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HISTORY AND MEMBERSHIP Information from APWA website
American Public Works Association

From the very beginning, the American Public Works Who May Join?
Association has had the diversity that characterizes Membership in the association is open to anyone with an interest in public
it today. APWA is the result of the merger of two works.
predecessor organizations, the American Society of Why Join? With APWA you can:
Municipal Engineers (AME), which was formed in • Share common goals, challenges, and solutions with other public works
1894, and the International Association of Public Works professionals throughout North America
Officials (IAPWO), primarily comprised of non-engineers • Participate in local chapter and branch programs, meetings and social
who were engaged in public works management and activities – often at reduced pricing compared to non-member rates.
service delivery. The majority of the Society’s members Membership in your local chapter is automatically included with national
were consultants, design engineers, construction membership (additional chapter and/or branch dues apply in some areas).
supervisors, and water works directors. • Gain exposure to more than 30,000 public works professionals, opening up
Recognizing that other associations had established
opportunities for your future
headquarters in Chicago and had obtained financial • Tap into the experience of other members with practical resources
assistance in developing their programs to become self- • Promote professional excellence
sufficient, in 1934, AME and IAPWO agreed to work • Save money on the best education and training programs in public works,
toward a joint organization. After creating a very successful covering all public works disciplines and management topics with ability to
Joint Public Works Congress where the two organizations receive CEUs and PDHs
could meet together, AME and IAPWO decided to • Save money on publications and resources on all the subjects you need
merge. Funding was secured, and on January 1, 1937, the • Receive alerts on hot topics in public works, including important issues in
American Public Works Association was formed. Washington, D.C. and Ottawa that affect you and your community
APWA has witnessed extensive growth,
accomplishment, turmoil and transition. It has been a • Utilize your right to vote and hold office at the local or national level of the
association
strong leader in many areas, including education, history
and research, to name only a few. Over the years APWA Practical Resources
has conducted scores of research projects and published • Free subscription to as many infoNOW electronic networking communities as
many research reports that were regarded as significant fit your interests
contributions to the field of public works. • Free subscription to the APWA Reporter for duration of membership. This is a
Special interest groups within public works were monthly, members only, magazine available in hard-copy or online.
accommodated through the development of the Institutes • Free access to the Members’ Library - an online collection of resources and
for Professional Development (now known as technical educational programs
committees), as well as through the introduction of • Free registrations for live Click, Listen & Learn programs
specialty conferences such as the North American Snow • Books, videos, training manuals, and recorded programs on management,
Conference. Other special groups of note included transportation, equipment services, snow removal, construction, water
the Council on Emergency Management, the Council resources, solid waste, sustainability, public outreach tools, and more - with
on Equal Opportunity (now the diversity committee), reduced pricing for members
the Public Works Historical Society, MicroPAVER, • Member savings of up to 42% on registration for:
Management Practices and the Management Practices - PWX (formerly known as International Public Works Congress & Exposition-
Accreditation Council. “Best Show in Public Works”)
In addition to the strength of its eight Canadian - North American Snow Conference
chapters, APWA has demonstrated its commitment - Most nationally-sponsored workshops and e-learning programs. Visit the
to international linkages through the continual APWA Calendar for complete schedule.
strengthening of relationships with public works officials - Many local chapter and/or branch meetings and events.
in Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Finland, Sweden, • Opportunity to earn and track your Continuing Education Units (CEUs/PDHs)
Norway, Denmark, Iceland, and the Czech and Slovak • Free subscription to the APWA Washington Report weekly e-newsletter or
Republic. CPWA Ottawa Report bi-weekly e-newsletter
Motivated by the wish to upgrade office facilities and • Stay up-to-date on APWA programs and activities with access to our
make visible and substantial changes in the organization, quarterly members-only publication, the APWA Advantage newsletter
APWA headquarters was relocated to Kansas City in • Opportunity to participate in local or national public outreach activities
1993. As public works services become more complex and including support of National Public Works Week, the MATHCOUNTS
the skills required to deliver them become more diverse, program, National Engineers Week, APWA Proud to Care program, or local
APWA continues to position itself to respond to these chapter and/or branch events
changes and the needs they identify. Building on our Credentialing Programs
tradition of service to the public works profession, we will • Earn professional certification credentials for yourself
meet the challenges of being THE comprehensive public • Take your agency/organization to the next level of performance by
works resource in the 21st Century. completing the Accreditation process
28 TPW November/December 2023