March People & News

Top 5 People on the Move

Nick Titus

Minuteman Press International named Nick Titus as their new President. Titus will serve as the third generation of the family-owned franchise system.

Cheikh Mboup

Edible Brands appointed Cheikh Mboup as their new President. Mboup has and will continue to serve as the brand’s Chief Operating Officer.

Mary Ann Canup

Annex Brands, Inc. appointed Mary Ann Canup as their Senior Vice President of Franchise Compliance. Canup has been with the brand since 1994.

Shelly Pair

Childrens Lighthouse Franchise Company named Shelly Pair as their new Vice President of Operations. Pair previously served as the brand’s Director of Operations.

Mike Rotondo

NRD Capital named Mike Rotondo as the new Chief Executive Officer of Altitude Trampoline Park. Rotondo was previously the CEO of multiple brands, including Edible Arrangements and Tropical Smoothie Café.

News

Moving Mountains

Mountain Mike’s Pizza, LLC, opened a new location in Menlo Park, California. Franchisee Brian Moscini is excited to operate the new location, claiming, “Being an active member of the community we serve is a top priority for us, and as proud owners of four area Mountain Mike’s restaurants, our family is thrilled to meet our new neighbors and become a contributing business in the Menlo Park community for years to come!”

Office Opening 

Office Evolution recently opened its second Indiana location. The new location will be owned and operated by Tom and Lori Fifer, with plans of serving small business owners from many surrounding areas. Tom is a retired Air Force veteran with a background in design and construction management and plans to offer a startup discount for veteran- owned companies. “We are confident in the Office Evolution concept and are eager to build a community that not only helps small businesses and independent employers reach their goals but exceed their very own expectations,” said Fifer.

Fab Five 

Jabz Boxing signed a multi-unit franchise agreement for five new locations. The brand’s exercise routine consists of circuit-style workouts that are designed specifically for women. The new locations will be located on the east coast and operated by Helen and Larry O’Keefe.

Golden Growth

Gold’s Gym had a record-setting year in 2019, with a total of 22 U.S. franchise agreements being finalized and over 30 grand openings worldwide. The grand openings included locations in Japan, Russia, Turkey, Armenia and more. New international master license agreements were signed for Australia, Iraq and New Zealand. “Our continued franchise development achievements from 2019 have set the stage for what we anticipate will be another impressive year of growth on a global scale,” said Gold’s Gym President and CEO, Adam Zeitsiff.

Pro Potential 

Proforma hosted a meeting at the Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) Expo, which celebrated and highlighted innovations in technology. The private event included Proforma owners, supplier partners and guests and the co-founder of Apple, Steve Wozniak, as the guest speaker. Wozniak stated, “After hearing the success of Proforma’s members on ProVision, it’s clear that Proforma is unlocking doors to the future of their industry. I have always said that ‘Wherever smart people work, doors are unlocked’ and clearly Proforma has an abundance of smart people behind their technology.”

Wozniak spoke of key insights with Chief Technology Officer, Brian Carothers, and was also presented with an Honorary Master of Advertising Specialist by Paul Bellantone, who is the PPAI President and CEO.

Fast and First

FASTSIGNS International, Inc, celebrated its 35th anniversary by being ranked the number one franchise opportunity in its category in Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise 500®. This marks the fourth consectuvie year that the brand has earned the spot, proving that the unit growth, stability and financial strength of the business has a great impact on both franchisees and consumers. Catherine Monson, IFA Chair and CEO of FASTSIGNS International, Inc., was proud of her team, saying, “The FASTSIGNS brand has never been stronger, which is a testament to our outstanding franchisees, excellent franchise support team, strong unit-level economics, as well as the strength of our franchise opportunity.”

Record Breaking Results 

Huntington Learning Center, the nation’s leading tutoring and test prep provider, had a new record of SAT/ACT results for their students with students being provided over $187 million in scholarships by outside organizations. A recent survey showed that, on average, students who participated in the brand’s standardized prep programs had an increase of 229 points on the SAT, as well as a 5.4 point increase on the ACT. Anne Huntington, President of Huntington Learning Center, was elated at the positive impact the franchise has on students, saying, “Our individualized programs have a proven track record of success, and we’re honored to be able to have a positive impact on so many students’ lives.”

Franchising Gives Back

Paws Are Precious 

Wireless Zone, a wireless retail franchise, donated $25,000 to Best Friends Animal Society, an organization that hopes to see a day when there are no more homeless pets. Best Friends Animal Society wants to reduce the number of animals in shelters, animals that have no home and no shelter to care for them and hope to put an end to no-kill shelters. Wireless Zone donated the money through their philanthropic foundation, the Wireless Zone Foundation for Giving. Wireless Zone’s Executive Vice President of Operations, Michael Broe, said, “Many people, including myself, consider their pets a part of the family. I know from experience that these animals are resilient and deserve a second chance. Best Friends gives them that.”