ZIPS Franchising Bolsters Leadership Team for Growth

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ZIPS Franchising LLC, a garment care company operating in the franchise business model, recently announced key appointments to strengthen its leadership team. These strategic additions aim to infuse the company with extensive industry knowledge and optimize its operations for significant system expansion and unit growth.

Boosting Operations and Franchise Support

Michael Weisel joins ZIPS as the new Vice President of Operations and Continuous Improvement. Reporting directly to President and CEO Bob Barry, Weisel brings over three decades of experience in the garment care industry. Prior to joining ZIPS, he served as Head of Cleaning Capability and Franchise Development Director at Tide Cleaners. He also held leadership positions at Rent the Runway and ran his own successful dry cleaning businesses for over 30 years.

At ZIPS, Weisel’s focus will be on cultivating strong relationships with franchisees while implementing system-wide improvements to drive overall growth, increase revenue and profitability, and achieve operational excellence.

“We are incredibly fortunate to welcome someone of Mike’s caliber to our team,” said Barry. “His leadership style emphasizes securing the right talent, prioritizing the needs of the team, and fostering continuous growth and development. Mike’s expertise will be invaluable in strengthening our franchisee relationships and ensuring we remain well-positioned to achieve our strategic objectives.”

Elevating Franchise Marketing Efforts

Kristina VanDruten joins ZIPS as the Franchise Marketing Manager, reporting to Chief Marketing & Customer Experience Officer Mary Ann Donaghy. VanDruten brings a wealth of experience in franchise marketing, having spent over two years at Tide Cleaners as their Franchise Marketing Manager. She also held marketing positions at Donato’s Pizza, Panera Bread, Dick’s Last Resort, and Delta Private Jets.

VanDruten’s role at ZIPS will be to empower franchisees by providing them with effective marketing solutions to achieve their individual sales goals.

“Implementing robust marketing programs tailored to local communities is essential for driving store sales and ultimately ensuring the success of our franchisees,” said Donaghy. “Kristina’s combined experience in dry cleaning and franchise marketing makes her a perfect fit for our team. We are confident she will provide our franchisees with exceptional support and guidance.”

Enhancing Technology and Security

Kathleen Razmus’ role within ZIPS is evolving to accommodate the company’s expanding technology needs. Previously serving as Director of Operations and Technology, Razmus will now solely focus on her expertise in technology and IT security, assuming the new title of Director of Technology and IT Security.

Razmus, like Weisel, previously owned and operated her own independent dry cleaning business for 30 years before joining ZIPS seven years ago. Throughout her tenure at ZIPS, she spearheaded the development and implementation of some of the company’s most innovative operational improvements.

In her new role, Razmus will be responsible for ensuring ZIPS leverages, maintains, and protects its IT systems effectively, particularly in light of ongoing technological advancements and the growing threat of cyberattacks. This encompasses overseeing software development, data management, business intelligence analytics, IT infrastructure, security, and support. She will also work closely with vendors to source cost-effective technological solutions, manage a team responsible for setting up the ZIPS POS network in new stores, and guarantee seamless technology operation across all locations.

“As ZIPS continues to grow, Kathleen’s expertise in maintaining and optimizing our IT systems will be crucial,” said Barry. “Her ability to identify opportunities for improvement and safeguard our company against potential vulnerabilities is invaluable. We are thrilled to have Kathleen take on this important role as we move our business forward.”

ZIPS Seeks Franchise Partners

ZIPS is actively seeking ambitious and business-minded individuals interested in capitalizing on the $10.5 billion garment care industry through franchising. Opportunities exist for:

Independent and competitive dry cleaners seeking to align with a well-established brand with over 100 years of combined garment care expertise.
Existing single-unit or multi-unit dry cleaning business owners considering selling their businesses.

For more information about available franchise opportunities, visit https://321zips.com/own-a-zips/ .