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SACE History: 1948-2007

The Southern College Placement Association was organized in Atlanta on January 18, 1948, at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Interest in such an organization had developed rapidly after World War II when employers looked to the colleges for additional manpower. Under the leadership of Dean George C. Griffin and Dean Fred Ajax, both of Georgia Institute of Technology, a two-day program was arranged for January 16, and 17, 1948.

Invitations were mailed to Placement Directors, Deans of Students at colleges located throughout the South, and to employer representatives who recruited in this area. Approximately thirty-nine college and employer representative attended the initial meeting. Speakers at the first meeting included: Mr. Kenneth Meade, General Motors Corporation, Dr. C.C. Nobled, Fifth U.S. Civil Service Commission, Mr. R.N. Dyer, Humble Oil Company, Mr. C.O. Emmerich, Fifth U.S. Civil Service Commission, Mr. Winfield Firman, Davison-Paxon Company, and Dean Fred Ajax, Georgia Institute of Technology.

At the first business meeting, Dean Griffin was named President, Dean Earl C. Davis of Centre College of Kentucky, Vice-President, and Anne Seawell of the University of Georgia, Secretary. The organization known at first as the Southern College Placement Officers Association, began to hold its annual meetings in December and has found its services and programs identified with the rapid industrial growth of the Southern United States.

The tenth annual meeting of the Southern College Placement Association, October 14-16, 1956, was first in placement history. It was a combined meeting with the Middle Atlantic Placement Association in annual conference at Hotel Chamberlain, Old Point Comfort, Virginia.

The first workshop was held May 3 and 4, 1962, at the Georgia Center for continuing Education, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia. Howard Lumsden, Placement Director, at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville was chairman of the workshop committee. The Association has served as a leader in the professional development of the field; the Ethics Committee, in 1957, adopted the Principles and Practices of College Recruiting; the Visitation Committee makes team visits, as requested, to assist new College Placement Office or employer recruiting departments; the Research Committee has contributed original studies in the field of placement and recruiting; and the Professional development Committee has continued with a workshop each year.

The Association was incorporated January 11, 1968. As the Association has grown, changes have been made in the organizational structure and By-Laws. In 1972, employer members became eligible for election to office, and membership was opened to Placement officers in two and three year colleges.

In 1973, Emily Merrill was employed as an Administrative Assistant to provide a central office for the Association. In 1980 she was named Executive Secretary.

The first Employer President, James P. Jones, Phillips Petroleum Co., was elected in 1975.

Effective in 1996, the name of the organization was changed to the Southeastern Association of Colleges and Employers.