Meet the Man ...

Thomas D. Trainor Museum

 

No career professional in the Boy Scouts of America can receive higher tribute than when volunteers put him on a pedestal and honor him as the "best" and then dedicate a major council facility in his name. This is the honor that Thomas D. Trainor never sought, but has earned. Tom has been an active and dedicated member of the Detroit Area Council, Boy Scouts of America for the past 56 years. Tom’s journey down the Scouting trail began in 1946 as a Cub Scout. He was one of the first Boy Scouts to camp at D-Bar-A back in the winter of 1950 at the old Treasure Oaks camp. He achieved the rank of Eagle Scout in 1958 as member of Explorer Post 296, Detroit.

Tom’s stellar record of employment with the Detroit Area Council began in 1952 as a camp staff member at D-Bar-A. He became a full-time council staff member on September 8, 1956 and celebrated his 46th year this month; he is currently the longest-tenured executive in the BSA.

Tom has given distinguished service to Scouting in numerous roles, starting as a clerk and stock employee and working his way all the way to the #2 executive in the great Detroit Area Council, one of the largest in the country. The National Council, BSA honored Tom with the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award in 2001 for his outstanding service. Usually only Scout Executive/CEO’s are nominated for the Distinguished Eagle; Tom may be the first outside that group to receive this award. This clearly indicates how well known and respected Tom is by fellow professionals and volunteers, not just here, but throughout the national organization. He is a professional’s professional!

His leadership has helped to form one of the nation's best camping programs and two of America’s best-loved camps, D-Bar-A Scout Ranch and Cole Canoe Base. He has touched over four million youth and adults in his first 46 years and he’s still going.

In recognition of these achievements, the Detroit Area Council and the Migisi-Opawgan Lodge, Order of the Arrow dedicate this museum in the name of a great Scouter, Thomas D. Trainor.