In his 61st year as head of the family business, Solon Scott was honored Thursday as the Distinguished Citizen for the Boy Scouts of America Chickasaw Council.
Family, friends, and supporters of Scott, president of Scott Petroleum, celebrated at the 12th annual Distinguished Citizen Award Dinner at the Greenwood County Club Thursday evening. More than $86,000 was raised for the Boy Scouts program in the Mississippi Delta.
The Boy Scouts use the funding for program support and unit service, camping and activities, office expenses and administration and other expenses to keep the organization running.
“I had no idea we would have this type of crowd here tonight and raise this amount of money that we have raised because it has been fantastic,” Scott said.
Bill Litton said Scott has devoted his life to service and makes the community a better place to live.
Before the special tribute to Scott, Floyd Melton IV of Troop 4200 spoke about the impact the Scouting program has had on his life.
For the last 10 years, the Boy Scouts taught him to learn how to communicate, be a good citizen, survive and administer first aid, among other things, he said. He and his troop have also spent more than 100 hours a year volunteering in the community.
“I am proud that me and my friends can call ourselves Eagle Scouts and know that it is not just a title given to someone,” he said. “It is a title that is earned and that we will have to live up to for the rest of our lives.”
Dr. John Fair Lucas III also paid a special tribute to Scott along with some personal stories.
Scott was born in Itta Bena and attended Mississippi State University, Mississippi Delta Community College and Delta State University. In 1957, he returned home to help his mother run the family business, Scott Butane Gas Systems, after his father passed away.
Now president of Scott Petroleum in Itta Bena, Scott grew the business from two propane trucks and five employees. During the 1970s, the name changed from Scott Butane Gas Systems to Scott Petroleum Company, and the business ventured into other prospects including selling gasoline and diesel fuel to farming operations and convenience stores.
Scott has also invested in building a biodiesel plant as well as one of the largest fertilizer distribution centers, which he later sold to Gold Kist Cooperative, in Greenville.
In 1967, he, his brother Steve and friend Derwood Strain started Triple S Farms, where they grew soybeans, rice and cotton. After the split of the farm, Scott began to raise catfish. Later he built America’s Catch fish processing plant. His son, Solon III, is now the president of that company.
Today, Scott Petroleum employs 325 people and has 27 locations in Mississippi, Arkansas and Louisiana.
Scott is a member of the Episcopal Church of Nativity. He has served as the Itta Bena-Morgan City Rotary Club president and is a former member of the Pillow Academy Endowment for Pillow Students and a former chairman of the annual fundraising event for Leflore County Boy Scouts.
He is married to Teresita Scott. His son, Solon III, and his wife, Ashley, also have two children, Solon IV and Ava. Daughter Liz Barrett and her husband, Noel, also have two children, Scott and Noelle.
•Contact Lauren Randall at 581-7239 or lrandall@gwcommonwealth.com.
