"Leadership and Service since 1932"
Those words were the inspiration for a small group of bowling center owners on June 7, 1932, more than seventy-five years ago. Therefore, they created the Bowling Proprietors' Association of America (BPAA) in an attempt to revive their businesses and to unite a splintered, fragmented group of proprietors. At the time, there wasn't a lot of money but there was vision and dedication. These men realized that for their businesses to survive, they all had to work together united toward a common goal. They adopted the motto "United We Prosper" and built the foundation of their association on leadership and service.
Their fledgling association has become our prosperous and progressive association of more than 3300 member centers. BPAA has weathered difficult times throughout the years, but the foundation of this association has not faltered. BPAA is driven forward not by a chosen few but by an entire membership, a group of dynamic and knowledgeable men and women who believe that unity, leadership and service are still the keys to success. Through the best and worst of times, the focus of BPAA has always been on leadership, service, and the future.
BPAA members give much to this association — their time, their money, their expertise. By cultivating that knowledge, BPAA has developed a list of membership services and privileges designed with one thing in mind — to improve our members' business.
As the BPAA logo illustrates, a proprietor's business is bowling. BPAA's business is to offer our members the tools they need to make their business a success. Tournaments, group purchasing programs, International Bowl Expo, business and educational seminars, legislative representation, public recognition of the association and the industry are among the many assets of BPAA membership. This list is long and will continue to expand to meet the ever-changing needs of the BPAA membership and to strengthen our position as a leader in the bowling and business communities.
BPAA membership gives the proprietor the strength to gain a fair share of their community's recreational and entertainment dollars in a very competitive market and gives them the means to operate a successful and reputable business.
Membership in the BPAA is available to any person or corporation that owns or operates a bowling center. Technically, the bowling center is the "member" and the proprietor is the "representative." Members also benefit from belonging to the affiliated state and local proprietors associations.
BPAA is led by a restructured Board of Directors, patterned after the Carver Governance Model. In 1997, members voted at the Annual Meeting to downsize the organization's Board of Directors from approximately 121 members to a 23-member Board structure, which has expanded to a 29-member Board today. BPAA's members participate in formulating policies and establishing programs, as well as electing officers and board members. The Executive Director manages the staff and national headquarters in Arlington, Texas. Staff members carry out the policies, programs and activities as directed by the Executive Director.
The Bowling Proprietors' Association of America, Inc. is a non-profit organization — the only one in the world that serves the specific, yet diverse, interests of bowling center owners.
The far-sighted leaders who founded BPAA in 1932 would be proud of the strong future and bright outlook of this association. Through all the changes both within the association and the industry, one thing remains constant — leadership and service remains at the top of the many BPAA membership benefits.