In 1996, I started my adult journey with Scouting. When my son Robert wanted to join Scouting I did too. I just started out with being a Tiger Den helper, but I then became the Den Leader. From there I went from Den Leader, to Asst. Cubmaster, to Cubmaster, to Asst. Scoutmaster, to Scoutmaster, to Crew Advisor, to Asst. Lodge Advisor, to District Camping Chair, and finally Camp Babcock-Hovey Director. All as a volunteer, with both my sons and my wife all along for the ride. 

         All during my time as a volunteer I was working full time, going to school, and putting in a lot of hours as a volunteer. As the saying goes, "It is only an hour a week", the response to that is "Yes, per-Scout". I truly believe that to be true. A unit with five Scouts may only be an hour a week, but a unit with 30 Scouts is a lot more. And I enjoyed every minute of my 70+ Pack and my 30+ Troop. 

         My professional journey with Scouting really started when I became the Camp Director for Babcock-Hovey. In 2005 I finished college and was looking to start a new career, I offered to help with camp for the summer as I looked for my next move. Some how I ended up being the camp director. The next four years I worked at a school and was the camp director, in my mind I had two full time jobs and I enjoyed it. I grew the attendance at camp by over 50% in two years and doubled it by the end of 2008.

          In November of 2008, I was offered an District Executive position with Finger Lakes Council. I jumped at the chance, it was something I had working to do all along and had not really know it. The first year was one of the best years I have had in Scouting. I gave leadership to a newly formed District, three Districts in the Council were split up and formed into two. I then developed a new volunteer group and worked to create a new District identity. In the first year I increased membership and units and developed for the first time a true fundraising committee. 

           Part of my responsibilities was to still be the Camp Director for Babcock-Hovey. During my time as Camp Director, I was able get every unit in Finger Lakes Council to attend Babcock-Hovey at least once. Some did not return but everyone said that what I was doing was excellent but they like to go other places. I greatly improved staff performance and retention, many of my colleagues were amazed by how many staff came back every year. 

            A capital campaign for Babcock-Hovey had been started in 2003, and phase one had been completed in 2005. In 2008, I worked to start the completion of phase two. First by getting a fishing and boating pond completed for free from a generous donation from a volunteer that I had built a relationship with. I also started the process of redoing the shower houses to the individual stalls, all accessed from the outside. 

​           During my time as a District Executive for Finger Lakes Council, I was the staff advisor for the Order of the Arrow, Venturing, Advancement, Camping, District Operations, Membership, Scouting for Food, and Religious Relations ​committees. It was a small council and in that one year I made a large impact.