International Franchise Association Names Franchisee of the Year Recipients
Recognizes 57 individuals for being an outstanding owner-operator, exemplifying excellence in community, workforce, diversity, and veterans
SAN DIEGO – The International Franchise Association (IFA) today announced 57 recipients of its Franchisee of the Year Awards, representing companies across all industries from communities around the country. Honored at IFA’s 62nd Annual Convention in San Diego, Calif., the award recognizes outstanding franchise establishment owner-operators.
“Franchisee of the Year Awards are the highest honors presented to individual franchisees,” said Matthew Haller, President and CEO of the International Franchise Association. “These local business owners represent some of the best entrepreneurs in the country, and we are proud to recognize their contributions to their communities, their employees, and all those they serve.”
The Franchisee of the Year Award, sponsored by IFA’s partner Paychex, recognizes leading franchisees who exemplify at least one of IFA’s “Open for Opportunity” core pillars: Community, Workforce, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and Veterans.
A recent IFA study showed that franchising helped lead U.S. economic recovery in 2021, with exceptional job and business growth across all franchising sectors. The industry on average provides higher wages, better benefits, and more leave than non-franchised businesses, as well as greater opportunities to underserved communities and aspiring entrepreneurs, according to Oxford Economics research.
Haller continued, “Franchising has led our nation’s economic recovery over the past year, and these entrepreneurs have played a tremendous role in the growth we have seen in the business model and all it has done for the individuals it supports. The future of franchising is bright, largely in thanks to hardworking entrepreneurs like those we are recognizing today.”
The full list of recipients is listed below:
|
Franchisee Name |
Franchisee Company Name |
Parent Company Name |
|
Al Bhakta, Nik Bhakta and Ron Parikh |
CMG Companies |
Multi-Unit, Multi-Brand Owners |
|
Alex Tyler |
Goldfish Swim School of St. Charles & Glen Ellyn |
Goldfish Swim School Franchising, LLC |
|
Amy Strozier |
Goldfish Swim School - Dayton |
Goldfish Swim School Franchising, LLC |
|
Amy Wise |
DoodyCalls of Houston |
DoodyCalls, Authority Brands, LLC |
|
Andrew Ray |
NEXTCARE HOLDING dba BrightStar Care Mesa Gilbert |
BrightStar Franchising, LLC |
|
Bernardo DeJesus |
Mike’s Hop, Inc. |
IHOP, Dine Brands Global |
|
Bobby Mounts |
PJ’s Coffee of New Orleans - Ruston, LA |
PJ's Coffee, Ballard Brands, LLC |
|
Capricia Turner |
Mosquito Squad of Greater Indy |
Mosquito Squad, Authority Brands, LLC |
|
Captain Mark and Kathy Furlan |
Dream Vacations |
Dream Vacations |
|
Claire Lamarche and Jean-François Joyal |
UniglassPlus/Ziebart Carleton Place |
Ziebart International Corporation |
|
Clinton Brown |
Brown Family Enterprises |
Grease Monkey International, LLC, FullSpeed Automotive |
|
Dana Schuchardt |
Goldfish Swim School - Park Ridge & Gilbert |
Goldfish Swim School Franchising, LLC |
|
Dustin Baker |
Assisted Living Locators East Valley |
Assisted Living Locators |
|
George Saldana |
Mister Sparky of San Antonio |
Mister Sparky, Authority Brands, LLC |
|
Grady Hinchman |
Altitude Trampoline Park |
Altitude Trampoline Park |
|
Greg Flynn |
Flynn Restaurant Group |
Applebee's, Dine Brands Global |
|
Haynes Chidsey |
Four S LLC (Sola Salons) |
Sola Franchise LLC |
|
Jacob, Matthew and Michael Lethbridge |
Kitchen Tune-Up Fredericksburg & Stafford |
Kitchen Tune-Up, Home Franchise Concepts, Inc. |
|
Javier Gomez |
Gomez Restaurants Inc. |
Capriotti's Sandwich Shop, Inc. |
|
Jen Burlington |
Massage Heights, San Antonio, TX |
Massage Heights |
|
Jeremy and Brandi Shelton |
Detail Garage of Fredericksburg, VA |
Detail Garage, LLC |
|
Jeremy Aydell |
Sport Clips Haircuts |
Sport Clips, Inc. |
|
Jerome Philips |
A Place At Home - South Portland |
