Q: What council are you with, and what do you do in Scouting?
A: I serve in Circle Ten Council in Dallas, Texas, as a district chairman for four counties. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to serve in several councils—including Longhorn Council in Texas, Last Frontier Council in Oklahoma, Ti’ak Lodge in the Pine Burr Area Council in Mississippi, and the Transatlantic Council in Belgium. I also serve as the Advisor to Venturing Crew 73, a crew with a unique focus on ham radio. Through that role, I help youth develop technical skills and leadership abilities. On the National level, I’ve served as the lead dentist at the last four National Jamborees, helping care for the health and safety of thousands of Scouts. 

Q: Why did you become a NESA Legacy Society Fellow?
A: I learned about the NESA Legacy Society at the National Jamboree in 2017. I believe in NESA’s mission and want to support the next generation of Eagle Scouts.

Q: Which NESA initiatives do you find most important?
A: I always enjoyed the old Eagle’s Nest magazine. I thought it did a great job keeping new Eagle Scouts engaged in Scouting. The most significant benefit I see in NESA is encouraging young Eagle Scouts to maintain their involvement and build relationships with like-minded peers.

Q: What would you like to see NESA do in the future?
A: It’s a shame that more new Eagle Scouts do not stay involved. NESA should do more to encourage Eagle Scouts to join the Venturing program, become more active in the Order of the Arrow, and generally offer opportunities to keep these young men and women engaged throughout college and their early professional careers. Scouting doesn’t have to end at 18—it can evolve. NESA has the potential to be a bridge that helps young adults stay connected to the values and community that shaped them.

Q: Do you have a favorite Scouting memory that inspires your support for NESA—and might encourage others to join the NESA Legacy Society?
A: One of my favorite memories is from a Northern Tier trek in Canada with my two sons, who were 15 and 17 then. I was in the stern of a canoe with my Scoutmaster’s wife and her son—we were the last in line, behind the rest of the group, and running late. I had the maps, knew exactly where we were, and spotted a little-used route—so I took the turn. That shortcut brought us from the back of the line to the front and got us to camp much earlier than expected.

The skills and confidence I gained as a 14-year-old Eagle Scout (Class of 1972) gave me the tools to succeed at that moment, and they continue to serve me as an adult. I love that NESA supports opportunities like that for youth today.

But my most defining Scouting moment came earlier, as a rite of passage. My father had to drop out of Scouting during World War II, but he still deeply valued it. When I was 12, he said, ‘I’ll always take you to your meetings—but it’s your responsibility to tell me when to take you. You’re old enough to take ownership of that.’ Just before our family moved from Long Island to Texas, he found a troop for me and signed me up. That moment taught me accountability at a young age. I became the first of 11 Eagle Scouts in that troop, and I’ve carried those lessons with me ever since. 

About the NESA Legacy Society

Established in 2013, the NESA Legacy Society provides a meaningful way to support the National Eagle Scout Association’s endowment fund directly. Contributions to this fund help sustain Eagle Scout scholarships, NESA committee service grants, career networking opportunities, and programs that inspire the next generation of Eagles.

Membership is open to anyone first recognized as a James E. West Fellow, regardless of Eagle Scout or NESA membership status. Contributions to the NESA Legacy Society are intended to complement, not replace, an individual’s regular support of their local council’s fundraising efforts. A minimum gift of $1,000 secures membership as a NESA Legacy Society Fellow and grants the honor of wearing the silver NESA Legacy Society Eagle device on the James E. West knot.

For more information on becoming a NESA Legacy Society Fellow, visit: nesa.org/awards-and-recognition/nesa-legacy-society/