Francesca's Holdings Corporation Appoints Patricia A. Bender to Board of Directors

_ HOUSTON, Sept. 28, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Francesca's Holdings Corporation today announced that Patricia A. Bender has been appointed to the Board of Directors effective October 1, 2011. The election of Ms. Bender increases the number of Board members to eight and the number of independent directors to three. Patricia A. Bender serves as Executive Vice President and Director of Leasing at Weingarten Realty, one of the top ten Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), since 2005. Ms. Bender has served in various other managerial positions at Weingarten Realty since 1982. Prior to joining Weingarten Realty, Ms. Bender was