West Chester native and Devon Prep graduate Andrew Rongaus is a Partner at Siana Law in Chester Springs and the former Deputy Chief Counsel for the Pennsylvania State Police and the former Chief Deputy Attorney General for the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General.

At Siana Law, he concentrates his practice in the areas of civil rights, public official and police liability, internal investigations, law enforcement operations, municipal law, labor law, and employment law.

Rongaus, who earned a bachelor’s degree in Accountancy and a Juris Doctorate from Villanova, said his proudest professional achievement was receiving the National Outstanding Drug Prosecutor Award from The Office of National Drug Control Policy (a component of the Executive Office of the President of the United States) in 2012.

“The award was for the investigation and successful prosecution of a large-scale, multi-state drug investigation involving the use of non-consensual electronic surveillance and wiretapping,” he said.

Rongaus said a successful leader understands and remembers what it is like to be a subordinate.

“I strive to treat my subordinates with respect and be mindful that there are many ways to accomplish a task,” he said. “Above all, leadership is a people job. I try to be available to talk with those I supervise — whatever the reason — and make sure that I set aside the time to do so. Understanding the issues and concerns of you subordinates will give you better insight into helping the solution-makers for the issues that your organization faces. A successful leader is not afraid to be hands-on and get involved with a ‘boots on the ground’ approach.”

Of the 12 Principles of the Scout Law — Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, and Reverent — “Courteous” and “Kind” resonate the most with Rongaus.

“In my practice of law, I deal with individuals from all walks of life and circumstances,” he said. “Often, the subject of the litigation surrounds stressful situations and serious issues. These situations are often considered one of the worst days or issues in a person’s life. I work hard to ensure that I treat everyone with respect and dignity. I have had individuals whom I have prosecuted thank me at the end of the court proceedings for treating them with respect, despite being sentenced to years in prison.”

The Chester County Council, Boy Scouts of America will honor Rongaus and the 11 other VISTA Leadership Megastars at an awards reception on Thursday, Oct. 20 at its new Program, Activity, and Resource Campus (PARC) in Exton. Sponsorship opportunities are still available. For more information, contact Lisa Antonucci at Lisa.Antonucci@scouting.org or 610-696-2900 x 112.