We are proud to announce that Shelton Griffin has been appointed Chief Investment Officer at York Properties!
Shelton has been a vital part of the York Properties team for over 20 years, having graduated from NC State University and held various roles within the company. His dedication and expertise, especially in collaboration with our former CIO, Hal Worth, have prepared him well for this new chapter.
Meet our Association Manager, Carol Slaven.
Born in East Liverpool, Ohio, Carol moved to multiple states before making North Carolina home in 1985. Carol joined York Properties in 1987 as an Apartment Manager. The apartments were eventually converted to condominiums and Carol transitioned to association management. She then connected with other colleagues in the area who worked in association management. Together they established the first chapter of the Community Association Institute of NC.
Carol has gained an array of experience over the years working for other companies and owning her own home healthcare business, but nothing compared to York. Carol kept in touch with her York colleagues over the years which helped prompt her return to the company in 2022.
Carol now resides in Virginia to be closer to her daughter, Catie, and her older brother. These days, Carol enjoys reading, swimming, and volunteering with Compact Canine Rescue. She adopted Oreo from Compact Canine Rescue, her “foster failure,” after he was left ill at a dog pound.
We are so grateful for Carol’s commitment and dedication to the team and company over the years.
This month we’re taking a moment to highlight Bloomsbury Landscapes’ very own, James Richardson. Born in Asheville, NC, James currently resides in Greensboro, NC.
Five years ago, James transitioned from having his own roofing company to joining the Bloomsbury team where he now serves as the Field Manager and is focused on maintaining great relationships amongst team members and clients.
James says from the moment he learned about the company and met the team, he knew this was the place for him. “This is a family here,” he said. James lives by the motto “teamwork makes the dream work” and he encourages the team members to do quality work safely and efficiently.
When James is not in the Greater Triangle area for work, he enjoys spending time with his wife of 30 years, Rhonda, and his two children and four granddaughters. He tells them that they can do anything if they believe and work hard for it. James also hopes to cross “meeting LeBron James” off his bucket list some day. In the meantime, he looks forward to enjoying life to the fullest.
Thank you James for your hard work and dedication to the team and the company. Everyone could use a James on their team!
P.S. If you see him around this month, be sure to wish him a happy (early) birthday. His birthday is on March 18.
Congratulations to our Property Manager Patty Friedman for being named Certified Property Manager of the Year at the Raleigh-Durham IREM Chapter annual luncheon.
Lamont Farmer, Director of Property Management, stated, “Patty’s perseverance in getting her CPM designation in record time, being nominated and then voted as CPM of the Year, and also being installed as Secretary for 2024 is a testament to her passion for and dedication to the property management industry and the Raleigh-Durham IREM Chapter. We are incredibly proud of her!”
This month, we’d like to recognize Captain Coy Dixon.
Captain Dixon was born and raised in Tifton, Georgia. He recalls having a job as early as 9 years old picking tobacco. At 16, he joined the army in Fort Jackson, South Carolina. There he received his GED and spent the next 9 years moving up the ranks while serving our country. Dixon says he enjoyed jumping out of airplanes back then.
Captain Dixon found his way to York through a mutual connection in security. In 2003, at the request of the division leaders, Captain Dixon joined our Security team with an aim to help structure the overall division. He worked as an on-call security officer for 8 months, then a lieutenant for 6 months. He continued climbing the ladder into other leadership roles, but being captain is what feels like home for him.
Captain Dixon says the most important things in his life today are his family, work, hunting, and fishing. He and his wife of 54 years, Mary, call Holly Springs home. They have lived there since 1994 and have seen many new developments since they planted their roots. They have a daughter and son, 7 grandchildren, and 5 great-grandchildren. If he’s not spending time with his family or patrolling the premises of a property, you can catch Captain Dixon hunting at Jordan Lake or near the Harnett/Chatham County line. With no desire to injure animals, Captain Dixon says he enjoys watching and being in the midst of nature the most.
In reflecting on his favorite thing about York, Captain Dixon praised the people that make York Properties. He says “if you love your job, you’ll never have to work a day in your life.” Captain Dixon carries an attitude of positivity everywhere he goes and shares it with everyone he meets. He believes if you keep a positive attitude, it will encourage others to do the same.
It is a privilege to have such a kind-hearted and dedicated employee such as Captain Dixon. This past May made 20 years since he has been with the company and we couldn’t be more appreciative of his years of hard work and commitment. As his 79th birthday approaches in August, Captain Dixon says he looks forward to working with us for years to come.
Office Manager and Receptionist Cindy Franks is the glue of the office. July will make a year since Cindy joined our team, but she agrees with us that it feels like much longer!
Cindy is a North Carolina native from Fuquay-Varina. When asked about her work life, Cindy says that her favorite part is the people. She appreciates how everyone is willing to help each other out. “The minute I started, I didn’t feel like I was new. I’ve never been treated like that at any job anywhere before.” Cindy heard about the position from a fellow colleague. With 12 years of HOA and accounting experience in real estate, Cindy knew it would be a great fit.
Outside of the office, Cindy loves to spend time with her husband of 28 years. They have settled in the Garner area, but venture out to try new restaurants on occasion. Cindy also enjoys scrapbooking, painting, yard work, and spending time with her children and grandchildren whenever she can. Cindy and her husband have a Shih Tzu named Bella – short for Isabella Swan, the main character from the hit movie Twilight.
We are very grateful for Cindy and all the work she does. We look forward to her journey with us!
