Derek Young, also known as DY, has truly seen the power of God shape his life and take him through a variety of ‘firsts’. Beginning with the strong foundation he gained from his mother and grandmother in a single parent home in the largest housing project in St. Louis, Missouri, he was the first member of his family to attend a private high school, entering Saint Louis University High School at age 12. He was the first member of his family to graduate from college, starting Rockhurst College at age 16 and graduating at 20. In 1985 he became the first member of his family to enter corporate America.
He was the first 20-year-old to join the internal audit department for the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, where he also served as an economic research analyst. He was the first communications analyst for the Collections division at Sprint telecommunications global headquarters. As a Career Development Manager for INROADS he was the first person to lead the Southeast region in college graduate job placement and intern placement four consecutive years; helping 700 young leaders enter 60 colleges and universities and 50 Fortune 1000 companies. In the mid to late 90’s and early 2000’s he was the founding director of corporate social responsibility and continuous process improvement and the director of leadership development for the nation’s top discount retailer, Dollar General. At the start of the new millennium, he became the first head of diversity and community outreach at Cracker Barrel.
In 2005 he became the first entrepreneur in his family when he and his wife Allyson formed YMG Enterprises, a Nashville-based corporate culture consulting firm. As a management consultant, keynote speaker, executive coach, corporate leader, community advocate (and former stand-up comedian), he has positively impacted more than 500,000 leaders from 45 industries, through more than 10,000 engagements. His clients include, AT&T, Bass Pro-Cabela’s, Catholic Charities, Eli Lily, FleishmanHillard, Florida A&M University, Girl Scouts, Goodyear, Habitat for Humanity, HCA Healthcare, International Paper, Johnson & Johnson, Nissan, Prudential, the State of Tennessee, Tractor Supply, United Way, the US Department of Agriculture, Vanderbilt University, and YMCA.
As a strong community advocate for numerous nonprofits, he became the first statewide Board Chairman and only four-time Nashville WalkAmerica Chairman for March of Dimes-Tennessee, the first Community Engagement Chairman and Community Leader of the Year (and Board Member) for the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, and the only person to serve as a national corporate partner, local corporate partner, local CEO, local board member, member of the year, and program founder (100 KINGS) for 100 Black Men of America.
When he’s not inspiring audiences he can be found enjoying time with Allyson and their four children, or watching St. Louis Cardinals baseball, Premier League and Nashville Soccer Club soccer, or great movies.
