People

David Grimaud's father, Joe, operated a Midas shop in Alexandria, La., where David spent many days working as a teenager. "It really taught me a lot about budgeting and business management," says the 52-year old today. Grimaud, however, had a passion for electronics that led him to earn a degree in electrical engineering from LSU and begin a career in Dallas in the mid-1980s.
Grimaud soon realized that he liked "being the boss" and that he wanted to operate a business of his own. In 1987, his father, who was overseeing 37 Precision Tune Auto Care franchises in South Carolina, welcomed his son into the family business with open arms and a few new responsibilities--like expanding the territory and growing the number of units.
Today, Grimaud is president of Precision Tune's largest area developer, Grimaud Enterprises Inc...

Angel Cartagena was a cable TV project manager traveling between New York, New Jersey, and Puerto Rico and working more than 70 hours every week. He was looking for a change when he discovered Batteries Plus.
He thought it was something he could make work. In 2008 he opened his first store in Union, New Jersey. After two successful years in franchising the 54-year-old Air Force veteran received an SBA veteran-approved loan to help with the expansion of the store.
Like many before him he was able to capitalize on his military background and skills to get his franchise business going.
Cartagena served as security policeman in the Air Force for 24 years, from 1977-2001. While in the Air Force he served in Germany as a general's bodyguard and an area supervisor, as an Air Force recruiter in Arkansas, and then transferred to Brooklyn, New York, and finally worked as a flight chief in New Jersey...

Michael Decker now operates an Expedia CruiseShipCenters franchise in Orlando, Florida, but he says it was his military experience that provided the crucial background he needed to become a successful franchisee.
Decker served in the US Army in Germany and Tacoma, Washington between 1975 and 1979 and then two years of inactive required duty from 1979 to 1981. Prior to becoming a franchise owner, he attended Orlando College, now Everest College and UCF, graduating with a B. S. in Business Management/Marketing. From here he began his career in the travel industry in 1996 and worked at Premier Vacations as a travel and receptive center sales manager. He went on to work with several other vacation and cruise lines until opening his own Expedia CruiseShipCenters business...

The 14-year-old Michael Knobelock was not just selling newspaper subscriptions in his native Houston but he was racking up awards as top salesman, earning between $400 and $500 a week in the 1970s. He was a born salesman.
After high school he sold ads for the Yellow Pages where he was again a successful bell-ringer. But the real twist of fate in Knobelock's sales life came when a friend approached him about purchasing a convenience store.
"My parents loaned me $10,000 to purchase a closed-down convenience store and reopen it," says the 50-year-old Knobelock. It turned out to be a life-changing move. For the next six years he made the store more profitable than it had ever been, and in the process realized that he knew how to run a business...

As founder and executive chairman of The Saxton Group in Dallas, Kelly Saxton has taken a family approach to building a business that has opened and operated more than 100 restaurants in his 30-year career. Whether talking about his two sons, Adam and Matthew, who are vice presidents at the company, his 1,000-plus employees, or the customers and markets the franchise and development company serves, Saxton understands the value and power of connections.
The largest franchisee of McAlister's Deli, The Saxton Group operates 50 of the fast casual restaurants in Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas, and four Pinkberry frozen dessert locations in the Dallas area. Recognized by Southern Methodist University's Cox School of Business as one of the top Dallas companies for dynamic growth, the company has earned McAlister's Deli Franchisee of the Year and Developer of the Year awards numerous times...

To Glenn Mueller, franchising at its core is a partnership. And as the largest single franchisee in the Domino's Pizza system at 135 units, he's a great partner to have.
When we last visited with Mueller in late 2010, he told us how he and his team had not only weathered the massive Hurricane Katrina--which affected many of his Gulf Coast Domino's stores--but how he had reopened stores within days to take care of his team members and the people in the communities they served.
Beyond his compassion and relentless drive, it's difficult to write about Mueller without acknowledging his unending pursuit of innovation. For example, those insulated bags that keep your pizza steaming hot while it makes its way to your house? Courtesy of Mueller and his team...

The New Year has just arrived and now is the time many revaluate life and career. Most people think about their careers as an occupation but few view their careers as a vocation.
Occupation seems to lack heart and determination. True to its root meaning, an occupation is a means to an end that takes up time and energy. But a vocation suggests that one has a higher calling and their career poses as a pathway to fulfilling a dream.
The three stories below illustrate how just one life-altering experience can change a person's outlook and path. These experiences became a guiding light in choosing their careers and, perhaps, could be just the inspiration someone else might need to find a better purpose.

