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[Page S5440]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
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TRIBUTE TO CANDACE FRANKS
Mr. BOOZMAN. Madam President, I rise today to celebrate
Commissioner Candace Franks for all she has accomplished over her 40-
year career with the Arkansas State Bank Department, ASBD. She will
retire as department commissioner in October, an especially significant
milestone given her appointment as the first female in this role and
her tenure as the longest serving commissioner in ASBD history.
Commissioner Franks' leadership at the ASBD has directly improved the
economic well-being of Arkansas communities and citizens by ensuring
safe, convenient, and competitive banking. The department was
established in 1903 to fulfill a simple yet essential role: regulate
Arkansas banks and bank holding companies. Since her arrival at the
department, she has worked tirelessly to achieve the mission of safe
and sound financial institutions that garner public confidence. An
impressive statistic demonstrates this dedication: When she began in
1980, the department oversaw institutions holding $7 billion in assets;
as she leaves in 2020, the institutions now hold over $123 billion in
assets.
She grounds herself in the notion that hard work, commitment, and
patience pay off. After completing three postsecondary degrees--two at
Arkansas State University in Jonesboro and one at the University of
Arkansas at Little Rock Bowen School of Law--she joined the ASBD as
general counsel in 1980. She held this position until she was promoted
to deputy commissioner and general counsel in 1995, before her
appointment to commissioner in 2007.
Commissioner Franks' ability to lead, guide, and better the State of
Arkansas extends beyond her critical role in the financial sector. From
2014 to 2015, she served as chairman of the Conference of State Bank
Supervisors, where she is now chairman emeritus. She currently serves
as chairman of the Arkansas Public Employees Retirement System after
being appointed to the board of trustees by Governor Asa Hutchinson in
2017. Additionally, she serves as a trustee on the Arkansas Teachers
Retirement System and the State Board of Finance.
It is with no surprise that Commissioner Franks has been repeatedly
recognized for her accomplished career and influence in Arkansas. For 3
consecutive years--1996, 1997, and 1998--she was honored by Arkansas
Business as one of the ``Top 100 Women in Arkansas.'' In 2010, she was
recognized by the same publication as one of 20 ``Women of Influence''
in Arkansas.
On behalf of Arkansas, our financial institutions, and the ASBD, I
thank Commissioner Candace Franks for her dedication to developing a
healthy banking system that improves the quality of life in Arkansas. I
wish her well in her retirement.
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