Hot Off the Press: CFA Member News

Hot Off the Press Member News

Nick Titus Named President of Minuteman Press International Minuteman Press International is proud to announce the promotion of Nick Titus to President. Nick is the third-generation President of Minuteman Press, which remains a family-owned and operated franchisor with World Headquarters in Long Island, NY and nearly 1,000 independently owned and operated franchises worldwide. Previously, Nick was Vice President of Marketing. Bob Titus will remain the Company’s CEO.

“We have a tremendous company with incredible people who care about its success,” says Nick. “Most importantly, the foundation and strength of our organization relies on having dedicated franchise owners. I believe that our company is strong and we are in a very good position for continued growth.”

Growing up in the family business, Nick started working at Minuteman Press International World Headquarters during summer and winter breaks throughout high school and college. After graduating from Quinnipiac University in 2007 with a degree in Business Management, he joined the Minuteman Press team full-time. CEO Bob Titus, who founded Minuteman Press International with his father Roy in 1973, issued the following statement:

“In 1995, my father Roy Titus moved aside and named me President of the Company. It was the coming of the second generation taking us through the next 25 years concentrating on our Minuteman Press franchise support system. Growing with all of our franchisees along the way. Seeing over 100 centers being passed down to the second generation. Seeing hundreds of successful owners sell their business and retire. Seeing our $1 million stores grow from 13 in 1996 to nearly 100 in 2019. In the last 25 years, we have added so many products and services that even Roy could not have imagined back in 1975.

After serving as President of Minuteman Press for 25 years, I

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feel it is time for another change. It is time for the third generation to take the helm. I am so proud and honoured to promote my son, Nicholas Roy Titus, as the third generation President of Minuteman Press International. Nick has grown up at Minuteman Press like a lot of us and our kids. He also grew up with his grandfather Roy who taught him so much; the work ethic that Roy taught all of us and most important, knowing that our company is only as good as the people we have in business.”

Entrepreneur Magazine Ranks Pearle Vision No. 1 Eye Care Franchise on Franchise 500® List Pearle Vision has been ranked as the United States’ top Eye Care franchise on Entrepreneur magazine’s highly competitive Franchise 500 ® list. The magazine’s annual rankings are based on outstanding performance in areas such as unit growth, financial strength and stability, and brand power.

Pearle Vision was ranked No. 1 in the new Eye Care category and No. 58 overall, placing the brand in the Top 12 per cent of all franchises on the list. 2020 marks the 12th consecutive year that Pearle Vision has been ranked among the Franchise 500 and the 36th time in the 41 years that the annual list has been published. Entrepreneur received more than 1,100 applications for the 2020 ranking, making it one of the most competitive rankings in Franchise 500 history. The list is considered an invaluable tool for potential franchisees.

“Pearle Vision’s position at the top of the Eye Care category demonstrates the strength of the premium optical brand’s franchise opportunity for entrepreneurs interested in the healthcare industry,” said Alex Wilkes, general manager of Pearle Vision. “The durability of our national, legacy brand speaks to the commitment by the company and individual licensed owners to provide genuine eye care to our patients. We are proud to lead the way in the optical industry by remaining focused on quality of care and innovation and keeping abreast of industry trends.”

The prestigious ranking comes as Pearle Vision opened new franchise locations throughout the U.S. over the past year and announced newly signed area development agreements in strategic markets in Florida, North Carolina and most recently, California. The brand also partnered with the Navy Exchange Service Command (NEXCOM) to bring national optical retail centers to at least three U.S. naval bases. And last summer, Pearle Vision launched a revamped franchise development website.

The key factors considered in the Franchise 500 are costs and fees, size and growth, support, brand strength, financial strength and stability. Each franchise is given a cumulative score based on an analysis of more than 150 data points, and the 500 franchises with the highest cumulative scores become the Franchise 500 in ranking order.