Veterans make great franchisees. Organized, disciplined, determined - all characteristics that suit them for franchising. Chris Rolen is a great example.
Rolen spent eight years on active duty in the Army, including a 2002 deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. After completing his active duty services, Rolen knew that he wanted to open his own business in addition to completing an additional eight years in the Army Reserves (currently based in Fort Collins, Co.). He turned to VetFran when he decided to open a Weed Man franchise and received a 25 percent veteran's discount. He opened Weed Man of Loveland in January 2012 and participates in a non-profit organization called Project EverGreen, whose mission is to preserve and enhance green space throughout the community...

When Burger King set out to revamp its menu, it made sense that Tom McDonald would have some input. McDonald, a Burger King franchisee since 1986, had long expressed concern--largely to no avail--about the fast food giant's need to keep up with the times. When global investment firm 3G Capital acquired the home of the Whopper in 2010, new management was ready to listen.
McDonald was among a select group of executives, franchisees, and suppliers assembled to evaluate every facet of Burger King's fare, which ultimately led to the rollout of a slew of new products in 2012 as part of a multi-faceted strategy to reimage the chain.
"I have always been an advocate of giving good value," says McDonald, who operates 35 restaurants, and recently completed a six-year stint on the national Burger King Marketing Advisory Council...

Taking risks is a part of life for Greg Mooneyham. He is, after all, a former Air Force fighter pilot. But his decision to venture into the world of franchising in the fitness industry during an economic downturn was a calculated move to practice what he preached.
Mooneyham, CEO of Atlanta-based JRG Fitness Operations, recently closed a deal with a private equity firm that opened the financial door for him to acquire 35 Snap Fitness facilities. The move made JRG Fitness the largest independent North American franchisee of Snap Fitness, the compact, state-of-the-art 24/7 fitness center concept based in Chanhassen, Minn.
After serving his country as a fighter pilot for more than a decade, the U.S. Air Force Academy graduate worked as an account executive with corporate giant Johnson Controls, where he learned the real estate and store management ropes from an entrepreneurial owner of a retail chain of decorative fabric stores...

At least six times a year, Don Copus gathers his Hungry Howie's employees for a corporate outing where you may find the Berkley, Mich.-based franchisee batting for one softball team, pitching for the other, or manning the grill. No matter how you slice it, Copus, named 2012 Hungry Howie's Franchisee of the Year, is an employees' employer.
"I want them to know that I am approachable," says Copus. "I want them to realize that I'm no different from them. I started out with less than most of them, but worked hard to get where I am today. I want them to know that I'm willing to mentor them."
A native of Indianapolis, Copus, who operates 25 Hungry Howie's in Michigan, Indiana, and Utah, grew up in a family of eight in a 900-square foot home, made cozier by parents who welcomed any neighborhood child in need of a meal or bed...

Franchising is big. And so are some of its franchisees. Just take a look at our "Mega 99" list (page 54) and you'll see what we mean! We've ranked the heavyweights by size, brands, number of units, and locations. These franchisees definitely know how to Go Big!
Franchising at this level is not for everyone. It takes a certain set of skills, drive, and initiative to build and operate these large organizations. The risks and rewards to the ever-growing multi-unit franchisee hinge on savvy decision-making, dedicated managers, hard-working employees, and loyal customers. Few can do it; even fewer can do it well.
And beyond the numbers are the human stories of passion, creativity, and sheer will and determination it takes to succeed at this level...

Pam Wolfe loves to cook. So much so that when she first began operating Papa Murphy's Take'N'Bake Pizza franchises 15 years ago you could almost always find her in the company kitchen, kneading, chopping, and shredding the fresh ingredients made daily for the pizzeria, known for its take-and-bake, made-to-order concept.
"It's a great day when you can make pizzas all day long," says Wolfe, 46. "That is the fun part." However, she adds, "Papa Murphy's is very physical. We make our own pizza dough and cookie dough and everything else at the store. It is a labor-intensive business, but sometimes people don't think about that. You can't get into Papa Murphy's and assume someone else will run them and you will make a lot of money."
Wolfe still loves to cook--at home--but these days she has left the pizza-making to others to focus on running the company with her husband Jim...

Randy Merrill is an Army veteran who is looking for a few good brands--as long as they're in his wheelhouse: sports, health, and wellness. "I want something I can wrap myself around and I'm comfortable with," says Merrill, a former athlete who was involved in fitness chains in Los Angeles before returning to Atlanta, where he got into tanning salons. He also wants his brands to be membership-based.
"My career's been in membership-driven businesses," says Merrill, who operates 17 Solar Dimensions tanning salons (not a franchise) where he is a partner, two Massage Heights units with another set to open in January, and one Cartridge World store. He's signed on to develop at least 15 Massage Heights salons in the coming years.
In general terms, says Merrill, he's looking for "a segmented service industry that can be brought down to a value proposition for the masses...

