Frank Brown
 | |
| Membership | Life Member |
|---|---|
Frank Brown currently serves on the Board of Directors of the SEG Foundation. His extensive service to the Society includes a term as Secretary/Treasurer of the Executive Committee and having chaired the Finance, Continuing Education, and DISC Committees.
Biography Citation for SEG Life Membership 2012
Contributed by Brad Birkelo
If you spend enough time in one profession, you will find that there are a small handful of colleagues that are more than just the people you work with; they become close friends. Frank Brown is one of these colleagues for me and I am honored to write his citation.
I first met Frank nearly 20 years ago when I moved to Midland, Texas, when Frank was working for Dawson Geophysical. In addition to helping us acquire better 3D surveys during that first land 3D seismic boom, Frank took the time to introduce me to other members of that close-knit geophysical community. It may not seem like much, but as a new geophysicist working out beyond the edge of civilization in Odessa, that connection back to world in Midland was incredibly important to me. It was just an example of the way in which Frank routinely makes an effort to help those around him.
Frank grew up in Amarillo, Texas, and earned his degree in geology from West Texas State University. He began his career with GSI as a processing geophysicist in Midland and later worked for Marathon Oil, Southland Royalty Company, and Permian Exploration Corporation. Frank joined Dawson Geophysical in 1988 and was named vice president in 2000. After leaving Dawson, Frank worked for Digital Prospectors, Exploration Geophysics Inc., TRNCO, and currently works for Fairfield Nodal.
Frank was a fixture in the Midland community for many years and while my memory is a bit hazy on the exact details, I recall playing a small role in the beginning of Frank’s professional volunteering when he joined the executive committee of the Permian Basin Geophysical Society in 1998. Frank eventually served as PBGS president in 2000-01. He became involved with the Permian Basin Graduate Center in an effort to bring continuing education to the Permian Basin geophysicists which then led to his involvement with the SEG Continuing Education Committee.
Frank became the second person to chair the Distinguished Instructor Short Course Subcommittee when he took over the reins from Peter Duncan in 2002. He agreed a year later to take on the chairmanship of the entire CE Committee. He continued in this role until his election as SEG Secretary-Treasurer for 2005-06. The 2005-06 Executive Committee had notable impact on the future of the SEG when it began both the SEG Online initiative as well as the initiative to locate SEG offices throughout the world.
Being Secretary-Treasurer carries a three-year commitment to serve on the Finance and Audit Committee so naturally, when at the end of his three years the SEG decided to split the Finance and Audit functions into two separate committees, Frank agreed to spend a fourth year chairing the newly-formed Audit Committee. After completing his service on the Audit Committee, Frank was asked to join the SEG Foundation Board of Directors (where he currently serves).
SEG Life Membership is given to persons who have voluntarily rendered exceptionally meritorious service to the Society. It is clear that Frank’s past and continued service to SEG merits this honor. He has shown time and again that he is a selfless volunteer who believes in giving back to SEG. He has served the Society across a remarkably broad swath of their activities. I have no doubt he will continue to serve SEG in a variety of ways.
I have always valued his friendship, whether it was working together or playing a round of golf, and I congratulate him on this well-deserved honor. Life Membership for Frank D. Brown by Brad Birkelo
