Officers Just Elected! 2023-2024
99th Annual Meeting, September 3, 2023
Location: Camp Fire Angeles in Long Beach
Who: Marc Bonner, LBAC Scout Executive and Inducted Honorary Member, administering the oath of office, the Scout Oath.
Congratulations to the following five youth just elected officers for this coming program year.
Officer Title | Current Officer 2023-2024 |
Archon | Grant Zandvliet (Troop 371) |
Minor Archon | Frank Brust (Troop 65) |
Envoy | Aaron Reyes (Troop 126) |
Mountaineer | Axl Mee (Troop 520) |
Keeper | Sean McDermott (Troop 117) |


Change in Name, Explained…
The Tribe of Tahquitz has been an important part of the Long Beach Area Council since its founding by 15 Honor Campers in December 1925 at the original Camp Tahquitz in Idyllwild. For 95 years the Tribe has served the local council, primarily by providing an all-volunteer summer camp staff. From the beginning, Indian lore was an important part of the Tribe’s program. Over the decades the Tribe’s focus on Native American dancing, singing and regalia has been refined with the utmost respect for the culture being represented.
However, in line with social and cultural trends in recent years it has become clear that parts of the Tribe program did not demonstrate the intended level of respect. In 2020 a deep analysis of the Tribe program led to the conclusion that it included elements of cultural appropriation and stereotyping. Steps were discussed and agreed upon to address this issue. At the Tribe’s 96th Annual Meeting, held virtually on December 19, 2020, the organization’s constitution was amended to change the name, purpose, officer titles, and rank titles to remove stereotypes and refocus the outward image.
Also changed were gender specific words, such as boy, man, he, him and his, to gender neutral terms such as member, youth, adult, they, them and their. This is in line with the fact that beginning in 2018 and 2019 women and girls are now permitted to go through the Annual Induction and become full-fledged members. (Hence the need to change the office of Mountain Man to Mountaineer.)
The new name of the organization is Tahquitz Community. New officer titles with their previous counterpart are:
Old Officer Title | New Officer Title |
Chief | Archon |
Little Chief | Minor Archon |
Medicine Man | Envoy |
Mountain Man | Mountaineer |
Keeper of the Tally | Keeper |
Although it is intended to retain a focus on Native culture, certain aspects will be discontinued. Using demonstrations of Native culture to entertain units, as a theme for campfire programs or to promote summer camp are clear examples of cultural appropriation and will no longer be used.
These changes are being made at this time following extensive deliberation by the membership and to avoid being coerced into making arbitrary changes later by either BSA policy or pressure from outside groups. It should also be stressed however, that the changes have been adopted voluntarily in the belief that this is the right thing to do.
What will continue is a detailed study of Native regalia, dancing and singing as they relate to the current “Powwow Culture.” The Tahquitz Community will seek to partner with local Indian groups to support their efforts and to learn from them.
The Tahquitz Community will also continue to provide an all-volunteer summer camp staff at Camp Tahquitz, just as it has for the last 95 years. The members will also continue to support Council events such as Camporee, Scout-O-Rama and Freeze-O-Ree.
While the outward image and parts of the program will change, the Tahquitz Community will continue to provide service, a positive example and promote leadership development of its members. We are looking forward to celebrating our 100th Anniversary in 2025.
Fore more info and the latest happenings, please see the Tahquitz Community website here.
Past Leaders of the Tribe of Tahquitz/Tahquitz Community:
2022 – 2023 Jacob Millett
2021 – 2022 Charlie Benedict
2020 – 2021 Jack Jones
2019 – 2020 Tyler Lansdell
2018 – 2019 Jason Millett
2017 – 2018 Derek Delp
2016 – 2017 Ben Steidl
2015 – 2016 Calvin Belcher
2014 – 2015 Luke Higbee
2013 – 2014 Matthew Downs
2011 – 2012 Ryan Long
2010 – 2011 Kevin Folkerts
2009 – 2010 Anthony J. Nickelatti
2008 – 2009 Andrew Chambers
2007 – 2008 Timothy Gilleland
2006 – 2007 Shawn Long
2005 – 2006 Tyler Eisenhower
2004 – 2005 Robert Lund
2003 – 2004 Thomas L. (TJ) Kendall, Jr.
2002 – 2003 Ryan Cochran
2001 – 2002 Andy Long
2000 – 2001 Joseph Johnson
1999 – 2000 James “Packy” Crowell
1998 – 1999 Trevor Crowell
1997 – 1998 Keith Dixon
1996 – 1997 Ryan Shotwell
1995 – 1996 James Russell
1994 – 1995 Scott Willis
1993 – 1994 David K. Kerns
1992 – 1993 Brandon A. Gray
1991 – 1992 Johnny Gunde
1990 – 1991 Eric Sherman
1989 – 1990 Cory Kemp
1988 – 1989 Matt Murray
1987 – 1988 Eric Johnson
1986 – 1987 Marty Killebrew*
1985 – 1986 Mark Voykovic
1984 – 1985 Scott Fremgen
1983 – 1984 Timothy E. Howes*
1982 – 1983 Randy Miller
1981 – 1982 Jeffery S. Tylicki
1980 – 1981 Scott Affre
1979 – 1980 Mark Ledbetter
1978 – 1979 Mike Dermody
1977 – 1978 Paul Sheppard
1977 Mike Cox
1976 – 1977 John Coveney
1975 – 1976 Mike Emling
1974 – 1975 Keith S. Molle’
1973 – 1974 John Payne
1972 – 1973 Pete Alwinson
1971 – 1972 Scott Heule
1970 – 1971 Rick Van Stralen
1969 – 1970 Chris Marks*
1968 – 1969 Tom Greene
1967 – 1968 Mike Tippetts
1966 – 1967 Jim Davy*
1965 – 1966 Ron Griffen
1964 – 1965 Robbin Schellhous
1963 – 1964 Bill Wenger
1962 – 1963 Jim Delong*
1961 – 1962 Terry Baker*
1960 – 1961 Dick Leevers*
1959 – 1960 Jerry Smith
1958 – 1959 Roy McBride
1957 – 1958 Gil Walker
1956 – 1957 Jim Byrne
1955 – 1956 Paul Jones
1954 – 1955 Ron Korman
1953 – 1954 Tom Herren*
1952 – 1953 Dave Short*
1951 – 1952 Larry Strom*
1950 – 1951 Herman Zittel
1949 – 1950 Dick Aschieris*
1949 John Thornton
1948 – 1949 Steve Ramos*
1947 – 1948 Jim Moor*
1946 – 1947 Leland Reeve*
1946 Dick Shannon*
1945 – 1946 Vince Jones*
1944 – 1945 Gordon Douglass*
1944 Eugene Reid*
1943 – 1944 Bob Campbell*
1943 John Kortz*
1942 – 1943 Allan Taylor*
1942 Dan Angell*
1941 Spencer Jennison*
1940 Charles B. Miller*
1939 Oran Lowery*
1938 Warren Proctor*
1937 Al Schlecht*
1936 H. Wilson Albright*
1935 Allan Gilliam*
1934 Eugene Talbott*
1933 Howard Ulrich*
1932 Comly Palmer*
1931 Idris Owen*
1930 Don Randall*
1929 Charles Wade*
1928 Dick Killen*
1926 & 1927 Randolph Richards*
* Has passed away