What is FBLA?

Future Business Leaders of America-Phi Beta Lambda is a nonprofit 501 (c)(3) education association of students preparing for careers in business and business-related fields.

The Association has four divisions:

• FBLA for high school students;
• FBLA Middle Level for junior high, middle, and intermediate school students;
• PBL for postsecondary students;
• and the Professional Alumni Division for business people, 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, business people, and community representatives) guide local chapters. State advisers and committee members coordinate chapter activities for the national organization

History

The FBLA concept was developed in 1937 by Dr. Hamden L. Forkner of Columbia University. In the fall of 1940, official sponsorship of FBLA was accepted by the National Council for Business Education; on February 3, 1942, the first high school chapter was chartered in Johnson City, Tennessee. In 1958, the first Phi Beta Lambda chapter was chartered in Iowa. The Professional Division (originally the Alumni Division) began in 1979; the latest group to join FBLA (in 1994) is the FBLA Middle Level for students grades 5 - 9.