In January 1913, the local officers of Beta Gamma Sigma at Wisconsin
received notice from The Economics Club at the University of
California that they, too, would like to be a charter chapter of the new
national Beta Gamma Sigma. It was agreed that they should be invited
to take part.
The successful meeting to organize one national scholarship honor
society in business and commerce was held on Feb. 19, 1913 – the
recognized founding date of what has become the International
Honor Society Beta Gamma Sigma. The officers were elected, the
design of the new key insignia was approved, and for the first time
Beta Gamma Sigma was something more than a local club.
February 19, 1913
Beta Gamma Sigma
is established as a
national organization.
Prof. Fayette H. Elwell,
University of Wisconsin,
is named as the first
president.
November 1921
AACSB recognizes BGS as the exclusive
honor society for AACSB accredited
business schools.
February 1932
BGS constitution is
changed to allow female
members.
1910-1930
December 1929
By the end of the decade of the 1920s, BGS has established
29 chapters in 22 states across the country. Steady growth
continues into the next decades, with 16 new chapters
established in the 1930s and nine more in the 1940s.
April 1961
The National Office of BGS
relocates to St. Louis, Mo,
where it is still located today.
May 24, 1946
BGS holds its Triennial Meeting a year late;
it was originally scheduled to be held
in April 1945. However, the U.S. Office
of Defense Administration said it was
not feasible for BGS or AACSB to hold a
meeting in April 1945 because of WWII.
1940-1960
December 1959
The 1950s sees the biggest increase in
collegiate chapters to date, with the
establishment of 25 new chapters.
December 1963
The first BGS National Honorees are
named. These are now the BGS
International Honoree Awards.
June 1965
BGS inducts 2,800+ members for FY 1964-65,
bringing the total number of lifetime
members to more than 50,000 since 1913.
April 1975
BGS inducts its 100,000th
lifetime member.
January 9, 1998
The second BGS
alumni chapter – the Los Angeles Area Alumni
Chapter – is established.
March 1988
BGS inducts its 250,000th
lifetime member.
1970-1990
April 1979
For the first time in its history, BGS inducts more
than 10,000 members in a single year, inducting
11,391 lifetime members in FY 1978-79.
May 1993
BGS has a total of 281
collegiate chapters in the
U.S. and Canada.
June 26, 1989
BGS installs its first chapter
outside the U.S.
at the University
of Calgary.
February 1998
BGS launches its first website.
July 1, 2000
Quiester Craig, dean at North Carolina
A&T State University, becomes the first
African American president of BGS.
July 1, 2004
Sara M. Freedman, then dean
at Mississippi State University,
becomes the first female
president of BGS.
March 18, 2000
BGS installs its first collegiate
chapter outside North America
at The Chinese University of
Hong Kong.
2000-2016
June 2003
BGS inducts its 500,000th
lifetime member, Marie-Pier
Lavallee from Concordia
University in Montreal,
Canada.
December, 2015
Beta Gamma Sigma inducted our largest
class of new members reaching 25,562
December, 2015
Beta Gamma Sigma has established over 500
collegiate chapters in all 50 U.S. states and 22
countries and territories at schools accredited
by AACSB International. Additionally, 30 alumni
chapters serve the needs of alumni members
in major metropolitan areas, including Hong
Kong, Los Angeles, Chicago and more.
*February 19, 2013
Beta Gamma Sigma reaches its 100th anniversary:
Celebrating a Century of Excellence.