Leaders

The National Eagle Scout Association (NESA) awarded 11 Eagle Scouts with the Outstanding Eagle Scout Award to recognize their professional accomplishments, one of whom is a successful rowing Olympian who connected many of his accomplishments back to the skills of being a Scout. 

The NOESA was established in 2010 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Scouting America. The award recognizes Eagle Scouts who have demonstrated achievements beyond their Scouting experiences. On April 22, 2025, the NOESA will be presented to the Eagle Scouts at an awards dinner in Arlington, Virginia. 

Christian Tabash is a rowing athlete from Vienna, Virginia and an Eagle Scout from Troop 976 in National Capital Area Council. Tabash feels humbled to be recognized for his accomplishments with the NOESA. 

“It’s humbling but it’s also a testament to the community that I’ve had that has paved the way for me to do the things that I’ve done,” Tabash said. “My life is just a culmination of others and especially my parents and a lot of the sacrifices that they’ve laid as a foundation for my life.”

In 2017, Tabash won the World Rowing Junior Championship in the men’s eight and in 2021, won bronze in the four with coxswain at the World Rowing Championships. After much dedication and training, he participated in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris as a member of the United States men’s eight boat winning the bronze medal. 

In high school, he was hoping to get recruited for college with soccer but changed his mind and decided that rowing would be a better fit for him. 

“My sophomore year, I ditched soccer,” Tabash said. “It was hard to let go. I never looked back and got recruited to row in college.”  

Tabash rowed in college at Harvard University and then became a graduate student at the University of California where he qualified for the United States Olympic Team. When he finished college, he moved to Sarasota, Florida to start his training in October of 2023.  

Tabash described his time on the Olympics as a full-time job due to the commitment of 3 to 4 hours of training every day. As a newcomer, he had to persevere and displace someone who was already on the team since he was entering during the Olympic year. 

“I fully immersed myself in what was required for that endeavor and at the time, it wasn’t guaranteed or even likely that I’d make the team,” Tabash said.  

In his senior year of high school, Tabash earned his Eagle after completing a project of building larger than average picnic tables at a park area with a baseball field. The priests on the property needed updated benches, so he worked with his neighbor, who was a carpenter, to provide for the community. 

Tabash describes himself as a goal-oriented person, which he believes was integrated within Scouting and helped him within his professional career. 

“There were always clear-cut goals, whether it was for merit badges or to rise ranks,” Tabash said. “In rowing there’s clear goals, technical goals, physiological goals and that same mentality translated. It’s like wanting to achieve something and then knowing what I had to do.” 

He describes his coach from 2023 in Sarasota as methodical and scientific and believed his training process for rowing as “very reminiscent of moving through the Scouting experience.” 

Throughout his experience as a Scout, Tabash said he learned so much through exposure and being able to try, make mistakes and learn lessons from it. He remembered the Scout motto about being prepared for life and how the experience continues to affect him today. 

“[Eagle Scout] was a byproduct of being committed to a goal and the path to Eagle Scout is laid out for us,” Tabash said. 

The National Eagle Scout Association (NESA) awarded 11 Eagle Scouts with the Outstanding Eagle Scout Award to recognize their professional accomplishments, four of whom have worked in government affairs and connect their achievements back to Scouting. 

The NOESA was established in 2010 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Scouting America. The award recognizes Eagle Scouts who have demonstrated achievements beyond their Scouting experiences. On April 22, 2025, the NOESA will be presented to the Eagle Scouts at an awards dinner in Arlington, Virginia.

Andrew York, vice president for head of global government affairs at Tyson Foods, feels humbled to receive this distinguished award. 

“It means a lot,” York said. “It’s an incredible honor to be recognized by fellow Scouts.” 

York oversees all governmental affair activities by leading the federal, state, local, and international governmental affairs teams. He has been part of Tysons Food since 2022 where he started as the vice president for government affairs. Before Tysons Food, York worked at General Motors Company as the executive director for federal affairs from 2015 to 2022. 

The U.S. Senate has also been a place of opportunity for York, including working for Senator Mark Pryor. He started as a legislative assistant, became a legislative director, then rose to become his chief of staff. 

York started as a Cub Scout then became part of Troop 71 in Conway, Arkansas within the Quapaw Area Council. Because of the leadership opportunities in Scouting, York believes it helped him professionally. 

