Norwegian American Genealogical Center > Founder & Current Leadership

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.

Front Row: Robert Anderson, Lowell Olberg, Paul Larson, David Johansen.
Back Row: Jon Grinde, JoAnn Peterson Six, Ann Leon, John W. Thompson, Anne V. Lindblom, Paul Berge.
Not Pictured: C. Marvin Lang and Ellen S. Aa. Vollebaek

Board of Directors

Lowell Olberg Chairman Wheaton, Illinois	C. Marvin Lang Stevens Point, Wisconsin
Paul Larson Vice Chairman Waunakee, Wisconsin	Ann Leon Madison, Wisconsin
Robert Anderson Treasurer Verona, Wisconsin	Anne V. Lindblom Verona, Wisconsin
David Johansen Secretary Iowa City, Iowa	JoAnn Peterson Six Highlands Ranch, Colorado
Paul M. Berge Middleton, Wisconsin	John W. Thompson Madison, Wisconsin
Jon Grinde Madison, Wisconsin	Ellen S. Aa. Vollebæk Oslo, Norway

Advisory Council

Kathleen Bergan Schmidt Chairman Crystal Lake, Illinois	Gary T. Johnson Evanston, Illinois
Michael J. Bovre Madison, Wisconsin	Dianne Larson Waunakee, Wisconsin
Audrey & Philip Dybdahl Madison, Wisconsin	John & Marcy Lovick Southlake, Texas
Ella Fossum Racine, Wisconsin	David L. & Ann M. Nelson Stoughton, Wisconsin
Robert Fossum Chetek, 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

Honorary Advisory Council

Marian Aaker Edina, Minnesota	Marilynn Amdal Madden Decatur, Illinois
Owen D. & Naomi F. Bekkum Madison, Wisconsin	Eugene J. Nordby Madison, Wisconsin
Dorothy Leon Madison, Wisconsin	A. Elizabeth Sande Rochester, Minnesota

Become a Member

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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Support NAGC & NL

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

“Thank you very much for the photos! I, and the rest of the group, loved to be at the Naeseth Library. Wish we could have more time for searching in your archives. I returned to Norway in the afternoon yesterday. The rest of our trip was enjoyable too, and I think the moments I will remember forever is our visit to the Library, my meeting with Kelvin, the concert on the Capitol Square in Madison, Nordic Fest in Decorah and when we met Ph. D. Odd Lovoll at St. Olaf College in Northfield. Thank you for a very interesting visit at Naeseth Library.”

- Oddny (Norway)