About NAPM-SFV

Our Vision
To be the recognized resource in the community for education, leadership, and career development in Supply Management.

Our Mission
Provide value by promoting World Class Best Practices in educational and professional development programs to our members and the communities we serve. Assist Supply Management professionals in achieving and maintaining ISM Certification. Provide a network through which our members can interact with other Supply Management professionals and business enterprises in the community. Promote Supply Management as a profession.

The Origin of NAPM-SFV
National Association of Purchasing Management-San Fernando Valley (NAPM-SFV) was founded February 24th 1988. At that time, the original core group of nine purchasing professionals clarified a common supply management vision. From that initial 1988 core vision, came our association to fill that need for a professional supply management organization to assist educate and inform purchasing & supply-chain management professionals.

Within 7 months of that 1988 initial core meeting described above, our association attracted nearly 100 additional members.  On September 14th, 1988, NAPM-SFV adopted its charter and became an affiliate of Institute for Supply Management (formerly known as National Association of Purchasing Management). NAPM-SFV was one of the first affiliate associations of the National Association of Purchasing Management, and one of the first affiliates to bear the name "NAPM" in its corporate entity name.

The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) has conducted its business since 1915. ISM remains highly respected as an educational association within the United States. In large part, ISM is a cost-effective communication-link for each of its 47,000 members. ISM is a progressive association with a mission to provide national and international leadership involving purchasing and materials management, particularly in the areas of education, research and increasing our members' standards of excellence.

Through various resources and a network of 180 affiliated organizations, ISM provides opportunity to expand professional skills and knowledge. ISM is a not-for-profit association. ISM offers a wide range of educational supply management products and supply management programs.

NAPM-SFV Member Radius
The San Fernando Valley is a residential and industrial region in southern California, located north of central Los Angeles.  This location is loosely bounded by the Transverse Range on the north, the Santa Susana Mountains on the west, and the Santa Monica Mountains on the south. The San Fernando Valley extends from Glendale in the east, to Woodland Hills in the west, comprising a distance of 40 km (25 mi).  The San Fernando Valley has a maximum width is about 18 km (about 11 mi). Some of the major industries within the San Fernando Valley include aircraft, computer manufacturing, defense and space exploration.

The San Fernando Valley is a center of the entertainment industry with several motion-picture and television studios located here. San Fernando Valley is the location for various colleges, including California State University at Northridge (1958). Cahuenga Pass connects the San Fernando Valley to Hollywood and downtown Los Angeles. The Cahuenga Pass is the site of the 1847 treaty ending the Mexican War in California.

The San Fernando Valley is named for a Mission founded in 1795. For much of the 19th century, the San Fernando Valley was used for livestock and wheat crops. With the coming of the railroad in 1874, land prices began to surge and real estate development began in earnest in the 1880s. When water flowed by pipeline from the Sierra Nevada in 1913, the San Fernando Valley's pastoral setting began to give way to a more urban and suburban environment. That early 1900's growth gave rise to the cities of Burbank, Glendale and San Fernando.  In addition to larger cities described above, the unincorporated neighborhoods of Encino, Tarzana, Northridge, Chatsworth and Sherman Oaks grew considerably. In 1915, City of Los Angeles annexed the entire San Fernando Valley, with the exception of Burbank, Glendale, and San Fernando.

Immediately after World War II (1939-1945), the San Fernando Valley underwent another period of growth as sprawling groups of houses were built for veterans and their families. Today the valley's population is more than 1.3 million, up from 1 million in 1980. A devastating earthquake, centered in Northridge and measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale, struck the San Fernando Valley on January 17, 1994.