franchisee of the year

BERWYN, PA – PRNewswire 

Over the past three years, JDog Junk Removal, a national franchise organization dedicated to providing business ownership opportunities to veterans, has awarded more than 400 franchise territories across 36 states and has created over 1,000 veteran job opportunities. To celebrate its momentous growth and to further inspire ongoing success amongst its veteran network, JDog Junk Removal has announced its First Annual Convention, JCON, to be held March 8-10, 2018 in Malvern, PA.

“JCON, JDog Junk Removal’s First Annual Convention, honors the passion and camaraderie of our franchise owners,” said Jerry Flanagan, Founder and CEO of JDog. “Through their commitment, we are empowering veterans and making lasting changes in their lives and in the communities they serve. We plan to celebrate our growth and prepare for how we continue to advance our mission.”

JCON will consist of inspirational veteran keynote speakers, including Justin Constantine, a retired Lieutenant Colonel of the Marine Corps and Ralph Galati, a retired Vietnam Air Force Officer and former POW. The Convention will also offer attendees preferred vendor networking opportunities, achievement awards and exciting giveaways provided by sponsors T. P. Trailers & Truck Equipment, FocusFullfillment and Wisdom Insurance.

In 2017, JDog Junk Removal launched in fifteen new cities, including; Annapolis, MD; Augusta, GA; Buffalo, NY; Columbus, GA; Detroit, MI; Gainesville, FL; Houston, TX; Indianapolis, IN; Jacksonville, FL; Little Rock, AK; Portland, OR; San Diego, CA – propelling the total number of active franchises 120. In the coming year, JDog Junk Removal projects to open 75 new franchises, with growth fueled by motivated veteran entrepreneurs set to bring services to new metro areas including, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Seattle, Columbus, Pittsburgh, Denver, San Francisco, as well as cities in North Carolina, South Carolina and Northern California.

ATLANTA, GA – PRNewswire

Aaron’s, Inc. (NYSE: AAN), a leading omni channel provider of lease-purchase solutions, today announced that the Company’s Board of Directors has approved a new share repurchase program authorizing management to repurchase up to $500 million of the Company’s outstanding common stock. In light of the new repurchase program, the Company has discontinued its previous share repurchase program.

“In 2017, we generated record sales and earnings and strengthened our balance sheet by reducing our debt $135 million. We also increased our dividend for the 15th consecutive year and repurchased nearly two million shares of stock. The decision to authorize the new repurchase program is part of our capital allocation strategy, which reflects our expectation for strong cash flow generation over the next few years,” said John Robinson, Chief Executive Officer.

Under the Company’s new repurchase program, the Company may repurchase shares from time to time on the open market or through privately negotiated transactions. Repurchases of shares may be made under a Rule 10b5-1 plan, which would permit repurchases when the Company might otherwise be precluded from doing so under insider trading laws. The extent to which the Company repurchases its shares and the timing of such purchases will depend upon market conditions and other corporate considerations, as determined by the Company’s management. The Company is not obligated to acquire any particular number of shares and the program may be suspended or discontinued at any time.

DENVER, CO – PRNewswire

RE/MAX Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: RMAX), parent company of RE/MAX, one of the world’s leading franchisors of real estate brokerage services, and Motto Mortgage (“Motto”), an innovative mortgage brokerage franchise, today announced that RE/MAX Holdings Co-Founder David Liniger has completed the transition of his CEO responsibilities to Adam Contos, who has been named Chief Executive Officer by the Company’s Board of Directors. The transition of leadership to Contos is the next step in RE/MAX Holdings’ leadership succession plan, which dates back to the appointment of Contos to serve as Co-CEO with Liniger in May 2017.  Liniger will become non-executive Chairman and will continue to serve on the RE/MAX Holdings Board.

