BSA executive to speak at national convention

Mike Surbaugh, Chief Scout Executive of the Boy Scouts of America, will speak at The American Legion's 98th national convention in Cincinnati on Wednesday, Aug. 31.

Surbaugh is the 13th Chief Scout Executive of BSA, headquartered in Irving, Texas. After graduating from Salem College with a bachelor of arts in youth agency administration, Surbaugh chose Scouting for his career. He served as a district executive in Jacksonville, Fla., in 1984, and then as a senior district executive and program director in Syracuse, N.Y. He then became field director, director of development, and director of field service in Minneapolis. Surbaugh served as the Scout executive in Sioux Falls, S.D., Appleton, Wis., and in Pittsburgh.

From Pittsburgh, Surbaugh was promoted to BSA group director at the National Service Center in 2014, a position he held until being named Chief Scout Executive in 2015.

Surbaugh is an Eagle Scout and an Order of the Arrow Vigil Honor member and has completed Wood Badge.

The American Legion's support for Boy Scouts of America began at the Legion’s first national convention in 1919. Today, Legion posts sponsor more than 2,500 Scouting units across the country.