What is APICS?
APICS—The Association for Operations Management is a not-for-profit, international educational organization, respected throughout the world for its education and professional certification programs. Founded in 1957 as the American Production and Inventory Control Society, APICS has since expanded its focus to include a full range of programs and materials on integrated resource management. To reflect this new direction, we are now known as APICS-The Educational Society for Resource Management.
APICS is dedicated to using education to improve the business bottom line. Our certification programs, training tools, and networking opportunities increase workplace performance. With over 60,000 individual and corporate members in 20,000 companies worldwide, APICS is recognized globally as:
- The source of knowledge and expertise for manufacturing and service industries across the entire supply chain in such areas as materials management, information services, purchasing and quality.
- the leading provider of high-quality, cutting-edge educational programs that advance organizational success in a changing, competitive marketplace.
- a successful developer of two internationally recognized certification programs, Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM) and Certified in Integrated Resource Management (CIRM).
- a source of solutions, support, and networking local chapters, workshops, symposia, and the annual APICS International Conference and Exposition.
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More about APICS
APICS Society is headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia and also services its customers through a distribution center (called "The Castle") in Wilmerding, PA. APICS Society is incorporated and is governed by an elected Board of Directors and employs over 100 paid staff. The balance of Society is comprised of dedicated volunteers at the Society, Region and Chapter levels.
There are 14 Regions and more than 270 Chapters in North America chartered by Society. Chapters serve as the face-to-face component of APICS membership.
Each Chapter is chartered by Society and also incorporated as a separate legal entity. Each Chapter is governed by a Board of Directors. Members of the Board of Directors are elected every year. They uphold the tenets of Society, attend to their Chapter's legal and financial matters, promote the APICS body of knowledge and develop educational offerings that best serve their membership.
Chapter elections are held in May. (The fiscal year runs from July to June.) In June, the Board transitions, and each Director assumes responsibility for managing and reporting on his/her area of responsibility. Chapters report to Region on the activities of their chapters. This is accomplished through an exchange of information at Region Meetings and through a Chapter Management Awards Program called the Passport Program.
Region Vice Presidents, who are members of the National Society's Board of Directors, provide the main link between the Society and Chapters. They report on the status and activities of Chapters within their respective Regions and provide strategic direction for the Society as a whole at Society level Board Meetings.
To learn more about APICS, click on the Region & Society page of our website. It provides links to:
- Society level Board of Directors
- A map of all 14 Regions
- A link to our Region (Region1)
- A link to other Chapters, using the Chapter Locator
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