For entrepreneur, Eagle Scout and youth advocate Dave Alexander, entrepreneur, Eagle Scout and youth advocate, success in business didn’t come from a single strategy — it came from all the lessons he learned in Scouting.
Raised by parents who emphasized respect and maturity, Alexander said he’s carried those values into the boardroom. But it was Scouting that provided a guiding framework.
“When I eventually started a business, I didn’t go into a boardroom or a meeting with one item. I went in with 12 — the Scout Law — and used whichever principles in there fit for the meeting,” Alexander said on a recent appearance on The Lou Holtz Show. “Trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent. And I would use whichever ones were appropriate to make the meeting better. And I even teach those principles to my employees today.”
Alexander also told Holtz that he emphasizes the Scout motto — “Be Prepared” — as a lifelong guide.
“We have four terminals (at our business) with a large American flag at each one,” he said on the show. “Flying below the American flag is a Scouting flag that says Be Prepared because we all have to be prepared for life — from the moment we’re born and all the things we go through.”
Alexander said Scouting also instilled a focus on caring for others. He shared how that principle inspired him to help a man establish a center for social capital, which is now named the Dave Alexander Center for Social Capital.
“Capitalism works when you realize taking care of people is taking care of business,” Alexander said.
On the idea of Scouting’s value today, Alexander said he believes it remains vital for youth.
“Young people need to learn how to communicate, to lead, and that’s what Scouting does,” he said. “So now that young girls are in Scouting, it’s even more important.”
Alexander said he believes that Scouting can help boys and girls understand and relate to each other in the right way. For him, Scouting isn’t just a chapter of his past — it’s a lifelong guide for leadership, service and preparing for the future.
“It’s absolutely incredible what Scouting does for youth,” he said. “It’s the greatest youth organization in the world.”
Listen to more of this interview on The Lou Holtz Show website or in the video below.
Mobile adoption in Minnesota brings animals closer to families
Driven by his love for animals, Alex White, a sophomore from Marshall, Minnesota, has opened a mobile animal adoption center at a sporting goods store as his Eagle Scout project.
Partnering with a local rescue center, Alex’s goal is to help more cats and small dogs find permanent homes faster by increasing their visibility in the community.
“I feel good about it. I just really wanted it to get started because I want all these animals to not have to be stuck in shelters anymore,” Alex said. “It’s going to help a lot for them to be out in public, for more people to see them and then for them to be able to get adopted quicker.”
The project features kennels donated by local partners and a custom-built structure designed by Alex and his team of volunteers. Though construction took only a couple of days, the planning process took much longer.
Alex’s adoption center also welcomes donations of pet supplies or funds to support rescue animals.
Read more about this story on the Independent website.
A simple project with a lasting impact at an Oklahoma lake
Visitors to Mountain Lake near Ardmore, Oklahoma, can now enjoy 10 new picnic tables, thanks to Scott Batson, a member of Troop 5 in Ardmore. As his Eagle Scout project, Scott spent nearly two months and more than 30 hours building and installing the tables with help from fellow Scouts.
Despite limited carpentry experience, he’s proud of the result and grateful to Ardmore Parks and Recreation and to the local business that donated supplies for the project. The new tables will provide a lasting benefit for future campers and visitors.
“A couple years ago, our troop built birdhouses for our Carpentry merit badges, but other than that, I hadn’t done much of it,” he said. “But I think the project turned out really well, and people will be able to enjoy it for years to come.”
Read more about this story on The Ardmoreite website.
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