Early Life
Mr. Francis (Chu-Chu) Horton was born in Bassa Community, Monrovia, Liberia on August 20,1939, to the late Reverend Dr. Daniel Richard and Mother Dr. Ora M. Horton. His parents consistently filled his childhood with spiritual and cultural learning experiences and instilled certain Christian, moral, and societal values, which anchored his views on life and allowed him to understand and appreciate the similarities and the differences in others regardless of their country of origin, race, ethnicity, or social standing. From childhood to adult, his extensive travels within the African continent, the United States, and around the world, also deepened these views.
Academic Exposures and Experiences
Chu-Chu learned from his formative years that academic excellence is achieved through hard work and diligence. To this end, he began his primary education at the Bassa Community Elementary School and obtained an Eight Grade Certificate in 1952. From 1953 to 1958, he attended Albert Academy in Freetown, Sierra Leone and Tettenhall Hall College, in Wolverhampton, England, attaining the “O Level” General Certificate of Education (GCE). Later, he matriculated to the University of Liberia, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology.
Subsequent to graduating from the University of Liberia, because of the need to participate in the newly established family majority-owned financial institution, the Bank of Liberia, it was a family decision not to continue a course of study in Agriculture but to pursue a course of study in Banking at the Chemical Bank New York Corporation, USA, Specialized Executive Officers Banking Courses, where after fifteen months from 1963 – 1965, he received a Diploma in Comprehensive Banking with Specialization in Credit Analysis, Lending and International Banking. Other studies included: obtaining a certificate in Internal Auditing from the Independent Bankers Association of America (1997); Commercial Law at the Correspondent La Salle Law School (1983); and Biblical Studies from the Institute of Biblical Studies at the Liberty University, Lynchburg, Virginia, USA.
Banking and Finance Career
Horton has held various respected positions at the Bank of Liberia but has also worked persistently in the banking field at large in a range of positions.
Beginning in 1962, he worked as a trainee to the Loan Officer and Assistant Vice President of Foreign Banking. In 1967, he served as Vice President for Operations & Branches Supervision. In 1969, Horton also served as Vice President for Credit. In 1971, he served on the Board of Directors as Acting Executive Vice President up to
1980 when the Military Coup d’état brought about the closure of the Bank of Liberia. Note: until then, it was the first majority owned indigenous Commercial Bank in Africa.
Continuing his banking career, Horton assiduously served from 1987 to 1990 as Deputy Governor and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Bank of Liberia now called the Central Bank of Liberia.
From 1992 to 1994 he was Consultant for Stephen Betts & Sons on Gold Prospects in West Africa, a United Kingdom Gold Company with activities in West Africa. From 1994 to 1998, he became Vice President of the United Bank of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; a Black Minority Majority Owned Full-fledged Commercial Bank. From August 2005 to September 2008, he served as intermittent First Chairman and Managing Director/CEO of the First International Bank Liberia, Inc. (FIBank); a full-fledged Commercial Bank with sister banks in Sierra Leone, The Gambia, Guinea, Ghana, and other African countries.
Horton then continued in the footsteps of his father to serve as Chairman and CEO of the D. R. Horton Investment Trust; a family-owned corporation with portfolios in Banking, Real Estate, Agriculture (mainly Rubber) and catering to Religious and Humanitarian Organizations. He was the Initiator and Co-founder of the MELELEH MULTIPURPOSE COOPERATIVE SOCIETY, Horton Cinta Community, Cinta, Margibi, County in 2018, He was also Initiator and Cofounder of the Liberia Intermediary Financial Enterprise (L.I.F.E) in 2018 (In Organization; pending the Central Bank of Liberia License). He honorably served as Consultant to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Liberia on Micro Finance which required producing a Study on Evaluating Micro-finance activities sponsored by UNDP, in Liberia, July 1999 and letter in July, August, September, October and November 2000.
Family Life
Chu-Chu is the father of six children: Kimberley, Daniel Richard (deceased), Sarah Laurine, Richelieu (deceased), Francis Leo Milner Jr., and Diana Ora. As Patriarch of the Horton family, ChuChu includes the children of his siblings, (all deceased) as his own children. Hence, he is given the honored and affectionate name of Uncle/Daddy by some.
In 1968 Mr. Horton was married to McRinna Deshield, this union produced one son but unfortunately ended in a divorce. In 1978 he married his life’s companion and his biggest supporter, Augusta Bindu Sirleaf Horton, and from this union are two children.
Career Paths and Entrepreneurship
It is important to note that Mr. Horton began his service in the work force by teaching at the Bassa Community Night School from 1961 to 1962. Although Horton did not seek to make academia his career path, he has continued to play an active role in the field of education in his beloved country of Liberia.
