How it all began
During the early years of World War II, the
U.S. government issued frantic calls for secretaries, clerks, and others who
could assist in the war effort. Secretaries "manned" the home front and the
office front as many women entered factories, war plants, and various jobs
formerly held by men. In 1942, to provide a network for secretarial staff,
the National Secretaries Association was established (now known as the
International Association of Administrative Professionals).
The president of the National Secretaries Association's first
chapter (Kaw Chapter in Topeka, Kansas) was Florence Overbey, who enlisted
in the Women's Army Corp. Another founding member, Anita Harwick of Topeka,
joined the WAVES. Numerous other NSA members enlisted in branches of the
Armed Services. Others volunteered services for local chapters of the Red
Cross, or handled government and other relief agency correspondence (putting
their skills to work AFTER being at their regular jobs all day—or night, if
they were on the swing shift with Rosie the Riveter).
In May 1942, Articles of Incorporation were filed under
the laws of the State of Missouri. Autonomous Chapters sprouted all over the
Midwest in the mid-1940s, and soon spread across the country.
The first issue of the association's magazine, The
National Secretary (now OfficePRO), was published in 1943. In
1944, efforts began to unify the chapters into one centrally governed
association, similar to its structure today.
After the war years, the first nationwide convention was
held at Kansas City, Missouri, in February 1946. From the attendance there
it was possible, for the first time, to gauge the progress of the
association on a national scale. There were 115 chapters at that time.
In July 1946, Amended Articles of Incorporation were filed
in the State of Missouri which vested the control of the association in the
membership, established a democratic form of government, with equal rights
of every chapter to a voice in association affairs, and gave the members the
right to elect their own officers.
The first
Certified Professional Secretary (CPS) examination was administered in
August 1951. There were 281 candidates at 15 examination centers. (Today,
there are more than 250 exam centers in 16 countries. Over 59,000
administrative professionals hold the CPS and/or CAP rating.)
Professional Secretaries Week (renamed Administrative
Professionals Week in 2000) was originated in 1952 and is sponsored annually
by IAAP. It is observed the last full week in April with Wednesday
designated as Administrative Professionals Day. (This event is now one of
the largest workplace celebrations in the world).
The Articles of Incorporation were amended to establish an
international status, and the first chapter outside the continental United
States or its territories was installed at Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada,
in 1954. Chapters were formed in Mexico City, 1959, and Helsinki, Finland,
1960, prior to the Bylaw Amendment in 1962 providing for affiliate status
worldwide. (In 2001, IAAP has members, chapters and affiliates in over 66
countries across the globe.)
Members voted to change the name of the association in
February 1981 to Professional Secretaries International (PSI), clarifying
identity of the membership in a new decade for the professional
secretary/administrative assistant.
In July 1989 the Bylaws and Standing Rules were amended to
provide full membership status to members located outside the United States,
its territories, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands of the United States, or
Canada. In 1992, these units became known as Chapters-at-large.
In 1994, the association purchased the building and site
of our present world headquarters offices in Ambassador Park, a business
subdivision in Kansas City, Missouri. A building dedication ceremony was
held on April 8, 1995.
At the 1995 International Convention in Seattle,
Washington, member delegates voted to approve a bylaws amendment that added
"The Association for Office Professionals" as a tag line to the name of the
association.
In August 1998, member delegates at the 54th annual
Convention and Education Forum in Atlanta, Georgia voted to change the
organization’s name to the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP), to
reflect the trend toward a wider variety of the job titles and expanded
responsibilities of administrative staff.
In 2001, IAAP introduced the
Certified Administrative Professional (CAP) rating, an advanced
certification designed to further enhance the knowledge and skills of the 21st
century administrative professional.
As IAAP looks toward the future, the association will
continue to provide education and training and set standards of excellence
recognized by the business community on a global perspective. IAAP’s past,
present and future vision is "to inspire and equip all administrative
professionals to attain excellence."
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