Frank E. Russell, 92, passed away on January 26, 2013. Russell graduated cum laude from the University of Evansville in 1942 before joining the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II with the rank of first lieutenant. After the war, he received a certificate in 1946 from the International Accountants Society in Chicago and, in 1948, became a Certified Public Accountant. He graduated with honors from the Indiana University School of Law in 1951. Russell was executive vice president of Spickelmier Industries, Inc., from 1953 to 1959, and a partner with the Geo. S. Olive & Co. (now BKD) accounting firm from 1947 to 1953. Russell began his newspaper career in 1959 working for Eugene and Nina Pulliam, founders of Central Newspapers, Inc. (CNI), as the business manager at the Indianapolis newspapers, a position he held until 1977 when he was named vice president and general manager of CNI. In 1979 he was named president. Russell served as president through 1995 and chairman of the board from 1996 through 1998. CNI was the parent company for Indianapolis Newspapers Inc. and Phoenix Newspapers Inc. that included a number of Indiana and Louisiana newspapers as well as The Arizona Republic and The Phoenix Gazette. Gannett Newspapers, Inc. purchased CNI in 2000. He helped build CNI into one of the nation's most successful newspaper companies and launched the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust as one of the largest philanthropic foundations in Arizona and Indiana. Upon Nina Mason Pulliam's death in 1997, Russell was named chairman and founding Trustee of the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust. Under his leadership, the Trust granted more than $192 million to 847 nonprofit organizations in Arizona and Indiana helping people in need, protecting animals and nature and enriching community life in Indianapolis and Phoenix. In Arizona, 415 nonprofit organizations received more than $95 million in grants. The Trust also created a nationally acclaimed scholarship program, the Nina Mason Pulliam Legacy Scholars, for nontraditional scholarship recipients that brought the dream of a college education to 434 individuals in Arizona and Indiana. He also served in leadership positions with numerous organizations in Indiana and Arizona. Frank Russell was recognized by the ASU Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication for his years of leadership in Phoenix when it created the Frank E. Russell Chair in Business and Journalism. Russell is survived by the mother of his five children, 16 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren, a brother, his wife Nancy and her four children, seven grandchildren and two great grandchildren. The visitation for Frank is Thursday, Jan. 31 at Whitney & Murphy Funeral Home, 4800 E. Indian School Road in Phoenix from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. A memorial service will be held Friday, Feb. 1 at 1 p.m. at The Salvation Army Ray & Joan Kroc Community Center at 1375 E. Broadway Road in Phoenix. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be made to Hospice of the Valley, 1510 E. Flower Street, Phoenix, AZ 85014 or ""The Russell Day Camp"" for underserved youth at The Salvation Army Ray & Joan Kroc Community Center at 1375 E. Broadway Road, Phoenix, AZ 85040.  (Source: Arizona Republic)