Chief Scout Executive

The Chief Scout Executive is the president and chief executive officer of Scouting America. The office holder is a member of the organization’s professional staff and is responsible for its management and operations.

Roger Krone is the current chief scout executive, succeeding Roger Mosby after his retirement in November 2023. Krone is the first chief scout executive appointed after the organization emerged from bankruptcy.

History

Edgar M. Robinson was the YMCA's first International Secretary for Boys' Work and had written an article in the national YMCA's magazine praising the Scouting program in use at many YMCA's in the country. He saw the need to help William D. Boyce with the organization of Scouting America, met with Boyce on May 3, 1910, and agreed to help Boyce organize Scouting America’s national leadership at its June meeting. He recommended John Alexander, another YMCA executive, be appointed the managing secretary, and Alexander served in that role from June until the end of the year, when the national executive board appointed James E. West to that position, effective January 1911. West took on the position initially for a sixth month period, settled into the role, and assumed the new position of chief scout executive by agreement with the board in November 1911.

As of 2025, there have been 15 men who have served in the position of chief scout executive during the history of Scouting America. All other professional Scouters and employees of the National Council work under the direction of the chief scout executive.

During the history of Scouting America, the sitting chief scout executive has during some periods appointed a deputy chief scout executive and/or one or more assistant chief scout executives. In most cases, these men reported directly to the CSE, but in some cases, an assistant CSE worked under the direction of the deputy CSE. Although the deputy CSE has normally been considered the chief scout executive’s right hand man, there is not an automatic succession to the top position, which has been filled by appointment by a committee of the national executive board on each occasion that a new chief scout executive was needed.

This position should not be confused with the position of Chief Scout. Many national Scout associations still use this position, however, it is always for a volunteer position, not a paid one. In Scouting America, only three people (Ernest Thompson Seton, James E. West and Elbert K. Fretwell) have held the position of Chief Scout, which is separate and distinct from the position of Chief Scout Executive.

List of chief scout executives

Deputies

Assistants

See also

* National Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of America

Further reading

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References

External links

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{{Scoutorg BSA