Our History

MISSION STATEMENT: Washington State Business Education Association is a community of professionals dedicated to the pursuit of excellence in business education through opportunities for professional development, personal growth, leadership, networking, recognition, service and evolving collaborative partnerships.

HISTORY: The Washington State Business Education Association (WSBEA) was organized in 1963. Business educators in the eastern part of the state had formed Eastern Washington Business Education Association and determined that the organization should expand to encompass the entire state. Under the leadership of Dr. Eugene Kosy (CWU), Dr. Robert Briggs (UW), Ray Christopherson, and Verner Dodson (Seattle Public Schools), the first organization meeting was held at Rainier Beach High School in 1963. The first state conference was held in Seattle in 1964; Lee Gary was the first president. Incorporation and non-profit status came in 1976. WSBEA first hosted a WBITE conference in 1971.

WSBEA was originally comprised of three regional associations-Western Washington Business Education Association, Central Washington Business Education and Eastern Washington Business Education Association-in order to serve the in-service needs of teachers. Each had an operating board of directors and a treasury; each had representation on the WSBEA Executive Board (the number of representatives was determined by the number of WSBEA members); and each held an annual regional conference in the spring, in addition to the state conference in the fall. Each region gave awards to business educators within the regions, and each had a scholarship program.

In 1997, the regional associations of WSBEA were dissolved; and WSBEA was re-organized into six divisions, each division having two representatives to the Executive Board. The Scholarship monies were merged and the funds now provide more scholarships. Doris Y. Gerber (NBEA President, 1979-1980) and her husband, John, created the Gerber Scholarship, which is awarded annually to university students pursuing a degree in business education. The Eugene Kosy Scholarship is given to outstanding seniors with membership and active participation in FBLA. The F. Ross Byrd Scholarship is awarded to persons pursuing a post-graduate degree in business/business education.

WSBEA’s awards program recognizes the outstanding accomplishments of its members. Award categories include the Merit Award (honoring middle school/junior high school teachers, secondary teachers, post-secondary teachers, and university professors. The first Merit Award winner was Beverley Funk. In addition, WSBEA has the Distinguished Service Award and Lifetime Achievement award (this was created in 2001 and awarded to F. Ross Byrd). Several WSBEA members have received awards from WBITE.

AFFILIATIONS: The WSBEA president and president-elect provide WSBEA representation on the WBITE Executive Board. Currently, the WBITE Membership Chair is Rita Figlenski, and the 2005 WBITE conference program chair is Jackie Floetke. Since the formation of WBITE in 1951, WSBEA members have played a viable part in WBITE leadership roles:

• Nine have been WBITE president;
• One has held the position of NBEA president;
• Three have served as treasurer
• Two have served as newsletter editor
• Four have been secretary
• Presidents and presidents-elect are members of the Executive Board

WSBEA has active leadership roles in NBEA:

• One of the current regional representatives to the NBEA Executive Board is Helen Humbert
• The NBEA president (1979 - 1980) was Doris Gerber
• WBITE presidents have served on the NBEA Executive Board
• Several WSBEA members have served on NBEA committees and commissions

WSBEA is affiliated with NBEA and is a section of WBITE, the western division of NBEA. In addition, WSBEA is affiliated with ACTE as a section of WA ACTE. The illustration shows the organizational structure.