Three Fires Council names Wiltrout as Scout executive

ST. CHARLES – The St. Charles-based Three Fires Council’s new Scout executive is veteran Scouter Joseph E. Wiltrout, the council announced this month in a news release.

Wiltrout will begin working at the St. Charles office Nov. 3. He replaces previous Scout Executive Matthew Ackerman, who served from June 2006 to July of this year. Ackerman resigned to pursue other opportunities, said Sue Crosson, the council’s communications and marketing director.

“I’m excited to be joining Three Fires Council,” Wiltrout wrote in the release. “The council has a long tradition of providing great Scouting programs. I aim to build on that tradition.”

Wiltrout’s appointment was made by a 12-member volunteer search committee, who praised Wiltrout’s background as an Eagle Scout and his history working for Boy Scouts of America.

“When we saw his friendly-yet-commanding presence in a social environment, we knew Joe was our guy,” Keith Miller, co-chairman of the search committee, wrote in the release.

For the past three years, Wiltrout served as the deputy Scout executive and COO for 43,000 Scouts in the Northern Star Council in Minneapolis–St. Paul. From 2008-11, Wiltrout served as director of development at Daniel Webster Council in Manchester, New Hampshire, according to the release.

From 1997 to 2006, he served the Atlanta Area Council as senior finance director, field director and district executive.

Wiltrout holds a bachelor of design degree from the College of Architecture at the University of Florida. He and his wife of 22 years, Sara, have three children, Ashley, 17, Maddie, 14, and Jack, 11. Wiltrout is a volunteer Scout leader and enjoys snow sports, jet skiing and coaching youth football, according to the release.

Three Fires Council provides more than 15,000 youths in the western suburbs with opportunities to participate in Boy Scouts of America programs, the release states. Former Boy Scouts are invited to an Alumni Association event from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 16 at Rock Bottom Brewery, 28256 Diehl Road in Warrenville.