Bismarck-based Wall of Honor is expanding its board of directors, with plans to also add a tribal representative. The move follows the resignation of the nonprofit’s executive director.

Wall of Honor recognizes military members and veterans and emergency responders on indoor digital display boards in places such as bars, restaurants and fraternal organizations. The nonprofit in a statement this week said Executive Director Tammy Ibach “is no longer with the nonprofit,” and that its board of directors “has now assumed full control over the daily operations.”

Roger Kadrmas, one of the two new appointees, is a Dickinson-area farmer and rancher and president of the Injured Military Wildlife Project of North Dakota.

“As a board we are looking forward to reinforcing the trust that we have with our local business and veterans that we support,” he said in a statement. “We do this for the heroes that served and continue to do so.”

Marketing Manager Mark Dever did not have information on when Ibach resigned, or on whether she was asked by the board to do so. No one else in the organization responded to a Tribune request for comment.

Ibach had worked with the group since March 2020.

“I left to give others an opportunity to grow the Wall of Honor with intentional fundraising efforts. I was a volunteer for them, not an employee,” she said in a statement to the Tribune. “I need to focus on my life as two new projects have come my way and as we know, we must take care of ourselves before we can take care of others. I will remain the biggest cheerleader for the Wall of Honor and a volunteer when I can.”

Ibach did not say whether the nonprofit board asked her to resign.

Attorney General Drew Wrigley in April 2023 accused Western Distributing Company and affiliate companies Plains Gaming Distributing Inc. and Midwest Gaming Distributing Inc. in an administrative complaint of violating the state’s gambling laws and regulations by facilitating excessive rent payments and attempting to influence bars’ charitable gambling activities through Wall of Honor.

Wrigley alleged a scheme involving the Wall of Honor as an enticement to get bars to use electronic pull tab machines provided exclusively by the three distributors, and to influence bars to switch charitable gambling organizations.

Wrigley in July announced a settlement with the three distributors that included a $125,000 fine and an acknowledgement of wrongdoing. He had initially sought to also revoke their licenses.

The Wall of Honor nonprofit was not accused in the complaint. Its board at the time said in a statement that it was pleased with the settlement reached between Wrigley and the distributors. Ibach in that statement said: “The Wall of Honor did have discussions with several veteran organizations regarding the opportunity charitable gaming would provide their organizations to sustain their brand and keep membership alive. Sustainability of veteran organizations is as important as honoring the men and women who served our country.”

Wrigley took issue with Ibach’s response to the settlement, telling The Associated Press at the time that she “persists in trying to fortify the facade that was maintained previously” regarding the veterans nonprofit as an enticement in the scheme he alleged.

Ibach in a response at the time to AP said: “Perhaps the AG should focus on crime, fentanyl, cartels and drug overdoses in our state instead of worrying about me/the Wall of Honor and the missteps the Wall of Honor acknowledged in previous statements and which were corrected years ago.”

The Wall of Honor said it has expanded its board from four to six members, in part to boost fundraising.

“In 2024 we plan to expand the board to nine members to include a member of a tribal community, and additional veteran and or business members,” Board President Howard Malloy said in the group’s statement. “The tribal communities have served our country in unprecedented numbers, and with a steadfast patriotism. We find it important that a tribal member be a part of this board of directors.”

For more information about Wall of Honor, go to www.thewallofhonor.org.