ND DECA History

The North Dakota Association of DECA was founded in Valley City, North Dakota on April 10, 1953.

An Association is Developed

As the Distributive Education Program developed, the professional members directly involved in the activities of the student of DE felt that additional curricular activity was needed to supplement the program itself. Students in Distributive Education did not have the opportunity to develop their potential in other extra curricular or co-curricular activities within the school district because they attended school in the morning and were released from school early to go to work. For the purposes of developing a respect for education in marketing and distribution and of promoting leadership and understanding of the responsibilities of citizenship in this country, the teacher-coordinatorsin North Dakota organized, in 1953, at Valley City High School on April 10th to form the North Dakota Association of DECA.

Seven high schools were represented from the following cities:
Enderlin
Garrison
Jamestown
Kenmare
Minot
Valley City
Wahpeton

It was voluntary to have clubs and two of the larger cities did not have clubs. A state charter was received at the eighth
Annual National Convention of DECA in San Antonio, Texas, April 25-28, 1954.

The first Annual North Dakota DECA Convention was held at Minot High School, October 9, 1953. Not all clubs were
represented at Minot. The following officers were elected at the Valley City and Minot conventions:

April 10, 1953 – Valley City
President – Duane Lokken, Enderlin
Vice President – Rose Mary Busch, Minot
Secretary – Helen Gissel, Kenmare
Treasurer – Gordon Lee, Valley City
Parliamentarian – Ardyth Evenson, Minot
Historian – Jackie Brannan, Jamestown
Board of Gov. – Donald Steiner, Wahpeton

October 9, 1953 – Minot
President – Juanita Brown, Devils Lake
Vice President – Alma Norquist, Garrison
Secretary – Betty Ann Carns, Williston
Treasurer – Charles Scheetz, Enderlin
Parliamentarian – John Bald, Wahpeton
Historian – Joyce Sweet, Lisbon
Board of Gov. – Leroy Erickson, Wahpeton

Hager served a three-year term on the National Board of Directors.

Advisors for the local clubs and the state organization attending the conventions at Valley City and Minot were:

Valley City Convention
Dave Mair, Devils Lake & Enderlin 
Emeroy Swanson, Garrison
Mabel Hartje, Jamestown
Donald Aase, Kenmare
Lyle Brenna, Langdon
Ron Davy, Minot 
Al Larvick, Valley City
Beulah Bute, Wahpeton

Minot Convention
Rentze Nicolary, Enderlin
Harland Samson, Garrison
Arlie Burgess, Kenmare
Donald Aase, Lisbon 
Ron Davy, Minot
Beulah Bute, Wahpeton
Gerald Ziebeck, Williston

Distributive Education was changed to Marketing Education in 1984.

History of State DECA Advisor for North Dakota
1938-1941: Miss Edith Jane Veitch
1941-1943: Mr. Oswald M. Hager
1943-1947: Mr. Torre Allegrezza
1947-1967: Mr. Oswald M. Hager
1967-1970: Mr. Ronald Davy
1970-1971: no state advisor
1971-1997: Mr. Leonard Pokladnik
1997-present: Mr. Kevin Reisenauer

History of State Supervisor for North Dakota Marketing Education
1938-1941: Miss Edith Jane Veitch
1941-1943: Mr. Oswald M. Hager
1943-1947: Mr. Torre Allegrezza
1947-1967: Mr. Oswald M. Hager
1967-1970: Mr. Ronald Davy
1970-1971: no state supervisor
1971-1997: Mr. Leonard Pokladnik
1997-1999: Mr. Leonard Pokladnik, contracted
1999-2000: Mr. Darren Bollinger
2001-present: Mr. Kevin Reisenauer

Chapter of the Year

1975-1976: Devils Lake Area Vocational Center – Les Hanson, advisor

1976-1977: Devils Lake Area Vocational Center –  Les Hanson, advisor

1977-1978: Devils Lake Area Vocational Center –  Les Hanson, advisor

1978-1979: Fargo South High School –  Bruce Harmon, advisor

1979-1980: Devils Lake Area Vocational Center –  Les Hanson, advisor

1980-1981: Minot High School –  Renee Wonsor, advisor

1981-1982: Minot High School –  Kevin Reisenauer, advisor

1982-1983: Fargo South High School –  Bruce Harmon, advisor

1983-1984: Minot High School –  Kevin Reisenauer, advisor

1984-1985: Minot High School –  Kevin Reisenauer, advisor

1985-1986: Minot High School –  Kevin Reisenauer, advisor

1986-1987: Minot High School –  Kevin Reisenauer, advisor

1987-1988: Minot High School –  Kevin Reisenauer, advisor

1988-1989: Minot High School –  Kevin Reisenauer, advisor

1989-1990: Minot High School –  Kevin Reisenauer, advisor

1990-1991: Minot High School –  Kevin Reisenauer, advisor

1991-1992: Minot High School – Kevin Reisenauer, advisor

1992-1993: Minot High School –  Kevin Reisenauer, advisor

1993-1994: Minot High School –  Kevin Reisenauer, advisor

1994-1995: Minot High School –  Kevin Reisenauer, advisor

1995-1996: Minot High School –  Kevin Reisenauer, advisor

1996-1997: Minot High School –  Kevin Reisenauer, advisor

1997-1998: Minot High School – Kevin Reisenauer, advisor

1998-1999: Minot High School –  Kevin Reisenauer, advisor

1999-2000: Minot High School –  Kevin Reisenauer, advisor

2000-2001: Minot High School and Red River HS  – Kevin Reisenauer, Minot, Keith Ronkowski Red River

2001-2002: Minot High School and Red River HS –  Michelle Boyeff, Minot, Keith Ronkowski, Red River

2002-2003: Minot High School –  Michelle Boyeff, advisor

2003-2004: Minot High School –  Michelle Boyeff, advisor

2004-2005: Minot High School –  Michelle Boyeff, advisor

2005-2006: Red River High School –  Keith Ronkowski and Brent Polum, advisors

2006-2007: Minot High School –  Michelle Boyeff, advisor

2007-2008: Red River High School –  Keith Ronkowski and Brent Polum, advisors

2008-2009: Red River High School –  Keith Ronkowski and Brent Polum, advisors

2009-2010: Fargo South High School –  Sara Smith and Jason Holland, advisors

2010-2011: Fargo South High School –  Sara Smith, advisor

2011-2012: Fargo North High School –  Craig Erickson and Kelli Sitzler, advisors

2012-2013: Red River High School –  Keith Ronkowski and Brent Polum, advisors

2013-2014: Red River High School –  Keith Ronkowski and Brent Polum, advisors

2014-2015: Red River High School – Keith Ronkowski and Brent Polum, advisors

2015-2016: Red River High School –  Keith Ronkowski and Brent Polum, advisors

2016-2017: Red River High School –  Maggie Uetz and Brent Polum, advisors

2017-2018: Mandan High School –  Don Fry and Randy Wilson, advisors

2018-2019: Grand Forks Central High School – KimBerly Clark, advisor

2019-2020: Conference Cancelled due to COVID-19 – Worldwide Pandemic

2020-2021: Grand Forks Red River High School –  Brent Polum and Dustin Norby, advisors

2021-2022: Mandan High School – Don Fry, advisor

2022-2023: Grand Forks Red River High School –  Brent Polum and Dustin Norby, advisors

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