To:       North Florida Council, BSA Executive & Advisory Board members
                North Florida Council, BSA Staff

Fr:       David Boree, Council President

Re:      Jack Sears- Retirement

Dt:       August 3, 2022

Having served the Scouting movement professionally for 37.5 years, our Scout Executive/CEO Jack Sears has informed the North Florida Council Executive Committee of his resignation and impending retirement from the commissioned service of the Boy Scouts of America.  Jack’s last day with the North Florida Council will be on October 31, 2022, as he plans to enter retirement on November 1.

Jack began his career with the Boy Scouts of America on May 15, 1985, as District Executive in the Central Florida Council, Orlando, Fl.  From there his BSA career included Senior District Executive, Finance Director, Field Director, and Director of Field Service in that Council.  He has served as Scout Executive/CEO for three Scout Councils, the Flint River Council, Griffin, Ga; the Westchester-Putnam Council, White Plains, NY and since February 1 of 2007 in the North Florida Council, Jacksonville, Fl.

During his time in North Florida, our Council has enjoyed membership growth along with improved quality program delivery and sustained financial stability.  The Council’s Endowment Fund has grown from just north of $7 million dollars upon his arrival to $12.5 million dollars while providing over $9 million dollars during the last 15 years in support of the mission of Scouting in our area.  The Council completed its first Capital and Endowment Campaign- The Give Every Boy a Chance Campaign- having raised over $6.5 million in support of contributions to the Council’s Endowment and improvements at Camp Shands.  The most notable projects funded by the Campaign include the Camp Shands Aquatics Center, 11 Campsite Pavilions, a climate-controlled staff dormitory as well as the establishment of the Robert E. and Monica Flynn Jacoby Scoutreach Division serving youth in the urban core of Jacksonville.  Many other improvements to the Camps and Service Center, along with the most recent reorganization of the Council, are attributable to his leadership.  The last 9 years have brought significant challenges to delivering the Scouting program in North Florida.  With substantial changes in Scouting’s membership & leadership standards, a recession, the COVID pandemic and the most recent financial reorganization of the National Boy Scouts of America, Jack has provided steady, calm, and diligent leadership to guide our Board, staff, and Council through these hurdles.   With many of these challenges in the rearview mirror Jack has determined that the time is right for fresh executive leadership to work with the North Florida Council.

A committee of the Board has been appointed by the Executive Committee to work cooperatively with the Boy Scouts of America to identify, interview and employ a successor Scout Executive/CEO.  Members of the Committee include me as Chair and President-Elect David Sillick as co-Chair.  Other members of the Scout Executive selection committee include Barry Allred, Steve Bacalis, Marty Heesacker, Inga Glaspey, David Mann, Doug Wilcox, Mac Holley, Cole Gabriel, the honorable Judge Jim McCune, and Rob Heekin.  Our goal is to have the next Scout Executive/CEO working on or around November 1, 2022.  I look forward to reporting on our progress.

Until then, please join with me in congratulating Jack for his legacy of Scouting service and leadership to the youth of America and here in North Florida.  We wish him, Clare and the Sears family good health and much happiness as he begins a well-earned retirement from the Boy Scouts of America.

Any questions regarding the Scout Executive Selection process may be directed to David Sillick or myself.

Thanks for all that you do for Scouting.  Your contributions of time, talent and treasure fuel the growth of Scouting in this area.