The International Virtual Assistants Association (IVAA) (www.ivaa.org) has recently reached the milestone of 800 active members.

IVAA is a non-profit organization dedicated to the education and development of its members and the Virtual Assistance profession. Their Certification programs--Certified Virtual Assistant (CVA), EthicsChecked™, and Certified Real Estate Support Specialist (CRESS)--are internationally recognized as the most in-depth programs serving the VA industry. A Virtual Assistant is an independent entrepreneur who provides administrative, creative, and/or technical services, utilizing technological modes of communication and data delivery to assist clients in their area of expertise.

This recent milestone is especially exciting because the Virtual Assistance industry is growing faster than ever. With recent coverage on NBC's The Today Show and a new and improved monthly publication, the IVAACast, with subscribers exceeding 8,000, the VA industry is gaining recognition as a growing, viable profession. Sue Kramer, IVAA's Marketing Director, comments on the increase in media coverage of virtual assistance, "We are excited that our members are consistently contacted by local, national, and international press outlets to share their expertise." Most recently, IVAA members have been featured on The Today Show, and in articles on www.abcnews.com, and in Woman's Day magazine, as well as local media outlets. "Virtual assistants are also taking a grass-roots approach to educating the public of the value they can bring to the table," adds Kramer. "Our members often speak directly to business organizations,, colleges and universities, and networking groups who in turn spread the word about our industry."

Additionally, IVAA and member volunteers have been busy promoting the organization and profession by attending the Office Depot Success Strategies conferences, NAWBO conference in Atlanta and the NSA Convention in San Diego. Currently, the IVAA membership stands at approximately 825 and is expected to climb to 1000 members by spring of 2008. President Candy Beauchamp is pleased about this projection. "This is an amazing milestone for IVAA. As the public learns more about our industry, we expect our association will continue to grow."

IVAA promotes and educates the public about the Virtual Assistance industry, and is continually increasing its ability to support IVAA members in all phases of growth and success in their businesses. IVAA's online educational summit will be held October 19th, and the in-person summit will take place April 23 - 26, 2008. In 2008, IVAA will also be attending and/or exhibiting at the following conferences: Office Depot Success Strategies, NAWBO, WBDC, and NSA.

For more information about IVAA and the Virtual Assistance industry, please visit our website at www.ivaa.org. For media inquiries call (888) 259-2487.