The International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) officially sponsors the unofficial holiday known as Administrative Professionals' Week during the last full week in April. The holiday is an act to acknowledge the hard work of office professionals all over the world.

The intention of Harry Klemfuss, the man who originated the holiday back in 1952, was to interest more people in the secretarial and administrative career field. The National Secretaries Association supported this holiday, and the first Secretaries' Week was held during the first week in June 1952, with Secretaries' Day falling on Wednesday, June 4th. In 1955 the date the observance date was shifted to the last full week of April, with Administrative Professionals' Day falling on Wednesday during that week.

It was originally called Secretaries' Week, but in 2000 the holiday was renamed Administrative Professionals' Week to encompass the broad range of employees in administrative positions. Offices all over the world use this week to show their appreciation for the hard work provided by their administration all year long. It is a great time for boss's to take their administrative staff to lunch to show them how much they are valued.

Fast Facts:

1. Observed annually all over the world
2. Created in 1952
3. Creator: Harry Klemfuss
4. Originally called National Secretaries' Week by Charles Sawyer
5. Changed to Professional Secretaries' Week in 1981
6. Observed during the first week of June until 1955
7. Coincides with Administrative Professionals Day
8. Administrative Professionals Day observed the Wednesday of the last full week in April
9. Boss's often give gift baskets, flowers or take their administrative staff to lunch

• The News-Press: Cape Coral woman named 'Administrative Professional of the Year' (April 21, 2008)

• The Ultimate Secretarial Survival Blog: http://secretaryhelpline.blogspot.com... Laughing all the way to work] (April 16, 2008)

• Hubpages: Administrative Professionals Week (2008)