A former legislator from Marengo, Illinois, Jack Franks has served as a partner and a civil litigator at the Franks, Gerkin, Ponitz, and Greeley law firm since 1993. Jack Franks also served in the Illinois legislature from 1999 to 2017 and Chairman of McHenry county from 2016- 2020.
During his time in the legislature, Mr. Franks served as the Chairman of State Government Administration and the Chairman of International Business. Mr. Franks also served as the Chairman of The State Bank Group, the Chairman of the Bricton Hospitality Group, and on First National Bank of Omaha’s Advisory board . Many described Franks as an independent legislator, a fiscal conservative, and social moderate.
As a legislator, Mr. Franks helped cut property taxes, cast the deciding vote for same-sex marriage, instituted term limits for elected officials, reduced the size of the McHenry County Board by 25 percent, eliminated a county-wide office, and returned millions of dollars to homeowners in McHenry County, Illinois. Additionally, Mr. Franks became an ALEC Finalist for National Representative of the Year.
His education and experience include earning a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a law degree from American University. He also studied at the London School of Economics.