NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PURCHASING MANAGMENT - READING, INC.

In 1925 a group of purchasing agents representing some of the larger industries in the Reading area founded the Reading Purchasing Agents Association. They  elected Norman S. Reppert, a purchasing agent from Luden's Inc. to be the first President of the organization.

In order to improve services and to attract new members, the Reading association affiliated with the National Association of Purchasing Agents in 1929.

In 1962 the board decided to file for Pennsylvania Non-Profit Incorporation Charter which was granted on May 7, 1962. In the same year the Association's first roster book was published. The roster book featured a complete membership listing.

In 1963 Paul Beacher, Purchasing Manager for Thomas-Ramo Woolrige, was elected Vice President of District V in the National Association of Purchasing Management. Mr. Beacher was the first member of this association to be elected to a district level office. District V is comprised of purchasing associations in the states of Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North and South Carolina, and the District of Columbia. Mr. Beacher was later elected to the office of President of NAPM.

Over the years several of our members have been appointed to serve on committees at the nantional level.

In 1993, the Purchasing Management Association of Reading voted to change the name of the organization to NAPM-Reading, Inc. to further identify its affiliation with the National Association of Purchasing Management. New bylaws for the association were written and approved by the membership, and in 1994 the association's name was legally changed.

In 1994 a Strategic Plan was drafted and submitted to the membership for comment and support. The final version of the 1994-1995 Strategic Plan was incorporated into the Membership Roster Book that year.The Strategic Plan contains the association's Vision and Mission Statements as well as the Goals and Objectives, and is reviewed and updated each year.

In 2000, NAPM-Reading celebrated its 75th anniversary, having been founded in 1925. At the March dinner meeting, past Presidents of NAPM-Reading were honored for their service. Seventeen (17) were in attendance that night with Ken Shugars, President in 1954, receiving special recognition for the oldest in attendance.

In May 2001, the National Membership of NAPM voted to change the association's name from the National Association of Purchasing Management to the Institute of Supply Mangement to reflect the increasing strategic and global significance supply management. As an affiliate we decided to stay with the orginal name, National Association of Purchasing Management.