To provide education, communication, and recognition for Bowling Pro Shop Professionals and Instructors, creating a foundation for the advancement of the worldwide bowling industry.

IBPSIA's Major Objectives are:

Education  •  Communication  •  Certification  •  Membership Retention and Growth  •  Industry Unification and Recognition
 

The original idea for creating a pro shop organization came from Larry Cook.
The first meeting was held November 1990 in Reno.
The pro shop people who attended were:

Larry Cook, Boise, ID
Terry Larsen, Renton, WA
Ron Hoppe, Marysville, WA
Steve Schlect, Anchorage, AK
Jim Burns, Port St Lucie, FL
Gordon Fitzgerald, Roy, UT
Jim Schumacher, San Jose, CA

Also attending were David Neer and Sue Haws from Neer and Company. Neer and Company were hired as the first mangement company.

Also attending as invited advisors were:

Joyce Ditech
Jerry Koenig

The first President was Ron Hoppe who served a two year term.

All Pro Shops joining IBPSA the first year (1991) are considered charter members.

The first Convention, Trade Show and Educational Seminars were held in August 1991 at the Sahara in Las Vegas.

Sue Haws and Company were hired in 1993 to manage IBPSA.

IBPSA was changed to IBPSIA (the second I to include Instructors) in 1993 at the Trade Show in Orlando.

The first certification manual was written in 1994. Ebonite contributed $20,000 for this project.

The first certification class was held in 1995.

IBPSIA is now the Gold Standard for bowling pro shop operation and education in the world.