Kathy Decker is a North Carolinian through and through. She grew up in Chapel Hill and Durham, then attended college in Boone at Appalachian State University, earning a degree in Elementary Education. After graduation, she taught 5th grade in Charlotte for a time before moving back to the Triangle area.
In 1990, just after her move to Raleigh, Kathy made a career change and began working for Summit Properties in the apartment management industry. Six years later she came to work for York, joining the team as an on-site manager for City Market in Downtown Raleigh.
During her 25+ year tenure here at York, Kathy has worked in our Association Management and Property Management divisions. In her various roles she has handled event planning, leasing, tenant renewal negotiations, vetting vendors, creating budgets, property renovations, and more!
On the weekends, Kathy works for a local wedding and event planning company as a wedding coordinator assistant. When she’s not assisting with a wedding, Kathy enjoys trying new restaurants in town, cake and cupcake decorating, traveling, or enjoying a binge-worthy Netflix thriller paired with a good glass of wine.
Kathy has volunteered with Triangle Dress for Success, which helps clients find an interview outfit or a week’s worth of clothes for work after they find employment. Kathy says that she sees firsthand how with the right clothing, a woman’s self-esteem increases and makes her more confident during the interview process. “It is rewarding to help someone find an interview outfit and then see them in a month or two to help them find work clothes for the job that they were interviewing for.” Kathy is also a member of the Junior League of Raleigh and Edenton Street United Method Church, where she has enjoyed various volunteer experiences over the years.
Kathy’s parents, brother, and sister-in-law are in the Wake Forest—Rolesville area. About two years ago, Kathy was a foster volunteer with Purr Partners Rescue and became what they call a “foster fail.” Purr Partners’ rescues are named after a letter of the alphabet. She was given the B Team – Barry, Belva, and Bixby, all four-month-old sibling cats. She says that by the time they got healthy, they had bonded, and she couldn’t give them up. Kathy formally adopted all three of them. Now that they are two years old, Kathy says that they have calmed down somewhat, but they still keep her busy and entertained with all of their shenanigans.
Property Management can be stressful at times, but Kathy says she is glad to work with a supportive team and positive company work culture at York. Her motto? “Don’t look for happiness… Create it.”
Special thank you to Kathy Decker for her years of dedication and commitment to York and the community!
Senior Association Manager Virginia Davis is a treasure to our Association Management division!
Born and raised in western North Carolina, Virginia moved to the Triangle area during her college years when she transferred from Appalachian State University to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She graduated from UNC in 1986 with a degree in journalism and worked in several different industries before entering the real estate world.
In 2004 Virginia began her career here at York, starting out in our Commercial Management division but later shifting to Association Management. Her problem-solving skills have come in handy over the years and she supports the entire team with her experience and understanding. Virginia says she enjoys the opportunity to teach others what she’s learned during her nearly 20-year tenure.
Over the years Virginia has managed to maintain a broad portfolio of properties (condominiums, townhomes, and neighborhood developments) while continuing to stay abreast of the latest laws and regulations. She joined the Community Association Institute in 2007 and served on the Legislative Action Committee from 2010 – 2022. In 2015 she received her Professional Community Association Manager (PCAM) designation, the highest association manager recognition nationwide.
Outside of the office, Virginia puts a priority on her family, regularly traveling to western North Carolina to look after her mother. She is also an animal lover and has two dogs and one cat at home. She tells us she would love to rescue more critters in the future.
We are extremely proud of all that Virginia has accomplished and look forward to her NEXT 20 years at York!
We are delighted to announce that Patty Friedman has just received her Certified Property Manager (CPM) certificate.
To achieve this premier designation, candidates must pass about 10 required courses given by the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM), including marketing, human resources, asset management, and ethics. Then, candidates are required to complete a management plan on a subject building and pass a 150-question exam covering all the courses.
Patty has dedicated many hours of hard work, studying, and testing to earn her CPM and it is a testament to her commitment to excellence in the property management industry, as well as a rewarding professional achievement.
Congratulations, Patty, on this well-deserved achievement!
From the town of Bunn, where she lives, to the Oak City and beyond, our Corporate Accountant, Rachel Vorys, is a shining leader. Born just south of Buffalo, NY, Rachel moved to Raleigh, NC, with her family at the age of 6 and has stayed near the Triangle area ever since.
Rachel and her husband of 21 years, Tom, live with their two children – Thomas (22) and Lily (18) – and one granddaughter – Maelynn (3). On any given weekend, you can find Rachel wandering around Chris’ Green House, finding new plants to put in her garden, and perusing the treasures at SuzAnna’s Antiques in Rolesville. She enjoys local eats with her family at the Farmer’s Kitchen or Levi’s Soul Café, but her favorite thing to do is go to Clifton Pond to hike, meditate, or paddle board around the ponds and streams.
Before joining York, Rachel had experience with bookkeeping and accounts payables and receivables for a local real estate firm. She says that what feels like 10 minutes has now become 10 years at York. During that time, Rachel has had many different titles and has become the go-to person for all accounting needs. We consider her the “fixer of things” and “sorter-outer of messes.”
In 2022, Rachel was selected to participate in Leadership Raleigh, a program designed to prepare and connect community leaders and business professionals in the Triangle. As part of the Leadership Raleigh program, she and a group of peers are currently working with the non-profit SAFEchild, whose mission and purpose is to end abuse and neglect for children and families.
While Rachel might not have just one saying or motto, when you chat with her, you are bound to hear something that will make your day brighter. Her pleasant and joyous personality brings smiles and laughs to all the York team.
Thank you, Rachel, for all you do! We are so proud to call you our own!
