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Founder & Current Leadership

Professor GERHARD B. NAESETH

The core of the Genealogical Center research collection was assembled by Gerhard B. Naeseth (1913-1994), who was internationally renowned in the field of Norwegian and Norwegian-American genealogy and immigration.

A former University of Wisconsin professor, Naeseth served as associate director for the libraries of the University of Wisconsin from 1948-1978. During his tenure at the University of Wisconsin, he helped build one of the largest collections of Norwegian local & genealogical history in the United States.

Following his retirement, he administered the Genealogical Center, beginning in his home and later in the present quarters. In 1990, the genealogical research library was named in his honor. In 1993, he completed and published volume one of his massive research, “Norwegian Immigrants to the United States: A Biographical Guide, 1825-1850.”

In 2001, the Genealogical Center established the Gerhard B. Naeseth Chair for Genealogical Research and Publication as a tribute to his lifetime accomplishments in the field of Norwegian and Norwegian-American genealogy.

Board of Directors

Lowell Olberg Chairman Wheaton, Illinois	Scott R. Johnson Madison, Wisconsin
Paul Larson Vice Chairman Waunakee, Wisconsin	C. Marvin Lang Stevens Point, Wisconsin
David Johansen Treasurer Iowa City, Iowa	Ken Larson Batavia, Illinois
Jon Grinde Secretary Madison, Wisconsin	Anne V. Lindblom Verona, Wisconsin
Robert Anderson Verona, Wisconsin	JoAnn Peterson Six Highlands Ranch, Colorado
Paul M. Berge Middleton, Wisconsin	Ellen Smithback Stoughton, Wisconsin
Robert M. Fossum Chetek, Wisconsin	John W. Thompson Madison, Wisconsin

Advisory Council

Kathleen Bergan Schmidt Chairman Crystal Lake, Illinois	Dianne Larson Waunakee, Wisconsin
Michael J. Bovre Madison, Wisconsin	John & Marcy Lovick Southlake, Texas
Audrey Dybdahl Madison, Wisconsin	David L. & Ann M. Nelson Stoughton, Wisconsin
Ella Fossum Racine, Wisconsin	Martha Gesme Nielsen Palatine, Illinois
Dean & Ann Urness Gesme Cedar Rapids, Iowa	Howard Rockstad Thousand Oaks, California
Barbara Greenfeldt Washington Island, Wisconsin	Lee Rokke Apple Valley, Minnesota
David Hardy Palatine, Illinois	Donald L. Ross Madison, Wisconsin
Donald Hoganson Wheaton, Illinois	John Skillrud Middleton, Wisconsin
Gary T. Johnson Evanston, Illinois

Honorary Advisory Council

Marian Aaker Edina, Minnesota	Marilynn Amdal Madden Decatur, Illinois
Owen D. & Naomi F. Bekkum Madison, Wisconsin	Eugene J. Nordby Madison, Wisconsin

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By becoming a member, you not only gain benefits for your family history research, you also support a worthy cause.

Your annual membership helps you, your family, and a wide community discover their roots and preserve a treasured heritage.

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NAGC & NL relies upon donations of all types from its members and friends throughout the world.

All gifts, whether large or small, are essential to the work of the Center, an important non-profit organization of international scope that is dedicated to preserving Norwegian-American history and heritage.

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Testimonials

“Dear Carol & Solveig, Thanks for all your help when I came to the Center: Solveig, for translating and the things we discussed; Carol, for helping me learn how to figure out the bygdeboker. This has been such an exciting endeavor for me, as I move from knowing only my great-grandmother's last name (and the wrong county in Norway) in 2014-to now having my family (and both sides of her family) all the way back to the 1600's & where they lived. So much fun. I will be back to work further, so I thank you again.”

- Karol (Illinois)