 Houston-based Francescas Holdings Corp. Nasdaq: FRAN has hired an executive search firm to begin the formal search for a permanent CEO, the company announced in its fiscal third-quarter earnings results released Dec. 10. Michael Prendergast, a senior director in Alvarez Marsals Private Equity Performance Improvement Retail practice, has been serving as interim CEO since early 2019. Prendergast will remain interim CEO during the search and will stay engaged with the company during a transition period once the new CEO is hired, the company said in its earnings results press release. 