William J. Kropa, hailing from Nazareth, Pennsylvania, is the 2023 honoree for National Service Territories 10-13. Bill became an Eagle Scout in 1982 and has had a lifelong relationship with Scouting. On the national level, Bill has served as the Northeast Region Coordinator for the BSA Alumni Association National Committee. Under Bill’s leadership as the Northeast Territories Council Outreach Coordinator, alumni relations have dramatically improved. Among Bill’s other alumni relations endeavors is his service as an Alumni Portal Specialists for SPARK, the BSA’s new Alumni Database and Member Portal. In addition, Bill was also a faculty member of the inaugural National Gathering of Alumni at the Philmont Training Center. He served as the event’s Deputy Lead of Activities, and was charged with the planning of both onsite and offsite activities for participants throughout the week. He continues to work with youth at the unit, district, and council levels, and he regularly shares with them the many opportunities that the program has to offer over one’s lifetime.
Bill served in the Marine Corps as an active duty Sergeant during Desert Shield and Desert Storm. He is a life member of the American Legion and Marine Corps League at both the local and state level. Bill currently holds the position of ‘Marine Corps League Eagle Scout Liaison’, and presents recognition certificates to new Eagle Scouts. He also participates in numerous fund raisers for Veterans. Bill has also served his local community helping children with special needs by chairing the Right to Education Local Task Force 20, assisting with Special Olympics sports and equestrian therapeutic riding programs, and Lose the Training Wheels bike riding program. He has also been involved in fundraising by organizing Walks for Down Syndrome and Motorcycle Rides for Cancer. Bill has also served as Grand Knight in the Knights of Columbus, and is a former school board member.
Professionally, Bill has been working in the electrical industry for over 40 years. He was formerly an electrician and lineman, and worked to service both electric utility transmission lines and distribution lines. As a supervisor, Bill led crews restoring power after major storms such as the North American ice storm of 1998 in New York, and Hurricane Sandy in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Bill currently manages large electric utility projects, and is an instructor of line worker training at a local college. Bill has been married to his wife, Jeanne, for 29 years.