The American Public Works Association is an international educational and professional association of public agencies, private sector companies and individuals dedicated to providing high quality public works goods and services.
Originally chartered in 1937, APWA is he largest and oldest organization of its kind in the world, with headquarters in Kansas City, Missouri, an office in Washington, D.C., and 67 chapters throughout North America. APWA provides a forum in which public works professionals can exchange ideas, improve professional competency, increase the performance of their agencies and companies and bring important public works-related topics to public attention in local, state and federal arenas.
The association is a highly participatory organization, with hundreds of opportunities for leadership and service, and a network of several dozen national committees in every area of public works. Governed by a 17-member board of directors elected at both the regional and national levels, APWA is an open, flexible association with a diverse membership of 26,000 and a reputation for quality services and products.
History of the Chicago Metropolitan Chapter of APWA
The Chicago Metropolitan Chapter is the oldest and one of the largest, most active Chapters in the Association. The Chapter boundaries encompass the northeastern part of the state of Illinois and include 8 counties in the region; Cook, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kankakee, Lake, McHenry and Will. Currently, the Chapter has five branches; Suburban, Lake, Fox Valley, Southwest and Chicago.
The Chapter was originally formed as The Chicago Chapter, but with the formation of its first Branch in 1967, it became the Chicago Metropolitan Chapter or more commonly known as Chicago Metro. The Chapter was officially formed on January 15, 1933, which is the first date that the American Public Works Association came into existence. APWA was formed by the merger of two predecessor organizations: The American Society of Municipal Engineers and the International Association of Public Works Officials. Beginning in 1984 and until its relocation to Kansas City, Missouri in 1992, the Association was headquartered (along with a number of other municipal associations) in the Merriam Center on the campus of the prestigious University of Chicago.
The Chapter is widely known for its active and dedicated leadership. The Chapter has produced 8 APWA Presidents and has hosted the International Congress and Exposition on 6 occasions in the past including the most recent success in 2013. The Chapter has also produced more than 25 APWA Top Ten Public Works Leaders of the Year.
We are proud of our past accomplishments and are eagerly looking forward to the future of our association and our role in its success. The Chapter, with its over 1,500 members, encourages you to participate in our activities , events and educational opportunities.