Boy Scout awards honor leadership, service

A banquet thrown by the Northwest Suburban Boy Scout Council turned into a court of awards ceremony Thursday, as officials honored a panel of distinguished citizens.

The tradition goes back 30 years, they said, and this year they chose Hoffman Estates Mayor Bill McLeod and former chairman and CEO of Pepper Construction, Richard and Roxelyn Pepper, for the honor.

More than 200 people gathered at Meridian Banquets in Rolling Meadows for the dinner, triple the number from last year, officials said.

They stood as Cub Scouts from Park Ridge opened the dinner with a formal flag ceremony, and they rose again to welcome retired Marine Maj. Gregory Tesch, just back from his latest tour in Fallujah.

Tesch delivered the keynote address, comparing the values of service and support honed in the military with the same values promoted in Scouting.

"Can you think of a better organization that provides service and support to our country and community, than the Boy Scouts?" Tesch asked the crowd.

Steve Taylor, council director, handed out the evening's biggest honor, its Distinguished Eagle Scout Award, to Rich Politowicz of Lake Barrington.

"This had to be ratified by a national review board that included Defense Secretary Bob Gates, who had to sign off on it," Taylor said.

The award recognized Politowicz's Eagle Scout rank earned in 1971, as well as his longstanding leadership in the Northwest Suburban Boy Scout Council, where he currently serves as president, as well as his statewide influence with his business, Professional Home Services, which manages residential and commercial projects.

"It's a very humbling honor, and I'm even more humbled here tonight to see everyone here," Politowicz said, pointing to friends and family, as well as members of the Chicago Wolves who turned out to honor him.

In selecting their distinguished citizens, Scouting officials said they looked for leaders committed to Scouting and the community.

In accepting the award, McLeod turned the tables on Scout leaders, affirming members of the "front lines of Scouting," for their work.

"I've seen first-hand the difference Scouting makes in the lives of young men," McLeod said. "You build boys into men."

Richard Pepper echoed those sentiments, adding that Scouting develops values for a lifetime, including "skill, responsibility and integrity."