Frank F Islam

Last updated

Frank Fakhrul Islam
Frank F. Islam.jpg
Born
Azamgarh, India [1]
Education Master of Science in Computers
Alma mater Aligarh Muslim University, [1] University of Colorado
OccupationChairman & CEO of FI Investment Group
SpouseDebbie Driesman [2]
Awards
Website frankislam.com

Frank Islam is an information technology entrepreneur, investor, philanthropist, civic leader, and writer who heads the FI Investment Group. He was the founder and CEO of the QSS Group. [3] US President Barack Obama appointed him to be the General Trustee of the Board of Trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in 2013. [4]

Contents

Early life and career

Islam was born in Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh, India. He immigrated to the United States from India in 1970 when he was 15 years old. He completed his B.S. and M.S. in computer sciences from the University of Colorado at Boulder. He also worked at fast food restaurants to make money for living. His original name was Shah Islam, he got the name Frank from one of his professors at the University of Colorado. [5]

Entrepreneurship

Islam started the QSS Group, a federal government IT services company, in Lanham, Maryland in 1994 with a $50,000 bank loan. In 13 years he transformed it into a company with more than 3,000 employees and a revenue of nearly $300 million. [5]

In 2007, he sold the firm to Perot Systems Corp. for $250 million in cash. Perot Systems was later acquired by Dell. [6] Dell's IT Services unit (primarily Perot Systems) was acquired by NTT Data in 2016. He founded the FI investment Group, a private investment holding company after he sold QSS Group.

Norton Manor

In 2014 Islam built Norton Manor, a 47,000 square-foot faux-Old European estate in Potomac, Maryland, where he regularly staged events for the Democratic Party. It took six years to build and was inspired by the White House. [7]

Philanthropy

Frank and his wife Debbie Driesman established a non-profit organization, The Frank Islam and Debbie Driesman Foundation, [8] that supports civic, educational, cultural and artistic causes in the United States and around the world. [9] His foundation also donated $2 million to the business school at his alma mater Aligarh Muslim University. [10] [11] He supports the Center for American Progress, a progressive public policy research and advocacy organization in United States. [12] In September, 2013, U.S. President Barack Obama appointed him to the board of trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. [4] He is the founder and chairman of the Board of Directors of Potomac Charities, Inc.

Advisory councils and boards

Frank Islam has served on a number of boards and advisory councils that include the board of trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (2013 to 2019), the Board of Directors of Strathmore Center for the Arts (2008 to 2012), [13] the National Democratic Institute (NDI) Chairman's Council (2013 to 2016), [14] and the advisory committee of the Export–Import Bank of the United States (2010 to 2011). [15]

Mr. Islam also serves as the member of the Kennedy Center International Committee on the Arts (2013 to present), the International Advisory Council of the U.S. Institute of Peace (2009 to present), the Woodrow Wilson Center National Cabinet (2012 to present), the Brookings Institution Council (2010 to present), the Maryland Governor's International Advisory Council (2011 to present), the Department of Commerce Industry Trade Advisory Committee (ITAC) (2010 to present), the JFK Library Foundation Board of Advisors (2017 to present), and the International Advisory Council of the United States Institute of Peace (2009 to present). [16]

In the higher education, Mr. Islam serves as the member of the advisory board at the School of Advanced International Studies of Johns Hopkins University Advisory Council (2013 to present), the American University School of International Service Dean's Council (2013 to present), the Board of Trustees of the American University in the Emirates (2012 to present), the University of Malaysia International Advisory Panel (2012 to present), the George Mason University School of Management Dean's Council (2012 to present), and the advisory board of the University of Maryland Smith School of Business (2009 to present). [16]

Frank also plans to develop an educational institute of his home district Azamgarh. [17]

Washington Current Review

He hosts his own TV show, Washington Current Review, on MHz Networks and is called upon to speak frequently at a variety of business, education and non-profit venues.

Publications and articles

Frank has authored two books: Working the Pivot Points: To Make America Work Again [18] and Renewing the American Dream: A Citizen’s Guide for Restoring Our Competitive Advantage. [19] He also contributes to the HuffPost [20] and writes occasional columns and articles for publications such as Foreign Policy, the Daily Times of Pakistan, [21] the International Business Times and the Economic Times of India.

Awards and recognition

He was recognized by the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 1999 [22] and the US Small Business Administration selected him as the Small Business Person of the Year of the Washington DC Metropolitan Area in 2001. [16] In 2014 he was awarded The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) Legends Award. [23] In 2015 he received Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy Award for his contribution in international service and civil engagement. [24] A conference room at the U.S. Institute of Peace is named after Frank Islam and his wife.

