Bosses, this is one task you can’t turn over to your secretary — buy some flowers, or at least candy and a card.

Today is Administrative Professionals Day, formerly known as Secretaries Day.

Secretaries deserve some special appreciation, said Debbie Liddel, director of education for Lawrence-based Pinnacle Career Institute, which offers a degree program for aspiring administrative professionals.

“Most times an administrative professional is the first person that a potential customer talks to in your company,” Liddel said.

Because secretaries often are the first person a customer deals with, their skills can mean the difference between keeping or losing business, Liddel said.

“When you think of it that way, we probably don’t say thank you often enough,” she said.

Liddel said there seemed to be an increased interest in the administrative professional field. The school’s office administration program has 30 students, up from seven a year ago.

“Lately, more people have been thinking about the profession because there are fewer jobs out there in all types of fields,” Liddel said. “I think a lot of people figure there will always be a need for administrative professionals.”

However, that isn’t necessarily true.

Linda Lake, an instructor at the institute, said more low- to mid-level managers were expected to do their own typing and other administrative tasks.

Becky Salter arranges a floral arrangement for Administrative Professionals Day at University Floral, 2103 W. 28th Street Terrace. Salter prepared the gift on Tuesday. Area flower shops reported brisk sales related to today's holiday.

“They’re being asked to do some of that work themselves because of the economy,” Lake said.

Stacey Leslie has been a secretary at Douglas County Bank for 12 years,and now serves as the top assistant for the president and other executives of the company. She said she thought the profession was one that young people should consider.

“I like the variety that I get,” Leslie said. “It is never the same job two days in a row.”

Leslie said the job could be rewarding because it’s a position that could keep a company operating smoothly. She said some bosses acknowledged the work.

“I used to have a boss who teased me that I’m the one who really ran the bank,” Leslie said. “He just had the title.”