Dr. James Frank

While President of Lincoln University, Dr. Frank held positions as Secretary-Treasurer, and later as President of the NCAA making history as the first college president and the first African-American to hold both positions. Dr. Frank served as Commissioner of the Southwestern Athletic Conference from 1983 until his retirement in 1998. He returned to the position as Interim Commissioner in April 2001, where he served for 20 months.

In January 2008, Dr. Frank was honored by the NCAA with the President’s Gerald R. Ford Award. The award, named in honor of former President Ford, celebrates an individual who has provided significant leadership as an advocate for intercollegiate athletics on a continuous basis over the course of her/his career. This award is in addition to previous recognition Frank has received for his dedication to intercollegiate sports. Other honors include: the James Corbett Award, which is the highest award given by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics; the Life Time Achievement Award from the St. Louis Gateway Classic Foundation; the Distinguished American Award, presented by the National Football Foundation; a room named in his honor at the NCAA National Headquarters in Indianapolis, Indiana; the Distinguished Alumni Award from Springfield College; a listing as one of the “Presidential Firsts” in the Top 25 Defining Moments in NCAA history; a listing as one of the “100 Most Influential Athletes” during the NCAA’s Centennial Celebration; and induction into the inaugural 2007 Legends Class of Minority Athletic Administrators.

Dr. Frank was also honored by the Lincoln University Foundation, Inc. in April during the 6th Annual President's Gala for his commitment and service to his alma mater.

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http://armyrotc.com/edu/lincoln/alumni.htm

http://www.footballfoundation.com/news.php?id=54