Mr. Horton wears many hats at his alma mater. He presently serves as a Member and Treasurer of the Board of Trustees of the University of Liberia (UL) and has held this position from 2006. Additionally, He is a Member of the UL Centennial Commencement Steering Committee as well as Chair of the Research Sub-Committee of the UL Centennial Commencement Steering Committee. He is also Chairman of the Ad Hoc 2019 University of Liberia Election Commission.
From December 2000 to January 2005, he was International Consultant to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in The Gambia on Job Fair Exercise and Micro-finance which required producing several Studies in The Gambia: Synthesizing Micro-finance, Formulating a Micro-finance Guaranty Scheme and Introducing a Community Development Initiative Enhancement Scheme (CDIEC), a Study undertaken jointly with a National Consultant titled: “INTEGRATING MICRO-FINANCE INTO THE FIGHT AGAINST SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC EXCLUSION (FASE) IN THE GAMBIA”, was published by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the International Labor Organization and the Government of The Gambia.
From April 2013 – 2014, Mr. Chu-Chu Horton was asked to serve as Chairman of the Board of Directors Liberia Telecommunications Corporation (Libtelco). A service that was quite gratifying to him as it was another arena where he could attentively serve in the reconstruction of another system in the country he so loved.
Humanitarian, Involvements
Mr. Chu-Chu Horton has also committed himself to the success of social, humanitarian, and religious organizations in the Liberian community at large and has also been actively involved in some of these organizations abroad.
Such organizations include the Circle Club which started with a group of young professionals taking interest in the promotion of Liberia Culture which strongly supported and constructed a building at the Liberia Cultural Center; dedicate by President William R. Tolbert and sponsored several Debutante Balls in conjunction with the Women Beautification Club. Horton served on several occasions as Social Secretary and President of the Club.
In addition to the Circle Club, Horton has served as:
Mr. Horton also ran unsuccessfully, for the Presidency of Jaycees International as the first African to seek that position but lost to an American at the Saint Louis, Missouri’s December 1976 Congress. However, Horton has always been a gracious loser and never one to speak ill of his opponents.
Religious Contributions
Mr., Francis Chu-Chu Horton served unremittingly as a Member of the Board of Trustees of the Bassa Brotherhood Industrial and Benefit Society (BBIBS); founded as one of the “Three Pillars” upon which his parents, Reverend Dr. D. R., and Dr. Mother Ora M. Horton, established as an empowerment arm of their Missionary Work. He also served as Executive Secretary from 1976 to 1980 of the Liberia Direct Baptist Missionary Conference: founded in 1938 by his parents as one of their Three Pillars of their Christian Missionary Work in Liberia; to promote Evangelism.
From 1986-1990, he served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Saint Simon Baptist Church, and from 2009 to 2018, as Chairman of the Board of Deacons. Currently, Horton serves as Senior Deacon Chairman Emeritus of Saint Simon Baptist Church, a position he has held from 2018. Horton is also a Watch Care Member and Deacon at the prestigious Philippian Baptist Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the United States.
Mr. Horton, along with five other deacons, has published a Proposal on the Role of the Philippian Baptist Church in the New Millennium (1999).
2006-2011 He served as a member of the Board of Trustees of the prestigious, Liberia Baptist Theological Seminary; and also serves as Chairman of the Finance and Investment Committee.
2015-Present: Founding Chairman of COR UNUM (One Heart) a Religious and Social think-tank created to fellowship, discuss and address prevailing national issues through writings.
Horton presented an exceptional paper on the Responsibility, Obligation of the Seminary as a Corporate Entity, established by the Liberia Baptist Missionary and Educational Convention.
Horton was also a member of the Presidential Delegation to the All-Political Parties’ Reconciliation Conference at the Catholic Bishopric; 1986, after the 1985 Liberia’s National Elections.
Political Contributions
Although he is content to work behind the scenes and does not aspire for any high-level government positions, Mr. Francis Chu-Chu Horton has been positively active in the politics of Liberia and has served or desired to serve in various areas of government. To this end, he served as Chairman of the Monrovia City Council after being successfully elected as a member of the Monrovia City Council of the Monrovia City Corporation (MCC), from 1976 to 1979.
During his chairmanship, several ordinances, relative to environmental issues, were adopted; as well as several Legislative Bills were enacted which included bringing the Monrovia City Police and City Court under MCC and for the City Government to impose and levy certain taxes. Also, the Executive Branch of Government was petitioned and approved an increase in the City Corporation’s Budget from US$250,000.00 to US $1Million. It was during that period of counsel-ship that the Monrovia Transport Authority was inaugurated.
He resigned the position to run for the position of Mayor of Monrovia, after being drafted by the True Whig Party.
