Our History

SHRM Tulsa has been a cornerstone of the Tulsa area business and HR community for more than 50 years. What began in the early 1970s as a small group of local area executives discussing HR best practices became the Tulsa Personnel Association (TPA) in 1972, later recognized as Chapter #175 of the American Society for Personnel Administration (ASPA).

As ASPA evolved into the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) in 1989, TPA followed suit, becoming the Tulsa Area Human Resources Association (TAHRA). In 2025, we proudly adopted the name SHRM Tulsa as part of SHRM’s co-branding initiative, strengthening our visibility and impact.

From fewer than 20 founding members to more than 500 today, SHRM Tulsa continues to grow and serve as the leading voice for HR professionals in our region.