L. Frederick “Rick” Francis is Chairman and CEO of WestStar Bank, a community bank with branches in El Paso, Texas and Las Cruces, New Mexico.  As a business executive and philanthropic leader in El Paso, he brings to the EPE Board deep knowledge of the local community needs and interests.

He is the Vice Chairman of the board of the Medical Center of the Americas Foundation; a member of the Board of Directors of the Paso del Norte Community Foundation, the Hospitals of Providence, the Borderplex Alliance, the El Paso Chamber of Commerce Foundation, Texas Business Leadership Council, the Community Depository Institutions Advisory Council of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, the Community Bankers Council of the American Bankers Association, and the Pioneer Association of El Paso County.

Mr. Francis served on the Board of Regents as Chairman for Texas Tech University System, on the Executive Committee for the Texas Hospital Trustees, and the board of Western Refining, Inc. (NYSE:WNR).

In recognition of his contributions and accomplishments, Mr. Francis has been named “El Pasoan of the Year” by El Paso Inc., inducted into the El Paso Business Hall of Fame, honored as a “Silver Beaver” by the Boy Scouts of America, received the Dean’s Distinguished Service Award from the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center; and along with his wife, Ginger, named El Paso’s “Philanthropists of the Year” by the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

Mr. Francis received a BBA in Finance from Texas Tech University. He also graduated from the Texas Tech School of Banking, and the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking conducted at Southern Methodist University.