Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken Welcomes Brian Seitz as Director of Store Design & Construction: Lee's Famous Recipe® Chicken announced Brian Seitz has joined the team as Director of Store Design & Construction. Seitz brings over 30 years of extensive experience in restaurant design, helping brands elevate both operations and guest experiences.
Already closely connected to the Lee’s brand, Seitz most recently led efforts with the design firm behind the company’s brand refresh, which introduced the new logo, modern store design, and open, spacious prototype layout. His leadership brought that vision to life, creating restaurants designed to elevate both operations and guest experiences while staying true to the Lee’s brand heritage.
76 FENCE Expands into West Georgia with Douglasville and Newnan Locations: 76 FENCE is expanding in Georgia with new franchise locations opening in Douglasville and Newnan. The West Georgia territories will be owned and operated by longtime Douglasville resident and business leader Matthew Skuodas.
Skuodas brings more than 30 years of global experience in corporate BPO servicing and IT leadership, including a decade abroad where he honed a people-first management style rooted in collaboration and trust. Since moving to Douglasville in 2006, he has built strong connections within the community—relationships he is now eager to strengthen through his new business.
Pay Tews LLC Signs 36-Unit PayMore Deal: Pay Tews LLC, a franchise group led by Jerre, Jaxon, and Connor Tews, signed a 36-unit agreement with PayMore, an electronics resale franchise.
The family operates or is involved in multiple locations of Crumbl, Crunch Fitness, and Dave's Hot Chicken. The plan is to bring PayMore into major metro areas across the U.S., including Boston, Orlando, Memphis, Reno, and more.
"We've been involved with some of the fastest-growing brands in the franchise space," Jerre Tews said. "What stood out about PayMore was the simplicity of operations, scalability, and the opportunity to make a real impact in the communities we serve by providing great service and value to customers looking to give tech a second life and keep electronics out of landfills."
Pet Butler Franchise Expands in Iowa with Bark ‘N’ Bin Acquisition: Pet Butler is proud to announce that Patrick Lanigan has successfully completed the acquisition of Bark 'N' Bin.
With this acquisition, Patrick will grow Pet Butler’s footprint in Iowa, bringing pet waste removal services to more pet-loving families and communities. Bark ‘N’ Bin customers will now enjoy the added support and professionalism of the Pet Butler brand — known for its dependable service, streamlined systems, and commitment to pets and their people.
American Family Care Appoints New Chief Marketing Officer: American Family Care (AFC), the nation's leading provider of urgent care with more than 400 walk-in clinics across the United States, is excited to announce Michael Brister as the new Chief Marketing Officer. Brister brings more than 20 years of marketing leadership experience from some of the world’s most recognized brands, including Amazon, Michael Kors, Louis Vuitton, and Coach.
“Michael’s expansive experience in marketing and CRM strategy, combined with his ability to turn consumer insights into meaningful brand experiences, makes him an ideal addition to our AFC leadership team,” said Jeremy Morgan, CEO of American Family Care. “We’re confident his expertise will help us accelerate growth while continuing to put patients at the center of everything we do.”
Brister’s career spans leadership roles where he has built high-performing teams to drive results in CRM, branding, acquisition, and marketing strategy, with the ability to blend data-driven insights with compelling brand storytelling.
QSR Veterans Expand With 3 Drybar Locations: OM Group, a multi-brand franchise operating company with a strong presence in the QSR space, has signed a development agreement to open three Drybar locations. Units are scheduled for Lansing, Michigan, as well as Akron and Youngstown-Boardman, Ohio
Led by experienced franchisee Mandy Ristic and her partners Kalpesh and Amit Patel, OM Group has successfully scaled top-tier QSR brands since 2016, earning multiple Developer of the Year awards across a portfolio that includes Smoothie King, Dunkin' Donuts, Wingstop, Jimmy John's, Baskin-Robbins, and Qdoba.
"We've always sought brands that offer a strong business model while genuinely making people feel good, and Drybar does exactly that," Ristic said. "The first time I visited a Drybar, I saw how transformational the experience was for guests and knew it was something special. It's more than a blowout. It's about confidence, care, and creating a moment for yourself. We're excited to bring that energy to communities we already know and love."
Former Frios Gourmet Pops Franchisee Ascends to VP of Operations: Frios Gourmet Pops has appointed former franchisee, Alison Groom, to Vice President of Operations.
“Alison’s belief in Frios started when she first tasted a Frios pop, just like me. Her journey from the first franchisee I ever signed to this new role is truly special. Alison has mastered the roles of both franchisee and corporate leader at Frios, which provides her with an intimate knowledge of the brand that others do not have. Frios could not have a better person in this role, and I’m excited to see how Alison uses her past experiences to support our franchisees,” said Owner and CEO of Frios Gourmet Pops, Cliff Kennedy.
