The official observance of Administrative Professionals Day 2010 is today, April 21, 2010, as Americans honor administrative professionals nationwide.
Also known as "Secretary's Day," Administrative Professionals Day is celebrated annually and has its roots in Administrative Professionals Week, first held in 1952. Its origins lie in part to World War II, which led to "an increased need for skilled administrative personnel" in the United States.
Today there are more than 4.1 million secretaries and administrative assistants working in the United States, according to U.S. Department of Labor statistics.
Common ways to celebrate Administrative Professionals Day and honor such workers include sending them flowers, cards, gift certificates, candy, and gift baskets, or treating them to lunch, per Holiday Insights.
The Professional Secretaries International Assocation was renamed the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) in 1998 to include not just secretaries but others who perform critical administrative tasks.
The IAAP official Web site has posted a series of events related to Administrative Professionals Week 2010, viewable by location here.