INLNA PRESIDENTS
since 1919
1919 – 1921: Dr. Rögnvaldur Pétursson
1921 – 1923: Rev. Jónas A. Sigurdsson
1923 – 1925: Rev. Albert E. Kristjánsson
1925 – 1927: Rev. Jónas A. Sigurdsson
1927 – 1929: Rev. Ragnar E. Kvaran
1929 – 1931: Rev. Jónas A. Sigurdsson
1931 – 1933: Jón J. Bíldfell
1933 – 1934: Rev. Jónas A. Sigurdsson
1934 – 1936: Jón J. Bíldfell
1936 – 1940: Dr. Rögnvaldur Pétursson
1940 – 1945: Dr. Richard Beck
1945 – 1947: Rev. V. J. Eylands
1947 – 1951: Rev. Philip M. Pétursson
1951 – 1956: Rev. V. J. Eylands
1956 – 1962: Dr. Richard Beck
1962 – 1970: Rev. Philip M. Pétursson
1970 – 1976: Mr. Skúli Jóhannsson
1976 – 1979: Mr. Stefan Stefanson
1979 – 1985: Mr. Jóhann Sigurdson
1985 – 1988: Mr. Oli Narfason
1988 – 1991: Mr. Neil Bardal
1991 – 1992: Mrs. Evelyn Thorvaldson
1992 – 1993: Mr. Oli Narfason
1993 – 1995: Mr. Helgi Austman
1995 – 1998: Mr. Laurence Johnson
1998 – 2000: Mr. G. Ray Johnson
2000 – 2003: Ms. Sigrid Johnson
2003 – 2004: Mr. Paul Westdal
2004 – 2006: Mr. Walter Sopher
2006 - 2008: Mr. Garry Oddleifson
2008 - 2010: Ms. Gerri McDonald
2010 - 2012: Ms. Gail Einarson McCleery
2012 - 2014: Dr. Ron Goodman
2014 - 2016: Ms. Claire Eckley
2016 - 2018: Ms. Sunna Olafson Furstenau
2018 - 2020: Mrs. Beverly Arason-Gaudet
2020 - 2022: Rev. Stefan Jonasson
1st INL President – Dr. Rögnvaldur Pétursson
Reverend Rögnvaldur Pétursson, (1877-1940), was born in Iceland on August 14, 1877. He migrated with his parents in 1883 to Hallson, North Dakota, where he grew up and received his public and high school education. The young man decided to study for the Unitarian ministry and proceeded to the Unitarian Theological Seminary at Meadville, Pennsylvania, where he received his B.D. degree in 1902. He accepted a call to the Unitarian Church in Winnipeg in 1903, where he served for six years. He was then appointed Field Secretary of the Icelandic Unitarian Church in America. In 1928 he received a Doctor of Divinity degree from the Meadville Seminary and in 1930 was awarded an Honorary Doctor's Degree from the University of Iceland.
Dr. Pétursson took the lead in the establishment of the Icelandic National League in 1919 and became its first president. Right from the start the League has published an Annual of a high literary standard. Dr. Pétursson became its first editor, a post he held until he died.