Theodore Roosevelt and North Dakota

Theodore Roosevelt attributed the time he spent in North Dakota as a formational experience to his journey as a political leader and future President. In 2020, 101 years after his death, the brand new Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library will open in Western North Dakota. This library will be a cultural attraction and economic driver for this region. This conversation will include leaders of this initiative discussing why they are bringing this project to life.

Featuring Edward O’Keefe and Rolf Sletten in conversation with Bill Marcil, Jr.

Edward O’Keefe is the CEO of the proposed presidential library for Theodore Roosevelt in Western ND. O’Keefe was chosen for his long-career as a media executive and his knowledge of former President Roosevelt. Working for 20 years in media, O’Keefe has worked with ABC News, CNN, CBS, 60 Minutes, Face the Nation, and others. He has won numerous prestigious awards including a Peabody and a Primetime Emmy. As a Harvard fellow, O’Keefe had substantial access to Theodore Roosevelt’s personal papers, leading him to discover never-before-published material. This research will be the subject of a forthcoming book, The Loves of Theodore Roosevelt.

Rolf Sletten is the President of VeriDoc Inc. and serves on the Board of Directors for the Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation and the Capital Gallery. He is the author of two books, and served as a law clerk to the Chief Justice of the North Dakota Supreme Court, Assistant States Attorney for Burleigh County, Bismarck Municipal Court Judge, and in the State Judicial Nominating Committee. Sletten is a native of Souris, ND and a life-long resident of our state. He graduated from UND in 1971 and from the UND School of Law in 1974.

Bill Marcil, Jr. is CEO of Forum Communications Company, a family-owned media company based in Fargo, ND, which operates more than 75 daily, weekly, and monthly print titles with 48 web sites, four ABC television stations, AM radio sations, and a commercial printing division. Twenty years ago, Inforum.com was one of the first fully integrated television, newspaper, and radio websites in the country. Today, the company is reinvesting in journalism and local content, embracing its legacy of serving customers and their communities throughout North and South Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.