Potawatomi Area Council’s Executive Board Search Committee would like to announce that Patrick Scherer has been hired as Potawatomi Area Council’s new Scout Executive. He will become the 13th Scout Executive in the history of the Council and will start his new position on March 9, 2009.

Pat has over 18 years of professional service in Scouting having served in Menasha, WI, Portland, OR and for the last five years in San Francisco, CA. He has held the positions of District Executive, Sr. District Executive, Camping Director, District Director, Finance Director and his current position as the Director of Field Service for the San Francisco Bay Area Council.

Pat and his wife Mara met during their college days at St. Norbert College in De Pere, WI. They have two children Maija (9) and Tyler (7). Maija is in fourth grade and is in Girl Scouts. Tyler is in first grade and is in Cub Scouts where Pat currently serves as Cubmaster.

Born and raised in Manitowoc, WI, he has been a member of the Boy Scouts of America for 30 years. He was a Cub Scout and earned the Arrow of Light. As a Boy Scout he achieved the rank of Eagle Scout and earned the Ad Altare Dei Award as a member of Troop 931. He is a Vigil member of the Order of the Arrow, a recipient of the Founder’s Award and has served as a Section Vice Chief.

Strengths from his experiences in other Councils will help propel the Potawatomi Area Council to the next level. The committee was particularly excited about his financial, planning and administrative strength. He is equally strong in field operations with success in membership, traditional program and Scoutreach.

He will be highly visible within the Council as soon as he settles in to his new office. Please take an opportunity to welcome Pat to his new position as the leader of the Potawatomi Area Council.

The following was a news release issued by Potawatomi Area Council.

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Over 430 businesspeople from Southeastern Wisconsin converged on the Country Springs Hotel for Potawatomi Area Council’s 11th Annual Leadership Breakfast to learn more about Scouting in the area and hear Mike Huckabee’s views on leadership.

Mr. Huckabee was the 44th Governor of Arkansas, serving from 1996-2007, and campaigned for the 2008 Republican nomination for President. He has published five books, his latest, Do the Right Thing: Inside the Movement That’s Bringing Common Sense Back to America. Mr. Huckabee has numerous connections to Scouting; he was a Cub Scout and Boy Scout, one of his son’s is an Eagle Scout, the other was an Explorer.

In an interview with WITI-TV, Mike Huckabee explained, “Scouting is I think a very very important part of a young man growing up, and I think the words ‘On My Honor’ which starts the Scout Oath says it all… its about Honor.”

Mr. Huckabee’s keynote speech called for a “Return to Honor” and praised the Scouting movement. “A man who was once a Boy Scout or Eagle Scout has a great deal to offer a potential employer, and exceptional levels of responsibility and character”, said Mike Huckabee during the fundraising breakfast.

Video of Mr. Huckabee’s Speech
Hat Tip: BoyandGirlScouts.com for the Video Link

The night before the Leadership Breakfast, Mike Huckabee greeted and mingled with over 30 guests at the V.I.P. Reception, held at the Harkrider Service Center.

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On Thursday, September 25, a crowd of over 125 community members gathered to dedicate the new Council Service Center of the Potawatomi Area Council, Boy Scouts of America. The new Council Service Center will service Scouting programs for future generations of youth.

Webelos Scouts from Pack 55 of the Brookfield Jaycees started the ceremony with the Pledge of Allegiance. Mark Jansen, Scout Executive, and Don Reinicker, Council President, made remarks thanking the many donors for their generous support to the Building for Character Capital Campaign. Campaign co-chairs, Tom Dalum and Rick Kobriger led the ribbon cutting ceremony to officially mark the opening of the new center. Troop 71 of St. John Vianney in Brookfield, led the crowd in the Scout Law to close the ceremony.

The grand opening marks the first time ever that volunteers and staff will have an up to date service center geared toward the needs of membership in the Council’s 77 year history. The building offers several meeting spaces, and a new National Scout Shop which supplies uniforms and other Scouting program gear.

The new Council Service Center replaces the old outdated and overcrowded 4,500 square foot facility which is now torn down. If you would like to own a piece of the old Service Center, the Council is auctioning off the front door! The current bid is $500, and bidding will end on Friday, October 10th, 2008 at noon.

Potawatomi Area Council has also issued a special CSP to commemorate the occasion. The CSP is available through the Potawatomi Area Council Service Center.

Story submitted by a volunteer of the Potawatomi Area Council.

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