Scouts announce key volunteers

The Boy Scouts of America’s Nevada Area Council announced the election of key volunteer leadership at its annual meeting on Jan. 25.

Council President Jeffery Whitaker and Council Commissioner Ron Thornton will lead the NAC executive committee for 2015-2017, including Thierry Barkley (legal counsel), Ed Ricks (VP property/real estate), Dennis Lally (VP programs), Jim Stewart (VP district operations), Larry Tuntland (VP finance), Wade Christenson (treasurer), Jim Rogers (VP marketing and special events), Colonel Dan R. Waters (membership chair), Danny Hunsaker (VP training), and Sandy Rogers (VP community development). Scout Executive/CEO Keith Ashby continues his responsibility for the Council’s professional staff.

Jeffery Whitaker has spent more than 33 years as a financial advisor with Waddell & Reed. In 2013, he was recognized for being the third person in Waddell & Reed’s 75-year history to achieve $200 million in career investment sales. He has served on the company’s President’s Council, representing the top 12 financial advisors in the company, for nine years. He previously served as NAC’s Council Commissioner and has received the following BSA awards: Arrow of Light, Eagle Scout, Duty to God, and Silver Beaver.

Ron Thornton has served in the Boy Scout Organization for more than 35 years largely as Scoutmaster, direct contact leader, and district commissioner for the Pinenut District. He earned the Eagle Scout Rank in 1965 and has helped more than 20 young men achieve the rank of Eagle Scout. For more than 26 years, Thornton worked for Bently Nevada Corp. and then for General Electric. He also served 21 years with the Nevada Army National Guard, where he was awarded the Meritorious Service Ribbon and retired at the Rank of Major.

Keith Ashby began his Scouting career in 1978 as a district executive of the NAC. Ashby has worked in several Scouting councils and divisions, including in Las Vegas, Tucson, Ariz. and Casper, Wyo., and the national BSA office in Irving, Texas.

Jim Rogers is Immediate Past President of the NAC and current VP of marketing and special events. He’s also a member of the National Executive Board of the BSA, the organization’s governing body. He holds several distinguished BSA awards including Eagle Scout, Distinguished Eagle Scout, and the Silver Antelope Award. Rogers is chairman and chief executive officer of Kampgrounds of America, Inc., which represents 475 campgrounds and is the largest network of franchised family campgrounds in the world.

“Feb., 2015 marks the 105th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America,” said Ron Thornton. “The NAC has proudly represented the BSA for over 70 of those years. Our newly elected council committee has the honor of presiding over the second largest geographical BSA Council in the lower 48 states, encompassing over 101,000 square miles and 23 counties in northern Nevada and northeastern California. This distinction brings with it great responsibility in terms of leading, serving and engaging over 7,800 youth and nearly 3,200 registered adult volunteers.”

The Nevada Area Council encourages parents, volunteer and youth who want to have fun while building their own adventure, character and leadership skills to visit https://beascout.scouting.org.

For more information on supporting the Friends of Scouting movement, go to http://aplacetogive.scouting.org. For more about the Nevada Area Council, visit www.scouter.org or call 775­-787­-1111.