Jack Franks Running for Trustee of General Assembly Retirement System

Retired legislators are Trustees of the General Assembly Retirement System.

The ones who run it are retired State Representatives and Senators.

The Trustees are elected by retired legislators receiving pensions.

Here are those running for Trustee:

Jack Franks, Ricca Slone, John Cullerton, Bill Marovitz, Coy Pugh, Bob Terzich, Tom Ryder & Bob Winchester.

All are Democrats but Ryder and Winchester.

Here is the pitch that Jack Franks is making for election to GARS governing board:

Jack Franks was born and raised in Marengo, Illinois and still lives on the family farm.

He has degrees from the London School of Economics, the University of Wisconsin-Madison with honors and the American University Washington College of Law with honors.

Jack served in the Illinois General Assembly from January, 1999 to January, 2017 and chaired the State Government Administration Committee for many years while simultaneously chairing various business committees.

Jack retired from the General Assembly and became the first popularly elected Chair of the McHenry County Board where he served from December, 2016 to December, 2020.

He revamped the County’s budget policies and successfully reduced property taxes by over $28 million, rebated $9 million directly to homeowners and reduced the size of the County Board by 25%.

Jack Franks is a partner in the law firm of Franks, Gerkin, Ponitz & Greeley and has served for over a decade as the Chairman of The State Bank Group (State Bank), which consists of eight community banks throughout McHenry County.

In his role as Chairman of State Bank, Jack is actively involved in the audits and investments of the institution.

He has also served on the Board of Advisors of the largest privately owned bank in the United States.

Jack has an extensive business background and in his private law practice, advises financial institutions on complex commercial litigation matters.


Comments

Jack Franks Running for Trustee of General Assembly Retirement System — 15 Comments

  1. Why not?

    Another public fund to skim off of.

    Franks is a disgrace and a public danger given his erratic behavior of a sexual sort.

    Why was he banned from the state capitol’s precincts without police escorts?

  2. Perhaps the position of dog catcher would be more suitable
    as well as more appropriate for the likes of Mr. Franks.

  3. C’mon Jack.

    You know how farms work.

    Isn’t it about time you were weaned?

    Or is that the only office where you’re allowed in?

  4. Is there something that Franks, Cullerton and Pugh have in common?

    Their current political status, investigation is unavailable and past history may be interesting.

  5. OMG when does it End with these mushrooms.. who don’t understand the word NO Get OuT!… the gravy train is over…

  6. London School of Economics?

    Does he know Mick Jagger?

    Smart guy, did dumb things.

  7. is this a Franks Promo piece?

    …..just asking for a friend

  8. Let me post an alternate resume for Mr. Franks:

    * Investigated by Illinois State Police for allegations of criminal sexual assault, criminal sexual abuse, stalking, aggravated battery, and official misconduct

    * Banned from entering State Capitol Complex in Springfield without a police escort

    * Voted for a huge Com Ed rate hike in 2016 after receiving $11,900 in contributions from Com Ed, its parent company, and CEO

    * Requested jobs in the Blagojevich administration for his wife, father, and brother

    * Voted 9 times as State Rep to elect Michael Madigan Speaker of Illinois House

    * Held in contempt of court for refusal to answer discovery in Tirio defamation suit and fined $100/day commencing on 5/21/2020

    * Encouraged union members to picket the places of employment/businesses of Jeff Thorsen and Jim Heisler, two County Board members who disagreed with him, to try to hurt them personally and financially. Thorsen lost his job.

    * Modified County Board Rules upon becoming County Board Chairman and removed checks and balances to lessen input from County Board members and make himself de facto county executive

    * Made two patronage hires, who acted as political and public relations aides at significant expense to the County, upon becoming County Board Chairman

    * Publicly maligned female Department Heads – County Auditor Shannon Teresi, Superintendent of the Regional Board of Education Leslie Schermerhorn, and County Coroner Anne Majewski – who stood up to him

    * Participated in moving polling places out of public schools to cater to teacher’s unions and to suppress turnout of in person voters. McHenry County is one of the few Illinois counties that does not have any polling places in public schools.

    * Used the mantra of “Transform Illinois” not for government efficiency but for consolidation of power

    * Promoted mail in voting, which is prone to fraud and abuse

    * Used a scorched earth political strategy to intimidate public officials and citizens and to instill a culture of silence with the message “if you challenge me, I shall destroy you”

    This is a start.

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