In 2016 Mr. Islam was the honoree of the InterFaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington. [25]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Donald J. Carty</span> Canadian-American businessman

Donald J. Carty, is a Canadian-American businessman who is chair of Porter Airlines. Carty also is a director of VMWare, Hawaiian Airlines and Betterez. He was previously chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of AMR Corporation, the parent company of American Airlines, from 1998 to 2003. He is the past Chairman of Virgin America and E-Rewards, Inc.. Carty is also a past director of Dell, CN Rail, Sears, Placer Dome, Barrick Gold, CHC Helicopters, Brinker International, Talisman Energy, EMC Corporation, and Gluskin Sheff. In January 2007, Carty became the vice chairman and chief financial officer of Dell. On June 13, 2008, Carty retired from day-to-day operations, but stayed on as a director. He is a past chairman of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, a former member of the board of trustees of both Southern Methodist University and Queen's University and of the board of directors of the Dallas Center for the Performing Arts Foundation and the Dallas Theater Center. He is on the executive board of the SMU Cox School of Business.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts</span> Cultural center in Washington, D.C.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is the national cultural center of the United States, located on the eastern bank of the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. It was named in 1964 as a memorial to assassinated President John F. Kennedy. Opened on September 8, 1971, the center hosts many different genres of performance art, such as theater, dance, classical music, jazz, pop, psychedelic, and folk music. It is the official residence of the National Symphony Orchestra and the Washington National Opera.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Kennedy Shriver</span> American politician

Mark Kennedy Shriver is an American Democratic politician who served as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates for two consecutive terms, from 1995 to 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joseph Nye</span> American political scientist (born 1937)

Joseph Samuel Nye Jr. is an American political scientist. He and Robert Keohane co-founded the international relations theory of neoliberalism, which they developed in their 1977 book Power and Interdependence. Together with Keohane, he developed the concepts of asymmetrical and complex interdependence. They also explored transnational relations and world politics in an edited volume in the 1970s. More recently, he pioneered the theory of soft power. His notion of "smart power" became popular with the use of this phrase by members of the Clinton Administration and the Obama Administration. These theories from Nye are very commonly seen in courses across the U.S., such as I.B. D.P. Global Politics.

Peter Altabef is an American businessman and lawyer. He is currently the Chair and CEO of Unisys, positions he has held since 2018 and 2015, respectively. He also served twice as the company’s president.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Judge</span> British businessman and philanthropist (1949–2017)

Sir Paul Rupert Judge was an English business and political figure. He served as Chairman of the Royal Society of Arts, President of the Chartered Management Institute, and Deputy Chairman of the American Management Association. He also served as the Director General of the Conservative Party and a Ministerial Advisor to the Cabinet Office. He was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge.

Leslie Howard "Les" Gelb was an American academic, correspondent and columnist for The New York Times who served as a senior Defense and State Department official and later the President Emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ross Perot Jr.</span> American real estate developer and businessman

Henry Ross Perot Jr. is an American real estate developer and businessman best known for his development of Alliance, Texas, an inland port near Fort Worth, and for making the first circumnavigation of the world in a helicopter, at age 23.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Azamgarh</span> City in Uttar Pradesh, India

Azamgarh is a city in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is the headquarters of Azamgarh division, which consists of Ballia, Mau and Azamgarh districts. Azamgarh is situated on the bank of Tamsa River (Tons). It is located 268 km (167 mi) east of the state capital Lucknow and 809 km from the national capital, Delhi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Donald Dell</span> American sports attorney, writer, commentator, and former tennis player

Donald L. Dell is an American sports attorney, writer, commentator, and former tennis player. Dell was the first sports agent in professional tennis, and represented Arthur Ashe, Stan Smith, Jimmy Connors, and Ivan Lendl during the golden age of pro tennis. He was also the founder of Professional Services (ProServ), one of the nation's first sports marketing firms established in 1970.

James (Jim) Champy is an Italian American business consultant, and organizational theorist, known for his work in the field of business process reengineering, business process improvement and organizational change. He co-authored the book "Reengineering the Corporation: A Manifesto for Business Revolution" in 1993 with Michael Martin Hammer, which was considered one of the 25 most influential business management books by Time (magazine).

Frederick J. Iseman is an American businessman, philanthropist, and the founder of CI Capital Partners private-equity firm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carl Spielvogel</span> American marketing executive and diplomat (1928–2021)

Carl Spielvogel was an American marketing executive and diplomat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anand Mahindra</span> Indian businessman

Anand Gopal Mahindra is an Indian billionaire businessman, and the chairman of Mahindra Group, a Mumbai-based business conglomerate. The group operates in aerospace, agribusiness, aftermarket, automotive, components, construction equipment, defence, energy, farm equipment, finance and insurance, industrial equipment, information technology, leisure and hospitality, logistics, real estate and retail. Mahindra is the grandson of Jagdish Chandra Mahindra, co-founder of Mahindra & Mahindra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Breyer</span> American venture capitalist (born 1961)

James W. Breyer is an American venture capitalist, founder and chief executive officer of Breyer Capital, an investment and venture philanthropy firm, and a former managing partner at Accel Partners, a venture capital firm. Breyer has invested in over 40 companies that have gone public or completed a merger, with some of these investments, including Facebook, earning over 100 times cost and many others over 25 times cost. On the Forbes 2021 list of the 400 richest Americans, he was ranked #389, with a net worth of US$2.9 billion.

