NHRMA History

NHRMA was incorporated in the state of Washington, as a not-for-profit organization, on January 17, 1961, as Pacific Northwest Personnel Management Association. It’s purpose was to develop and maintain the professional competence of it’s members, raise standards of performance in all phases of human resource management, encourage adherence to SHRM’s Code of Ethical and Professional Standards and promote excellence in the field of human resource management.

PNPMA was initially formed by a group of personnel managers headed by J.W. Rupley and Claude Arnold, Spokane, Washington; Roderic Olzendam, Tacoma, Washington; General H.G. Winsor, Seattle, Washington and Laurin E. Hinman, Portland, Oregon, to conduct a conference to address personnel management issues.

The first PNPMA Conference was held in Spokane on October 12 -13, 1939. Since that time, the conference site has been rotated annually among cities throughout Alaska, Oregon, Washington and British Columbia.

The initial group of Personnel Clubs, as they were known, in Portland, Seattle, Spokane and Tacoma, were joined by Personnel Clubs in Longview, Washington and Vancouver, British Columbia, in the early years. In the early and mid 1950’s PNPMA chapters were formed in Oregon in Salem, the upper Willamette Valley and the southern coast. Chapters were also formed in British Columbia on Vancouver Island, Yakima, WA, and in Boise, Idaho. In 1960 a chapter was formed in Walla Walla, WA, and in eastern Idaho in 1961.

The chapter in Vancouver, B.C., left PNPMA in 1961 to from the Industrial Association of British Columbia. From 1957 to 2002, international representative was maintained with the formation of the Victoria Chapter in 1957.

The first PNPMA student chapter was formed at Oregon State University in 1956. There are currently 12 active student chapters in the states of Alaska, Oregon and Washington.

PNPMA became affiliated with the American Society for Personnel Administration (ASPA) in January 1972. The 1972 affiliation agreement between PNPMA and ASPA provided that PNPMA would maintain it’s regional autonomy and jurisdiction. The NHRMA/SHRM affiliation relationship has been a professionally meaningful and rewarding arrangement for both parties over the years. NRHMA as we know it today provides professional development opportunities for HR professionals and students in the states of Alaska, Oregon and Washington who are members in good standing with the Society for Human Resource Management.   NHRMA is proud to provide services to the SHRM chapters in these three states. There is no similar group of 100% chapters any place in the country. All 31 SHRM chapters in the states of Alaska, Oregon and Washington are 100% chapters. This means that all their members are SHRM members in good standing.

By vote of the membership of PNPMA in June, 1992, the name of Pacific Northwest Personnel Management Association was changed to Northwest Human Resource Management Association.

NHRMA is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors that oversees the affairs and business of the association.