the country in support of Smart Growth.
In 2001, Young accepted the position of town manager of Indian Head, Maryland
Indian Head, Maryland
Indian Head is a town in Charles County, Maryland, United States. The population was 3,422 at the 2000 census. It has been the site of a naval base specializing in gun and rocket propellants since 1890. Production of nitrocellulose and smokeless powder began at the Indian Head Powder Factory in 1900...
. He helped Indian Head to receive funding for many vital projects, and served until 2005, when he decided to make one more run for mayor of Frederick.
After his defeat for the mayoralty of Frederick City to William J. Holtzinger, Young maintains a semi-retired lifestyle. He is still involved in commercial real estate, consulting, novel-writing, and his true love, painting.
In the Legislature
In 2010, Young decided to run for Maryland State SenatorMaryland State Senate
The Maryland Senate, sometimes referred to as the Maryland State Senate, is the upper house of the General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland...
for District 3. He defeated Don DeArmon in the Democratic primary in September 2010, and defeated incumbent Senator Alex X. Mooney
Alex X. Mooney
Alex X. Mooney is a former Maryland State Senator representing District 3. On December 11, 2010, Mooney was elected as Chair of the Maryland Republican Party.-Background:...
in the general election in November 2010. Young was sworn in on January 12, 2011 and appointed to the Senate's Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee.