Department History
- In 1991, Professors Jean Gipe and Betty Tracy began developing the apparel merchandising and management (AMM) degree and the Apparel Technology and Research Center (ATRC). In 1992, the ATRC was established.
- During 1991-1995, extensive regional and national industry consultation was carried out to develop a program for industry managers. University and California State University (CSU) system approvals were obtained for a new AMM degree in September 1995, and Professor Tracy became the program director. Department of Defense-Defense Logistics Agency(DoD-DLA) research contract paperwork for the ATRC was also completed during this time, which led to a more than $10 million DoD-DLA contract. Professor Gipe became the ATRC director.
- In January 1996, the first group of 39 AMM students were admitted to the program. Building 45 was remodeled with funding from the DoD-DLA contract and became the AMM program's home.
- In 1997, the Apparel Manufacturers' Association (now known as the American Apparel & Footwear Association or AFFA) gave its professional endorsement/accreditation to AMM's apparel production option. The Cal Poly Pomona program is one of 13 that the AAFA has endorsed in the United States.
- In 2001, AMM became a stand-alone department within the College of Agriculture, and the ATRC's contract with DoD-DLA ended.
- In 2004, Professor Tracy retired, and Professor Gipe became the AMM department chair
- In 2006, AMM celebrated its 10th anniversary with an enrollment of 245 students, with two staff members (Patty Mutz as the administrative support coordinator and Antonio Espinas as the department technician), two full-time faculty members (Professors Gipe and Cindy Regan), and several adjunct faculty members. This same year Professor Peter Kilduff became the department chair.
- In 2007 Professor Gipe retired. Muditha Senanayake and Hyunjoo Im joined the department as assistant professors.
- In 2011, Chitra Dabas joined the department as an assistant professor.
- In 2013, Jiangning Che joined the department as an assistant professor.
- In 2015, Professor Regan retired.
- In 2016, Saemee Lyu joined the department as an assistant professor.
- In 2017, Linda Tucker retired after working as a full-time lecturer. Professor Senanayake became the interim department chair when Professor Kilduff became interim associate dean of the Huntley College of Agriculture.
- In 2018, Claire Whang joined the department as an assistant professor.
- In 2019, Seoha Min joined the department as an associate professor, and Helen Trejo joined as an assistant professor.
- In the fall of 2020, the department started offering its master's degree in international apparel management (IAM). In addition, a new minor in footwear design and merchandising was approved.
- In 2021, Professor Senanayake became the department chair.
- In 2022, Cindy Cordoba joined the department as an assistant professor.
- In 2023, Md Arif Iqbal joined the department as an assistant professor.