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History of KY Phi
Beta Lambda
 The organization known as PHI BETA LAMBDA is the
result of efforts by Hamden L. Forkner of Teachers College, Columbia University,
New York, New York. In 1937-1938 Dr. Forkner proposed to business
teachers around the country the need for a national organization for the
thousands of business clubs in high schools and post-secondary schools
throughout the nation. Official sponsorship of the proposed student
organization for business students was accepted by the National Council for
Business Education at its fall meeting in 1940. The sponsoring
organization proceeded immediately with the appointment of committees for the
purpose of formulating the general plans for the organization. The name,
FUTURE BUSINESS LEADERS OF AMERICA, was selected and provisions were made for
the organization of local chapters, state chapters, and the National
Organization.
The post-secondary organization, comparable to
FBLA, is PHI BETA LAMBDA. The name and insignia of PHI BETA LAMBDA are
registered in the United States Patent Office under the Federal Trademark Act.
Only officially chartered and currently active chapters of PHI BETA LAMBDA,
their members operating in accordance with the requirements of their respective
state chapters, and the PHI BETA LAMBDA National Organization are authorized to
use the PHI BETA LAMBDA name and insignia.
Lees Junior College in Jackson was the first PHI
BETA LAMBDA chapter organized in Kentucky in 1951 followed by Paducah Community
College in Paducah in 1955. The first attempt at a state organization came
in 1962 when Murray State University in Murray chartered. The force behind
this beginning of PHI BETA LAMBDA in Kentucky was Eugene Smith, then State
Chairman for the FUTURE BUSINESS LEADERS OF AMERICA and a member of the faculty
at Murray Training School.
Operating as part of the FBLA structure, with
only one state office, Kentucky PHI BETA LAMBDA chapters elected a second vice
president to represent PBL on the FBLA State Board.
Upon the death of Mr. Eugene Smith in 1965, PHI
BETA LAMBDA responsibilities were assumed by Mrs. LaVerne Ryan, a Murray State
University faculty member, under the guidance of Mrs. Ethel Plock, who
previously serving as FBLA State adviser, assumed chairmanship of FBLA.
State leadership conferences for PBL (called
State Conventions at that time), were a part of the FBLA State Conference in
Louisville. At the 1966 State Conference Ed Thomas of Murray was elected
as its PBL state officer. Chapters in attendance were Murray State
University, Morehead State University, Kentucky State University, and Pikeville
College. At the 1966 FBLA-PBL spring board meeting, PHI BETA LAMBDA
members were invited to operate the testing center for the FBLA State
Conference. They continued to do this until 1970. In 1970 the first
PBL State Conference was held separate and apart from FBLA at Western Kentucky
State University with Dr. Charles Ray serving as convention chairman.
The Paducah Community College PHI BETA LAMBDA
chapter was reactivated by the Murray State University chapter on March 15,
1967. At the 1967 State conference there was an increase of interest and
enthusiasm among PBL members as Morehead and Murray competed in contests and
delegates from Pikeville, Kentucky State, and Paducah Community College
participated in the state election of officers.
The first effort for a PHI BETA LAMBDA
Conference, apart from FBLA, was in 1969 when the PBL group wrote its own
constitution, providing for a slate of state officers, and held contests and
meetings at the Seelbach Hotel in Louisville. This conference was held
simultaneously with FBLA (located at the Brown Hotel in Louisville) and judges
were shared by both groups.
The State Board members cast a vote in 1969 to
invite area vocational schools with post-secondary students to participate in
PHI BETA LAMBDA. The first vocational school chartering a chapter in PHI
BETA LAMBDA was West Kentucky Area Vocational School (now West Kentucky
Technical College), Paducah, with Mrs. Mary G. Sledd as adviser.
Since 1970, the awards presented to the winners
of the Mr. and Ms. Future Business Teacher events have been provided by the
Kentucky Business Education Association. The membership of the Kentucky
Business Education Association is primarily Business Educators who want to
promote and encourage young people to pursue a career in the educational field.
Beginning in 1969, the Division of Vocational
Business Education, Department of Education, Frankfort, began working very
closely with PHI BETA LAMBDA. The new organizational structure, located in
the Frankfort office, provided that a State Chairman and Executive Secretary
provide support in conducting the operation of the State Chapter. During
the 1983 membership year, the positions of Executive Secretary and State Adviser
were assumed by individuals involved in other educational employment outside of
Frankfort and located in various parts of the state. This State Chapter
operational procedure currently continues.
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