Bruce Furness, recently retired as the interim CEO of Workforce Safety & Insurance, is a native of Bismarck, North Dakota. A graduate of Jamestown College and Montana State University, he worked for IBM for 30 years in several locations.  He has been a Systems Engineer, an instructor in a Customer Education Center, Manager of Systems Engineering, a Marketing Representative and a Development Manager with IBM.  With GNDA from 1992 to 1996, he worked with the Vision 2000 project, coordinated strategic planning and assisted with membership development.  Mr. Furness was elected to the Fargo City Commission in 1992 and served as Mayor of Fargo from 1994 to 2006.  He was employed by State Bank & Trust of Fargo before joining WSI.  Mr. Furness has been associated with many civic organizations including the Jamestown College Board of Trustees, the MeritCare Health System Board of Trustees, the State Health Council, Business Challenge and the National Board of Directors of the American Diabetes Association.  He has served as Chair of the Fargo Chamber of Commerce, Fargo School Board, IMAGINE, the Jamestown College Alumni Association, the North Dakota League of Cities and the North Dakota ADA Board of Directors. His current activities include serving on the Board of Directors of State Bank of Fargo, the Tri-College University, and the Fargo-Cass County Economic Development Corporation and membership in the Fargo Lions Club and the Fargo Chamber of Commerce.  Mr. Furness has received several awards including the Sertoma Service to Mankind Award, the GNDA Community Leadership Award and is a Melvin Jones Fellow of Lions International.

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