Congratulations to the ISACA® Journal on achieving 50 years of publications. The massive body of information published has, no doubt, positively impacted ISACA® members, their organizations, the IT governance community and society at large.
Has the Journal been resilient? I would say 50 years is proof of resilience and, more important, a testament to the ongoing ISACA Journal process improvements.
Started as a newsletter in ISACA’s formative era, the Journal was 100 percent in the hands of volunteer professionals who earned their living outside the publishing industry. From 1972 to 2007, it was directed by a series of editors-in-chief who performed all aspects of the publication: soliciting articles, creating themes for the issues, reviewing and processing the articles through the former Editorial Review Board, and managing the mostly outsourced layout, artwork, printing and global mailing of the publication.
This was not an inconsequential amount of work. The first five editors were volunteers who served for one year each. Then, in 1980, a small stipend was offered. I took the position in 1987 and continued for 20 years as a labor of love, significant learning and personal growth.
As an accountant and auditor, I longed for a business to run and a chance to build a product that satisfied a customer. The Journal had it all—a chance to stay on the leading edge of learning and grow a small, but global business by strengthening content, adding advertising and new subscribers.
As ISACA matured into the next era with professional managers, the Journal moved on to ISACA headquarters staff, and since 2007, that team has kept the process improvements going, driving the Journal to new heights and successes. Most important, the team has maintained the professional editorial integrity and quality of the Journal.
Resilience is important at key moments of inflection, and the Journal has not only been a leader, but has helped many organizations respond to technology challenges and adversity. For example, the Journal’s Computer Virus issue was published a year before Time magazine’s computer virus cover story.
ISACA members are fortunate to have such a great professional publication and organization. However, keep in mind that your personal growth will come from engaging with ISACA; not just from listing it on your resume, but by being actively involved.
Editor’s note: This article appears in volume 3 of the ISACA Journal. Read the rest of the issue here.
ISACA Journal turns 50 this year! Celebrate with us—and do not forget you can still receive the print copy by visiting your preference center and opting in!