Financial Services >> CEO Interviews >> January 3, 2005
JAMES L. FRANCIS is President and Chief Executive Officer of Highland
Hospitality. Prior to Highland, Mr. Francis served as the Chief
Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Barcel
Crestline Corporation. Mr. Francis served as Executive Vice President
and Chief Financial Officer of Crestline Capital Corporation, prior to
its acquisition by Barcel, from December of 1998 to June 2002. Prior to
the spinoff of Crestline Capital from Host Marriott Corporation, Mr.
Francis held various finance and strategic planning positions with Host
Marriott and Marriott International, Inc. From June 1997 to December
1998, Mr. Francis held the position of Assistant Treasurer and Vice
President, Corporate Finance for Host Marriott, where he was responsible
for Host Marriott's corporate finance function, business strategy and
investor relations. Over a period of 10 years, Mr. Francis served in
various capacities with Marriott International's lodging business,
including Vice President of Finance for Marriott Lodging from 1995 to
1997; Brand Executive, Courtyard by Marriott from 1994 to 1995;
Controller for the Courtyard by Marriott and Fairfield Inn businesses
from 1993 to 1994; Director of Finance and Strategic Planning for
Courtyard by Marriott and Fairfield Inn from 1991 to 1993; and Director
of Hotel Development Finance from 1987 to 1991. While at Host Marriott,
Mr. Francis led the negotiations and structuring of leases on $8 billion
of hotel assets. Mr. Francis currently serves on the board of directors
of Marriott Federal Credit Union. Mr. Francis received his BA in
Economics and Business from Western Maryland College and earned an MBA
in Finance and Accounting from Vanderbilt University. Profile
Mr. Francis: Highland Hospitality is a real estate investment trust. We
went public in an IPO in December 2003. So we've been public for about
12 months
