Meet Chris Grove, the Order of the Arrow’s new National Chairman! Chris Grove was born and raised in Piqua, Ohio. He has been continuously registered in Scouting for 44 years starting in Cub Scouts through the Boy Scouts and beyond. At the age of 14, Chris earned his Eagle Scout from Troop 295 in Piqua. Chris was inducted as an Ordeal member of Miami Lodge in Dayton, Ohio in 1982, where he was eventually awarded the Vigil Honor in 1988. During his time in Scouting, he served in multiple youth positions in his troop, as a chapter chief, lodge vice chief, lodge chief, and eventually the Miami Lodge’s Lodge Adviser.
Chris graduated from the University of Alabama at Birmingham with a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and earned his medical degree from the University of Alabama School of Medicine. After which he completed a residency in General Surgery at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio before starting his practice in Troy, Ohio for 14 years before relocating to Ormond Beach, Florida in 2016 where he practices General Surgery at AdventHeatlh in Daytona Beach.
Chris has been an associate section adviser and section adviser prior to serving as the Central Region Chairman for the Order of the Arrow from 2007 to 2012. He subsequently served on the National OA Committee as a vice-chairman since that time. At the National Order of the Arrow Conferences, Chris has served as Assistant Medical Director, Lead Adviser for Administrative Services, and as the Deputy Conference Chair for Logistics. Chris has served on the medical team, emergency management team, and as the lead for the Order of the Arrow at jamboree. He has also served on the Executive Board of the Miami Valley Council and Central Florida Council and was both the Council Commissioner and the Council President of the Miami Valley Council. Chris was on the National Court of Honor for three years. In addition, he served as the Medical Director of the Summit from 2016 to 2021.
Over his years of service, Chris has been recognized with the Silver Beaver, Silver Antelope, Silver Buffalo, OA Founders Award, OA Centurion Award, OA Distinguished Service Award, and the National Outstanding Eagle Scout Award.
He has also been married to his wife, Becky, for 16 years and they have a 14-year-old daughter, Abby, and an 12-year-old son, Ben, who is a Tenderfoot Scout.
During his tenure as Order of the Arrow Chairman, Chris hopes to concentrate the resources of the National OA Committee to help the chapters and lodges of the OA succeed. He has developed a four-pillar business plan, which can be found here! The four-pillar business plan emphasizes the chapters and lodges while examining the role that the Order of the Arrow plays in the Boy Scouts of America. He plans to guide the Order through the transition that the BSA is making to its structure, governance, and finances. He looks forward to engaging with youth and adults from across the country to accomplish these goals.