FUTURE BUSINESS LEADERS OF AMERICA

Tera Cheek
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Welcome to the largest and oldest business student organization in the world!

A quarter of a million high school and middle school students, college and university students, faculty, educators, administrators, and business professionals have chosen to be members of the premier business education association preparing students for careers in business.

Why is FBLA-PBL so popular? It's simple. We have developed a unique value program that excites students, faculty and administrators, and business professionals to join our organization. If you are interested in developing leadership, communication, and team skills, or simply looking for an organization to meet and network with others at the local, state and national levels, then FBLA-PBL is the organization for you.

ABOUT FBLA-PBL

Future Business Leaders of America-Phi Beta Lambda is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) education association with a quarter million students preparing for careers in business and business-related fields. The association has four divisions:

  1. Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) for high school students;

  2. FBLA-Middle Level for junior high, middle, and intermediate school students;

  3. Phi Beta Lambda (PBL) for postsecondary students; and

  4. Professional Division for businesspeople, FBLA-PBL alumni, educators, and parents who support the goals of the association.

FBLA-PBL is headquartered in Reston, Virginia, and organized on local, state, and national levels. Business teachers, advisers, and advisory councils (including school officials, businesspeople, and community representatives) guide local chapters. State advisers and committee members coordinate chapter activities for the national organization.

The FBLA concept was developed in 1937 by Dr. Hamden L. Forkner of Columbia University. The first high school chapter was chartered in Johnson City, Tennessee on February 3, 1942. In 1958, the first PBL collegiate chapter was chartered in Iowa. The Professional Division, originally the Alumni Division, began in 1979. Joining FBLA-PBL in 1994 was the FBLA-Middle Level for students in grades 5-9.

The national board of directors is comprised of local teachers, state educators, business leaders, and the division presidents.

MEMBERSHIP

FBLA-PBL is the largest business career student organization in the world. The high school division has 215,000 members, while the postsecondary division reaches over 11,000 college students. The newest group, FBLA-Middle Level, is showing remarkable growth with over 20,000 student members. Finally, the Professional Division has reached over 3,000 members. Over 11,000 advisers round out the group. Exclusive membership and career recognition programs are designed for each division to provide additional personal and chapter development opportunities.