OUR HISTORY
Click here to view our complete historyTHE ASSOCIATION'S BEGINNINGS
Formation
In 1951, an enterprising group of 35 women, aided and encouraged by two gentlemen, Mr. W. G. Frisby and Dr. W. J. Dunlop, both prominent in educational circles, took action. The Association they formed was to establish a national standard of qualifications for senior secretaries.The inaugural meeting of the Association of Administrative Assistants or Private Secretaries was held in Toronto, April 1951.
A Charter was granted to the Association by the Province of Ontario under Letters Patent dated November 24, 1952, and Supplementary Letters Patent, covering education courses, were issued in April 1954.
Qualified Administrative Assistant (Q.A.A.) Designation
Inauguration of the Correspondence Course, conducted by the Extension Division of the University of Toronto took place in October 1957. Upon completion of the three-year course the graduate-member was entitled to use the designating letters Q.A.A.The "Q.A.A." designation is registered with the Trade Marks Office, Ottawa (1967).
The Association's Crest (Trade-Mark)
The Association's crest was certified as the Association's exclusive trade-mark by the Registrar of Trade-Marks for Canada on November 3, 1961.No more appropriate design could portray the Association's 'corporate image' than the open book and quill. The book, the mark of the student, the seeker of improvement; the quill, the mark of the scribe, he who executes and puts to use the knowledge acquired.
-
The official language of the certification states that registration was granted on the basis of the use in Canada by the Association of the crest symbol for the following services:
- (1) the dissemination of Association literature;
- (2) providing its members with facilities for advanced education and a common meeting ground for the exchange of ideas;
- (3) circulation of a bulletin "National Notes" to the membership;
- (4) making available to its members and to the public an educational course by correspondence conducted for it through an accredited Canadian University.
The Association's trade-mark was renewed on September 5, 2006. Again, granted with the exact wording for the four services mentioned above.
Past Presidents
| 1951-52 |
Miss Alice Sowerby |
Toronto Charter |
| 1952-53 |
Mrs. Margaret Holway |
Toronto Charter |
| 1953-54 |
Miss Margaret McMillan |
Toronto Charter |
| 1954-56 |
Mrs. Elise Bellavance |
Toronto Charter |
| 1956-58 |
Miss Etta Redden, Q.A.A. |
Toronto Charter |
| 1958-61 |
Miss Margaret Stuart, Q.A.A. |
Toronto Charter |
1961-63 |
Miss Ethel Mader |
Hamilton |
1963-65 |
Miss Helen Entwistle, Q.A.A. |
Toronto Charter |
1965-66 |
Mrs. Mary Holmes |
Ottawa |
1966-68 |
Miss Marnie Delaney |
Toronto West |
1968-70 |
Mrs. Molly Allen |
Hamilton |
1970-73 |
Miss Dorothy Osborne, Q.A.A. |
Winnipeg |
1973-75 |
Audrey Pember |
Toronto East |
1975-77 |
Mary Sullivan |
Ottawa |
1977-79 |
Kenny Gryde |
Sarnia |
1979-81 |
Phyllis Pilling, Q.A.A. |
Winnipeg |
1981-83 |
Monique St.Hilaire, Q.A.A. |
Member-At-Large, Bedford |
1983-86 |
Eleanor Caldwell, Q.A.A. |
Vancouver |
1986-88 |
Evelyn Brown, Q.A.A. |
Hamilton |
1988-91 |
Shirley Rooke, Q.A.A. |
Calgary |
1991-93 |
Kathyrn Hart |
Calgary |
1993-94 |
Mimma Musitano, Q.A.A. |
Hamilton |
1994-97 |
Linda Varsava |
Member-At-Large, Mississauga |
1997-98 |
Helen Gordon, BA, Q.A.A. |
Member-At-Large, Sudbury |
1998-02 |
Linda Gordon |
Member-At-Large, Vancouver |
2002-05 |
Doris Kurtz, Q.A.A. |
Edmonton |
2005-06 |
Irene Short |
Edmonton |
2006-08 |
Gail Bittorf, Q.A.A. |
Calgary |
2008-2010 |
Linda Bates, P. Mgr. |
Vancouver |
CURRENT NEWS
The Association of Administrative Assistants celebrates 60 years of 'Professionalism through Education' in May 2012.
May 24th will be a public workshop with two guest speakers. We are proud to have both Helen Wilkie, President Elect for the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers (CAPS), followed by an afternoon with Rhonda Scharf from On the Right Track. On May 25th, the Toronto Charter Branch will host the National Board meeting --- free to all members, however no voting rights for motions on the floor. This is a great opportunity to experience the 'behind the scenes' discussions on how a Canadian non-for-profit organization manages Association business. The 26th of May will encompass the National Annual General meeting with budget and election process, followed by a Qualified Administrative Assistant luncheon.
Please mark these dates in your calendars and join us on May 24-26, 2012, in Toronto, to help celebrate this glorious milestone! Watch for further details in the coming months.