Thomas R. Harrington has been appointed to the position of Regional Director, Western Region, effective Aug. 1.
Tom has been serving as the Scout executive of the Cradle of Liberty Council, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, since 2010. Under Tom’s leadership, the Cradle of Liberty team has attained traditional membership growth and a balanced operating budget for each of the past three years. The council has expanded its outreach to underserved communities and increased the diversity of its executive board and staff, and successfully increased its Journey to Excellence rating from silver in 2010 to gold council status for 2011 and 2012.
Tom’s Scouting career began in 1981, serving in several field positions with the Chicago Area Council in Chicago, Illinois, and continued in 1992 when he was promoted to assistant Scout executive of the Great Trail Council in Akron, Ohio. In 1996, Tom was selected as Scout executive of the Jayhawk Area Council in Topeka, Kansas, and in 2001 the board of the Minsi Trails Council in Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania, selected Tom as their Scout executive.
Tom is an Eagle Scout and holds a bachelor’s degree in political science. He is a cum laude graduate of Miami University of Ohio. Tom and his wife, Kathy, have two grown children, including an Eagle Scout son. Tom enjoys golf, fishing, and outdoor activities, and is looking forward to joining with the Western Region volunteers and staff in continuing to deliver quality Scouting experiences to all young people.