In Memoriam: Frank S. So, FAICP

APA notes with sorrow the passing of retired Executive Director Frank S. So on February 22, 2019.

Retired APA Executive Director Frank S. So, FAICP.

So joined the American Society of Planning Officials (ASPO) in 1967, and spent over 30 years with the association that eventually merged with another to become APA. He served as executive director of APA and AICP from 1996 to 2001, and he was inducted as a Fellow of AICP in 1999 for his excellence in teaching and mentoring.

So earned his master's degree in City and Regional Planning from The Ohio State University, where APA's first executive director, Israel Stollman, served as chair of the planning degree program. So then continued to pursue his interest in financial planning at ASPO.

He worked briefly as a city planner for the Chicago suburb of Harvey before returning to ASPO to work in the growing research program, and soon became assistant director and helped create Planning magazine and the Planners Press book publishing program.

So is remembered for his work overseeing the publication of over 60 books on planning, and for editing four planning textbooks, including the Practice of Local Government Planning. This ICMA "Green Book" text has since been used as an introduction to the field for several generations of planning students.