Young Presidents' Organization

MILESTONES

Overview
When founder Ray Hickok opened the first meeting of the Young Presidents’ Organization in 1950, not even he realized the effect YPO would have on the world of business. By sharing their experiences, those first 20 young presidents helped one another cope with the unusual pressures and pleasures of early business success. Hickok’s brilliantly simple concept proved to be just what the business world needed. In the decades since its founding, YPO has attracted an enormous global membership of leaders with multiple areas of interest and activities.

YPO Milestones

1950	Ray Hickok founds the Young Presidents’ Organization in New York.
1951	Founding members organize in neighboring areas and set up the foundation for Chapters. YPO welcomes its first female member, Elsie Frankfort, president of Page Boy Fashions in Texas.
1956	Former U.S. President Herbert Hoover inducts YPO’s 100th member
1960	YPO hosts its first University, held in Miami Beach, Florida, offering education programs unique to YPO.
1961	The Europe Chapter forms and becomes the first chapter outside North America. Japan, Mexico and the Caribbean follow its lead.
1975	Forum is established by the Northern California Chapter when it organized its 60 members into four groups.
1979	YPO elects the first non-North American International Chairman and develops an aggressive strategy to increase its international membership.
1985	YPO reaches more than 5,000 members.
1992	YPO founder Ray Hickok dies. The Hickok Award is created and given to members who exemplify Ray Hickok’s legendary dedication to and love for YPO.
1998	MyYPO, a private Web site, is created to give members a way to connect online.
2000	YPO members and alumni celebrate its 50th year at an Anniversary Summit with notable keynote speakers including Queen Rania Al-Abdullah of Jordan; Jack Welch, CEO of the General Electric Company; and Warren Buffet, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Inc.
2001	YPO launches the “Renaissance @YPO” and begins to focus on three guiding principles: Connectivity, Diversity, and Excellence. Each year the incoming chairman builds on the Renaissance theme. Membership and international growth begins climbing to new records.
2002	MyYPO becomes an advanced social networking platform before MySpace and Facebook. Powerful new networking tools and better ways of connecting online see an explosion of traffic. YPO Spouses and kids are also brought online.
2006	YPO admits its 10,000th member, from the Shanghai Chapter. YPO adopts a Stages of Membership philosophy, allowing members to transition from YPO anytime from age 50 to 55.
2007	YPO merges with the World Presidents’ Organization to create the premier lifelong leadership network. Membership grows to 20,000 members in 100 countries.

Member Testimonials

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Arthur Gillis
Cape Town Chapter

Better Leaders Through Education and Idea Exchange