75. 90. 102. I've been celebrating milestone birthdays most of 2018. Seventy-five, of course, belongs to the Association for Talent Development. Ninety is for my former editor, whom I've had lunch with monthly since he retired about a decade ago. And 102 goes to my grandmother (I'm sure you won't disagree that every birthday after the 100-year mark is worthy of being called a milestone). When it comes to longevity, I'm definitely in good company.
In fact, only about one-third of small businesses (defined as independent companies with 500 or fewer employees) survive more than 10 years, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration. So, it's quite a feat that ATD, founded as the American Society of Training Directors in 1943, is celebrating its diamond anniversary. "As one would expect, the probability of survival increases with a firm's age," states the Small Business Administration. Thus, there's much more to come for ATD.
In this month's issue, we're shining a spotlight on the association's achievement. We reached out to Pat Galagan, who served as TD magazine's editor for about 20 years, to reflect on both ATD's and the talent development field's evolution over the years. In addition, you'll find our compilation of 75 noteworthy milestones the association has achieved since day one, ranging from the election of ATD's first woman president and the release of landmark research reports to the creation of certifications designed specifically for training professionals and publication of this magazine's first issue.
At 75 years and counting, it's clear that ATD—and its dedication to creating a world that works better—is here to stay.
