Benko managed the non-profit institution for two decades, attracting Spanish virtuosa Alicia de Larrocha to act as the President of the corporation, and building an enormous collection of recordings, scores, memorabilia and associated matter concerning concert pianists.
He is also credited with rediscovering and bringing back to public awareness the elderly and reclusive Hungarian piano virtuoso Ervin Nyiregyházi.
Benko had almost no formal education, but credits his close relationships with Schonberg and Frank Cooper, founder of the Festival of Neglected Romantic Music at Butler University, as the most important professional associations in his life, and considers each a mentor.
With Edward Blickstein, he is the co-author of Chopin's Prophet, the Life of pianist Vladimir de Pachmann.
The citation for the medal concludes with these words by Dr. Richard Zimdars: "Gregor’s life work has made and will continue to make a priceless contribution to preserving the aural and documentary history of piano performance in the twentieth century for listeners, performers, scholars, and Lisztians.