Grant Franko, R.I.T. 2022, accepted the 2022 International Balfour Award during the closing ceremony of the Krach Transformational Leaders Workshop held Aug. 2 to 5 at Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio.
Given annually to Sigma Chi’s most outstanding graduating senior, the International Balfour Award has been presented since 1930 when Significant Sig Paul Hagemann, WASHINGTON (ST. LOUIS) 1930, was honored following the 1929 to 1930 academic year.
Franko graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, New York, with a degree in business administration. On campus, he held many leadership roles. Franko was vice president for his school’s business club and a campus tour guide. As a sophomore he was elected Interfraternity Council vice president of recruitment and later elected Interfraternity Council president. In his chapter, Franko held the roles of Consul, during which time he had to navigate the start of the pandemic and ensure the continuation of brotherhood and chapter operations, and Quaestor. Franko was selected as Rochester’s Greek Man of the Year his sophomore year. He has been working in finance since graduating a semester early in December 2021.
Franko will join the previous year’s honoree, Jared Kuykendall, OKLAHOMA STATE 2021, and undergraduate representatives Ethan Parker, TROY 2024, and Prashanth Ragunanthan, CASE WESTERN 2023, to serve on the Fraternity’s Executive Committee. He will be on the committee for two years as an advocate for undergraduates.
Runners-up to the award are Louis Langen, LOUISVILLE 2022, and Jack Palla, OKLAHOMA STATE 2022. Franko and the runners-up will receive a scholarship from Sigma Chi for their postgraduate education thanks to support from In Hoc Napa Valley and Significant Sig Brandon Chaney, INDIANA 1993.
Notable IBA winners include the late Huntsman Cancer Institute founder Jon Huntsman Sr., PENNSYLVANIA 1959, as well as Krach Transformational Leaders Workshop namesake, 64th Grand Consul and former Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy and the Environment Keith Krach, PURDUE 1979. Both men also are recipients of the Significant Sig Award and inductees into the Order of Constantine.