Mr. Horton was drafted by the True Whig Party of Liberia; the Ruling Party, to run as Mayor of the Capital City, Monrovia, in the 1979 campaign against an independent candidate, Professor Dr. Amos C. Sawyer. However, the election did not transpire because of the 1980 Military Coup d’état.
Mr. Horton served as Chairman of National Democratic Party of Liberia ((NDPL); Greater Monrovia Branch from 1984-1985 and as Chairman of the Organizing Committee of all Local Parties’ Conventions of the Thirteen Counties: historically, as the first ever of political parties’ local conventions, in Liberia. Furthermore, he served as Chairman in 1985 of the National Convention Organizing Committee.
Mr. Horton was elected and served as Vice Chairman of the National Democratic Party of Liberia; from 1985 – 1990. Petitioned by partisans of the Montserrado County NDPL Branch to canvass for the vacant seat in the Liberian Senate in 2009 Horton declined the petition as it was not his political inclination at the time.
He was an ardent Member of the Presidential Liberia Economic Review Commission (The Paul Jeffy Commission) in 1986.
Horton was a Delegate on the National Democratic Party delegation to a Reconciliation Conference in Sanniquellie, Nimba County, Liberia, for the Nimba and Grand Gedeh Peace Talks.
From 1999 to 2000, Mr. Chu-Chu Horton diligently served as Advisor to the President Pro Tempore of the Liberian Senate of Republic of Liberia.
Extra Curricula
Mr. Chu-Chu Horton has really exhibited a generous amount of flexibility in his personal interests. He has a variety of hobbies and interest, writing, being his most favorite. Horton stresses exercise, holistic wellness, and self-improvement to his friends, family, colleagues, and business associates. All this was quite evident although surprising to many when he served as Secretary General of the Taekwondo Association of Liberia, from 1983 to 1985. He escorted the Team to Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast to a tournament and successfully returned with Silver Trophy won by a then practitioner who served as Minister of Defense of the Republic of Liberia.
Horton has participated in several sporting activities while studying in Liberia, Sierra Leone and England. These included; Football (Soccer), Rugby, Hockey, Tennis, Basket Ball, Volley Ball. He likewise served for two consecutive years as Captain of the University of Liberia Football Team, and Member of the Mighty Barrole Football Association.
Speeches and Articles
Horton has delivered many speeches and written a plethora of articles to include an address he delivered in 1988 at the Liberia Chambers of Commerce on the topic; “National Development for Economic Recovery.”
Horton published an article in the Liberia Star Magazine, Providence, Rhode Island, USA, in the November-December 2011 Issue, entitled: “Corruption: A Liberian Nemesis.”
He published the same article, in the January 2013 Issue of the University of Liberia’s Newspaper.
Horton presented a paper at a conference representing the President of the United Bank of Philadelphia, at Harvard University, USA, on the topic: “THE BLACK CHURCH’S ECONOMIC RESPONSIBILITY FOR A NEW URBAN AGENDA.” The Conference was sponsored and moderated by the Harvard School of Divinity and the Progressive Baptist Convention, Inc. in April 21, 1994.
He was invited by the Morehouse College Honors Program as one of the Panelists at a forum on the topic; “Liberia from Crisis to Hope.” At the forum, Mr. Horton presented a Paper on the topic, “The Role of the Central Bank in Financing Economic Development in Postwar Liberia.”
Horton also delivered A Discourse on the Topic; “A WORLD RETROGRESSING IN ITS HUMANITARIANISM AND SEEMINGLY, OBLIVIOUS TO CHRISTIANITY AND
RELIGIOUS PRECEPTS” during the Sunday, March 28, 2004, worship service of Glory Baptist Fellowship Church, Kanifing, The Gambia.
Always energized, Horton was the keynote speaker on March 17, 2010, at the World Consumer Rights Day Program, organized by the West African Quality Program in collaboration with the Ministry of Commerce & Industry and Liberia Consumers Action Network, on the theme: “Our Money, Our Rights.”
Mr. Horton gave the keynote address at the graduation and Thanksgiving Program of the senior class of the Diana E. Davies High School, on August 6, 2011, on the topic: “What will be your Destiny in order to Earn a Legacy?”
Horton delivered messages at various Churches to include Good Shepherd, New Testament, Living Waters, Saint Simon, Antioch, Bethesda, Ora M. Horton Memorial Church, Saint Paul, Mount Nebo and Thankful Church.
Mr. Chu-Chu Horton has co-authored a proposal on: “Development of a National Strategic Framework for the Development of Microfinance in The Gambia,” November 17, 2004.
Awards, Certificates, and Travels
Travels
United Kingdom, United States of America, Benin, Botswana, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Zambia, Zaire, New Zealand; Turkey, Finland, Japan, Philippines, Korea; Taiwan China, Panama, Jamaica, Germany, France, Belgium, The Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Switzerland