Aegis Brands to Acquire Ottawa’s Bridgehead Coffee The Second Cup Ltd. announced in December 2019 that Aegis Brands has agreed to acquire Ottawa-based Bridgehead Coffee, the company’s first acquisition since it announced its new operating structure and strategy last month. Aegis Brands also owns Canadian specialty coffee retailer Second Cup Coffee Co.

“We created Aegis with the vision of building a portfolio of amazing brands that can grow and flourish with access to our resources and expertise,” said Steven Pelton, CEO of Aegis Brands. “Bridgehead is the quintessential ‘amazing brand’ – a company with a deep sense of purpose, strong roots in its community and incredible potential for growth. We’re so excited to work with the team at Bridgehead to help fuel that growth in the months and years to come.”

Bridgehead has 19 coffeehouses in Ottawa, including its landmark roastery. All Bridgehead coffeehouses serve food made daily from scratch in the company’s kitchen and bakery, using local and seasonal ingredients. All 19 locations are corporately-owned and have consistently delivered strong financial results in a competitive coffee market. All coffeehouses will continue to operate under the Bridgehead name following the acquisition.

“We have long had a goal of being the biggest little coffee company,” explained Tracey Clark, who has led Bridgehead as its President and CEO since 2000. “Joining Aegis gives us access to the resources to expand our footprint without needing to change who we are or what we do best: advocating for small scale farmers, offering coffee that is well-sourced, well-roasted and well-served, creating a sense of belonging for our customers and employees, and fostering community connections.”

Kate Burnett, Bridgehead’s COO, will assume executive leadership of the company while Tracey Clark will continue to lead the Bridgehead brand in a new role as Chief Culture Officer. Ian Clark, Director of Coffee, and Cliff Hansen, the company’s Roastmaster, will continue in their roles, working closely with small-scale farmers to continue to deliver an exceptional coffee experience to Bridgehead customers. Bridgehead’s head office will remain in Ottawa. Upon closing of the transaction, Bridgehead will enter into new employment agreements with key employees.

“Aegis Brands will offer Bridgehead opportunities in real estate and capital that we would not have been able to access on our own, and give us the autonomy to grow our business according to our values,” concluded Clark. “This partnership also presents incredible opportunities for our team, who are as excited as I am to serve new communities here in Canada, and to expand upon Bridgehead’s positive impacts in coffee-growing communities.”

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® Launches Junk Removal Pilot Program in Ontario With a commitment to continually exceeding customer’s expectations, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK ® – CANADA is expanding its services to include junk removal.

Two Canadian franchisees (Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo and St. Catharines-Niagara Region) are the first to pilot this program. Owner/ President of the award-winning Kitchener/Cambridge/ Waterloo franchise, Justin Prittie said, “The decision to haul junk is a logical one. Consumers planning a move inevitably have to

dispose of stuff. By including this service, we can offer a single solution from beginning to end.”

According to Chuck Resnick, Vice-President of Marketing and Operations for TWO MEN AND A TRUCK ® – CANADA, “In addition to providing our customers with value-added services, adding junk removal to our service menu becomes a sound business move. Junk removal and moving are complimentary services, providing a convenient, one-stop-shop solution.”

Known internationally as the Movers Who Care ® , TWO MEN AND A TRUCK’s junk removal services are environmentally friendly. Said St. Catharines-Niagara Region franchisee Cotie Drinkwater, “We recycle, repurpose, reuse, and donate as much of the junk as we can, so we avoid taking items to the dump. We save residential and business clients time and hassle. The junk removal service can be part of a move, or a separate service.”

The new junk removal program covers furniture, garage items, appliance and mattress disposal, hot tub removal, exercise equipment, seasonal items such as patio furnishings, office remodels, and old unwanted electronics and construction debris. Exceptions include hazardous materials such as propane tanks, gasoline, paint, chemicals, motor oil, biological or medical waste, and firearms.

“Whether consumers are cleaning out their garage, attic, shed or basement,” Resnick added, “our professionally-trained junk removal team knows what’s required to get the job done right.”

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