Hopkinton (Gratefully) Celebrates Administrative Professionals Day

Tuesday is Administrative Professionals Day. 

Is this a real holiday? You bet. But you still have to work and go to school.

As a matter of fact, this is Administrative Professionals Week. But since the economy has caused a lot of layoffs, the IAAP, International Association of Administrative Professionals, is celebrating all office professionals today.

Hopkinton is taking its administrative staff out to lunch, says Maryrose DeGroot, the town's director of Human Resources.

Again, given the economy, it won't be a chandelier-swinging event, but it's probably more important to the people who answer the phones, greet visitors, and do the behind-the-scenes work that keeps the world spinning to be acknowleged.

So take the time today when you call Town Hall, or the schools, or the insurance company or anywhere to thank and recognize the people whose most important work often goes without thanks or recognition.

Founded in 1952, the IAAP in 2000 changed what was Professional Secretaries Week and Professional Secretaries Day to Administrative Professionals Week and Administrative Professionals Day.

The name, besides becoming more fitting for a field that had been dominated by women but had come to employ many men, also kept pace with the changing responsibilities of today’s administrators. 

Administrative Professionals Week is celebrated worldwide, bringing together millions of people for community events, educational seminars and individual corporate activities recognizing support staff.

Today, there are more than 4.1 million secretaries and administrative assistants  in the United States, according to U.S. Department of Labor statistics. Nearly 9 million people in the U.S. work in administrative support roles, according to the IAAP website.

Administrative assistants, office coordinators, administrative specialists, executive assistants and office managers deserve our thanks not only today, but every day. Imagine where we'd be without them.

Where would Hopkinton be if the Board of Selectmen or Town Manager Norm Khumalo turned to Geri Holland for information and there was no Geri Holland? 

Where would Hopkinton Schools be without Jeannine Gilmore and Sharon Williams, two among many, to make the schedules, keep them on-time and keep everyone headed to the right place when they're supposed to be there so they can achieve the goals they've set?

And what about all the other people who keep the town and schools going, too numerous to embarrass?