Authority Brands Promotes Franchise Industry Leader Heather McLeod to Chief Growth Officer

In her new role, McLeod will oversee both marketing and franchise development growth strategies for the entire home-services system.

COLUMBIA, Md. — Authority Brands, a premier home service franchisor in North America, announced the promotion of vital team member Heather McLeod from Chief Marketing Officer to Chief Growth Officer, effective immediately. In the newly created position, McLeod will be responsible for leading growth strategies within the company including marketing and franchise development initiatives.

Heading into another chapter of planned expansion, the Authority Brands executive team carved out this new position specifically aimed at managing growth within the marketing channel and identifying new business development opportunities. Serving as Chief Marketing Officer since 2017, Heather McLeod was tapped for the newly developed role. With a proven track record of success and a strong history in the marketing and development space, McLeod initially joined the Authority Brands family from The Dwyer Group (now Neighborly) and has built an impressive career in the franchise space based on empowering her teams to be successful through scalable and supportive systems and processes.

“Since her first day with the company Heather has played an integral role in growing our Authority Brands profile. Her diligence and strong work ethic have played a large part in our overall success in the last five years,” said Craig Donaldson, CEO of Authority Brands. “As we celebrate the official mark of half a decade in business with unprecedented success in the industry, I am confident that Heather is the perfect person to continue to propel our business forward as we expand and continue to diversify our home services portfolio. Her unique approach to team leadership and vast knowledge of the franchising industry inspires confidence as we look forward to many more years of success with her at the helm of our growth division.”

McLeod joined Authority Brands’ The Cleaning Authority in 2015 and became a vital part of the formation of the Authority Brands family of industry-leading home service brands, largely due to her focus on customer experience, rigorous attention to process detail, and passion for team collaboration.

McLeod founded the Howard County, Maryland chapter of IFA’s Women’s Franchise Network in 2020 and is an active member of the IFA Marketing & Innovation Committee. She also sits on the Board of Directors of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Baltimore and serves on the University of Louisville College of Business YUM! CGFE Board of Advisors. She received her Certified Franchise Executive designation in 2016 and her Master’s in Business Administration from Baylor University in 2010.

Authority Brands currently has 12 home services franchisors which encompasses more than 1,000 franchise owners nationwide, with plans for more in the near future. In her new role, McLeod will focus on growth strategies and implementation for the companies within Authority Brands’ impressive portfolio including America’s Swimming Pool Company, Benjamin Franklin Plumbing, The Cleaning Authority, Color World Painting, DoodyCalls, DRYmedic Restoration Services, Homewatch CareGivers, Mister Sparky, Monster Tree Service, Mosquito Squad, One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning, STOP Restoration, and Woofie’s. Authority Brands supports individual franchisee growth by providing strong marketing, technology and operational tools and resources.

To learn more about Authority Brands’ companies and the executive team, please visit https://www.authoritybrands.com/.