About

Team

Learn about the Team at State of Colorado, including our State Treasurer and CST Debt Manager/CLIMBER Director.

Photo of Dave Young

Dave Young

State Treasurer

A native Coloradan, Dave Young is honored, humbled, and excited to serve as Colorado State Treasurer. Dave taught math, science, and technology at Heath Junior High in Greeley from 1975 to 1999. He worked for two years as an information architect with iXL, an international Web design firm, and another two years as a coder for a small programming company in Colorado Springs that performed DoD programming for NORAD. For nearly a decade, Dave worked as a senior instructor for the Information and Learning Technologies program at CU - Denver.

He never planned to enter politics, but Dave's younger sister is challenged with significant disabilities and he could see the difficulties she had getting care. He learned his sister wasn't the only one struggling to get essential services, and decided to run for office to fix a system that was taking advantage of the most vulnerable in our society.

Appointed to the Colorado legislature from House District 50 in 2011, Dave was then elected to that position in 2012. He was re-elected twice more. Throughout his career, Dave has seen first-hand how pivotal education and training are for opening opportunities for people. That's why he was pleased to be appointed to serve on the following committees: House Public Health Care and Human Services, Education, Health, Insurance and Environment, Transportation, and Appropriations. In November 2014, Dave was appointed to the Joint Budget Committee and as the Chair of the House Appropriations Committee.

Dave earned his Bachelor's degree in Mathematics at Colorado State University, and a Masters in Information and Learning Technologies at CU Denver. He is married to Mary Young, Ph.D., who has worked in the Greeley schools and neighboring school districts through the Board of Cooperative Education Services (BOCES). She has been a special education teacher, a special education coordinator, and a school psychologist. She is now the State Representative for HD 50 (Greeley, Evans, and Garden City).  Dave's sister, who is challenged with intellectual and developmental disabilities, lives in Pueblo West.  

Dave was sworn in as Colorado State Treasurer in January 2019. As State Treasurer, Dave has advocated for legislation that centers economic justice, including college savings accounts, small business loan funding, and the Colorado Secure Savings Program.

Photo of James Eke

James Eke

CST Debt Manager/CLIMBER Director
james.eke@state.co.us

James Eke is the Debt Manager for the Colorado Department of the Treasury with close to a decade of public service financial experience, he specializes in business and public finance and treasury operations, and finds it incredibly motivating being a financial advocate for the people of Colorado.

Professionally, James started his financial services career in a credit union, working his way up the ranks from a teller to becoming a member service representative and loan officer. He started his treasury experience at a biomedical firm at Terumo BCT eventually moving to become the Treasury and Finance Manager of Thompson Creek Metals. James began his public service career at Denver Public Schools as the Senior Manager of Treasury in 2014. Later moving to work at Colorado’s Department of Public Safety managing two accounting teams in assigned to the Colorado State Patrol and the Division of Criminal Justice. James took the opportunity and joined the state Treasurer’s office in December 2020 as the Debt Manager and CLIMBER Program Director for the state of Colorado.

James is a Colorado native growing up in Lakewood and currently residing in Castle Rock with his wife Melissa and their family. Not falling too far from the tree, he attended school at Metropolitan State University of Denver graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Finance. Later, getting a double MBA from Regis University in Accounting/Finance and Operations Management in 2009.

Personally, James loves spending his time enjoying the wonderful natural resources that Colorado has to offer with his friends and family. He enjoys accessing and spending time outdoors camping, off-roading and hiking. Colorado is a great place for sports and he also enjoys skiing, playing softball and golf and supporting Colorado’s amazing professional teams.