People and News: May 2019

Top 5 People on the Move

Catherine Monson

FASTSIGNS International CEO Catherine Monson, CFE, has joined the Board of Directors for Big Blue Swim School. Monson is a member of the IFA Executive Committee.

Jeff Dudan

RockBox Fitness has signed former AdvantaClean CEO and Co-Founder Jeff Dudan to lead its franchise development efforts.

Jacqueline Lee

Flynn Restaurant Group has promoted Jacqueline Lee to General Counsel. Flynn operates numerous brands, including Applebee’s, Arby’s, Taco Bell and Panera Bread.

Ashley Colmenero

Ashley Colmenero has joined The McLean Group as Vice President. She serves clients in the franchising and healthcare sectors.

Richard Leveille

Richard Leveille is the new Chief Development Officer for Painting with a Twist. His experience includes The Lost Cajun, Floor Coverings International and Smoothie King.

NEWS

$238 MILLION

Carrols Restaurant Group has agreed to merge with Cambridge Franchise Holdings in a $238 million deal that will add 166 Burger King locations and 55 Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen units to Carrols' portfolio. Carrols Restaurant Group is the biggest multi-unit franchisee for Burger King. The merger will bring Carrols’ total unit count to 1,070.

3,700 FRANCHISE OWNERS

Neighborly has acquired Dream Doors, a kitchen makeover and bedroom wardrobe franchisor based in Portsmouth, England. The agreement covers 91 locally owned and operated franchise showrooms of Dream Doors, leaving Neighborly with eight brands and four campuses based in Europe. Dream Doors Founder and Chairman Troy Tappenden is stepping down, and the franchise network will continue to be overseen by Managing Director Philip Carr. The purchase increases Neighborly to 22 service brands, spanning nearly 3,700 franchise owners and more than 850 associates across nine countries.

23 LOCATIONS

I Heart Mac & Cheese has reached a 23-store development agreement with franchise group Manor 3. All 23 locations will open in Long Island, N.Y. Plans call for nine locations to open within the first three years; three in 2019, four in 2020 and two in 2021. Manor 3 is led by seasoned restaurant franchise operator Vinny Greco and his partner, Dan Dollard. Greco spent 25 years as the assistant equipment manager with the New York Mets before transitioning his career into the restaurant industry. For the past decade, he has owned and operated two Hurricane Grill and Wings locations in Long Island.

75 LOCATIONS

9Round Franchising has finalized plans for future development in the Republic of Ireland with partner Lift Brands. The first location in the country is projected to open in Cork by the end of the year. Lift Brands is the master license holder behind more than 75 international 9Round locations.

6,400 SQUARE FEET

Office Evolution has opened a new location in Herndon, Va. Martin Gruszka is the owner of the new 6,400-square-foot center. Office Evolution has more than 60 locations open, with another 80 in various stages of development.

2 LOCATIONS

British Swim School has opened two new locations in Maryland, at the Sheraton BWI Airport Hotel and the BWI Marriott Hotel.

8 LOCATIONS

Brightway Insurance has opened eight new locations in recent weeks:

• Man Phung, second location at The Phung Agency in Austin, Texas
• Brandon and Jenn Kolk, Brightway, The Kolk Agency in Colorado Springs, Colo.
• Gilles Gillesen and Bill Thomas, Brightway, The Gillesen and Thomas Agency in Wellington, Fla.
• Jessica and Rickey Wilson, Brightway, The Wilson Agency in Safety Harbor, Fla.
• Kendall Hunt, Brightway, The Hunt Agency in McKinney, Texas
• Ashley Hunhoff, Brightway, The Ashley Hunhoff Agency in Walnut Creek, Calif.
• Rachel Davidson, Brightway, The Rachel Davidson Agency in Dothan, Ala.
• Rodney Welch, Brightway, The Rodney Welch Agency in West Monroe, La.

AWARDS

CruiseOne has given its 2019 OPAL Award for Women to Suzanne Klasen, franchise owner in Simi Valley, Calif. As part of celebrating Women’s History Month in March, the OPAL Award recognizes a female franchise owner for demonstrating outstanding performance and leadership. Tropical Smoothie Café recognized the following franchisees with awards at its annual convention in March:

• Build the Brand: Bill and Julie Munson, Cleveland, Ohio
• Run Great Cafes: Mike Haines, Atlanta, Ga.
• Developer of the Year: DYNE Hospitality Group, Glen Johnson and Nick Crouch, Little Rock, Ark. and Jacksonville, Fla.
• Area Developer of the Year: Andrew and Terri Jessen, Naples, Fla.
• Multi-Unit Franchisee of the Year: Rylan and Jennifer Miller, Myrtle Beach, S.C.
• Single-Unit Franchisee of the Year: Tim Poulos, Springfield, Ohio
• Rookie of the Year: Grant Watkins, San Angelo, Texas
• Emerging Leader: Dennis Drake, Northern Virginia
• Difference Maker: Mike Philip, Springdale, Ark.

ERA Real Estate has given a series of awards to its network, including:

• Company of the Year: Hunt Real Estate ERA/ ERA Key Realty Services
• Cartus Corporation’s Masters Cup Winner: ERA Wilder Realty
• ‘Circus of Light’ award: ERA American Real Estate
• Rookie of the Year: Dale Conner from ERA Town & Campus Realty
• Jim Jackson Memorial Award, Category 1: ERA Sunrise Realty
• Jim Jackson Memorial Award, Category 2: ERA Sargis-Breen Real Estate

Franchising Gives Back

Sport Clips Haircuts is donating another $1 million to the St.Baldrick’s Foundation over the next three years. In 2016, Sport Clips Haircuts became a national partner with St. Baldrick's and has since donated $1.1 million to support childhood cancer research. Since the launch of the partnership, Sport Clips has hosted more than 100 St. Baldrick’s signature head-shaving events. “Few companies have made such lasting impacts on the survival of children with cancer throughout the United States,” said St. Baldrick’s CEO Kathleen Ruddy.

The amount that RNR Tire Express has given to charity topped $1 million for the fi rst time during 2018. Over the course of the year, RNR hosted charitable initiatives including gathering volunteers in Tampa near the brand’s headquarters to collect supplies and donations for Puerto Rico’s Hurricane Maria relief efforts, and surprising three deserving mothers with a car for Mother’s Day. RNR also hosted a back-to-school giveaway and honored a woman fighting breast cancer and her nurse. RNR has donated more than $4 million to charitable initiatives since its founding.