Patricia Haroski was working as a secretary in Deerfield, Illinois when she took notice that there was no regular date set to say "thank you" or show appreciation to the bosses in her company. Through her network of secretaries, she decided to establish a day in honor of bosses, and chose her father's birthday, October 16th, as the official day. In 1958, Patricia registered October 16th as National Boss Day with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. In 1962, Governor Otto Kerner of Illinois proclaimed the day National Boss Day.