entrepreneur journalist sports coach
In 1992, he was nominated by Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and later appointed to the United States. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, New York, but instead attended Gonzaga University where he earned a bachelor"s degree in journalism.
Born September 19, 1974, in a suburb of Salt Lake City, Francis became an entrepreneur at the age of 13, with the opening of Sam"s Candy, Incorporated., which soon grew to three locations. He worked briefly as a reporter for the Spokesman-Review, the daily newspaper of record in Spokane, Washington. HERO rode the wave of the "mainstreaming" of LGBT culture, publishing the first automotive column in a national gay magazine, the first gay wedding guide, et cetera
HERO differed in advertising and editorial policy from other leading gay men"s magazines and did not accept adult or tobacco advertising.
The magazine was also more inclusive of couples and men over forty than other magazines at the time. The September 11, 2001 attack on the World Trade Center impacted venture capitalists negatively impacting HERO, the publication ceased operations in early 2002.
After a year of modeling and acting, including centerfolds in Playgirl and Attitude (magazine) (United Kingdom), playing the lead in the sold-out run of the play, "My Boyfriend, the Stripper" in Austin, Texas, he decided to dedicate his life to health and fitness. He began working off-camera, training top producers of American Broadcasting Company"s television show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition in 2004, and co-hosted a fitness program on SIRIUS Satellite Radio with gay radio pioneer John McMullen until McMullen"s departure from the company in December 2006.
He currently operates two fitness studios in Southern California, and is a blogger, contributing fitness editor of PLUS Magazine and PASSPORT", a gay travel magazine.
He also provides fitness education to the Thrive Tribe Foundation, and the Life Group Los Los Angeles
Francis won the Governor of Utah"s "Young Entrepreneur of the Year" award in 1991. In 1996, as editor-in-chief of the Gonzaga Bulletin, he received three first-place awards from the Society of Professional Journalists. In 1997, he co-founded and published Hero magazine for gay men which ran from 1997-2002 and won distinction as "One of the Top 10 Magazines" in the United States.
