David Edall, survey and knowledgebase lead at ScottMadden, joined the firm in 2018 after receiving a B.S.B.A. in economics from Appalachian State University. David works across all firm practice areas and serves on the leadership team for &Cookies and ScottMadden’s culture committee.
Gearing Up
David Edall was born outside of Detroit, Michigan, where he lived with his parents and older brother until the age of eight. Even at an early age, David had an appetite for adventure. When his dad announced a family move to Morganton, North Carolina, David was all aboard. 
He happily and easily adapted to his new home and new school. He met his best friend of 20 years on the very first day of third grade and by fifth grade was a decorated capture-the-flag competitor. David’s family also began a cherished tradition of vacationing at Isle of Palms in South Carolina. Every time they visited, David loved to hit his favorite local spot—the tourist strip mall, sometimes up to four times a day! At 15, David’s money-making aspirations led him to pursue a job at a local grocery store, Ingles. Despite dreams of becoming a cashier and wielding a scanner, David accepted the position of bagger with grace and pushed himself to be great; every toilet scrubbed and liver mush bagged was one step closer to his true place behind the register. When David was given the occasional chance to act as cashier, it made the time, scanner in hand, that much sweeter.
Setting Off
After high school, David set off to college at the University of North Carolina – Wilmington. He continued running cross-country, a hobby he had picked up in high school that became a gateway to his love of exercise. 
After two years, David decided to trade college on the coast for college in the mountains and attended Appalachian State University to be closer to family and the hiking trails. While there, he once again sought out a job at a grocery store. His new role as bookkeeper provided a next level of autonomy, and David thrived being able to set challenges and improve processes. David met Abbie, his future wife when they both worked the register. The two quickly bonded over a shared interest in the TV show, “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” and soon set up routine lunches that became the start of a budding relationship. After graduating, David and Abbie moved to Raleigh, where David accepted a job in a management program through Enterprise Rent-A-Car. There, he was responsible for daily branch operations, customer service, and most importantly, cleaning cars in a full suit. However, the job was not rewarding in the way he had hoped. So, David continued to pursue various career paths—from sales associate at Citrix to an interim role as a cashier at Whole Foods. Then, he did an online search for analyst positions and found one that blended most of his interests. He applied to the position of survey analyst at ScottMadden, interviewed, and accepted the role. The good news? He had just been offered his dream job. The bad news? He had to tell his manager, who just finished training him for two weeks, that he was quitting. Finally, pieces of what he’d been searching for professionally had fallen into place.
Reaching New Heights
Outside of work, David’s competitive and adventurous spirit is reflected in the hobbies he enjoys. He loves activities that challenge his mental and physical strength, such as indoor cycling, kickboxing, and most notably (and recently): high-altitude mountaineering. 
His passion for mountaineering started in 2019 when he immersed himself in the American high-altitude mountaineer, Ed Viesturs’, books and audiobooks. After diving into research on the topic, David was inspired to climb Mount Rainier. The final nudge came as a sweet surprise from his wife, who secretly arranged to have his book signed by Ed with the words, “Rainier awaits you, go for it!” In 2022, despite facing many challenges during the ascent, David summited Mount Rainier—one of his self-proclaimed greatest accomplishments to date. In the near term, he hopes to continue to hone his climbing skills on other high-altitude peaks. Ultimately, however, he dreams of climbing Denali, one of the seven summits of the world. Between mountain climbs, or vying for #1 on the cycling leaderboard, David cherishes spending quality time with his family, friends, and dog, Luna, whether it’s going out or just spending time at home. Any moment can be an adventure—big or small!