History: 1996: ICF Chapters and Other Firsts

ICF made a significant leap in uniting coaches worldwide by establishing its first local chapters. ICF grew quickly, forming over 60 chapters worldwide within months. Alongside these early chapters, other foundational milestones included appointing the first president, launching the ICF newsletter, and hosting the first annual conference, all of which set the stage for our ongoing legacy. 

Establishment of First ICF Chapters

ICF was one of the first international associations to represent the burgeoning coaching profession. This unique role brought the challenge of providing coaches with the resources needed to promote coaching in their regions. That’s when we had an aha moment: There is power in a global network of localized communities. Through chapters, we could support global members on a local level. 

We partnered with smaller coach groups in different regions, uniting around the idea that as one entity, we can have a larger impact in the world. For example, the North Texas Coaches’ Association became the ICF-North Texas Chapter. There were more than 60 ICF chapters worldwide within just a few months, including in Australia, the United Kingdom, and the USA. 

Additional Firsts  

We experienced a series of other “firsts,” too: our first president was appointed, our first board of directors was established, the first issue of ICF Coaching News (precursor to Coaching World) reached more than 400 subscribers, and the first ICF annual conference was held for nearly 250 individuals in Houston, Texas, USA. 

A look back at ICF’s first annual conference in 2006 — where our global coaching community came together for the first time.