Professor Chen Ning Yang was the chairperson of the ad hoc group for formation of the AAPPS from 1988 to August 1990 and served as the first president of the AAPPS from 11 August 1990 to 2 July 1994. He worked as a council member of the AAPPS in the second term and retired from the council in the end of 1997. The council acknowledged his long-standing contribution for the AAPPS and the AAPPS Award of Physics was renamed as the AAPPS Chen Ning Yang Award.