Frank Newton Gordon was Chairman of the Finance Committee of the Arkansas Conference on Human Relations, which brought disparate social groups (black/white, rich/poor, Jewish/Christian) together to work for the equality of all in society. Born in Portland, Oregon, on December 28, 1924, Gordon received his B.S. in engineering from Iowa State College in 1946 and an M.A. from the University of Arkansas in 1948. He married Jean Thomas, daughter of Herbert Thomas; Herbert Thomas was a member of the Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas and an officer in the First Pyramid Life Insurance Company in Little Rock. Gordon would eventually be vice-president of that same company.

Both Frank and Jean Gordon were very active in social causes, Jean Gordon being a member of the Women's Emergency Committee that did much to save Little Rock schools during the crises of the 1960s. Frank Gordon was a member of the Steering Committee of the Conference on Religion and Human Relations and was Chairman of the Community Problems Committee of the First Pyramid Life Insurance Company in Little Rock. He later belonged to the Arkansas board of Common Cause.