Administrative Professionals’ Day was introduced by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Charles W. Sawyer with his designation of June 4, 1952 as National Secretaries’ Day. In 1955, the observance date was moved to the Wednesday in the last full week of April– now designated as Administrative Professionals’ Day. The name was changed to Administrative Professionals Day in 2000 to encompass the expanding responsibilities and wide-ranging job titles of administrative support staff in the modern economy.
From managing calendars to organizing projects, archiving files, arranging client meetings and so much more, we couldn’t build a better world without you. Thank you to our wonderful administrative professionals.
Alina Pang, Shanghai
Amber Dai, Shanghai
Anita Islas, Office Manager, Mexico City
Horror movie fan Anita (“Halloween, Misery and Rosemary’s Baby are my favorites”) has been supporting CRTKL’s Mexico City office for three years. What she loves most about the administrative profession is the opportunity to combine HR and office management roles. “I’m a people person,” she says. “My job gives me the chance to know so many people in the firm and work with a great team.” The best piece of insider advice Anita shares is to not be afraid when you hear from your HR partner. “The biggest misconception people have about HR is if a team member contacts them, people tend to think that something must be wrong. I promise we don’t bite!” Most of the time, your timesheet is probably just overdue.
Colin Smith, Office Manager, New York
For the last 15 years at CRTKL, Colin has lived by the philosophy “when I am given a task, I am being relied on, and when it is done successfully? Mission accomplished.” With his roll-up-your-sleeves, get-it-done attitude, his colleagues always know they can count on Colin to deliver. What do people get wrong about administrative professionals the most? “I think the biggest misconception is we only handle administrative type stuff,” he says. “We do it all, we’re the jacks of all trades – from clerical work to hospitality.”
James Thor, Receptionist, Los Angeles
James is the heart of the LA office’s new virtual culture– from the AV Club, the Cooking and Cocktails Club, a group dedicated to health and fitness, home and gardening, to MTV (everything media oriented) and the Animal Haus (for those with furry friends) — he’s been the beloved ringleader during COVID and continues to inspire us all. In addition to managing schedules, overseeing meetings and office get-togethers, ordering supplies, dealing with vendors and anything else that slips through the cracks, there is no task too small for James. “I don’t think people realize all the behind-the-scenes things that need to be done to make sure the office runs smoothly every day.”
Jing Huang, Shanghai
Khalid AlMazrouai, Dubai
Malissa Miller-Hairston, Project Coordinator, Washington, D.C.
Since May 2001, Malissa has done it all for CRTKL’s Washington, D.C. and Baltimore offices – from timesheets and reception, to expense reports. She’s also the construction administrator for the D.C. office, as well as a paralegal assisting with legal tasks and a notary. “Malissa has been a dedicated employee of CRTKL for almost 20 years,” says Courtney Gsell, HR partner in the Washington, D.C. office. “She has grown in different roles and has supported many teams both project-related and administrative. Malissa is ready to help when needed and her positive attitude is recognized throughout the D.C. office. We can’t thank Malissa enough for her hard work and commitment to both the D.C. office and firm as a whole!”
Mary Brooks, Receptionist, Baltimore
For Mary, working at CRTKL means being ready for ATAT: Any Thing, Any Time. This 45-year veteran of the firm started in the Service Center when the company existed as only one office in Baltimore. “This is only my second job in my life,” she begins. “I don’t really count the years I worked for ABC Imaging, because I was still in the CRTKL Service Center doing what I had always done, now with the addition of ABC duties. After six years, I proposed that I cover the reception area and perform some administrative tasks for the Baltimore office. Eventually, the role of managing the daily operations of the Baltimore office kind of fell in my lap.” For Mary, the best part of her job is the sense of accomplishment. “I really like the people I work with, so assisting them in reaching their goals is key for me.” This self-proclaimed social butterfly also has some serious mixology skills—with self-proclaimed favorites including martinis and margaritas. “I am part of a close-knit women’s group that I’ve known for over 40 years, and we still really enjoy getting together. I’m also very close with a group of young former CRTKL women– we still hang out and enjoy laughs, food and drinks. In fact, I met one of my very best friends at CRTKL.”
Steve He, Beijing
Tammy Sun, Beijing
Tinamarie Martinez, Executive Assistant, Dallas
Tinamarie, like Madonna or Prince, is mononymous. TM is a master of her craft: an organizational wizard, expert planner and constant innovator. Even in the midst of her hectic schedule, she is always free to share a laugh before getting down to business. In her five years with CRTKL, she enjoys “the complexity and challenges that come up each day and the opportunity to work with some of the inspirational industry leaders of our time” the most. Recalling her often-changing and most unusual requests as an admin, “the most memorable is my one-day, roundtrip adventure from Dallas to San Francisco and back for an expired passport needed for a trip that departed the next morning. There’s always something exciting!”
Trisha Walker, Dallas
Tran Troung, Los Angeles
Yoyo Qin, Beijing