Mark Tebbe is an adjunct professor of Entrepreneurship at the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business where he helped develop and co-teaches the Entrepreneurial Discovery class having served in this role since 2011. In addition to his appointment as adjunct professor, Mark is an Entrepreneur-in-Residence in Booth's Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation where he mentors students and advises faculty in developing technological business techniques. He is an active investor and mentor to various companies in the startup ecosystem as part of Hyde Park Angels.

Alan H. Fleischmann is the Founder, Chairman & CEO of Laurel Strategies, Inc. Fleischmann is a speaker and writer about CEO statesmanship.

Robert J. Abernethy is an American entrepreneur and philanthropist based in Manhattan Beach, California. He is the founder and president of both American Standard Development Company and Self Storage Management Company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Leslie (public relations executive)</span> American public relations executive & political consultant

John W. Leslie, Jr., commonly known as Jack Leslie, is an American public relations executive, political consultant and international development activist. He is former chairman of Weber Shandwick, a global public relations firm, a role from which he retired in March 2022. President George W. Bush appointed him to the board of the U.S. African Development Foundation in 2003. In 2009, President Barack Obama appointed him chairman.

References

  1. 1 2 Agha, Eram (28 January 2015). "Man who went from Azamgarh to Obama's team". The Times of India. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  2. ↑ Ayyub, Rana (12 May 2016). "Opinion: Frank Islam, From Azamgarh, A Big Face Of Team Hillary Clinton". NDTV.com.
  3. ↑ "Frank Islam - The Huffington Post". HuffPost .
  4. 1 2 "Board of Trustees | The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Art". www.kennedy-center.org. Retrieved 5 February 2017.
  5. 1 2 Rajghatta, Chidanand (21 June 2015). "Entrepreneurs are made, not born: Frank Islam, Indian-American entrepreneur". The Economic Times.
  6. ↑ us, Dell. "Financial News". Dell. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  7. ↑ Norton Manor is a 40,000-square-foot residence on nine acres in Potomac, Md., Washington Post, 24 September 2014
  8. ↑ "Frank Islam & Debbie Driesman Foundation".
  9. ↑ Goldstein, Steve (9 March 2016). "The House that Frank Islam Built". Bethesda Magazine. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  10. ↑ "Frank Islam to dedicate $2-million management school at alma mater AMU". The Hindu. 6 February 2017.
  11. ↑ "Dr Frank Islam to be chief guest at Sir Syed Day 2019 celebration at AMU". Eduvast www.eduvast.com. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  12. ↑ "Our Supporters 2015 - Center for American Progress". Center for American Progress. 20 December 2023.
  13. ↑ Alam, Mumtaz (4 April 2014). "From Azamgarh to America: The success saga of Frank Islam - Maeeshat". www.maeeshat.in. Archived from the original on 3 October 2018. Retrieved 3 October 2018.
  14. ↑ "FRANK F. ISLAM". www.ndi.org. 7 September 2016.
  15. ↑ "Ex Im Bank Announces FY2010 Advisory Committee Members | EXIM.gov". exim.gov.
  16. 1 2 3 "International Advisory Council". United States Institute of Peace.
  17. ↑ فرینک اسلام -- اعظم گڑھ کے ننداؤں سے امریکہ کا سفر, Hausla News, 2 December 2014
  18. ↑ Islam, Frank; Crego, Ed (2013). Working the Pivot Points: To Make America Work Again . IMC Publishing. ISBN   9780984612628.
  19. ↑ Islam, Frank; Muñoz, George; Crego, Edwin T. (2010). Renewing the American Dream: A Citizen's Guide for Restoring Our Competitive Advantage . IMC Publishing. ISBN   9780615349770.
  20. ↑ "Frank Islam | HuffPost". huffingtonpost.com.
  21. ↑ "Frank F Islam Archives - Daily Times". Daily Times.
  22. ↑ "Dr. Frank F. Islam: An Immigrant's Trans-Pacific Success Saga – Cochin Herald Magazine". magazine.cochinherald.com.
  23. ↑ "3 Indian-Americans honoured by The Indus Entrepreneurs". The Economic Times. 13 December 2014.
  24. ↑ "Indian-American Frank Islam Receives Martin Luther Award". NDTV.com.
  25. ↑ "Frank Islam Biography - InterFaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington". ifcmw.org. Archived from the original on 3 October 2018.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.