Lynn Forney Young, Honorary President General 2013-2016
Honorary President General Lynn F. Young has been a DAR member for 36 years and has a distinguished service background. She was elected to the position of President General of the Daughters of the American Revolution after serving the Society in a variety of national, state and local roles. This includes serving as Tejas Chapter Regent and from 2006-2009 as State Regent of Texas, the largest DAR State Society with more than 17,000 members and 195 chapters. She is the first member from Texas in the Society's 125 year history to be elected as President General.
As Honorary President General, Mrs. Young headed the women's volunteer service organization which includes more than 177,000 members in nearly 3,000 chapters in the United States and 14 foreign countries. As Chief Executive Officer of the non-profit organization, she also led a professional staff of 140 at the National Headquarters in the heart of Washington, D.C. The staff is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the organization as well as the maintenance and promotion of the Society's National Historic Landmark buildings, which are open to the public.
"The vision of the Young Administration was to encourage every generation to celebrate the spirit of the men and women who achieved our nation's independence," explained Honorary President General Young in her installation speech. "Through a renewed and unparalleled commitment to meaningful public service, we hope to enhance public awareness of our vital, relevant and timeless mission to promote historic preservation, education and patriotism."
As one of the central goals of the Young Administration, members were challenged to give a collective one million hours of service annually in promoting the objectives of the DAR. This goal was surpassed very early in the administration, achieving over 14 million volunteer hours. The Society also celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2015 with a Day of Service that will be continued for years to come.
Mrs. Young assumed the Society's highest office after having served for three years as the Recording Secretary General, a role responsible for overseeing the documentation of the proceedings of the National Society. She took on that Executive Board position following her three year position as the State Regent of Texas. Her additional leadership includes numerous national chairmanships and vice chairmanships as well as distinguished service at all levels in the Texas State Society.
Known for her outstanding leadership and enthusiasm, Mrs. Young initiated several high profile projects during her time as State Regent. The award winning "Today's DAR" membership recruitment video was celebrated and embraced by the membership and is still being utilized by the organization in promotion efforts. A premier exhibit of DAR Museum quilts was featured at the world renowned International Quilt Festival in Houston. A monument to the patriots of the American Revolution buried in Texas was erected and more than $50,000 was raised and donated for the restoration of the historic Texas Governor's Mansion.
In addition to Mrs. Young's extensive DAR service, she is also very active in her church and community and has been honored for her local leadership efforts. For more than 9 years she has served as a Deputy Representative for VAVS, and was part of the steering committee for the Houston Fisher House Benefit and Homes for Our Troops.
Mrs. Young's family has lived in Houston, Texas going back 5 generations and she is the fourth of six generations of DAR/SAR/C.A.R members. She and her husband, Steve, own a family cattle ranch outside of Austin where they were recently recognized for the restoration and preservation of a historic cemetery located on the property. She is the mother of one daughter and one son, and grandmother to two grandsons and one granddaughter.