ABOUT DECA

Governance

DECA Inc. is a student organization that was incorporated as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation in Virginia in 1946.

DECA Inc. is governed by DECA Inc. Representatives, appointed by charterholders from each chartered association to revise governance documents and elect members of the DECA Inc. Board of Directors. The DECA Inc. Board of Directors employs the Executive Director to implement the board’s policies, serve as the fiscal agent and primary spokesperson of the organization and employ such staff as necessary to plan and execute the board policies.

DECA Inc. has issued charters to state departments of education and other not-for-profit corporations for the purpose of operating chartered associations within certain geographic areas. Charters are issued separately for the high school and college divisions to a charterholder who then administers the chartered association.

Each chartered association is comprised of local chapters, which are unincorporated student organizations operating under the authority of the local school district and the chartered association. Chapters shall comply with all policies set forth by the local school district and their chartered association. When policies of the local school district differ from those of the chartered association, the chapter shall comply with the most restrictive policies. The relationship between DECA Inc. and the chartered associations is set forth in the DECA Inc. bylaws.

DECA is recognized and endorsed by all 50 state departments of education and the U.S. Department of Education.

2023-2024

Board of Directors

An eleven member board of directors establishes policies relative to the interpretation and implementation of the constitution and bylaws.

  • Eight directors are members elected, two from each region from the DECA Inc. representatives appointed by the chartered associations.

  • Two directors shall be ex-officio (non- voting). The two ex-officio directors shall be: (1) the Executive Director of DECA Inc.; and (2) the Vice-President of the Marketing Education Division of the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE).

  • One director with voting rights shall be the chair of the National Advisory Board (NAB) and shall serve a two year term.

  • A representative from the U.S. Department of Education may be invited to serve the Board in a non-voting liaison capacity.

Questions?

Contact DECA staff
for more information.

Frank Peterson, CAE
Executive Director
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