About Us

Founding

The Virginia DECA Foundation, Inc., also referred to as the “DECA Foundation,” was founded in 2003, in Richmond, Virginia, as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization to support Virginia DECA (VA DECA), a Career Technical Student Organization. The original founders, Jim Gray, Garland Kidd and Rick Calhoun all felt beginning a Foundation to support student scholarships had merit. Margeret Kirby, Micky Koslosiki, and Diane Tremblay were also initially involved in the success of this organization.

On July 10, 2021, the VA DECA Foundation Board lost one of its original founders, Mr. James "Jim" Gray. Jim graduated from Lebanon High School ('63), Bluefield College ('65) and VPI (67) where he received a BS in Business & Marketing. Jim also earned a Master's Degree in Education Supervision from Radford University in 1976. His career spanned 39 years entirely in education. He was a high school teacher for 7 years before joining the VA State Department of Education (DOE). He spent 32 years at the DOE until his retirement. Jim was involved in a number of professional organizations, and the VA DECA Foundation was one very close to his heart. The Board will certainly miss his wisdom, leadership and vast experience. Memorial donations for Jim may be made to the VA DECA Foundation, P.O. Box 4300, Manassas, VA 20208.

Mission

The purposes for which the DECA Foundation is organized are for scientific, educational and charitable
purposes within the Section 501 (c)(3) of the International Revenue Code to provide the means for the VA
DECA chapters of the DECA Foundation to receive charitable contributions to promote the understanding
and appreciation for the responsibility of citizenship in a private and competitive enterprise system, and to
be able to distribute said charitable contributions to individuals and/or VA DECA chapters that are in need
of assistance from the DECA Foundation in order to achieve these purposes.

Vision

The DECA Foundation was created to provide community support, fund, and award scholarships to
deserving marketing students who are members of VA DECA. The Foundation provides support and
assistance for the improvement of VA DECA and its ongoing programs.