By Jon Pleva, Director of Field Service and COO

The last 8 months have certainly been eventful for the new Spirit of Adventure Council.  As two Boy Scout councils become one, there has been a number of changes made, particularly with our staff.  I’d like to take a moment to share some of the ideas behind the changes and the desired outcomes.

As the Chief Operating Officer (Director of Field Service) much of that implementation rests with me, a responsibility I embrace. As you can imagine a merger is more than simply putting two balance sheets together and filing some paperwork with that state. Both councils had their unique own culture, procedures and expectations. During the creation of the Spirit of Adventure we purposefully set out to develop a third entity – one with a complete focus on helping Scouting Thrive in our communities. This third entity will need to develop its own unique culture and, along with that culture new expectations.

As we continue to move forward, the staff for the new council has to be hired into that new culture. We have many new staff members to introduce and we are currently interviewing for our final vacancies. We have taken our time and we have been deliberate.

First we had to understand what that new culture will and should be like (including where the offices will be and what tools people will need to do their jobs).

Second we are striving build the new staff around the strategic vision and our complete dedication to making Scouting thrive in all our communities.

The folks who work for the Boy Scouts are truly in partnership with hundreds and thousands of like-minded people working to raise a great generation. I encourage you to reach out to your local staff member – they are your partner! Provide feedback and work with them as we work together to grow Scouting.

Keep the dialogue open, stay informed – That will help you know the priorities and how your voice is heard in setting those priorities. An informed Scouting community helps everyone understand the expectations and how we all work together to set those expectations. As we work together those expectations, your efforts and your staff are all aligned to help Scouting Thrive in your Community.

Check out this page to meet the staff.