Scout Executive 


Kevin Nichols – 11.2024               
Resume

TITLE:  Scout Executive
             Mount Baker Council, Everett, Washington

OBJECTIVE: To effectively utilize my well-rounded abilities, talents, and skills gained through 35 years of successful service as Scouting America professional including serving as a CEO in four councils, to achieve the Scout Executive role within a leading Council.

BACKGROUND SUMMARY:  Many years of successful professional service in councils ranging from rural to urban and within three of the four legacy Scouting America regions. Proven success and results oriented in a variety of staff positions within direct unit service, quality program and property management, development and marketing leadership, and field team management, including highly successful service as the Chief Executive Officer for multiple local councils. Consistently achieved success while gaining valuable experience in management roles including overall council day-to-day operations, membership growth management and retention, volunteer recruiting and motivation, experience in fundraising for operating, capital and endowment, consistent year-end surplus achievement, budget development and fiscal control, staff leadership and development, marketing and communications, and visionary strategic planning and execution. 
 

SELECTED CAREER ACHIEVEMENTS


Fiscal Stewardship and Cash Flow Management:  Consistently guided fiscal operations with success and considerable improvement within the four Councils I have served as Scout Executive. In the Mount Baker Council, managed and guided unrestricted new assets growth in the Operating Fund by increase of 71% from $463k at 2017 year-end to $793K at 2021 year-end. In the past five years as Scout Executive in Mount Baker, guided operating fund surplus to a five-year total of $568,000, well over the budgeted surplus goal of $106,600 for the same time span. As Scout Executive for the Voyageurs Area Council in 2006, led the plan that eliminated a net asset debt of $450,000 (with an annual budget of $850,000) by the end of 2009 (four years ahead of schedule). Highly effective management of cash flow including a cash balance increase in the Mount Baker Council from $592,000 in 2019 to $1,131,000 in 2021, while the pandemic was occurring.

Operating Fund Fundraising and Revenue:  A long career of successfully attaining and surpassing fundraising and revenue goals through traditional direct support campaigns and creative events. Steadily managed innovative special fundraising events to higher revenues including increasing Mount Baker Council’s auction support, through innovative online platforms and increased sponsorships, from $179k in 2018 to over $438k in 2022. Consistently increasing Popcorn Sales revenues throughout my career including leading Mount Baker Council in becoming the #1 selling council in 2022 among same-size councils with $850,000 in sales. Launched a recurring giving program in 2021 that raised $130,000 in the first year for the Mount Baker Council. Successful management of new dollars through grants including increasing grants 25% to $100,000 annually in the Clinton Valley Council.

Membership Growth and Management:  Consistently recognized by the BSA, over a large majority of my career, for membership growth in my assignments, including 2022 CSE Growth Achiever. Managed growth of Cub Scouts by 22% and girls membership by 74% since June 2021 in the Mount Baker Council. Steadily developed and implemented creative and innovative outreach programs that achieved membership growth in hard-to-serve populations throughout my career including launching successful Hispanic youth programs in the Yankee Clipper and Mount Baker councils. Guiding staff, membership committees and commissioner teams to regularly achieve above average retention percentages that are consistently in the top 2 or 3 in the Area or NST, including currently being the top council in NST1 for several months.

Capital Funding and Endowment Support:  As part of “Build Character Today, Lead Tomorrow” capital campaign, provided management and guidance for the President Ford Field Service Council’s success in raising over $6.2 million in support, included a $1 million lead gift, for the creation of the Adventure Point program facility in Grand Rapids. As Scout Executive in Mount Baker Council, guided the completion of fundraising and construction of a camp capital campaign of $1.5 million that constructed seventeen significant new facilities and three important infrastructure projects. Additionally, the Mount Baker Council successfully secured a $1 million dollar lead gift in June 2023 as part of a new $1.55 million camp capital campaign. Secured over $920,000 in funds from camp conservation easements for camp capital projects in the Yankee Clipper Council. Consistently securing large major gifts for council endowments including $100,000 gift in the Yankee Clipper Council and recent gifts of $250,000 and $130,000 in the Mount Baker Council. Collaborating closely with council investment committees to grow fund balances year over year, including a 39% increase of net assets since 2018 in the Mount Baker Council endowment.

Staff Leadership:  As CEO/COO for five successful councils, consistently recruited, developed, and led teams of highly functional staff members to support the membership, fundraising, volunteer engagement and program objectives of these councils. Mentored several staff members under my supervision to become successful managers within local Councils including three Scout Executives. Served as Scout Executive instructor for Senior Leadership Essentials 1 & 2 courses and First-Time Scout Executive Orientation. Served as a mentor to SLE 2 candidates on a consistent basis.

Strategic Planning:  As assessed by the Gallup’s Strength Finder program, strategic planning and future thinking are two of my key strengths. Consistently guided and provided leadership for several overall council long-range operational plans and camp facility master plans including the development of the Yankee Clipper Council’s first long-range operational plan in six years, which engaged more than one hundred volunteers. Guided strategic financial improvement plan in the Voyageurs Area Council that eliminated the $451K operating fund debt within three years.


EMPLOYMENT HISTORY:

Feb. 2018 to Present         Scout Executive, Mount Baker Council, Everett, Washington
April 2014 to Jan. 2018     Scout Executive, President Ford Field Service Council, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Aug. 2010 to April 2014    Scout Executive, Yankee Clipper Council, Haverhill, Massachusetts
Sept. 2006 to Aug. 2010    Scout Executive, Voyageurs Area Council, Hermantown, Minnesota
1996 to August 2006         Director of Field Service/COO, Clinton Valley Council, Waterford, Michigan
                                               Development and Marketing Director, Clinton Valley Council
                                               Program Director, Clinton Valley Council
1993 to 1996                       Senior District Executive, Blackhawk Area Council, Rockford, Illinois
1992 to 1993                       Senior District Executive, Clinton Valley Council
1988 to 1992                       District Executive, Prairie Council, Galesburg, Illinois


 Additional Information 


  • I earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with a Major in History from Western Illinois University.
  • My wife and I have three Eagle Scout sons and a daughter who received the Maize & Blue award at University of Michigan as the top student in Health Studies area.
  • I am a James E. West Fellow.
  • I am proud to be an Order of the Arrow Vigil member.
  • I have earned my Wood Badge beads.
  • I have been an active Rotary Club member for 15 years and am a Paul Harris fellow.
  • I was presented the Lamb Award in recognition of my service to my church.