We are excited to welcome John Cary as the new Scout Executive of Crossroads of America Council. His hometown is Louisville, Kentucky, and he brings more than 24 years of nonprofit leadership experience to this role. John has held leadership positions in Scouting America at the Baltimore Area, Pine Tree (Portland, Maine), and Lincoln Heritage (Louisville, Kentucky) Councils, and also served as CEO of the Builders Exchange of Kentucky.
John is moving to central Indiana with his wife, Mary, and their daughter, who will earn her Star Scout rank this summer. He is excited to join the Crossroads of America community and looks forward to meeting and working alongside our volunteers, families, and supporters across the council.
Please join us in giving a warm welcome to John and his family!
My focus will be on connecting with the team members of Crossroads of America and building strong relationships with our volunteers and supporters across the council. At the same time, I will prioritize growing membership and ensuring we remain fiscally responsible to support a strong and sustainable future for Scouting in central Indiana.
Success in Scouting America has always been about providing every young person with the opportunity to experience the benefit of Scouting. As more youth participate in the program, we are helping prepare them for success in adulthood. Their success is our success.
At the core of being a Scout professional is engaging our community. This includes the volunteer who gives their time each week to deliver a quality Scouting program to youth, as well as the corporate and civic leaders who want to support our mission. We will be a council that always keeps this fundamental principle in mind.
The Scouting America program is just as relevant today as it was 115 years ago. Our communities need young people to learn the importance of character, a commitment to service, team building, and leadership. These traits, along with many others, are highly sought in the workforce and are essential to the future of our country. No other youth organization provides the same developmental opportunities that Scouting America offers.
I enjoy sporting clays, fly fishing, and reading. I also set aside time each week to exercise which helps keep me “physically fit”!
At Crossroads of America, and across the State of Indiana, I am truly excited about our potential for membership growth. Families are increasingly looking for ways to reduce screen time and help their kids spend more time outdoors in a safe and fun environment. In addition, the State of Indiana is working closely with Scouting America and supporting partnerships with schools to help teach young people the importance of patriotism and civic engagement. Together, these efforts put us in a strong position to welcome even more youth into Scouting.