Foundation History
The Francis Family Foundation is actually a combination of two former foundations.
Parker B. Francis, founder of the Puritan-Bennett Company, established a foundation bearing his name in 1951. Parker B. Francis III also established a foundation to fund his interests in education, arts, and culture. In 1989, the Parker B. Francis Foundation merged with the Parker B. Francis III Foundation to become the Francis Family Foundation. After retiring from Puritan Bennett as Chairman in 1986, John B. Francis — son of Parker B. Francis and brother of Parker B. Francis III — served as president of the Foundation until 1998. Mr. Francis was the Honorary Chair of the Foundation’s Board of Directors until his death in August 2004. His wife, Mary Harris Francis, served on the board as honorary vice chair until her death in May 2005.
The four children of John B. and Mary Harris Francis (Ann F. Barhoum, David V. Francis, J. Scott Francis and Susan F. Neves) served as the Executive Committee of the Foundation Board from 1998 until 2004, at which time the Board reorganized to better meet the needs of the new strategic plan.
In 2022, the Foundation transitioned from a Community Board to a Family Board. Foundation priorities, such as the funding of the Parker B. Francis Fellowship Program, a national post-doctoral program in pulmonary research, and support of educational and cultural programs geographically located within the greater Kansas City area, still reflect the interests of the founders.
Locally the Foundation supports specific efforts to promote lifelong learning skills in children and specific areas within arts and culture. Please click on Our Priorities to learn more.
Fellowship History
Parker B. Francis, founder of the Puritan-Bennett Company, established a foundation bearing his name in 1951. Because Puritan-Bennett was a leading manufacturer of respiratory equipment and medical gases, the foundation provided grants to universities and research foundations to fund research in anesthesiology and related sciences. His sons assumed leadership of Puritan-Bennett after his death in 1957; with John B. Francis as Board Chair and Parker B. Francis III as President. Parker B. Francis III also established a separate foundation to fund his interests in education, and arts and culture in the greater Kansas City metropolitan area.
In 1975, John B. Francis established the Parker B. Francis Fellowship Program to provide funding for M.D. and Ph.D. scientists pursuing careers in pulmonary research. The first PBF Fellows were selected in 1976. Since then, more than $72 million has been invested in support of more than 939 MD and PhD scientists. By 1989, the two Foundations merged to become the Francis Family Foundation, which continues to support three areas of interest: The PBF Fellowship Program, Lifelong Learning with a focus on early childhood education, and Arts and Culture in Kansas City.
John B. Francis served as President and Honorary Chair of the Foundation’s Board of Directors until his death in 2004. His wife, Mary Harris Francis, continued to serve on the Board as honorary Vice Chair until her death in 2005. Three of their four children – Ann F. Barhoum, David V. Francis and J. Scott Francis – in addition to pursuing their own philanthropic interests, are active members of the Board. Through 2024, David V. Francis and J. Scott Francis will serve as Board Chair and Board Vice-Chair respectively.
In testimony to the success of the PBF Fellowship Program, a recent survey of former Fellows revealed that more than 70 percent of past PBF Fellows continue to have substantial commitments to pulmonary research.