Our Volunteer and Staff Leadership

How Northern Star Scouting Operates

Our council is led by volunteers and supported by staff. The top position is our council president, who leads our 60 member board of directors and is selected through a nominating committee process and elected to serve a two-year term. The president and board hire the Scout Executive, who guides and manages our council employees. Rounding out our top leadership team is the council commissioner, appointed by the board, who directs the volunteers that work directly with leaders of Scouting groups to help them succeed.

Meet our top council leadership team, known as our Council Key Three:

  • John G. Patterson - President
  • Paul Kaus - Commissioner
  • John Andrews - Scout Executive
 

To effectively administer Scouting, our council is divided into 13 geographic districts along school district bundaries. Each has a volunteer district commissioner who directs the unit commissioners and a membership chair and committee, all supported by a district executive - a staff member serving the assigned territory.

Voting members of the council consist of: representatives of each of the community organizations who sponsor (charter) Scouting groups, volunteers serving as board members, council officers, members-at-large of the council, as well as President's Cabinet Members. The President's Cabinet includes the district membership chairs, council operating committee chairs and youth representatives. Together they total more than one thousand individuals who annually elect and empower the officers, and the Scout Executive/CEO.

Council volunteers and staff fulfill various specialized functions including camp operations, training and advancement support, leadership/management of field staff as well as fundraising, budget and financial services.

Youth members are led and supported by thousands of volunteers, assisted by 78 full time paid staff, plus 38 part-time and nearly 600 seasonal (camp) employees.

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