The following is a press release written by Jeff Wuslich for Hoosier Trails Council.
The Hoosier Trails Council, Scouting America, has appointed Randy Saunders as its new Scout Executive, has appointed Randy Saunders as its new Scout Executive, overseeing the council's 18 counties in south-central Indiana, with over 130 active Scouting units and thousands of youth and volunteers, effective June 1, 2025.
Saunders joins the Council with more than two decades of leadership experience in Scouting, most recently serving as Scout Executive at the Southern Sierra Council in California. His deep commitment to youth development, outdoor education, and community engagement makes him a strong leader for this next chapter in the Council’s growth. In addition to being an Eagle Scout, Saunders has been a professional Scouter for more than 20 years with positions in Florida, New Mexico and California. He also worked at Philmont Scout Ranch, Scouting America’s premier high adventure base in northern New Mexico.
“We are excited to have Randy join the Council at this pivotal time” said Art Haldeman, Council Commissioner. “Randy’s prior experience will help us to focus and execute on our Council Initiative to grow our membership and provide Scouting to more youth in our service area.”
“We have tremendous momentum right now,” said Jeff Wuslich, Council President. “We recently received a $1.2 million legacy gift from the estate of a dedicated Scouter and we are in the process of applying for a major Lilly Endowment Inc. grant to enhance our camp. We had 64 Scouts earn the rank of Eagle last year alone. Randy is the right leader to build on this progress and guide us forward.”
In his new role, Saunders will oversee Council operations, drive membership growth, support volunteer leadership, and help steward key capital initiatives—most notably, the continued development of the Council’s 640-acre Maumee Scout Reservation in the Hoosier National Forest. The Scout Executive serves as the full-time professional chief executive officer of the Council, responsible for overseeing all operations, programs, and the six person staff.
“This is a remarkable Council with a rich history and a bright future,” said Saunders. “I’m honored to join the team and eager to work with our volunteers, staff, and community partners to expand the reach and impact of Scouting in Southern Indiana. Our vision is to make sure the Scouting adventure is available to all young people in the 18 counties we serve. One of our goals is to increase the number of Scouting groups by 30% this fall, bringing Scouting to more families.”
To learn more about Hoosier Trails Council and upcoming opportunities to meet Randy Saunders, visit www.hoosiertrailsbsa.org.
About the Hoosier Trails Council
The Hoosier Trails Council, Scouting America, serves 18 counties in Southern Indiana: Bartholomew, Brown, Daviess, Dearborn, Ripley, Decatur, Greene, Jackson, Jefferson, Jennings, Lawrence, Martin, Monroe, Morgan, Ohio, Orange, Owen, and Switzerland. The Council supports more than 130 units and serves thousands of youth and families annually through leadership training, outdoor adventure, and character-building programs.
Since 1929, over 5,200 Scouts in the Hoosier Trails Council have earned the prestigious rank of Eagle Scout, and more than 40,000 campers have experienced our outdoor programs at Camp Maumee in the Hoosier National Forest. The Council is consistently recognized as a national leader in Youth Protection Training, demonstrating its commitment to providing a safe and meaningful Scouting experience.
About Scouting America
Scouting America provides the nation’s foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training, helping young people become “Prepared. For Life.®”
Founded in 1910, Scouting America has served over 130 million youth and engaged more than 35 million adult volunteers in its mission. Today, it includes more than 1 million youth members and 628,000 volunteers across the United States and its territories.
Scouting America offers age-appropriate programs:
- Cub Scouting: For boys and girls in kindergarten through 5th grade
- Scouts BSA: For young men and young women in grades 6 through 12
- Venturing & Sea Scouting: Co-ed programs for youth ages 14–20
- Exploring: Career-focused co-ed program for youth ages 10–20
Scouting programs are delivered through local chartering organizations—such as schools, churches, and civic clubs—supported by local councils and professional staff.
Scouting America also operates four national High-Adventure Bases:
- Northern Tier (Minnesota, Manitoba, Ontario)
- Philmont Scout Ranch (New Mexico)
- Sea Base (Florida)
- Summit Bechtel Reserve (West Virginia)
The Foundation of Scouting
-
Scout Oath: On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.
-
Scout Law: A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.
-
Mission: The mission of Scouting America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Scout Law.
