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About APPA

About APPA

Formerly known as the Association of Physical Plant Administrators, APPA – Leadership in Educational Facilities is now the largest international association of educational institutions and their facilities and physical plant departments. Our members include over 1,300 universities, colleges, private and public K-12 schools, museums, libraries, and other organizations dedicated to learning. More than 7,000 educational facilities professionals are active within APPA and its six regional organizations.

History

APPA was founded in Chicago in 1914 by representatives from fourteen Midwest higher education institutions. Two-year institutions were admitted to membership in 1969. The headquarters was established in Washington, D.C. in June 1972 and moved to Alexandria, Virginia in July 1984. Organized originally as the Association of Superintendents of Buildings and Grounds, the association later became the Association of Physical Plant Administrators of Universities and Colleges. In 1991, the name was changed to The Association of Higher Education Facilities Officers to reflect the growing and increasingly diverse role of facilities administrators and managers. More recently, in 2007, the organization changed its name to reflect the growth of K-12, and other non-higher education institutions within its membership. Hence, the name "APPA – Leadership in Educational Facilities."

Our Purpose

At APPA, we have spent nearly 100 years applying our experience, focus, and the power of member collaboration to our driving purpose: Elevating facilities professionals into influential leaders in education. APPA seeks to create positive impact on three important levels:

• APPA transforms individual facilities professionals into higher performing managers and leaders, which... Helps transform member institutions into more inviting and supportive learning environments, which...
• Elevates the recognition and value of educational facilities and their direct impact on the recruitment and retention of students, faculty and staff.

APPA promotes excellence in all phases of educational facilities management, including administration, planning, design, construction, energy/utilities, maintenance, and operations. Membership is open to all educational facilities institutions and organizations, including those from public and private, two-year and four-year colleges and universities; medical and law schools; seminaries; public and private K12 schools and districts; museums and parks; military installations; federal, state and city-county governments, and business partners that serve the educational facilities sector.

Our Values

At APPA, we stand behind the values of:

• Vision – Achieve continuous improvement and performance excellence
• Transformation – Provide ongoing leadership development and continuously set the standard for credibility to transform our profession
• Stewardship – Sustain and maintain passionate commitment to the future of our professionals and their facilities, wisely investing in intellectual capital and producing results that enhance the credibility of the entire profession
• Collaboration – Foster spirited collaboration achieved through networking, information sharing, celebrating achievements and creating meaningful connections among all members
• Leadership – Implement the standards, processes and credentials that contribute to creating true leaders in educational facilities.