1933
The first women were inducted into Beta Gamma Sigma. Until then, Gamma
Epsilon Pi had served as the scholastic honor society for women. Women who
were members of Gamma Epsilon Pi prior to 1933 were retroactively admitted
into Beta Gamma Sigma in 1933.
The New York
City Alumni Chapter, the Society’s oldest and largest, was formed.
1963
Beta Gamma Sigma celebrated its 50th anniversary. Dean Fayette Elwell, the
Society’s first president, wrote The First 50 Years of Beta Gamma Sigma. In
the 50th anniversary year there were 102 chapters and approximately 43,000
members.
The National
Honoree Award – now known as the International Honoree Award – was
established.
1969
The Society established the Directors’ Table, which is composed of BGS
members who are also chairmen, presidents, CEOs and COOs of Fortune 1000
firms or their equivalents.
1975
Beta Gamma Sigma authorized a new organizational structure whereby the Board
of Governors was created as the Society’s governing body.
1985
The first Outstanding Chapter Awards were presented. Beginning in 1995,
scholarships were awarded to student members from the year’s Outstanding
Chapters. In 1997, the Society began honoring Outstanding Chapters at
different levels: Gold, Silver, Bronze and Honorable Mention.
1986
The first Medallion for Entrepreneurship was awarded outstanding individuals
who combine innovative business achievement with service to humanity.
1988
The Society celebrated its 75th anniversary. The Board of Governors
formulated a plan to increase the organization’s effectiveness and to
maintain and promote the principles of Beta Gamma Sigma. As part of the 75th
anniversary celebration, the Society launched the Scholarship Program to
reward some of its most outstanding student members.
1989
The first chapter outside the U.S. was installed at the University of
Calgary.
1991
Utilizing a grant from the Lilly Endowment, the Board of Governors developed
the Society’s long-range plan.
Beta Gamma
Sigma and Delta Mu Delta established the Federation of Business Honor
Societies to coordinate honor society recognition in the field of business.
1994
Beta Gamma Sigma established Sigma Beta Delta, the honor society for
non-accredited business programs, to ensure that honor society recognition
was available to all deserving students of business.
1998
The Board of Governors met to update the Society’s long-range plan. The
Board decided that enhancing the value of Beta Gamma Sigma for student and
alumni members in their professional lives should be one of the Society’s
main priorities. Focusing on the same goal, a new mission statement and set
of objectives were also approved. The Los Angeles Area and Chicagoland
alumni chapters were established. The Board of Governors approved the
establishment of three alumni chapters annually to form the Alumni Network.
The Business
Achievement Awards were presented for the first time recognizing significant
achievement in business through the traditional corporate route.
2000
The Society established its first collegiate chapter outside North America
at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Later that year, a chapter was
established at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
The Society
debuted the
BetaLink
On-Line Community, a free on-line service for members.
2001
The first Student Leadership Forum was held to give outstanding student
leaders a chance to focus on their career and personal goals.
**The
history provided on this page can be found on the
Beta Gamma Sigma national website.