“The Board of Directors is pleased that Adam will lead RE/MAX Holdings in its next stage of growth,” said Richard Covey, the Board’s Lead Director. “He is a talented and respected RE/MAX Holdings executive who combines an in-depth knowledge of the industry with an equally strong desire to drive RE/MAX forward and build on its success by leveraging technology and focusing on innovation. Adam has played an integral role in extending and strengthening the RE/MAX brand across a global network of over 115,000 RE/MAX agents as well as the successful launch of Motto Mortgage just 16 months ago. His experience serving in key leadership roles at the Company coupled with his deep knowledge of the real estate business make him a natural choice to lead RE/MAX Holdings into the future. We are also pleased that Dave will continue to work with the Board and the network and continue to provide his insights and experience to them.”

Prior to his role as Co-CEO, Contos, 46, served as Chief Operating Officer of RE/MAX Holdings. He joined the Company in 2004 working with franchisees and agents in the Mountain States Region and was promoted to Region Vice President the following year. Between 2007 and 2013 he served as Region Vice President, first for the California & Hawaii Region and later for the RE/MAX Florida Region.  He was promoted to Vice President, Region Development, in 2013 and then to Senior Vice President, Marketing, in February 2015. During his Marketing tenure, he and the business development team built a robust franchise sales process that fuelled record growth.

“I am honored to lead RE/MAX Holdings at this important time in our history,” said Contos. “Nobody in the world sells more real estate than RE/MAX and our network has never been stronger.  Motto Mortgage is off to a terrific start and we could not be more optimistic about its future. As we head into this next chapter, I am excited about the prospects for continuing our successful momentum, driven by our outstanding business model, brand strength, competitive advantages and the most dynamic brokers and agents in the industry.”

Liniger said, “Our original business model, which was built to encourage productive agents to come together, motivate each other and work hard, is still going strong after 45 years. We are number one in the world and I’m confident that under Adam’s leadership, RE/MAX Holdings will continue to thrive and reach even greater heights through his unwavering dedication and commitment to this great company, our brands and our networks.”

Renowned Massage Industry Expert Eric Stephenson Will Implement Culture and Education Programs for the Brand Nationwide

Englewood, CO – Elements Massage®, one of the nation’s fastest growing therapeutic massage franchises, is pleased to announce the hiring of Eric Stephenson as the brand’s first-ever “Chief Wellness Officer.” Stephenson brings 20 years of massage industry experience to Elements, where he will work closely with the brand’s 240 plus studios to implement system-wide continuing education and culture programs.

“Elements is the first national massage franchise brand to create the role of Chief Wellness Officer,” said Jeremy Morgan, CEO of Elements Massage. “We created this role to demonstrate our commitment to building an industry-leading culture and creating a world-class experience for all Elements’ studio members and their massage therapists. We’re thrilled that Eric has joined our team.  As a Licensed Massage Therapist, Eric’s industry experience will be invaluable as we continue to grow the Element’s brand.”

Previously, Stephenson was a co-founder of imassage, Inc., a Florida-based education and consulting company dedicated to improving the careers of massage therapists and spa practitioners through customized programs focused on preventing injury and workers’ compensation claims.  In this role, Stephenson counseled some of the biggest names in the industry, including the Wynn/Encore Las Vegas, Kamalaya Thailand, Sandals Resorts and Spas, Grove Park Inn Asheville, Glen Ivy Hot Springs Spa and Starwood Hotels & Resorts.  Concurrently, Stephenson also worked closely with Elements Massage to develop “The Elements Way,” a series of experiential standards implemented within studios that resulted in a best-in-class 2017 Net Promoter Score comparable to leading consumer brands like Apple, Amazon and the Ritz-Carlton.

Stephenson will bring his trademark leadership approach to Elements Massage, helping studios create best-in-class culture and guest experiences. “We will continue to strengthen our recognition of being the ‘Employer of Choice’ in the industry by focusing on massage therapists’ health and career longevity, continued education and interpersonal skills. We believe in supporting our franchisees in their efforts to take excellent care of their massage therapists, so, in turn, they will take excellent care of clients,” remarked Stephenson. “This personalized, customized approach to all aspects of massage is what sets Elements apart.”

