Richard “Rich” Francis, CEO of the now-collapsed R&R Family of Cos., has sought Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in Florida, adding a new legal and financial dimension to the fallout surrounding the logistics group.
Francis filed a voluntary Chapter 11 petition on Sept. 22 with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida. In the initial filing, he estimated both his assets and liabilities at between $10 million and $50 million and reported having between one and 49 creditors.
The filing indicates that Francis’ debts are primarily tied to business activities rather than consumer obligations.
Francis is not pursuing bankruptcy protection under Subchapter V, the small-business debtor provisions of Chapter 11. The case is a personal bankruptcy proceeding involving Francis and, by itself, does not indicate that R&R Express, RFX or any other R&R-affiliated company has filed for bankruptcy.
However, important questions about Francis’ personal financial position, his business interests and their relationship to the collapse of R&R remain unresolved.
At the time of publication, Francis had not yet submitted the detailed bankruptcy schedules and statement of financial affairs required alongside the initial petition. A court deficiency notice lists several documents still outstanding, including schedules covering assets, secured and unsecured liabilities, income and expenses, as well as a summary of assets and liabilities and the statement of financial affairs.
Those documents are due Oct. 6 unless the court allows additional time.
The disclosures could provide a much more detailed view of Francis’ assets, creditors, business interests and financial transactions, potentially clarifying aspects of the events surrounding R&R’s financial collapse.
The bankruptcy filing also overlaps with ongoing litigation between Francis and Huntington National Bank arising from R&R’s financial troubles.
Francis lists his residence as 550 S. Barfield Drive on Marco Island, Florida. That property is separately involved in litigation brought by Huntington against R&R Express Properties LLC, Francis and his wife, Kathleen Francis.
Huntington has alleged that R&R Express Properties transferred the Marco Island property to Francis and his wife in December 2025, as R&R’s financial condition was deteriorating. The bank is challenging that transfer and has sought to protect its ability to recover against the property.
Francis’ Chapter 11 filing has already affected the Huntington litigation. A Florida state court placed the case on inactive status following the bankruptcy filing because of the automatic bankruptcy stay.
Huntington is also taking part in the bankruptcy proceedings. Court notices list the bank and its attorney among the parties receiving notice of Francis’ Chapter 11 case.
The bankruptcy court has scheduled an initial status conference for Oct. 21. A meeting of creditors is set for Oct. 27, when Francis is required to appear and may be questioned under oath. Creditors may also attend the proceeding.
The broader collapse of R&R has already had significant consequences across the freight sector. The company began winding down its operations in January, leaving hundreds of employees without jobs while carriers and other freight-related businesses continued pursuing unpaid invoices.
Why it matters
Francis’ forthcoming bankruptcy disclosures could shed new light on his creditors, assets and business interests as litigation continues and unpaid claims tied to R&R’s collapse remain unresolved.
