L. Frederick “Rick” Francis joined the Board of Directors for the Paso del Norte Community Foundation (PDNCF) in 2018. Prior to joining the PDNCF, he served on the Paso del Norte Health Foundation (PDNHF)’s Board and Allocations Committee from 2016-17 and the Governance Committee for PDNCF, PDNHF and the Fundación Paso del Norte from 2017-18.

Mr. Francis is the Chairman of the Board of WestStar Bank Holding Company, Inc. and Chairman and CEO of WestStar Bank.  He is a member of the Board of Directors for the Hospitals of Providence and has served on the Governing Board in multiple capacities since 1996, including Chairman at the Transmountain, Memorial and Sierra Campuses; as well as the Borderplex Alliance, the El Paso Chamber of Commerce Foundation, Texas Business Leadership Council and the Pioneer Association of El Paso County.

Mr. Francis served on the Board of Regents for Texas Tech University System and was Chairman on the Executive Committee for the Texas Hospital Trustees, the boards of Western Refining, Inc., and the Medical Center of Americas Foundation.  He served as President of Area 5 (Rocky Mountain States) Boy Scouts of America, the Young Presidents Organization, the Yucca Council Boy Scouts of America, the Sunturians, and Crime Stoppers of El Paso. 

Mr. Francis has been active with the Business Advisory Council at the El Paso Community College, the Rotary Club of El Paso, the Better Business Bureau, and the Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce. 

In 1996, Mr. Francis was honored as a “Silver Beaver” by the Boy Scouts of America and, in 2001, received the Dean’s Distinguished Service Award from the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center.  In 2005, he was named “Outstanding Ex” by Coronado High School and “Distinguished Alumni” by the Jerry S. Rawls College of Business at Texas Tech University in 2008.  In 2007, Rick and his wife, Ginger, were named El Paso’s “Philanthropists of the Year” by the Association of Fundraising Professionals.  In 2009, he was named “El Pasoan of the Year” by El Paso Inc. and in 2010 was inducted into the El Paso Business Hall of Fame. 

He is a graduate of Texas Tech University (BBA Finance), the Texas Tech School of Banking, and the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking conducted at Southern Methodist University.  

Mr. Francis is son of former Mayor Larry and Marilyn Francis. He married his college sweetheart Ginger Gurss, also from El Paso and have both been very involved in civic and cultural organizations.