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Chris Gibson, Otsego County’s former congressman, speaks at Siena College in July, 20202, after the decision to name him its new president was announced. (Siena College).

Former Congressman,
Gibson, to receive
scout award

STAFF REPORT • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com

Chris Gibson, a three-term Congressman from New York’s 19th District, retired Army colonel and president of Siena College, will be honored by the Twin Rivers Council of the Boy Scouts of America during its Columbia County Good Scout Award Dinner on Thursday, June 17, according to a media release.

Gibson is a Kinderhook resident who grew up in Columbia County, graduated from Ichabod Crane High School and from Siena College, where he was commissioned as an Army officer through ROTC.

He was also once a scout in Troop 113, which still serves youth in Kinderhook.

The annual dinner recognizes Columbia County residents who exemplify the scouting ideals of service to God, country and the community.

The dinner, held at Birch Hill Estate in Castleton-on-Hudson, will also raise funds for local Scouting units.

“The Good Scout Award has a long history in Columbia County,” said Dr. Stephen Krizar, a local Scouting volunteer who is one of the event organizers, in the media release.

“With his service to our country in the Army and Congress, and now his service as president of Siena College, nobody exemplifies service more than Chris Gibson who has continued to make Columbia County his home,” Krizar said.

Gibson was appointed the 12th president of Siena College in July. He is the first permanent lay leader in Siena’s history, and also serves on the faculty as a professor of leadership.

From 2011 to 2017, Gibson served in the House of Representatives. He was one of the co-chairs of the bi-partisan “No Labels” caucus, which sought to work across the aisle with members of both the Republican and Democratic parties.

After graduating from Sienna College in 1986, Gibson served as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army for 29 years. He eventually rose to the rank of colonel, commanding the 82nd Airborne Division’s 2nd Brigade.

Gibson served four combat tours in Iraq, was part of the NATO peacekeeping mission in Kosovo and in 2010 led his brigade to Haiti on a humanitarian relief mission following an earthquake there.

He has written two books: “Securing the State: Reforming the National Security Decisionmaking Process at the Civil-Military Nexus,” and ” Rally Point: Five Tasks to Unite the Country and Revitalize the American Dream. ”

Gibson holds a B.A. in history from Siena, and an M.A., M.P.A. and Ph.D. in government, all from Cornell University.

He and his wife, Mary Jo, have three children.

 

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