A Dedicated Team You Can Trust
Chris Smith, President
Chris Smith was named the Interim Executive Director effective July 1 through March 2023. Smith has an extensive history with the Sports Commission and served on the original task force in 2008 that led to the establishment of the Asheville Buncombe Regional Sports Commission. In 2014, Smith was selected to serve on the Board of Directors and served as Vice Chairman (2017) and Chairman from 2018 until December 2021. As Chairman, Smith was a member of the Local Organizing Committees for each of the three Billie Jean King Cup Ties and the Asheville Championship and was asked to serve an extended term during the pandemic.
A native of Hendersonville, Smith played baseball and graduated from Hendersonville High and UNC Asheville. Smith worked for 24 seasons with the Asheville Tourists as the Assistant General Manager for 17 seasons and the Senior Sales Manager for 7 years. Prior to working for the Tourists full-time, he served as the official scorer while also working as a beat writer for the Asheville Citizen-Times. Before joining the Tourists, Smith was a Baseball Coach and Sports Information Director at Mars Hill College.
Chris resides in Fletcher with his wife Mandy. He has four children, Pali (21), Zach (19) and Presley (7) and a step-daughter Taylor (15).
Chris can be reached at CHRIS@ASHEVILLESPORTS.ORG
Madison Davis, Vice President
Madison Davis joined the Sports Commission staff in November 2016. Davis received his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of North Carolina at Asheville where he played basketball for the Bulldogs and went on to become Director of Basketball Operations after his four-year playing career. Davis later earned his Master’s Degree from Western Carolina University in General Business Administration.
Madison currently resides in East Asheville with his wife Becca and their son, Hudson.
Madison can be reached at madison@ashevillesports.org
Lucas Owens, Director of Events
The Asheville Buncombe Regional Sports Commission (ABRSC) is proud to welcome Lucas Owens as its new Director of Events. A graduate of the University of North Carolina Asheville, Lucas brings over a decade of experience in sports and event management, including leadership roles with the YMCA of Western North Carolina and Prospect Select Baseball.
A longtime Asheville resident, Lucas has built his career on creating impactful sporting experiences that strengthen communities and foster regional pride. His deep understanding of event operations, partnership development, and community engagement will play a vital role in advancing the Commission’s mission.
“I am very excited to bring my knowledge of sports/event management to the ABRSC,” Owens said. “Asheville has been my home for the last 12 years and seeing the work that the ABRSC has done for the community is truly inspirational. I am glad to be a part of this team and cannot wait to bring exciting new opportunities to our community!”
With his extensive background and commitment to the growth of sports in Western North Carolina, Lucas Owens is poised to help elevate the ABRSC’s impact and continue positioning Asheville as a premier destination for athletic events.