ISACA®, The Information Systems Audit and Control Association began in 1967, when a small group of individuals with similar jobs-auditing controls in the computer systems that were becoming increasingly critical to the operations of their organizations-sat down to discuss the need for a centralized source of information and guidance in the field. In 1969, the group formalized, incorporating as the EDP Auditors Association. In 1976 the association formed an education foundation to undertake large-scale research efforts to expand the knowledge and value of the IT governance and control field. Go to www.isaca.org/overview for more information about International.

Today, ISACA's membership-more than 95,000 strong worldwide-is characterized by its diversity. Members live and work in more than 160 countries and cover a variety of professional IT-related positions-to name just a few, IS auditor, consultant, educator, IS security professional, regulator, chief information officer and internal auditor. Some are new to the field, others are at middle management levels and still others are in the most senior ranks. They work in nearly all industry categories, including financial and banking, public accounting, government and the public sector, utilities and manufacturing. This diversity enables members to learn from each other, and exchange widely divergent viewpoints on a variety of professional topics. It has long been considered one of ISACA's strengths.

Another of ISACA's strengths is its chapter network. ISACA has chapters in more than 160 countries worldwide, and those chapters provide members education, resource sharing, advocacy, professional networking and a host of other benefits on a local level. ISACA International also provides over 350 books and guides from their bookstore, which can be found on ISACA International's site. To find out if there's a chapter near you, visit the ISACA Chapter websites page hosted by ISACA International.

In the three decades since its inception, ISACA has become a pace-setting global organization for information governance, control, security and audit professionals. Its IS auditing and IS control standards are followed by practitioners worldwide. ISACA certifications, including Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA®), are recognized globally and has been earned by more than 40,000 professionals. The Certified Information Security Manager (CISM®), Certified in the Governance of Enterprise IT (CGEIT®) and Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC™) certifications address the needs of a broad range of professionals, including the information security, audit, and governance. It publishes a leading technical journal in the information control field, the Information Systems Control Journal. ISACA hosts a series of international conferences focusing on both technical and managerial topics pertinent to the IS/IT assurance, control, security and IT governance professions. Together, ISACA and its affiliated IT Governance Institute lead the information technology control community and serve its practitioners by providing the elements needed by IT professionals in an ever-changing worldwide environment.