“I was in Scouts to play an active role in the management of my Troop, which helped in my professional life as the leader of an organization,” York said. 

Not only does York recognize the leadership skills he developed, but he also appreciates how Scouting teaches individuals to be present within their communities and to help others. 

“Scouting and some of the other things I did reinforce the notion that everybody has an obligation to be part of a community.” 

To continue showing support for his community, York has been a volunteer head coach for Capitol Hill Little League since 2016. 

Thomas Cochran is a retired physicist who worked for the National Resources Defense Council. He started as a senior scientist for the NRDC in 1973 and held the Wade Greene Chair for Nuclear Policy. In 1990, he became director of the nuclear program until 2007. He officially retired in 2011 but remained a consultant and volunteer for the organization. 

Cochran published numerous books based on his specialties for environmental and nuclear issues. For example, he is the author of The Liquid Metal Fast Breeder Reactor: An Environmental and Economic Critique, which was published in 1974. 

As a Scout, Cochran was part of Troop 87 in the Middle Tennessee Council. He acknowledged the impact Scouting had on his life. 

“[Scouting] developed a camaraderie with other people your age that I would not have otherwise.” 

Cochran also believes in the importance of the merit badge process for youth. 

“Going through the merit badge process puts you in a position to engage in a task and complete it, and that had an impact.” 

Richard Meyers is another retired awardee who worked in the government as a forensic chemist for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, which is a law enforcement agency within the Department of Justice. Meyers participated in 1,400 explosive investigations and testified as an expert witness for over 100 cases. He also developed a training course for advanced explosives investigative techniques and a curriculum for teaching the systematic analysis of low explosives. 

Meyers was part of Troop T162 for NCAC in Arlington, Virginia. He believes earning his Eagle and Silver Explorer allowed him to accomplish his goals. 

“By having both, I was able to get things done with my government, what I did with the military, and it really helped.” 

Reflecting on his experience testifying in court, he often would refer back to the Scout law. 

“I went through the 12 points of Scout law, and that helped me get throughout a lot of cases that I worked on.” 

Chris Marston, principal of Election CFO, has dedicated years of service to electoral campaign finance and election law. Marston founded Election CFO, which is a political consulting firm that provides services to Republican campaigns and party committees. Because of his work in protecting the honesty and accuracy of campaigns, the Republican National Lawyers Association awarded Marston with its Robert J. Horn Chairman’s Award.

Marston was a member of Troop 96 in the Detroit Area Council. He believes the accomplishments he has achieved are because of the experiences and leadership skills he developed in Scouting.

“Those values and the leadership skills have paid off in all the roles I’ve had since then. I’ve worked in Congress; I’ve worked in the executive branch,” Marston said. “I’m now in the private sector and applying those skills and values that were among the reasons for my success in all those roles and in getting those roles.” 

These four nominees are incredibly honored by the opportunity to receive this award and recognize the life-long commitment of Scouting, which has helped them achieve many of their accomplishments. 

“I’ve always been really proud to be an Eagle Scout,” Marston said. “To have this recognition of my accomplishments outside Scouting is really a great honor.” 

The National Eagle Scout Association (NESA) awarded 11 Eagle Scouts with the Outstanding Eagle Scout Award to recognize their professional accomplishments, three of whom work at law or lobbying firms and connect their achievements back to Scouting. 

The NOESA was established in 2010 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Scouting America. The award recognizes Eagle Scouts who have demonstrated achievements beyond their Scouting experiences. On April 22, 2025, the NOESA will be presented to the Eagle Scouts at an awards dinner in Arlington, Virginia. 

Bryan Tramont, one of the nominees with a distinguished law career, is appreciative of the award’s significance and what Scouting has done for his life. 

“This recognition is a tremendous honor for me that highlights the role Scouting played in building a life, career and community that are consistent with Scouting’s values,” Tramont said. 

Tramont is a managing partner at Wilkinson Barker Knauer, LLP and is based in Washington, DC. He specializes in media and communication law, representing clients from Fortune 50 companies, as well as start-ups. In his position, Tramont is also responsible for leading the strategy and implementation of WBK’s award-winning communications, media and technology team. 

Before joining WBK as a partner in 2005, he worked for the Federal Communications Commission as chief of staff to the chairman from 2003 to 2005. With his expertise, Tramont has been recognized as a leading communications lawyer by Super Lawyers, The Best Lawyers in America, Legal 500, The Washingtonian, and Chambers USA. 

