Sea Scouts director receives major award for efforts to promote safer boating in BSA

National Sea Scouts Director Keith Christopher this month received a lifetime achievement award from the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators.

The award, presented Sept. 11, 2017, in Rapid City, S.D., honors Christopher’s work to promote recreational boating safety within the Boy Scouts of America’s programs and beyond.

Charles Wurster, National Sea Scout Commodore, calls the award a great honor for a great man.

“Keith Christopher has advanced the cause of safe boating nationwide by his participation and leadership in a number of organizations dedicated to that purpose,” Wurster says. “In his role as National Director of Sea Scouts, BSA, he represents Sea Scouts and the entire Boy Scouts of America organization while striving to bring safe boating and sailing adventures to youth throughout the the country.”

Christopher, who has announced his plans to retire next year, wears many hats within the Boy Scouts of America.

He began his 43-year professional career with the BSA as a district executive in Charlotte, N.C. A string of promotions took him to BSA councils in Alabama, Florida and Louisiana. In 2005, he joined the BSA’s National Service Center in Irving, Texas.

The past two years, I’ve been lucky enough to join Christopher on the annual Report to the Nation trip to Washington, D.C. Christopher leads a delegation of Scouts, Venturers and Explorers as they share news of Scouting success with high-ranking leaders in Washington.

In addition to about a million other responsibilities within the BSA movement, Christopher is the aquatics and boating representative for the BSA, which means he speaks for us on a number of national boards and advisory councils. The goal is to use the latest research and industry feedback to make the BSA’s boating and aquatics programs as safe as they can be.

An Eagle Scout and Vigil Honor member of the Order of the Arrow, Christopher is married with three children, including a daughter and two Eagle Scout sons. He has seven grandchildren.

Congrats, Keith!


About Bryan Wendell 3282 Articles
Bryan Wendell, an Eagle Scout, is the founder of Bryan on Scouting and a contributing writer.