In addition to Stephenson’s internal responsibilities, he will also serve as a spokesperson for the brand, providing commentary and research surrounding a multitude of topics reinforcing the health and wellness benefits of massage.

“Research shows that massage can be an integral piece of one’s wellness regime- alongside diet and exercise,” said Stephenson. “It is my mission to enlighten and educate others on all of the positive impacts massage can have on daily life.”

Stephenson also serves on the Board of Directors for the International Spa Association (ISPA). He has been instrumental in positioning massage as a viable career path worldwide and in emerging countries such as India, where he was recently a keynote presenter at the “Health Professions of India Conference.”

MECHANICSBURG, PA  

Duck Donuts, known for serving Warm, Delicious and Made-to-Order!® donuts is helping customers celebrate the season of love with a Valentine’s Day assortment guaranteed to win over your sweetheart’s admiration. Available for a limited time only, the irresistible assortment features donuts including warm vanilla icing topped with Valentine’s Day sprinkles, fruity strawberry icing and powdered sugar and decadent chocolate icing with Oreo crumbles and hot fudge drizzle.

“Valentine’s Day is a big holiday for Duck Donuts to celebrate as donuts offer a unique way to help our customers express their feelings to their loved ones,” said Russ DiGilio, founder and CEO of Duck Donuts Franchising Company. “From mothers to teachers, children and spouses, all can indulge in the experience of a warm, delicious and made-to-order donut together this holiday.”

Available at select locations, Duck Donuts also offers customers the opportunity to give the gift of Duck Donuts this season. Perfect for classroom exchanges, Valentine’s Day cards are sold in multiples of 10 for $5 and good for one free donut to children 12 years old and under. Stores also sell retail items including gift cards, apparel, drinkware and popular collectible rubber ducks, thoughtful additions to any Valentine’s Day gift for Duck Donuts lovers.

Duck Donuts specializes in warm, delicious and made-to-order donuts. Customers can choose from a variety of topping combinations, including traditional favorites such as chocolate icing with sprinkles and more adventurous creations such as maple icing with bacon. The family-friendly stores offer a viewing area where children and adults alike can watch their donuts being made. Duck Donuts also sells coffee, tea, donut breakfast sandwiches and more. To learn more about local promotions or locate the nearest Duck Donuts, visit duckdonuts.com/locations/.

BEVERLY, MA – PRWEB

Fantastic Sams is excited to announce both Radius Bank and The Bancorp Bank have extended their franchisee lending programs with the company for 2018 and beyond.

Fantastic Sams, the oldest full-service family salon franchise in the country, is experiencing record license sales. It is proud to continue to provide financing options to its franchisees after successfully working with these banks for the last two years.

In 2017, 47 new Fantastic Sams salons opened across the U.S. With the partnerships with The Bancorp Bank and Radius Bank in place, there were 31 multi-unit and single-development license agreements signed last year. Right now, there are 170 planned for development.

“We demonstrated enormous success and growth last year, which validates the strength of our brand,” says John Costanza, President and CEO of Dessange Group North America, the parent company of Fantastic Sams. “Our success allows both Radius Bank and The Bancorp Bank to feel confident about their investments and continue to make it easier for current and potential franchise owners to realize their business goals.”

Whether they want to become a first-time salon owner or expand their existing businesses, Fantastic Sams franchisees have several easy options to help them with financing. The Bancorp Bank, a financial services leader that provides private-label banking to non-bank companies, offers working capital financing for all salon startup costs after owners put down an initial 15 percent. Additional unit financing requires less cash up front, allowing Fantastic Sams franchise owners to grow their empires with ease. There is a similar program in place for franchisees working with Radius Bank, a full-service, well-capitalized bank with clients nationwide.

The initial cost of owning a Fantastic Sams salon starts at $145,362, and entrepreneurs are offered incentives to open multiple units at a time. The strategic partnerships with Radius Bank and The Bancorp Bank allow new and existing owners to receive financing as part of the application process, rather than spending weeks, or even months, waiting for bank approvals.