Ricky Mason assumed his role as chair of the Scouting America National Executive Board last week at the National Annual Meeting in Dallas. On Scouting caught up with him to discuss priorities during his tenure in 2026-27.
On Scouting: In Dallas, you informed the Scouting community about the new Trail Map, a plan Scouting America will use during your term to grow membership and increase retention. One of the priorities of the new Trail Map is a relentless focus on volunteers. What is driving that, and how do we do a better job equipping our volunteers for success?
Ricky Mason: Parents today are under a tremendous amount of stress. Even though there’s still a strong desire to volunteer and help kids, families and communities, people are balancing demanding jobs, busy schedules and a lot of responsibilities. Coming out of the pandemic, people also want to reconnect with their communities again.
For Scouting America to have strong units and grow membership, we must make volunteering easier and more rewarding. That means giving volunteers the support, tools and resources they need to succeed.
I see this firsthand in my hometown of Hoboken, New Jersey, where there’s a thriving Cub Scout pack with about 80 youth members. Some parents have deep Scouting roots, while others are completely new to the movement. Many of those new parents told me they were looking for an organization that would truly help their children, and they found that in Scouting.
Our job now is to make sure the volunteer experience matches that excitement. If we create a great experience for volunteers, more parents will stay engaged, and more youth will join.
I recently attended a world Scouting event in Sweden and spoke with volunteers there. One parent told me he spends about 25 hours a week volunteering with Scouting because it has become one of the most meaningful parts of his life. We can’t expect every volunteer to commit that amount of time, but it reinforced for me that if we provide support and a rewarding experience, people will invest themselves in Scouting.
OS: Another priority of the new Trail Map is reinvesting to attract more youth. Which areas do you think are most critical for Scouting America investment?
RM: Technology is a major area where we need to invest.
People expect organizations to operate efficiently and responsively. Whether it’s ordering a product online or using modern apps and services, families are used to seamless experiences. Our technology systems have not kept pace with those expectations.
That’s not a criticism of anyone working in Scouting technology. It’s simply the reality that we haven’t invested enough in it over the years.
We need to improve both our internal infrastructure and the technology families interact with directly. Parents and volunteers should be able to use their phones and online tools easily to manage registrations, communication and unit activities. Another critical area is branding and marketing. During the pandemic and bankruptcy, we did very little marketing. Now we’re reinvesting in campaigns that better communicate the value of Scouting to parents and families.
When families see that we are responsive, modern and paying attention to their needs, it reinforces that Scouting America is the world-class organization we strive to be.
OS: How do we come together as a movement to drive the changes needed to grow?
RM: Scouting America is a large and diverse organization with more than 230 local councils, each with its own leadership and decision-makers. While we are united as a movement, many important decisions happen at the local level.
For example, recruiting and supporting new volunteers often depends on local councils and unit leaders. National can provide updated training modules and resources, but local councils are the ones building relationships, providing in-person support and thanking volunteers.
One challenge we face is that we have significantly fewer district executives and unit-serving professionals than we did several years ago. Those positions are critical because they support units, recruit members and help volunteers succeed.
That means some councils may need to rethink how resources are allocated. In some cases, councils may have more property than they currently need, while needing more investment in frontline staff and membership growth.
I saw during the bankruptcy process that Scouting America can come together when it matters most. Working with local councils across the country required thousands of people to unite behind difficult but necessary decisions.
Growing Scouting today requires that same spirit of collaboration and shared purpose.
OS: What do you think the biggest challenges in the movement are today, and which of those challenges can we tackle immediately?
RM: Our biggest challenge is membership growth, and within that, retention is especially important.
We do a good job recruiting youth. Last fall, Scouting America recruited approximately 260,000 new youth members. The problem is that we are still losing more members than we recruit.
Some attrition is natural. Youth age out or move on to other activities. But we are seeing concerning retention numbers in Cub Scouting, particularly in the first few months after families join.
A family may respond positively to our marketing, attend a sign-up night and decide to give Scouting a try. But if those first meetings are disorganized or don’t create a strong experience, families may quickly leave.
That early experience is critical.
If a child leaves after a poor experience, they are unlikely to encourage their friends to join. That’s where we lose not only the person, but the growth opportunity.
The good news is that the country is increasingly open to Scouting America. Families are looking for opportunities that help kids build confidence, friendships and life skills. We should capitalize on that interest by making sure the experience is excellent from the very beginning.
OS: Volunteerism still hasn’t rebounded from pre-pandemic numbers, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. How do we engage a new generation of volunteers?
RM: We have to clearly demonstrate the value of volunteering with Scouting. People today view their time as one of their most valuable resources. Parents are deciding where to invest the limited time they have, so we need to show them why Scouting is worth that investment.
One important step is making volunteer roles feel less overwhelming. If someone is asked to become a Scoutmaster immediately, that can sound like an enormous commitment.
Instead, we should create more bite-sized volunteer opportunities and clearly divide responsibilities so families can contribute in manageable ways. That allows people to get involved gradually and build confidence over time.
Family structures and schedules have changed significantly, and many parents may feel they have even less free time today than previous generations did. We need systems and structures that recognize that reality while still making it possible for families to contribute meaningfully.
OS: You’re an Eagle Scout. What in your own Scouting experience most influenced your life and shaped who you are today?
RM: My introduction to Scouting started when I was 7 years old. My mother sat me down in our home in Richmond, Virginia, and told me that when I turned 11, I was going to join the troop sponsored by our synagogue, Troop 417, and that I was going to become an Eagle Scout like my older brother.
So when I turned 11, I joined.
At first, there was no evidence that I would be successful in Scouting. But over time, it started to click. By the time I earned First Class, I was gaining confidence and realizing I could accomplish difficult things.
Scouting pushed me outside my comfort zone. It gave me friendships, outdoor experiences and opportunities to grow.
At 14, I attended Philmont on a 110-mile trek carrying a heavy pack through the mountains. That experience taught me resilience, leadership and perseverance. A few years later, my mother died of cancer when I was 17. I dropped out of college twice and struggled significantly during that period of my life.
What helped me recover was the muscle memory of Scouting — the discipline, confidence and leadership skills I had developed as a Scout. Scouting taught me how to endure challenges, how to plan and how to keep moving forward. Eventually, I succeeded in college and law school, became a law firm partner, and later became deeply involved in Scouting leadership.
Even today, when I face difficult situations, I often remind myself that if I could become an Eagle Scout and complete Philmont, I can handle the challenge in front of me.
OS: Why do you think today’s youth need Scouting?
RM: Today’s youth need the same kinds of experiences that Scouting gave me.
They need opportunities to spend time with other young people, to be part of a patrol and a community, and to experience the outdoors.
Scouting teaches youth how to succeed — but also how to fail and recover from failure. That’s one of the most important lessons young people can learn.
Without Scouting, my own setbacks after high school could have defined the rest of my life. Instead, Scouting gave me the confidence and resilience to keep going.
Scouting also helps young people discover who they are. It teaches teamwork, leadership, service and citizenship. It helps youth learn how to contribute to their communities, work with others and grow into capable adults.
Most importantly, Scouting gives young people experiences they will carry with them for the rest of their lives.
About Ricky Mason: A longtime supporter of Scouting, Mason is a Silver Buffalo honoree and a Distinguished Eagle Scout who earned the rank of Eagle Scout in 1975 at Temple Beth-El in Richmond, Virginia. Alongside his wife, Beth, and their two children, he founded the Mason Civic League, a charity that was dedicated to educational, artistic and civic initiatives in Hoboken, New Jersey.