Administrative Professionals Day recognizes and celebrates the work of secretaries, administrative assistants, and other office professionals for their growing and diverse contributions to the workplace. In the United States, it is customary to take administrative professionals out to lunch on this day, and/or to give flowers or other gifts of appreciation.

Administrative Professionals Week was originally organized as National Secretaries Week by the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) and a consortium of office product manufacturers in 1952.

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Charles Sawyer proclaimed the first National Secretaries Week held June 1-7, 1952, with Wednesday, June 4th designated National Secretaries Day.

In 1955, the National Secretaries Association changed the date of National Secretaries Week to the last full week of April, with Wednesday of that week being designated National Secretaries Day. The name was changed to Professional Secretaries Week in 1981 when the National Secretaries Association became Professional Secretaries International (PSI)

In 1998, PSI changed its name to the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP), to further reflect the expanding role of office staff. In the year 2000, the IAAP - official sponsor of the event - announced that the name would change from Professional Secretaries Day to Administrative Professionals Day. The name change was made to keep in step with the changing job titles and expanding responsibilities of today's administrative workforce.

Note: This holiday is one of Calendar Mine's over 500 built-in observances.

See Also

Holiday Catalogue

American (USA) Observances