February 29, 2024
Future Business Leaders of America
Future Business Leaders of America - Description
Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) is an organization for students in middle school, high school, and college. Founded in 1937, the organization prepares students to be business leaders through career preparation and leadership training. Students follow a code of ethics and dress code and work toward career goals. FBLA has grown to become the world’s largest business organization for students, with over 230,000 members in the United States and Puerto Rico. Divisions have also been established in Haiti, Hungary, Tanzania, and China. The organization’s headquarters is located in Reston, Virginia.
Future Business Leaders of America - History
In 1937, Professor Hamden L. Forkner of Columbia University’s Teachers College in New York City developed the idea of a national organization that would unite business clubs in high schools and colleges across the United States. The proposal was sponsored by the National Council for Business Education in 1940, which named the organization Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA). The first chapters were established in February 1942. By the end of 1942, thirty-nine chapters had been chartered throughout the United States, with another thirty-eight added over the next three and a half years. In 1946, the United Business Education Association took over sponsorship of FBLA.
The following year, the first state chapter was organized in Iowa. Ten states followed suit over the next three years. By 1969, FBLA was large enough to be granted independent status as a nonprofit educational student association. A board of directors was appointed, and full-time staff were hired. In 1981, land was purchased in the Center for Educational Associations in Reston, Virginia, for the future FBLA National Center, which was completed in 1991.
FBLA operates programs under four divisions: FBLA Middle School, FBLA High School, FBLA Collegiate, and FBLA Alumni & Professional Network. Students participate in educational programs that teach them to lead group discussions, preside over meetings, work effectively in teams, and engage in problem-solving and decision-making activities. Members participate in competitions to develop and enhance their business knowledge and leadership skills while earning awards and recognition within their communities. FBLA members also participate in national conferences and partner programs to learn specialty skills related to finances and investing, marketing, and fundraising. FBLA also publishes a monthly magazine, Tomorrow’s Business Leader.
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Future Business Leaders of America - Identification & Value
Items associated with FBLA are marked with the organization’s title or initials. These items include membership pins, event pins, medals, patches, neckties, key pendants, and charms. Promotional items include key rings, pen and pencil sets, Zippo flashlights, thermometers, and coffee mugs. Workers, advisors, and judges at state events sometimes receive office sets as thank-you gifts. Meeting gavels used for FBLA business meetings are also available. Monopoly-style games designed after an FBLA club’s community are popular fund-raising items. This hand-carved notebook box is a unique item.
Ephemera from FBLA include chapter directories. This page from an FBLA National Officers Reception program is autographed by actor Richard Thomas, who is also pictured on the page.
FBLA’s Collegiate Division is called Phi Beta Lamda. Items from this FBLA division are marked Phi Beta Lamda rather than FBLA. One unique item is this plaque containing a fragment of the Berlin Wall from East Texas Baptist University’s Phi Beta Lamda chapter.
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Future Business Leaders of America - Symbols
The original FBLA logo consists of a rectangular blue-and-yellow shield topped by an American eagle. The words “Future Business Leaders of America” run from left to right. “FBLA,” the first letters of each word, appear in the blue portion of the shield. The shield is topped with the organization’s motto—Service, Education, Progress. The Phi Beta Lambda logo replaces the abbreviation “FBLA” with the Greek letters on a blue field. The words “Service, Education, and Progress” are printed around the border of the shield.
In the 1990s, the FBLA logo was changed to the initials “FBLA” in uppercase letters. To the left of the letters is a blue box containing red, waving stripes raising up and to the right of the box, representing the American flag.
The FBLA logo changed in 2022 to a stylized triangle in gold and two shades of blue, with the upper-case initials “FBLA” appearing to the right of the triangle.
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Relevant Fraternal, Political, Organizations Articles
Further Reading on Future Business Leaders of America
Books and Periodicals
Guide for Integrating FBLA into the Classroom by Future Business Leaders of America - Phi Beta Lambda, Inc.
Web Resources
FBLA History & Timeline www.fbla-pbl.org.
History of FBLA rhsfbladeca.weebly.com.
What is Future Business Leaders of America? www.aeseducation.com.
Related Dictionary Pages: Distributive Education Clubs of America, Youth Organizations, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.