Directors
Nelson R. Block
Chairman and President
Nelson is a business lawyer, who now limits his practice to pro bono work. He has authored or edited six books on Scouting history, including A Thing of the Spirit: The Life of E. Urner Goodman; Bound in Brotherhood: The Order of the Arrow Centennial Scrapbook (with Bill Topkis); and Scouting Frontiers: Youth and the Scout Movement’s First Century (with Tammy Proctor). He co-chaired the 2008 program, “Scouting: A Centennial History Symposium” held at Johns Hopkins University. An Eagle Scout and veteran Cubmaster and Scoutmaster, he has served on his local council board for 40 years, as well as many regional and national Scouting America boards and committees.
Raymond T. Capp,
Director, Vice President and Treasurer
Ray is a longtime Scoutmaster and corresponded with Green Bar Bill from the time Bill chose his jamboree patrol flag as a winner until Bill’s death. Ray has chaired the National Order of the Arrow Committee, the BSA Alumni Association, and the National BSA Court of Honor. He is an Eagle Scout, the longest serving member of the National Scouting Museum Committee and is an author, speaker, and serial entrepreneur when he is out of uniform.
Scott Clabaugh
Director and Vice President
An Eagle Scout, Scott had a distinguished 38-year career as a professional Scouter. He served as a member of the staff of the Old Kentucky Home Council (Louisville, KY) and the Dan Beard Council (Cincinnati, OH) and as Scout Executive in the Toledo Area Council (Toledo, OH) and the Crossroads of America Council (Indianapolis, IN) until his retirement in 2013.
Kenneth P. Davis
Director and Vice President
Ken, with Ph.D. in history, is an independent scholar, writing primarily about Scouting. He had a 30-year career as a federal civilian employee, retiring as an office director for the Defense Logistics Agency. Ken served in the US Army for 30 years, including duty in Vietnam, retiring as a colonel. Ken, an Eagle Scout, has been active in Scouting for some 70 years, including the National Order of the Arrow Committee, local and regional boards, Scoutmaster, and director of the Philmont Staff Association. His books include Bound in Brotherhood: the History of the Order of the Arrow; The History of Wood Badge in the United States; and Born at the Confluence: A History of the Philmont Staff Association.
Edward A. Pease
Director, Vice President, and Secretary
Ed is retired as a Senior Vice-President for Rolls-Royce North America, following a career in law, higher education, and service in the United States House of Representatives. An Eagle Scout, his Scouting involvement ranges from service as president of his local council, to regional and national committees of Scouting America, including chair of the National Order of the Arrow Committee and the BSA Alumni Association.
N. Anthony (Tony) Steinhardt, III
Director and Vice President
After a 30-year career in architecture and engineering as CMO for RATIO Design, Tony now serves as the Economic and Redevelopment director for the City of Madison (Indiana) and Jefferson County. An Eagle Scout, Tony served the Order of the Arrow as National Vice Chief in 1990 and as a member of the National Order of the Arrow Committee for several years through the 100th anniversary celebration. Tony contributed to the design of the Order’s Summit Circle ceremonial site at The Bechtel Summit Reserve and led the development of the Order of the Arrow exhibit at the National Scouting Museum at Philmont.
William H. (Bill) Topkis
Director and Vice President
Bill, an Eagle Scout, is a retired attorney. He served ten years on the National Order of the Arrow Committee and currently serves on the National Scouting Museum Committee. Bill was lead adviser for the OA History Timeline, the 2012, 2015, and 2018 NOAC GEOs (museums), has authored numerous articles on OA and Scouting, and twelve books including co-authoring/editing Bound in Brotherhood: The Order of the Arrow Centennial Scrapbook (with Nelson Block); The Blue Book, Standard Order of the Arrow Insignia Catalog; and First Flaps. Bill has written and/or produced several OA films including NUWINGI – The Willing. He was lead adviser for the 2019 National Scouting Historian Summit held at Philmont Scout Ranch.
