The DPS was founded by Chester Versteeg in 1941 with the concept that it was to be an "honorary climbing section" with "no dues no meetings no officers". This changed after WWII and in 1946 bylaws were adopted and interim officers were elected. The first record of an election of officers is found in the Southern Sierran of Feb 1 947.

Early bylaws called for five officers by title: Chair Vice Chair Secretary Treasurer and "one other member". In 1953 the offices of Secretary and Treasurer were combined; this reduced the management committee to four members. In 1963 the committee was again brought to five members who were to be elected by mail ballot. Those elected decided among themselves upon the allocation of positions. The jobs were specified as Chair Vice Chair Sec/Tres and two "Members-at-Large". A bylaw change in 1970 turned one of the Members-at-Large into a Program chair. The other Member-at-Large was variously called Liason Banquet Chair or Council Rep. In 1984 the Sec/Treas was split into two positions and the remaining "Other Officer" was eliminated.

Until 1961 elections were done at annual meetings held in Dec or Jan and the administrative year was the calendar year. In 1963 the activity year was changed to end in May and therefore that management committee served for 17 months. The table below lists the calendar year through 1961 and the end of the activity year after that therefore there is no entry for 1962.

The names in the table below were obtained from copies of the SAGE and minutes of meetings that are in the official DPS records. The records are reasonably complete for the elected officers but are not so good for the appointed positions.

From the beginning the bylaws specified a Mountaineering Committee. However the records are poor as to who were committee members. The committee did much work in compiling the original "Guide to the Desert Peaks of the Southwest". In about 1970 the bylaws mandated that the Mountaineering Committee chair be the Vice Chair of the Section. -Original by Bill T Russell DPS Archivist May 3 1996