Born December 17, 1916 in Burnaby, BC, Frank Griffiths, Senior studied accounting as a profession. He entered the world of broadcasting in 1956 with his purchase of radio station CKNW and was soon overseeing the development of Western International Communications Ltd (WIC).

In 1974, Griffiths purchased Northwest Sports Enterprises Ltd., the parent company of the Vancouver Canucks Hockey Club. The decision to buy the Canucks was not just a business move, but one based on a strong belief in community support. In fact, the change of ownership brought much needed stability to a floundering team.

Griffiths became a member of the board of governors of the National Hockey League that year, and five years later, became vice-chair, a position he held until 1987. During that time, he helped to stabilize several league franchises, played an integral role in merging the NHL with the WHA, and was instrumental in bringing Russian hockey players to Canada to play in the NHL, a decision that greatly increased the appeal of the game.

Yet his long-term commitment to hockey and the Vancouver Canucks was just one example of his dedication to community involvement. Throughout his life, he was a leader, often interweaving his personal convictions with his business ventures. And although he preferred to work quietly behind the scenes, Griffiths contributed his time, energy, and expertise to many organizations, generating and distributing millions of dollars to a wide variety of worthwhile causes.

Griffiths lived to celebrate his induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a builder in 1993. He died on April 7th, 1994, just prior to one of the Vancouver Canucks greatest bids for the Stanley Cup. While greatly missed by family and friends, his memory lives on through evidence of his generosity and integrity.