It was a late night of channel surfing that gave this former surfer-turned-franchisee a life-changing idea to feed the hungry.
William Bruce, chief operating officer at Abundant Brands in American Fork, Utah, stumbled across a cable showing of "Dive!," a documentary that chronicles this nation's habit of throwing out massive amounts of edible food. Bruce was inspired to see how his company--whose portfolio includes 241 Subways and 14 Costa Vida Mexican Restaurants--could bring about its own change.
With a central kitchen for the company's Costa Vidas already in place, Bruce joined forces with The Rescue Mission in Salt Lake City to transform a weekly average of 300 pounds of excess rice, pork, beef, tortillas, and other food into a seven-layer burrito dish...

For William Bruce, chief operating officer at Abundant Brands in American Fork, Utah, a late night of channel surfing turned into a life-altering idea to feed the hungry.
After stumbling across a cable showing of "Dive!," a documentary that chronicles this nation's habit of throwing out massive amounts of edible food, Bruce was inspired to see how his company--whose portfolio includes 241 Subways and 14 Costa Vida Mexican Restaurants--could bring about its own change.
With a central kitchen for the company's Costa Vidas already in place, Bruce joined forces with The Rescue Mission in Salt Lake City to transform a weekly average of 300 pounds of excess rice, pork, beef, tortillas, and other food into a seven-layer burrito dish. These days, the regular delivery of 450 meals is known on the streets as "Costa Vida Thursday," says Bruce, who hopes to start including leftover bread from his Subway shops in the donation program...

Largest Snap Fitness franchisee has big plans

As a former Air Force fighter pilot, Greg Mooneyham is a natural risk-taker. But his decision to venture into the world of franchising in the fitness industry during an economic downturn was a calculated move to practice what he preached.
Mooneyham, CEO of Atlanta-based JRG Fitness Operations, recently closed a deal with a private equity firm that opened the financial door for him to acquire 35 Snap Fitness facilities. The move made JRG Fitness the largest independent North American franchisee of Snap Fitness, the compact, state-of-the-art 24/7 fitness center concept based in Chanhassen, Minn.
After serving his country as a fighter pilot for more than a decade, the U...

That stockbroker job Kevin Osterfeld had longed for didn't turn out quite like he planned. So he made a change.
"When I was a stockbroker, I would eat at Philadelphia Steak & Subs in downtown Cincinnati. I loved the food, so I decided to buy the restaurant, which would become a Penn Station East Coast Subs restaurant," he says. "I knew nothing about the restaurant business. I knew nothing about franchising. I didn't really even know how it worked, but I was young and reckless and thought I'd figure it out."
Twenty-five years later, it's clear that Osterfeld did "figure it out." Recipient of Multi-Unit Franchisee magazine's 2012 MVP Influencer Award, he now owns 18 Penn Stations in Ohio. He also is an active participant in charitable ventures and franchise organizations and a busy family man...

Gina Puente has built her franchise empire in a nontraditional way. She operates her brands in airports and hospitals and she is an innovator with a passion for creating her own brands. In 1995, she opened La Bodega Winery, an original concept and the first winery in an airport, and is now expanding that idea by adding chef-inspired food.
Puente has about 20 units today, both franchised and original concepts. They include Blimpie/Cereality/NRgize Lifestyle Cafe, UFood Grill, Urban Taco, and airport-specific brands such as Main Street New, Wall Street News, Travelex Currency Service and LBW Charters. She also operates her original concepts, La Bodega Winery and La Buena Vida Vineyards.
"The easier road is to build a portfolio of the same brand...

Edwin Sarkissian escaped the oppression of his native Iran with his family in 1996. Believe it or not, once in America, one of the first things the young Sarkissian longed for was a computer.
"When we arrived in America, we didn't have much. I remember being so excited to go to Best Buy and look at computers. I couldn't afford one. My mom tried to get a credit card, but because we hadn't been here that long she was declined. I was so sad that day," recalls Sarkissian, now 28.
Fortunately, a church member donated an older computer to him. "It had a lot of problems, but just moving the mouse made me so happy," Sarkissian says. "Now, my laptop and electronic devices are in perfect condition. I take good care of them because I learned how to appreciate everything I have...