Brad VanAuken
Boy Scouts of America
Biography

Otetiana Council - Rochester, NY
Brad VanAuken started his Scouting career in Kodak Park Troop # 50 in
Otetiana Council’s Blackhawk / Keystone districts between 1968 and
1973. Brad received the Arrow of Light, Pro Deo Et Patria award and
Eagle Scout rank with three palms. He also earned the Mile Swim and
50 Miler awards. He was an OA chapter chief, a CIT at Massawepie
Scout Camps and a conservation/ecology staff member at Camp
Voyageur. He also participated in a Philmont Trek. He attended Junior
Leader Training and Junior Leader Instructor Training and was chosen
to speak on behalf of the Eagle Scouts at the annual council Eagle
luncheon.

Greater New York Council - Manhattan
Next, Brad was involved in Scouting in the Manhattan district of
Greater New York Council between 1979 and 1982, where he was lodge
advisor, district SME and finance chair, Scout roundtable commissioner
and an active member of the council training staff. He received the
Scouter’s Training Award and the Arrowhead Honor.

Shell Badge Course Faculty – Alpine Scout Camp

Great Boston Council – Boston, MA
With the support of a Harvard Business School Nonprofit Management
Fellowship, Brad helped run Storer Scout Reservation in Center
Barnstead, NH for Greater Boston Council during the summer of 1983.

T. L. Storer Scout Reservation

Heart of America Council - Kansas City, MO/KS
Brad then moved to Kansas City, where he was involved in Heart of
America Council from 1993 to 2000. He served on the Pioneer Trails
district committee as a Scout roundtable commissioner, district
activities chair and district committee vice chair and chair. In his role as
district activities chair, he developed and ran three camporees and a
Klondike Derby. Brad led Youth Protection training for the district and
was the district dinner MC. He also served on the Council Executive
Board and as the council’s fall roundup and membership chairs. He was
on the council training staff and taught at the College of Commissioners
Service. He became a James E. West Fellow and received the District
Award of Merit and the Commissioners Key. He also became an
honorary warrior in the Tribe of Mic-O-Say.

Seneca Waterways Council - Rochester | Finger Lakes
Brad returned to Rochester in 2000 and got involved in Otetiana Council / Seneca
Waterways Council again. Brad has served on the council’s executive and advisory
boards, Eagle board of review and Massawepie Staff Alumni Association board as
its chair. He was an Explorer post advisor. He served on camp work weekends and
on the Scout Show, Cub adventure camp and Klondike staffs. He also served on the
council camp operations, web development and marketing committees, including
as marketing committee chair. Brad was the BarkEater program development
committee chair, spearheaded the MSAA / Massawepie staff beach barbeque and
was on MSAA’s 55th reunion committee. He participated in a BSA Boundary Waters
and Quetico High Adventure canoe trip. During the council merger, he
recommended the “Seneca Waterways” name to the council executive board. Brad
became a Heritage Society member and received the Silver Beaver Award. He is
currently marketing vice president and executive committee and board member.
And he chairs the “Good for Nature: Scouts Take Action on the Environment”
initiative.

Massawepie BarkEater
Honor Camper Program Recognition

Leading His Nephew, Michael VanAuken, in the Eagle Oath

Area 3| Northeast Region |National Service
Territory 10| National Council
Brad tested an ethical decision-making module for the national
Scouting program and led the Marketing Roundtable at the 2005 NE
region annual meeting. He has served as a NE region camp
visitation/NCAP team member, including as a team leader. He was on
the NE region committee that developed the National Camping School
(NCS) first year camper section and served as a NCS staff member. Brad
served as the Area 3, NE region marketing vice-president. He currently
serves as the National Service Territory 10 marketing lead. In that role,
he is also an active member of the national marketing support
committee. He was a special guest at the 1997 National and 2019
World Jamborees and will be on the 2023 National Jamboree media
relations staff. Brad received the silver antelope award in 2023.

Fondest Memories
Brad’s fondest Scouting memories are of trekking at Philmont, creating
and running the Aquaree (a completely water-based camporee) for
Heart of America Council and creating the BarkEater honor camper
program for Massawepie Scout Camps. He also very much enjoyed his
NCAP team leader and Scout roundtable commissioner roles. As a
hobby, he collects memorabilia from 33 Adirondack Park Boy Scout
camps.

Other Activities
Brad has been involved in dozens of civic organizations and has served
on many of their boards, often as board president. He is currently
involved in the Rochester Area Community Foundation, Writers &
Books, George Eastman Museum, World Affairs Council of Rochester
and the Harvard Business School Club of Rochester.

Professional Background
Brad is the president and founder of BrandForward, Inc., a global brand
strategy consulting company and a part-time venture coach for RIT’s
Venture Creations business incubator. Before that, he was vice
president of marketing for Element K (now Skillsoft) and director of
brand management and marketing for Hallmark. He began his career as
a senior consultant for Andersen Consulting (now Accenture).