Chief Scout Executive : Ask Biography

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The Chief Scout Executive is the top professional of the National Council of the Boy Scouts of America. In most similar non-profit organizations, this is equivalent to the position of executive director.

The current Chief Scout Executive is Robert J. Mazzuca, who was named on May 22, 2007. Mazzuca took office on September 1, 2007 and succeeded Roy Williams.

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 the BSA, only three people (Ernest Thompson Seton, James E. West, Elbert K. Fretwell) have held the position of Chief Scout, which is separate and distinct from the position of CSE.

There also exists an assistant chief scout executive, formerly called deputy chief scout executive.

While the position of Chief Scout Executive had yet to be created, the first person to assume the helm of the BSA as a paid position was John Alexander from June to October 1910. At the time the position was called Managing Secretary. When he left the position, it was taken over by Edgar M. Robinson. 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.

Robinson met with Boyce on May 3, 1910, and was asked to join with Boyce in building one national organization. After the June organizational meeting, Robinson guided the organization until December 1910, when he had to resign because of his responsibilities to the YMCA. Colin H. Livingstone, president of the BSA, recommended a young attorney by the name of James E. West.

James West took the position of Managing Secretary of the BSA on January 2, 1911. He would later get the BSA to rename the position Chief Scout Executive on November 28, 1911.