Healthcare >> CEO Interviews >> August 2, 2004

RICHARD FRANCIS JR. – SYMBION INC (SMBI)

RICHARD E. FRANCIS JR. is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Symbion, Inc. Prior to Symbion, Mr. Francis was Senior Vice President for HealthTrust, Inc., a $4 billion healthcare services company, responsible for all mergers and acquisitions, capital allocation and budgeting, real estate, and design and construction. In addition, he was responsible for investments made by HealthTrust in small and developing healthcare companies. Prior to heading development, Mr. Francis served as Regional Vice President for HealthTrust's Southern Operations composed of 11 hospitals in five states with $400 million in revenues. Mr. Francis was Director of Development for HealthTrust beginning with the 1987 leveraged buy out from HCA where he had served as Director of Domestic Development. Before joining HCA in 1982, Mr. Francis was Vice President of MedAmerica Health Systems and Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, Ohio. Mr. Francis has a Bachelor's degree in Finance and a Master's degree in Hospital and Health Services Management. He currently serves as a member of the President's Cabinet of the University of Alabama, and serves on The Board of Vanderbilt Children's Hospital, Nashville, and The Nashville Health Care Council. Profile
TWST: We'd like to begin with a brief historical sketch of Symbion and a

picture of the things you're doing at the present time.

Mr. Francis: Symbion is an outpatient surgery company focused