John C. Cushman III Elected National President of the Boy Scouts of America
CHICAGO, Illinois (May 24, 2004)—Businessman and civic leader John C. Cushman III began
his two-year term as national president of the Boy Scouts of America at the organization's
recent National Annual Meeting in Chicago, Illinois.
Introduced to Scouting as a Cub Scout, Cushman advanced through the ranks to achieve Eagle
Scout status and has maintained ties with the youth-development organization as an adult
volunteer. Over the years, he has volunteered his time assuming leadership positions at the
local, regional, and national levels before assuming the top volunteer position in
Scouting.
"I had the good fortune to have a terrific experience in Scouting with my twin brother, Lou,
in Troop 12 in Montclair, New Jersey," Cushman said. "My love of and respect for the outdoors
come from the extraordinary experiences I had in Scouting. I was able to pass that love on to
my four Eagle Scout sons."
Cushman's dedication to the Scouting movement has never wavered. Despite the rigors of
co-founding and managing Cushman Realty Corporation, he has always made time to support Scouting
in some capacity. Over the past decade, he has served on the inspection team for the Northern
Tier High Adventure Program in the boundary waters of Minnesota; as a visitation team member for
Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, New Mexico; and president of Learning for Life, the Western
Region, and the Los Angeles Area Council.
Cushman was nominated to the BSA's National Executive Board in 1993, and has served in various
leadership positions, including chairman of the National Exploring Committee, a career education
program for youth 14 to 20 years old. As president, Cushman will continue to ensure that the
BSA's values-based programs are in tune with important issues facing American youth. He will
also lead the charge on the BSA's aggressive recruitment effort to give every child a chance
to join Scouting.
"I am dedicated to promoting the rock-solid values of the Boy Scouts of America," Cushman said.
"The fundamentals of the Scout Oath and Law remain sound, and new efforts such as our Good Turn
for America initiative are needed now more than ever."
"John's business and civic leadership experience will be invaluable as he leads the millions
of volunteers in their work on behalf of millions of Scouting youth," said Roy L. Williams, Chief
Scout Executive.
Cushman has been awarded the Silver Buffalo Award, the BSA's highest commendation for service
to youth. The Silver Buffalo is awarded annually to men and women who have demonstrated their
desire to help youth achieve their potential through their dedication and volunteer service to
youth.
He is also actively involved in other civic organizations, serving as a governor of the Town
Hall of Los Angeles and as a director of the Los Angeles World Affairs Council. For his civic
contributions to the city of Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Area Council named him a Distinguished
Citizen. Cushman also actively serves his alma mater, Colgate University, as a trustee emeritus
and serves on the national board of Junior Achievement, Inc.
He opened Cushman & Wakefield, Inc.'s Los Angeles office in 1967 after beginning his career
with the firm in New York City in 1963. Cushman then co-founded Cushman Realty Corporation with
his twin brother, Louis, on April Fools' Day in 1978. Cushman Realty Corporation merged with
Cushman & Wakefield in 2001. That same year, Cushman was elected chairman of the board of Cushman
& Wakefield, Inc., a global real estate services firm.
During his illustrious real estate career, Cushman has completed billions of dollars worth
of transactions throughout America and around the world, including many of the largest office
leasing and sales transactions in the United States. He was recognized by the National Real
Estate Investor in 1998 as "One of 40 Who Made a Difference" as a pioneer in the real estate
industry.
Cushman and his wife, Jeanine, reside in Pasadena, California. They have four sons and three
grandchildren.
The Scouting movement is composed of 1.2 million volunteers, whose dedication of time and
resources has enabled the Boy Scouts of America to remain the nation's foremost organization
for youth development and values-based leadership training. The Boy Scouts of America has
served some 110 million members during its 94-year history. That success is a testament to the
timeless values and enduring relevance of the Scouting program. To find out more about Scouting,
as well as opportunities to volunteer in your local community, log on to old.scouting.org.
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