The Membership Impact Department is pleased to announce the addition of Rudy Gonzalez to our staff. In this position, Rudy will join the National Council on April 18 as a membership specialist on the Membership Recruitment Team and will be responsible for supporting the team’s primary mission of providing tactical support to local councils in building their capacity to grow and sustain their membership.

Rudy will assist in developing, strategizing, and implementing a comprehensive framework for advancing the full range of diversity and inclusion efforts in local councils.

Rudy began his professional Scouting career in the Sam Houston Area Council as a district executive in 2000, and later was promoted to senior district executive. He joined the Circle Ten Council in 2008 as the district director for the North District.

Rudy is an Eagle Scout and has received the Vigil Honor in the Order of the Arrow. He currently serves as a troop guide for Circle Ten’s Wood Badge 98 for the 21st Century Wood Badge, held at Philmont Scout Ranch. Rudy was also presented the Honor Medal for unusual heroism in saving the life of a young boy.

Rudy is a proud graduate of Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, with a Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural development. He graduated with scholarship support from KPMG Peat Marwick, Go Tejano Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, Randall’s Supermarkets, Houston Propeller Club, Houston International Realtors Association, Harrisburg Rotary Club, and USAA.

Source: Scout-Wire News Release

Houston energy executive and Sam Houston Area Council board member Dan Ownby will serve as one of a 12-member committee of volunteers from around the world that represents more than 31 million Scouts from 220 countries and territories. His election was made at the recent World Scout Conference in Brazil—where it was also announced the 24th World Scout Jamboree will be held in the United States.

Ownby, a lifelong member of the Scout program, is an Eagle Scout, a member of the Boy Scouts of America’s honor society, Order of the Arrow, and has served in numerous Scouting positions in the Houston area—most recently as chairman of the council’s centennial camporee, SHACJam, which was attended by over 27,000 participants. Ownby is a member of the BSA’s International Committee and the U.S. Foundation for International Scouting, and has been active with international Scouting for over a decade.

His earliest connection with international Scouting dates back to a summer at the Cub Scout day camp in his hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he became acquainted with two international Scouts visiting from Holland. Much of his adult life has revolved around helping kids in the Scouting program and introducing Scouts from different parts of the world to Scouting opportunities. Ownby was instrumental in establishing an exchange program with Scouts from the Republic of Georgia. Through the 7-year-old exchange program, Scouts from the republic have had the opportunity to work with Scouts at camps in the Houston area, advancing their leadership skills and sharing their culture.

Ownby’s primary goal for the committee is to help nations utilize Scouting to develop their next generation of leaders. He commends the leadership provided by former World Scout Committee Chairman and former BSA National President Rick Cronk, who has laid the groundwork for building a program that will attract young people from around the world.

Ownby and his wife, Allison, reside in the Houston area.

About the Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America prepares young people for life by providing the nation’s foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training. The Scouting organization is composed of 2.7 million youth members between the ages of 7 and 21, and more than a million volunteers, in nearly 300 local councils throughout the United States and its territories. For more information on the Boy Scouts of America, please visit www.scouting.org.

For more information on the World Organization of the Scout Movement, visit www.scout.org

Boy Scouts from all over Texas converged on Austin to celebrate 99 years on Saturday. The 60th anniversary of the parade consisted of 3,000 scouts. After the parade, which ends at the State Capital, the Scouts made their Report to the State.

Austin American-Statesman Video
or

Fox 7 News Story Video

On Saturday, during the report to the state @CapitolAreaBSA was live tweeting the event on twitter. Here are some of the reports highlights:

– Alamo Area Council reports a successful food drive in 2008, collecting half million lbs food and clothing for needy.
– Bay Area Council Scouts performed 30,000 hours of community service in 2008.
– Buffalo Trails Council’s Soccer and Scouting program grew by 50% in 2008, getting more Hispanic children into Scouting.
– Capitol Area Council reports 9 Scouts in 2008 received heroism, lifesaving or meritorious action awards.
– Circle Ten Council had a council-record 831 Eagle Scouts in 2008.
– East Texas Area Council reports coming together with the community to recover from a Cub Scout parade accident.
– Northwest Texas Council reports renovating Camp Perkins on 2008, to allow more young people the chance to learn about the outdoors.
– Sam Houston Area Council reports holding relief efforts for victims of Hurricane Ike, including more than 14,000 hours of community service.
– Rio Grande Council reports working with the Diabetes Association to create opportunities for children to enjoy physical fitness programs.

Does your Council participate in a Report to the State on Scouting?