Vesterheim hires new President/CEO

Vesterheim has hired a new President/CEO--State Historical Society of North Dakota official Chris Johnson.

A native of Northeast Iowa, Johnson graduated from Luther College in 1987 with a B.A. in history.  He did his graduate work at the University of Nebraska and an internship with Vesterheim in 1997, the same year he received his Masters in Museum Studies.  Since that time, Johnson has worked for the State Historical Society of North Dakota, first as its Regional Historic Sites Manager from 1998 to 2007, and then as its Museum Division Director from 2007 to the present.
 
Johnson will start working at Vesterheim June 8th, with current Vesterheim Executive Director Steve Johnson also remaining at the museum until September of 2016 to assure a smooth transition.  Steve Johnson will then retire.