Alpha Pi Mu was the brainchild of James T. French who in 1949 was a senior industrial engineering student at Georgia Tech. Nine men chosen through their affiliation with the Georgia Tech Chapter of Tau Beta Pi constituted the original membership of Alpha Pi Mu. Alpha Pi Mu is the only nationally accepted industrial engineering honor society. The Georgia Tech engineers who led the initial developmental work wanted an organization to provide a common ground on which their outstanding young engineers could exchange ideas, and to provide experiences which could help their future professional development.

1. To confer recognition upon the industrial engineering student who has shown exceptional academic interests and abilities in his field.
2. To encourage wherever possible any movement which will advance the best interest of industrial engineering education.
3. To further unify the student body of the Industrial Engineering Department in presenting its needs and ideals to the faculty.
4. To create a closer student-faculty relationship by bringing together the needs and thoughts of both.
5. To assist and cooperate with all organizations and persons working for the interest of industrial engineering.
6. To benefit its members by the association and experience that can come from bringing together a group with similar interests, objectives, and abilities and to promote the professional welfare of all.