Organization and Functions
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View the Fact Sheet for the State Historical Society of North Dakota .

The State Historical Society of North Dakota is governed by the State Historical Board and is organized into four divisions. All divisions are headquartered at the North Dakota Heritage Center in Bismarck.

President Albert I. Berger
Vice President Chester Nelson
Secretary Gereld Gerntholz

Appointed Members

Terms Expiring July 1, 2008
Diane Larson, Bismarck
Richard Kloubec, Fargo

Terms Expiring July 1, 2009
Gereld Gerntholz, Valley City
Marvin L. Kaiser, Williston

Terms Expiring July 1, 2010
Albert Berger, Grand Forks
Art Todd, III, Jamestown
Chester Nelson, Bismarck

Statutory Members
Sara Otte Coleman, Director, Tourism Division, Department of Commerce
Alvin A. Jaeger, Secretary of State
Douglass Prchal, Director, Parks and Recreation Department
Kelly Schmidt, State Treasurer
Francis G. Ziegler, Director, Department of Transportation

Senior Staff
Director: Merlan E. Paaverud, Jr. mpaaverud@nd.gov
Assistant Director: David C. Skalsky dcskalsky@nd.gov
Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer: Fern Swenson fswenson@nd.gov
Expansion Coordinator/Museum and Education: Claudia Berg cberg@nd.gov
State Archivist: Ann B. Jenks ajenks@nd.gov
Director/Communications, Marketing and Education: Richard E. Collin rcollin@nd.gov
Acting Director/Museum Division: Chris Johnson cjohnson@nd.gov

The Historic Preservation Division provides for the preparation of a statewide historic preservation plan, and inventories, evaluates, and nominates sites for listing on the State and National Registers of Historic Places. The division assists in the preservation of historic properties at all levels, and reviews and comments to sponsoring agencies on federally assisted projects to assure that historic values are considered in project planning and execution. Information on National Park Service cultural resources technical assistance.

The Division also provides for maintenance, repair, and operational control for all land and buildings in the custody of the State Historical Society of North Dakota, which includes fifty-six state historic sites. The division is responsible for constructing interpretive and visitor use facilities and implementing plans and recommendations relating to the historic preservation of sites and buildings.

Staff:

• Bailey, Walter L., Historic Preservation Planner
• Becker, Dennis R., Fort Clark Site Supervisor
• Blanchard, Jeff, Pembina State Museum Site Supervisor
• Eley, Nancy L., Data Entry Clerk
• Erickson, S. Jean, Administrative Assistant
• Frohlich, Michael D., Multimedia Manager
• Ham, James E., Whitestone Hill Site Supervisor
• Jensen, Lloyd W., Construction Manager
• Linn, Delores, Chateau Site Supervisor
• Linn, Thomas C., Architectural Project Manager
• Mattson, Jack C., Fort Totten Co-Site Supervisor
• Mertz, Betty A., Administrative Assistant
• Munson, Amy Rouleau, Grants & Contracts Officer
• Picha, Paul R., Chief Archeologist
• Quinnell, Susan, Review and Compliance Coordinator
• Reed, Timothy A., Research Archeologist
• Rogness, Diane M., Western Reg. Mgr./Project Mgr.
• Ryan, Mary Kate, Architectural Historian
• Slinger, June A., Fort Abercrombie Site Supervisor
• Sundlov, Mark, Fort Buford Site Supervisor
• Swenson, Fern E., Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer and Division Director
• Turcotte, Jean Y., Fort Buford Assistant Site Supervisor

The Museum Division presents the history of North Dakota through exhibits in the North Dakota Heritage Center and in branch museums, as well as through traveling exhibits. The Division staff provide technical assistance on exhibit design and collection care to the public and other museums in the state. The division is responsible for preserving and exhibiting the artifacts in the collection, including approximately 650,000 pieces in the archeological collection and 43,000 artifacts in the history, ethnology, and natural history collections.

Staff:

• Austin, Brian R., Graphic Services Coordinator
• Berg, Claudia J., Director of Museum and Education Division/Coordinator of the North Dakota Heritage Center Phase Two Expansion project
• Bradshaw, Adam, Preparator
• Halvorson, Mark J., Curator of Collections Research
• Hesser, Genia, Curator of Exhibits
• Johnson, Christopher L., Acting Museum Director
• Stone, Kiri, Administrative Assistant
• Thorson, Len C., Registrar
• Yearous, Jenny Dee, Curator of Collections Management
• Thompson, Melissa, Collections Assistant

The State Archives and Historical Research Library preserves and makes accessible records of North Dakota government of enduring value and is responsible for acquiring and preserving the other documentary holdings of the State Historical Society of North Dakota. Available are books, newspapers, maps, photographs, motion picture films, tape recordings, archives and manuscripts, and other historical materials for the use of both staff and the general public through reference services and programs of preservation.

Staff:

• Bailey, Lotte L., Deputy State Archivist
• Baker, Gene R., Microfilm Specialist
• Davis, Jim A., Head, Reference Services
• Harrison, Larissa D., Archives Specialist
• Frantes, Naomi A., Library Cataloger
• Klein, Rose L., Administrative Assistant
• Molander, Shane A., Reference Specialist
• Jenks, Ann B., State Archivist and Division Director
• Silengo, Sharon A., Photo Archivist
• White, Rachel E., Head, Technical Services
• Wysk, Greg, Reference Specialist

The Support Services Division provides general supervision of all programs and responsibilities of the agency through the office of the director. Support and coordination are provided through budgeting, accounting, purchasing, personnel services, communications, inventory control, concession sales, and overall security functions.

Staff:

• Brown, Rhonda R., Museum Store Manager
• Carlson, Cathy, Account Technician
• Historical Society Security
• Edwards, Duane, Security Officer
• Fournier, David, Instrument Technician
• Heyd, Michael, Assistant Security Supervisor
• Newton, Blair, Instrument Technician
• Rose, Scott, Security Officer
• Stock, Tim, Security Supervisor
• Hunt, Deb R., Administrative Assistant
• Paaverud, Merlan E., Jr., Director
• Schaffnit, Donna, Store Clerk
• Schlinger, Elaine R., Administrative Assistant
• Skalsky, David C., Assistant Director
• Steckler, Lisa L., Administrative Assistant
• Warner, Ron P., Administrative Officer

The Division provides communications and marketing services and educational outreach by interpreting the collections and work of the Society to the public. Responsible for public programs for adults and children, school programs, field services, publications and and the volunteer/facility program, the Division staff bring North Dakota history to life for thousands of people.

Staff:

• Campbell, Beth E., Visitor Services Coordinator
• Collin, Richard E., Communications and Education Director
• Davison, Kathy K., Editor
• Hellman, Deborah K., Communications Assistant
• Johnson, Bonnie, Assistant Editor
• Schaffnit, Scott, Outreach Programs Coordinator
• Snyder, Marilyn, Curator of Education

Copyright ©1999-2007 State Historical Society of North Dakota. You are free to use information from these pages for any non-commercial purpose. Any use of this information should credit the State Historical Society of North Dakota. Photographs shown on the State Historical Society of North Dakota's web site are taken from the collections of the State Historical Society of North Dakota and may not be included in any publication, printed or online, without the written permission of the Society.