In 1993, Southern Mindanao Institute of Technology (SMIT) was registered as a non-stock and non-profit corporation at the Securities and Exchange Commission and was granted permit to operate by the Department of Education, Culture and Sports as a technical institute. Inspired and driven with the passion to educate the masses, the management focused on short term courses particularly on computer,
hotel and restaurant management, office management and seaman course. There was a significant increased of enrollment from that time on, since quality of training was never compromised for any consideration. In 2006, the Institute was renamed into Aces Polytechnic College and was elevated into a college status, offering degree courses. Two years in Panabo, Davao del Norte, Aces Polytechnic College (formerly SMIT) established a new school which was registered at the Securities and Exchange Commission in 1995 as Aces Technical Institute (ATI), distinct from the corporate identity of the mother school. In year 2000, ATI was elevated into a college status and renamed as Aces Tagum College (ATC). Several degree programs were offered in addition to the existing technical courses. Like the mother school, ATC enjoyed good corporate reputation that fueled a consistent yearly increased of enrollment while other schools suffered decreased enrollment. Another new school was opened in 1998 at Nabunturan, Compostela Valley Province. It was registered as Aces Technical Institute of Nabunturan Foundation (ATIN-F). This was followed by the opening of Aces Polytechnic College, Davao City. The last two schools were granted permit to operate technical courses by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). The Aces Colleges System with four component schools are known to be strong on entrepreneurship in its curricular offerings and training programs. Since its founding in 1993, all its component schools maintained its mandate of providing quality manpower to the masses even though it was elevated to the status of a college. All academic programs are tailored-fit to the needs of the academe and industries. Locally, the Colleges are appropriately linked with various private and public agencies, like the Philippine National Police for its Criminology Program, the Hotels and Restaurants for its hospitality programs, etc. The Colleges are equipped with modern facilities in education and training. All schools have their own interactive speech laboratories, particularly the Standard American English. In Aces Tagum College, there is an existing incubation center for Hotel and Restaurant Management students where a hotel is operated within the College campus. Likewise, the students in Bachelor of Science in Business Administration are incubated in Cooperative operations anchored on the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). ACES maintains its flexibility in adapting new and emerging challenges in the education sector. It always promotes a sense of urgency with ambitious goals, and where ACES believes that taking risk in a heroic act of doing the best for the community is an opportunity.
