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With the departure of Finance Director Don Warn to Guilford County, Buncombe is turning to a familiar face to helm the Finance Department. On Jan. 25, the Board of Commissioners approved appointing Mason Scott as interim Finance Director while the County searches for a permanent director. He brings 11 years of experience working for Buncombe County, having most recently served as the Assistant Finance Director.
Scott says his existing knowledge of the County’s finances will help him transition to this new role. “The Finance department is made up of very smart, highly skilled, thoughtful, and meticulous people already doing great work. My main focus is providing support that allows this team to continue their high standards of care and customer service within and outside the organization,” explains Scott. “A more tangible goal on my list is preparing for another timely and successful audit. The County’s annual external audit isn’t due until Oct. 31 each year, but faithful accounting for public funds is a constant effort.”
Buncombe County is confident that Scott’s institutional familiarity will help ensure smooth financial operations during this transitional period while the County undergoes a thorough search for its next Finance Director.
Mason Scott’s professional biography
Mason Scott has worked for Buncombe County for 11 years in public-facing and internal support roles. He began his career in the Planning department as a Planning Technician/Planner I before transitioning into business administration as Business Officer for the County’s IT department. In 2017, Mason joined the Workday implementation team with a wide range of duties including configuration of financial processes and reports; project management support; and communications and training. He has formally been part of the Finance department since 2019, where he served as Financial Planning and Analysis manager prior to being promoted to Assistant Finance Director in December 2022. In Mason’s time with the County, he has been a researcher, trainer, zoning and junk car inspector, business and project manager, policy and report writer, and technology system specialist. He greatly appreciates any role that allows him to support the many others in this organization who are doing great and important work. Mason holds a Bachelor of Arts in German from Wake Forest University and a master’s degree in Project Management from Western Carolina University.