You’re familiar with the baseball term, “batting cleanup?”
It may be a stretch, but that’s how some jokingly described Tony Frank’s entry to the National Western Events Center on the night he was honored as the 2018 Citizen of the West.
In keeping with tradition, the honoree is escorted into the dinner area by those closest to him.
Frank, the president of Colorado State University and chancellor of the CSU System, was preceded by the CSU pep band, the Misses Rodeo Colorado, Wyoming and America, and CSU’s mascot, Cam the Ram, accompanied by his four Ram Handlers.
Bringing up the rear was Frank, broom and dustpan in hand, ready to scoop up the remains in the event Cam needed to answer nature’s call. Fortunately, he did not.
That Frank chose such a self-deprecating entry came as no surprise to those who lauded him.
“He’s a family man who has kept his priorities straight, the epitome of a servant leader,” noted master of ceremonies Doug Jones, who was chairman of the CSU board in 2008 when Frank became the university’s 14th president. “He’s hard-working and humble,” added Lt. Gov. Donna Lynne, while Denver Mayor Michael Hancock described Frank as “A gentleman’s gentleman; someone who loves Colorado.”
Joe Blake, chancellor emeritus of the CSU System, described Frank as “Typically the smartest guy in the room, with a scientist’s knack for testing ideas … to see what plays out. But he’s not a complicated person. For Tony, being in the Vet School pathology lab with a cup of coffee on a Sunday morning is still one of life’s great pleasures.”
Frank holds a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of Illinois and a Ph.D. in comparative pathology from Purdue.
A video produced by CSU and narrated by alum Jim Benemann of CBS4 included tributes from such friends as former university chief Al Yates; Gordon Gee, who had been president of the University of Colorado from 1985-1990 and is now president of West Virginia University; Pat Grant, chairman of the National Western board of directors; and Temple Grandin, a professor of animal science at CSU whose own experience with autism helped change the face of how that condition is viewed and treated.
True to form, when Frank accepted the commemorative branding iron and Stetson hat from National Western president Paul Anderson by noting that while he was pleased to be the 2018 Citizen of the West, “If my parents were still alive they’d be proud but skeptical.”
The dinner was chaired by brothers — and CSU grads — Dick and Eddie Robinson, who were Citizens of the West in 2009. Carla Holst chaired the arrangements committee; Terrance Carroll, an attorney, ordained minister, former speaker of the Colorado House of Representatives and treasurer of the National Western board, delivered the invocation. CSU alum Susan Reuth sang the National Anthem; and Maggie Weinroth spoke on behalf of the 100-plus students who are using grants from the National Western Scholarship Trust to further their studies in subjects ranging from watershed management to veterinary medicine.
Proceeds from the dinner go to the National Western Scholarship Trust, which has grown from an initial award of three scholarships totaling $3,000 in 1983 to the current $500,000 that is given annually to students at 12 institutes of higher learning in Colorado and Wyoming.
University of Colorado president Bruce Benson and his wife, Marcy, filled their table with such friends as former CSU board members Dorothy Horrell and Bill Mosher; attorney Jim Lyons and his wife, Marcia; CU Denver | Anschutz Medical Campus chancellor Don Elliman; Molly Broeren; Ted Horrell and Laura Simon. Dorothy Horrell now serves as chancellor of CU Denver while Mosher is senior managing director of Trammell Crow Denver.
The 1,000 dinner attendees also included such former Citizens of the West as Dan Ritchie, Sue Anschutz-Rodgers, Pete Coors and John Matsushima; University of Denver chancellor Rebecca Chopp; Joe and Claire Garcia (after stepping down as Colorado’s lieutenant governor, he went on to become chairman of the National Western Center Authority and president of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education); Denver City Council president Albus Brooks; Nancy Petry, whose late husband, Nick, was Citizen of the West in 1986; newlyweds Dustin Whistler and Tamra Ward; Denver Museum of Nature & Science chief George Sparks and his wife, Dr. Shandra Wilson; Faye and Dr. Reginald Washington; Wes and Marty Segelke; Gail Klapper; Maggie and Stow Wittwer; Charles and Bbrooke Maloy; Chris and Joy Dinsdale; Mitch and Maggie Morrissey; Barth and Caitlin Whitham; Floyd and KK Ciruli; and Kelly Brough, president/CEO of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce.
“When a CU Buff is willing to introduce a CSU Ram, you know it must be a special occasion,” Brough noted. “But it’s all good because my youngest daughter will graduate from CSU in May.”
Joanne Davidson: 303-809-1314, partiwriter@hotmail.com and @joannedavidson on Twitter