As a Scout, Tramont was part of Troop 387 in Manchester, Missouri. He acknowledged that Scouting provided many opportunities for him to grow in his youth. 

“Scouting exposed me to a whole new range of experiences and substance,” Tramont said. “It made me more comfortable taking risks. It provided an opportunity for me to develop leadership skills and creativity.” 

Tramont credits the skills and values he learned from Scouting to much of his success today. 

“The Scouting experience gave me the skills as a leader and as a servant and a community minded person that has shaped all of my achievements since,” Tramont said. 

David Ralston, a retired partner and business lawyer, is also a recipient of the NOESA. Ralston worked for the office of Foley & Lardner LLP in Washington, DC, where he devoted his time to government contracts litigation and counseling, rail and airport transportation and national and homeland security.  

Ralston was named one of America’s leading lawyers in government contracts by Chambers USA from 2011-2013 and from 2013-2019, he was part of the Washington Super Lawyer’s list for his government contracts work. Earlier in his career from 1980 to 1984, he served active duty with the U.S. Army as a prosecutor in Germany and as an appellate attorney. 

From the Baltimore Area Council, Ralston was a member of Troop 44. He was taught leadership and independence, which he believes to be an important aspect of Scouting. 

“The key takeaway from Scouting are leadership and a sense of how to manage situations and how to relate to individuals.”   

Ralston felt well prepared because of these skills he learned in Scouting, which have served him throughout his career. 

“You’re put in a position where you’re supposed to be a shepherd, and that training served me very well within law firms and public service.” 

Steve Carey, another NOESA nominee, is the founder and chairman of Potomac Strategic Development Company, LLC, which is a lobbying and advocacy firm. Carey represents numerous clients, including Special Olympics, Save the Children and Lions Club International. 

Before creating his own lobbying firm, Carey was a legislative director in the United States Senate and previously in the House of Representatives. Carey also worked for the US Marine Corps in the Classified Material Control Center. 

Carey was part of Troop 0290 in the President Gerald R Ford Council in Ada, Michigan. Reflecting on his experience as a Scout, he believes that it provided structure and opportunities for character growth. 

“Scouting would bring me back and it put in me a spirit that being good can actually lead to better things.” 

Scouting has stayed with Carey throughout his life and the impact is showcased within his company, specifically pertaining to the Scout Law and Oath. 

“It’s really about the Scout Law and being in its integrity of what my company does,” Carey said. “It’s service, it’s helping people.” 

A former Scoutmaster created a council shoulder patch design that included cherry blossoms and the Jefferson Memorial for a contest in 1974 and it’s still being used today as Scouting America National Capital Area Council’s standard.

Robert Wehr was a Scoutmaster for Troop 403, which contained around 55 Scouts at the time. Before 1974, the patches had no pictures and only the area listed, but Wehr changed the tradition when he participated in a contest to create the new design.

“We had a really good group going,” Wehr said. “So, it was a bit of a challenge.”

When the contest in 1974 arose, Wehr met with a Scout mother, who was a graphic designer, to come up with ideas for the new shoulder patch. Many of the designs were rejected until the cherry blossom design.

Wehr submitted a colored sketch of his design and ended up winning the contest. After 50 years, he feels honored to have his design still be the Council shoulder patch.

“It means the world to me,” Wehr said. “It makes me smile.”

Wehr also presented the patch for the first time to a Scout in Troop 403 and the event was published in a newspaper.

His main reason for choosing cherry blossoms as the design was because it was something unique to Washington. He said the bright color “makes you look twice”, but that it is also a good representation of the city and people will know what it is.

“There’s only one cherry blossom,” Wehr said. “That’s it. You don’t want to put a building.”

Scouting America describes the council shoulder patch  as being “designed for each council and embodies local tradition for all members of the council.”

Wehr also shared his role in organizing the Scout’s participation in a parade for the 200th anniversary of the United State’s independence. Wehr encouraged Scouting America to participate in the parade for America250, which is a “nonpartisan initiative working to engage every American in the 250th anniversary of the United States,” their website says.

Wehr remembered how important timing was during the parade. It was televised, so the Scouts were restricted to a time limit and had to practice staying in line together. They paraded successfully and Wehr emphasized the professionalism that is needed for these events.

“No matter where you are, you’re representing that group,” Wehr said.

 

#cherryblossom