In October 1961, a group of retirees in the Bismarck area submitted an application for chapter membership to the National Association of Civilian Employees (NARCE).  [Note: NARCE eventually evolved into NARFE, the National Association of Active and Retired Federal Employees (NARFE).]  NARCE approved the chapter’s charter in March 1962 and the group became known as the NARCE Bismarck Chapter 0195.  Due to the increase of membership from Mandan, the name was changed to the Bismarck-Mandan Chapter 0195 in 1983.

During the early years, meetings were held in the Civil Service Room at the old Federal Building and moved to the new Federal Building when it was built.  Later, meetings were held at the Patterson Hotel, Municipal Country Club, Knights of Columbus Hall, Town House Motel, and various restaurants in the Bismarck area.  As the membership increased, a larger facility was needed.   The Burleigh County Senior Center in Bismarck became the meeting place from 1978 to 1999.  In September 1999, the membership unanimously voted to change the meeting place to it current location, the Bismarck Elks Lodge.
 
Through the years, membership has increased from a “potential list of 33 persons” in 1961 to the current enrollment of 268 members in 2009.

Past Chapter Presidents

Year	Name
1961 - 1964	John C. Thysell
1965	Charles L. Gray
1966-1967	John Hagen
1968	Ardie Palmer
1969	Lyness Lloyd
1970	Jesse Olson
1971	Margaret  Wynkoop (Resigned)
1971	Jesse Olson
1972	Francis Amory
1973	Arthur Monaghan
1974	Warren Tewksbury
1975-1976	John “Jack” McDonald
1977	Harold Robinson
1978 - 1979	Paul Rasmusson
1980	Melvin Anderson
1981	Harold “Red” Hokenstad
1982	Archie Seebart
1983 - 1984	Allen Fisk
1985	Archur Schrenk
1986 – 1987	Lawrence Peterson
1987 – 1989	Neal McClure
1989 – 1990	LeRoy Nayes
1990 – 1992	Leo Benz
1992 – 1993	G. “Woody” Gagnon
1993 – 1995	George Reichman
1996 – 1997	Margaret Kasch
1997 – 1999	Darrel Pittman
1999 – 2007	Darlene Turitto
2007 - 2009	Arden Mathison
2009 - 2011	Christian Wingire
2011 - present	Richard Hansen