A Place At Home |
|
John Alexander |
STOP Restoration Charlotte North |
STOP Restoration, Authority Brands, LLC |
|
John Barber |
SpeedPro of Norcross GA |
SpeedPro |
|
Jose and Monica Pina |
Mr. Rooter Plumbing of the Inland Empire |
Mr. Rooter Plumbing, Neighborly |
|
Keresa Richardson |
Benjamin Franklin Plumbing-Dallas |
Benjamin Franklin Plumbing, Authority Brands, LLC |
|
Kit Pelletier, Cameron Pelletier and Tyler Olinger |
Tint World 079 |
TINT WORLD® |
|
Krista Rhymes, Ashley Keever and Matthew Miller |
2 Chicks and a Magnet Inc |
Chicken Salad Chick |
|
Laura and Carter Dalton |
GNC |
GNC Holdings LLC |
|
Lisa Marie Swiatkowski |
BrightStar Care of Venice & Port Charlotte |
BrightStar Franchising, LLC |
|
Matt Mays |
Office Pride of Louisville-Jeffersontown |
Office Pride Commercial Cleaning Services |
|
Michael Doty |
DIY DETAIL LLC |
Detail Garage, LLC |
|
Mike Weintz |
Weintz Cleaning Inc DBA The Cleaning Authority |
The Cleaning Authority, Authority Brands, LLC |
|
Morris Smith |
STOP Restoration Of Fort Worth |
STOP Restoration, Authority Brands, LLC |
|
Nathan Bruen-O |
Handyman Connection of Eden Prairie |
Handyman Connection |
|
Neil McMillan |
Express Employment Professionals |
Express Services, Inc. |
|
Out West Restaurant Group |
A licensed franchisee of Outback Steakhouse |
Outback Steakhouse, Bloomin' Brands, Inc. |
|
Pamela Resser |
British Swim School Bay Area |
British Swim School, Buzz Franchise Brands |
|
Radhika Dontaraju and Girish Rao |
Dogtopia of Olathe, Kansas |
Dogtopia |
|
Richard and Lynn Yoerk |
Express Employment Professionals |
Express Services, Inc. |
|
Salem Najjar |
SERVE Hospitality Group |
Tropical Smoothie Cafe |
|
Sarah and Sean Toney |
Any Lab Test Now |
Any Lab Test Now Franchising, Inc. |
|
Scott Payne |
Goldfish Swim School - Multi Unit |
Goldfish Swim School Franchising, LLC |
|
Shannon Sevor |
GYMGUYZ Silicon Valley, CA |
GYMGUYZ |
|
Stan Gray |
FASTSIGNS of Torrance & FASTSIGNS of Long Beach |
FASTSIGNS International, Propelled Brands |
|
Stephanie Moseley |
Marco's Pizza |
Marco's Franchising, LLC |
|
Steve Sarrantonio |
SpeeDee Oil Change of Pineville |
SpeeDee Worldwide, LLC, FullSpeed Automotive |
|
Steve Shortland |
DES Employment Group |
DES Employment Group |
|
Steven Brown |
Grand Welcome of Nashville & Austin |
Grand Welcome Franchising LLC |
|
Steven Nickels and Ted Panebianco |
College H.U.N.K.S. Hauling Junk and Moving of Long Island, NY |
College Hunks Hauling Junk |
|
Tanya Lee |
Woofie's Reston-Herndon |
Woofie's |
|
Tiffiny Consoli |
Pool Scouts of The Greater Triangle |
Pool Scouts, Buzz Franchise Brands |
|
Todd & Ryan Kletz |
One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning of Virginia Beach, VA |
One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning, Authority Brands, LLC |
|
Todd A. Krause |
Silversun Cleaning LLC dba The Cleaning Authority |
The Cleaning Authority, Authority Brands, LLC |
|
Tony Patania |
COIT Cleaning & Restoration of Charlotte, NC |
COIT Cleaning & Restoration |
|
Tricia Lee Golomb |
Payroll Vault of Pembroke Pines, FL |
Payroll Vault Franchising, LLC |
|
Yonas Hagos |
Smoothie King DLH Group |
Smoothie King Franchises, Inc. |
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Celebrating over 60 years of excellence, education, and advocacy, the International Franchise Association (IFA) is the world’s oldest and largest organization representing franchising worldwide. IFA works through its government relations and public policy, media relations, and educational programs to protect, enhance and promote franchising and the approximately 775,000 franchise establishments that support nearly 8.2 million direct jobs, $787.7 billion of economic output for the U.S. economy, and almost 3 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). IFA members include franchise companies in over 300 different business format categories, individual franchisees, and companies that support the industry in marketing, law, technology, and business development.