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:

Richard Schmitt

PRESIDENT

Richard was a Cub Scout, Webelos, and Boy Scout in his youth in Aurora, Illinois. He reengaged in 2005 when his oldest son needed a den leader in Cub Scouts. He has been a Cub Scout den leader, pack leader, Scoutmaster & Committee Chair for Scouting units in Glen Ellyn. In the 7 years Richard served as Scoutmaster and committee chair, 38 Scouts earned the Eagle Scout Rank. He was most recently the Chippewa District Chair for Three Fires Council. He is the proud father of two Eagle Scouts.

Richard has been a McDonald’s franchisee since April 1, 1986. Schmitt Family McDonald's currently operates 24 restaurants in the Western Chicago suburbs. He has served in leadership roles for McDonald’s locally on operations, people, PR, and financial, and is currently serving as a board member of the local marketing team. Richard was a member of McDonald’s National Leadership Council for 9 years, National Operations Team and McDonald’s USA Strategic Planning team. He led the National McDonald’s Food Improvement Team & Menu teams for the McDonald's USA for 10 years and Richard currently is on the McDonald's National Advertising Board.

We are grateful that Richard chooses to spend his time with Scouting and are thankful for his leadership.

David George

COUNCIL COMMISSIONER

David George is a third-generation scouter and an Eagle Scout. In his youth, he hiked Philmont, attended the 1977 National Jamboree and worked 4 summers as a camp counselor at his local Hawkeye Area Council (Iowa) Boy Scout camp. As an adult, he has served as a volunteer in all facets of the unit, district, and council program including as Cubmaster, Scoutmaster and Roundtable Commissioner. He teaches at Merit Badge University and Training Academy and serves on the Three Fires Council (TFC) Executive Board.

Dave attended Philmont, Sea Base and Boundary Waters with his son, earning the Triple Crown. His proudest moment in scouting was when his son earned Eagle. Dave attended Wood Badge in 2009 and has served on five council Wood Badge staffs, leading it as Course Director in 2018. He is currently the Wood Badge Advisor, serves as a Camp Master at Camp Big Timber, is on the Eagle Dinner Committee and will be a Scoutmaster for a TFC contingent troop to the 2023 National Jamboree. He has been awarded the District Award of Merit and the Silver Beaver.

Professionally, Dave is the owner of Dogtopia, a dog daycare, boarding and grooming facility in South Elgin. Prior to Dogtopia, he had a 30-year corporate career with Honeywell, Primedia and Ideal Industries serving in various Marketing, Communications and Sales leadership roles.

Dave graduated from Iowa State University with a degree in Marketing. He is married to Sue George, and they have two children.

Ron Wentzell

SCOUT EXECUTIVE/CEO

Ron began his Scouting career in 1997 as an Exploring Executive at Three Fires Council. He then became the Finance Director, Field Director, Director of Development, Director of Support Services, and Director of Field Service all with Three Fires Council. For the last four months, Ron has served as the Interim Scout Executive for the council. Ron is an Eagle Scout and Vigil Honor member of the Order of the Arrow.

Throughout his Scouting career, he has helped the council achieve many successes ranging from increasing Scouting enrollment among local youth, spearheading a successful and safe camp program following the Covid pandemic, leading the council's annual million dollar popcorn sale campaign for years, creating ways for Scouts with disabilities to enjoy the program fully with the aid of the Thing 123 Foundation, and much more.