Eugene “Gene” Frank, a founding member of ISACA who laid the groundwork for an association that gained global momentum beyond his wildest ambitions and is still growing more than 55 years later, passed away this week at the age of 92.
Frank was a founding member in 1969 of what at the time was called the Electronic Data Processing Auditors Association (EDPAA), which later became ISACA. He served as the organization’s 1972-1973 board chair and was instrumental in setting the organization on a path of rapid growth, from a small band of auditors based in southern California to the globally respected membership and certification leader it has become today, with nearly 200,000 members and more than 230 local chapters worldwide.
“ISACA as it exists today is due to Gene’s vision, plain and simple,” said ISACA CEO Erik Prusch. “There is no possible way to overstate the impact that Gene Frank had upon our organization; without him, there would be no ISACA. Our sincerest condolences go out to his family at this difficult time. ISACA is deeply grateful to them for sharing Gene with our organization for so many years.”
Frank was a central figure in ISACA’s yearlong 50th anniversary celebration in 2019. He was featured in a special 50th anniversary video that played at ISACA conferences throughout the world and also participated in in-person 50th anniversary celebrations at the 2019 North America CACS conference in Anaheim, California, as well as at ISACA’s headquarters in Schaumburg, Illinois, USA.
During his visit with ISACA staff in Schaumburg, Frank marveled at how ISACA had transformed from a small group of EDP auditors in southern California to a highly influential global organization with, at the time, around 140,000 members, building upon its audit roots to become a global leader in adjacent disciplines such as governance, risk, cybersecurity and data privacy.
“The truth of it is that ISACA has far surpassed anything I could ever imagine,” Frank said. “When I talk about our days as the horse and buggy days compared to the technology today, it’s hard to even make a comparison. It’s kind of like kindergarten versus graduate school. It’s a bit overwhelming to realize how big things have grown, but I feel good because it’s a credit to the way that we structured things.”
Asked about the value he observed members experiencing through ISACA, Frank kept it simple: “Knowledge, experience. Developing their career in a step-by-step approach and being able to call upon ISACA, depending on the level that you’re at, to build on and learn.”
As ISACA has evolved, expanding the local chapter network of professionals to learn from each other by sharing guidance and best practices has been integral to the association’s success. That’s a concept Frank well understood even in the association’s earliest days.
As highlighted in a retrospective article published during ISACA’s 50th anniversary year, “With the rise of the computer as a powerful tool for large corporations, the need to audit systems appeared almost overnight. A group of individuals in Los Angeles who were working with these systems decided it would be beneficial to share their unique experiences.” Gene Frank was among those pioneers – one of seven individuals to sign the association’s incorporating paperwork in October 1969.
“There was not a lot of information on how to go about auditing data processing systems,” Frank recalled. “Everyone was flying by the seat of their pants. The idea of exchanging information and learning from another person, what they were doing and how they were approaching, everyone agreed it was a good thought.”
It’s a thought that stands the test of time as new technological forces like big data, artificial intelligence and quantum computing challenge ISACA’s professional community today.
Frank is survived by his son, Todd, and two grandchildren. He adored animals and is also survived by his beloved dog.
His legacy at ISACA will continue through the Eugene Frank Founders Award, the highest recognition bestowed upon a dedicated member. The recipient is selected annually by the ISACA membership from among the class of Hall of Fame inductees. Additionally, Frank’s life will be celebrated at ISACA’s upcoming Annual General Meeting in July.
