The University of Northern Iowa is the first PBL chapter. 1979 The Board of Directors approved establishment of the FBLA-PBL Alumni Division. The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation of California purchases 1.6 acres of land in the Center for Education Associations, Reston, Virginia, as the site for a future national FBLA-PBL headquarters building. The Professional Division is formed to include alumni and professional businesspersons. FBLA-PBL counts 270,000 active members in 12,000 chapters.
Construction begins on the new building.
The grand opening of the FBLA-PBL National Center in Reston, Virginia, is held.