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Your support creates First Class Futures!
In Scouting, earning the First Class rank means a young person has built real skills, confidence, and leadership. The FIRST CLASS campaign is about giving every child in our community the opportunity to experience that same growth. Your support provides outdoor adventures, mentoring, and life-changing programs that prepare youth for a first-class future. Help us deliver a FIRST CLASS Scouting experience to every Scout in the Jayhawk Area Council.
Campaign Honoree Co-Chairs
Dr. Kent Palmberg
Retired
Dr. Kent Palmberg is an Eagle Scout, former Board President of the Jayhawk Area Council and currently serves on the Council’s Executive Board. Dr. Palmberg enjoyed two careers in the medical field. Returning to his hometown of Topeka in 1978, he joined a group of physicians that grew to become Cotton O'Neil Clinic and practiced Internal Medicine until 1995. With the merger of Cotton O'Neil and Stormont Vail, Dr. Palmberg had the opportunity to become part of the administrative team and served as Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer from 1995 to 2016. He continues to enjoy supporting local health care providers and serves in volunteer capacities with Stormont-Vail Health and Midland Care.
Lucky Defries
Tax Attorney and Shareholder with Morris Laing Law Firm in Topeka.
Lucky is nationally recognized for his expertise in state and local taxation and has received numerous accolades for his legal work.
Mr. DeFries is active at both the state and national level with organizations that deal with state and local tax matters. During his career, he has been involved with many of the most significant state and local tax cases in Kansas. When not practicing law, Lucky enjoys reading, swimming, horseback riding, travel and good music. He has always placed a high priority on civic involvement - serving as the Past Chair of the Jayhawk Area Council and current member of Executive Board . Lucky finds pleasure in offering pro bono service (something he inherited from his family).
Majors
Success in funds raised by each Major and his/her team will be updated on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Live updates will be available beginning April 8th.
Tim O'Shea
Retired from Capitol Federal Savings; Board President, Jayhawk Area Council
Born and raised in Oskaloosa, Kansas, Tim received his BS in Accounting at Kansas State in 1982. Tim and his wife, Debra, have 4 children and numerous grandchildren. Tim earned his Eagle Scout with Troop 85 in Oskaloosa in 1976. Having served his entire career in banking at Capitol Federal Savings, Tim retired in March 2024 after a distinguished career. Tim has served as a board member of the Council since 1996 and currently serves as Board President.
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Robert Maxwell
Attorney, Sloan Law Firm of Topeka, KS
In Topeka, Kansas, Maxwell is the Immediate Past President of the Kiwanis Children’s Fund, which serves in 83 different countries. In the Kansas District, Maxwell has served as governor, lieutenant governor and district treasurer. He also served two three-year terms as a Division 11 representative to the Kansas Kiwanis Foundation, and currently serves as President of the Topeka Kiwanis Foundation. Maxwell is a three-time Hixson Fellow and a three-time Walter Zeller Fellow and a member of the Children’s Fund Founder’s Circle.
Maxwell served as the executive vice president and trust officer for Kaw Valley Bank prior to retirement and continues to serve as a member of the bank’s board of directors, loan committee and trust committee. He enjoys volunteering with Big Brothers Big Sisters, is currently a board member and past president of the Jayhawk Area Council Scounting America and serves as a trustee for the Topeka Shawnee County Public Library, Astra Mental Health Foundation, and the Brewster Place Foundation.
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Aaron Scott
PE Vice President, Project Manager Certus Structural Engineers, Inc.
Aaron received his MS in Architectural Engineering from Kansas State University with an emphasis in structural analysis and design. As Vice President and Project Manager at Certus Structural Engineers, Aaron has played a significant role in Topeka’s commitment to the revitalization of downtown that includes the Cyrus Hotel, 720 Kansas Avenue property after the fire, Ameriprise Financial, and several others, including projects like the Topeka Center for Advanced Learning, the Federal Home Loan Bank Building of Topeka, and the upcoming West Ridge Mall Renovation. Aaron is an Eagle Scout and Vice President of Development for the Jayhawk Area Council. He is also a past member of the 20-30 Club of Topeka and was recognized as a Topeka’s Top 20 Under 40 Honoree in 2017, and is an active adult leader for Scout Troop 11.
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Keith Roberts
Major
Keith started his Scouting in Southwest Kansas as a Cub Scout (2 years) and Boy Scout (1 year). He picked it up years later when their oldest son was Scouting age as a Tiger parent in Tuckabatchee Council in Prattville, Alabama and later as a Cub Scout Assistant Den Leader. Then as a Cub Scout Assistant Den Leader and Webelos Assistant Den Leader, and Troop Committee member in Wichita, Quivira Council. We moved to the Washington DC area where I served as a Pack Committee Chair, Troop Committee Member, Scoutmaster, Chartered Organization Representative, and Unit Commissioner in the NCAC Council, Prince William District. I've attended three National Jamborees as an Assistant Scoutmaster, numerous summer camps, and high adventure at Philmont, Northern Tier and Sea Base.
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