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 5^th 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!

North Carolina native Stuart Fuller is a treasure to our York Maintenance team.

Born in Henderson, Stuart’s family lived in Benson and Louisburg before making Raleigh their home. He graduated from Millbrook High School in 1982.

Stuart worked with another local real estate firm for almost two decades before joining York Maintenance. He came to our team with a wealth of knowledge and expertise, and now serves as the head locksmith of the Maintenance division. Stuart takes joy in the variety of his daily workload. He gives his full self to his work which his team members can attest to.

When Stuart isn’t rekeying or repairing locks, you can find him at home with his wife of 31 years, Jackie Fuller. They have two sons together, Johnny and Nicholas.

Stuart also loves deep sea fishing. His catches include a 29lb Almaco Jack, 26lb King Mackerel, and a 21lb Cobia, but one of his favorite catches was a Triggerfish – a tender white fish perfect for grilling.

The family atmosphere and good relationships are just a few things that Stuart says he appreciates most about working with York. When asked about a life motto, Stuart said that honesty is very important and to “always treat people the way you want to be treated.”

Thank you, Stuart, for your years of commitment and dedication to our clients and the York Maintenance family.

Marketing Specialist, Vicky Eaton, is a Raleigh native with a degree in Journalism & Mass Communication from North Carolina A&T State University.

After graduating from A&T, she spent the next year and a half as a Hostess/Server at the former 18 Seaboard on Peace Street. It was there, while waiting on a table for one of our employees, that Vicky was (unknowingly) earmarked as someone who had exactly the type of personality we were looking for to fill a position within our Marketing department.

As it turned out, she was interested in the opportunity and a few weeks later, she was onboarded as an assistant to our marketing team. Fast-forward 3 years and Vicky is now a Marketing Specialist supporting her own team of four commercial brokers in our office. She is a North Carolina Notary Public and is responsible for our internal company newsletter. Vicky is also a board member for the Hillsborough Street Community Service Corporation (HSCSC) and Concept Factory.

If you ask her, Vicky will tell you that her passion in life is media and story-telling. She is a photographer, videographer, and graphic designer. She volunteers her time doing videography for Victorious Praise Fellowship Church in Durham. Vicky loves her family – Mom and two brothers (one of them is her twin) – and spends as much time as she can traveling, visiting extended family and friends, shopping, and dining her way through the City of Oaks. As she likes to say, “Life is too short for bland food.”

When asked about her job, Vicky says, “In addition to the work-life balance and amazing, vibrant coworkers, my favorite part of the job is the creative problem-solving element. I enjoy seeing puzzle pieces become a work of art. I enjoy helping others bring things to life and it is a privilege to do so with such an amazing team of people surrounding me daily. My team of brokers bring a wealth of knowledge, experience, and connections to the table which makes supporting and learning from them all the more valuable and intriguing.”

North Carolina native Julie Price is a staple here at York.  She was working in an Administrative Assistant role at Lyston Farmer & Associates when the firm was purchased by York in 2000.  Since that time, Julie has been a major part of York’s Association Management division, supporting the property managers with her full dedication.

Outside of the office, Julie loves to read and spend time with her children and husband.  She says she doesn’t like to cook; however, her youngest loves to cook with her and she really enjoys that.

She is a Board Member for her HOA and volunteers with the Durant Road Middle School PTA because she believes schools and parents should always work together in the best interest of children.

When asked about her work life Julie says, “My favorite part is talking to homeowners and helping them solve issues. Well…that and enjoying laughs with my cubicle mate, Beth. I love working for York. It really is like family here. I’ve always felt appreciated & needed. I just want to do the best job I can do and be the best person I can be.”

Thanks, Julie.  We love you too!

Captain Eric Thompson is a North Carolina native and an indispensable part of our Security Team.  He is married with 4 children and 3 grandchildren – all of whom live nearby and visit often.

He is originally from Little Washington and entered the United States Army straight out of high school. There he spent the next 26 years of his life, eventually becoming a member of the 82 Airborne – an elite division that can rapidly deploy in just 18 hours’ notice.  Once out of the military, he completed a police training course, intending to work in the Washington, D.C., area.  Unfortunately, a hiring freeze put an unexpected halt to those pursuits. Instead, Captain Thompson moved back to North Carolina, landing a job managing a warehouse for a furniture company.  He spent several years in the furniture business, shipping and receiving products from High Point to all over the world.  He says that after 9/11, the furniture business began to decline and after seeing an ad for York Security, he made the call.

Captain Thompson started out with York in 2009, filling in for a few days as an on-call security officer.  Not long after, he was asked to step into a role as a nighttime Mobile Supervisor and he has been a full-time employee ever since.  He is one of only a few York officers who is PPSB Certified for both armed and unarmed security.

When asked about his daily routine, Captain Thompson says that, with the exception of working from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM, there is no routine. Each day brings something new…alarm calls, break-ins, damage to property. A day that seems like it might be a slow one can turn hectic at the drop of a hat. With his straight-forward and calm demeanor, he doesn’t seem to mind. His favorite part of the job is interacting with our customers and the public.  He tells us that he is always striving to be better, each day. Words to live by!

Having someone as diligent and exceptionally qualified as Captain Thompson helping to lead our Security Team is a gift!  Many thanks to Captain Thompson for all that he does and for his years of loyal service.