Several outstanding members of the community recently joined the Scouts BSA Coastal Georgia Council Executive Board lending their expertise to an organization that develops youth leaders.

Recognizing their commitment to promoting the ideals that have made Scouts BSA one of the nation’s largest and most prominent values-based youth development organizations since 1910, the board recently welcomed Jennifer Abshire, William Drought, Josh Kirkland, Jay Thaw, John Taylor and CB Yadev.

“These new board members are proven leaders in their fields with diverse backgrounds in business, law and the military,” said Coastal Georgia Council Scout Executive Lew Sisson. “We’re honored that they chose to devote their time and energy to enriching the lives of tomorrow’s leaders.”

Jennifer Abshire is CEO and founder of Abshire Public Relations, named best PR firm since its inception in 2015 by the readers of Savannah Magazine. Jennifer is a past recipient of Georgia Trend Magazine’s 40 Under 40 leadership award and was former Alumnus of the Year for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences for Georgia Southern University, where she received her B.A. in Public Relations. Before starting her firm, Jennifer served as the Executive Director of Savannah’s Olympic Committee. Jennifer serves as a member of the Georgia Chamber Board of Governors and Georgia Southern University’s Parker College of Business, and is a graduate and past program chair for Leadership Georgia and Leadership Southeast Georgia.

William Drought, an associate in the litigation department of Oliver Maner LLP, earned his Eagle Scout as a member of Savannah’s Troop 88 in 2008. He graduated from the University of Georgia Terry College of Business with a degree in Business Management in 2012 and a Juris Doctor from the Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University in 2015. Drought was named a Georgia Rising Star in 2020 and 2021, one of The Best Lawyers in Best of the Best: Lawyers to Watch, and is a 2018 graduate of Leadership Savannah. He and his wife, Kayla have two children.          

Josh Kirkland, owner of Diversified Fabricators & Erectors for 16 years, is a graduate of the College of Coastal Georgia in Brunswick, Ga. Diversified Fabricators and Erectors provides metal processing, welding, installation, sand blasting, painting and metal fabrication services in Brunswick and the Golden Isles.

Jay Thaw is Chief Strategy Officer and General Counsel at Portum, an Information Technology company based in Indianapolis, Ind. Thaw received his undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia and Doctor of Law from Georgia State University. A veteran in the healthcare regulation and policy industry, Thaw directs the development and implementation of Portum’s corporate strategy, business development, partnerships, and key investments. 

John Taylor, a lieutenant at the Savannah Technical College Police Department, settled in Savannah after retiring from military service. Taylor graduated in 1982 with a bachelors in Political Science from Siena College in Loudonville, N.Y. and a Juris Doctor from the University of Bridgeport School of Law, Bridgeport, Conn. in 1987. After retiring as a Judge Advocate officer from the Army, Taylor worked at Armstrong State University. Taylor has served as Assistant Scoutmaster and Scoutmaster for Savannah’s Troop 16, and is a member of the Order of the Arrow. Taylor is married to The Honorable Linda D. Taylor, and has four children.

CB Yadev moved to Camden County in 2003 and opened several grocery stores and motels. Yadev serves as a chair of Kingsland Tourism, Vice Chair of Kingsland Development Authority, and a board member of the Camden Partnership, Camden County Joint Development Authority, Camden County Chamber of Commerce, and Georgia Chamber. Yadev is a graduate of Camden Leadership 2010, Southeast Georgia Leadership 2018, and Leadership Georgia 2018. Yadev earned his bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Engineering. He and his wife, Sugandha, have two sons.

For more information about local Scouting and other upcoming events, visit the Coastal Georgia Council website at www.coastalgeorgiabsa.org or facebook at @CoastalGeorgiaScouts.