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For franchisors, operating a successful business requires more than maintaining the status quo; to thrive and grow, you must look for ways to continually improve. This requires taking a close look at your current processes, evaluating if and how they drive your business goals, and identifying areas for improvement. Altogether, this is known as process transformation.
Today we announced our partnership with Lumin.ai to integrate conversational artificial intelligence (AI) into the FranConnect platform. Whether this makes perfect sense to you, or you’re not even sure what AI means, let’s take a few minutes to talk about what it is, why we are doing this, show you a preview of how it works, and explain why it’s different than other AI solutions in the franchising world.
Many franchises look dramatically different today than six months ago. Gyms and retail stores are operating with limited hours or reduced capacity. Restaurants have likely altered their business models around reduced occupancy, takeout, curbside pickup and delivery. Due to these shifts and their financial and legal impacts on your business, it’s critical that you update your franchise disclosure document (FDD) to accurately reflect these changes, even if you believe changes won’t be permanent.
Herndon, VA, August 19, 2020 – FranConnect, the leading provider of franchise management software, today announced the appointment of Andrew Volkmann as its Chief Financial Officer. A seasoned corporate finance executive, Volkmann brings more than 25 years of experience in emerging and mature companies in the software, robotics, and web retailing sectors, including with brands such as Hitachi, Tellme Networks, Inc., Netscape, and MinuteKEY.
So, What Can You Do Now?
COVID-19 has disrupted franchising like no other event in modern history. Nearly every size company in every sector is dealing with new operational issues spanning safety, compliance, customer acquisition and other drivers of performance. But with so much attention focused on day-to-day changes and survival, many businesses aren’t able to address serious operational pre-existing conditions. It’s necessary to examine the state of Franchise Operations 6 months ago to pinpoint cracks in the foundation, many of which must be addressed to help survive the recovery period.
Gabby Wong is a seasoned operator with nearly 30 years of experience in positioning private equity-backed software and SaaS businesses for high-growth. She has deep experience in all aspects of growing technology businesses, including M&A, corporate strategy, product innovation, customer success, marketing and sales. Gabby has held successive leadership roles within FranConnect, joining first in 2016 as EVP of Operations and took the helm as CEO in 2018. Over the last six years, under her leadership, FranConnect’s revenue has grown by 5X and continues to lead the market in providing best-in-class sales, operations, and marketing solutions for franchise and multi-location businesses. After completing three acquisitions in four years, FranConnect has over 300 employees globally across US, Canada, India, and Australia, and serves over 1500 brands and 1 million locations worldwide. Gabby has been named an EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award Mid-Atlantic Finalist in 2022 and 2023. Prior to FranConnect, Gabby held executive leadership positions with worldwide operating roles at Primavera Systems (now Oracle), Trusted Computer Solutions (now EverFox/ForcePoint), Vovici (now Verint Systems), and Clarabridge (now Qualtrics).
As Chief Financial Officer, Andy works closely with the Chief Executive Officer, the executive leadership team, and the Board in developing and executing the Company’s organic and inorganic growth strategy. In 2023, he was named Emerging Growth CFO of the Year by Northern Virginia Tech Council. This prestigious award recognizes top finance leaders for their extraordinary achievements and excellence in advancing the economic development of the region’s technology community. Volkmann brings more than 25 years of experience in emerging and mature companies in the software, robotics, and web retailing sectors, including with brands such as Hitachi, Tellme Networks, Inc., Netscape, and MinuteKEY.
Ian WalshAs COO, Ian Walsh is responsible for Strategy and Commercialization, Professional Services, Customer Success and Partners at FranConnect. Ian is an accomplished B2B executive with a track record of driving results at companies including CEB/Gartner, Software AG, SAP, MicroStrategy and CARTO.
Asadorian oversees FranConnect’s global go-to-market and revenue organization, including new customer acquisition, customer expansion, new market development, pre-sales consulting, and revenue operations, bolstering FranConnect's continued year-over-year growth. He previously held leadership roles at SevenRooms, Peloton and Hillstone Restaurant Group.
As CTO, Andrew is responsible for Product Architecture, Development and Deployment at FranConnect. Andrew has 30+ years’ experience leading global teams delivering highly scalable SaaS solutions for Telecoms, Media and Payments businesses. Prior to joining FranConnect, Andrew was CTO at Arterra Mobility; he has also held leadership positions at Synchronoss and Neustar.
As Chief AI Officer, Jaffrey Ali leads FranConnect’s efforts to harness artificial intelligence in transforming franchise operations. He is responsible for driving innovation through intelligent automation, predictive analytics, and data-driven insights that empower brands to make smarter decisions and achieve measurable business outcomes. With a deep understanding of product strategy and customer needs, he will guide the development of AI capabilities that enhance operational efficiency and unlock new growth opportunities for franchise and multi-location businesses.
As SVP of Marketing, Lorena Garcia is responsible for the entire end-to-end marketing function at FranConnect, including driving growth through innovative and scalable practices in account-based marketing, lead generation, market analysis, customer segmentation, digital marketing, and brand stewardship. Previously, Lorena led go-to-market teams and demand generation at technology companies including Level Access, Hobsons, Vonage and iCore Networks.
As the General Manager of Australia/New Zealand (ANZ), Paul is responsible for all go-to-market activities for FranConnect in ANZ, including strategy, sales, customer success and the continued growth of all FranConnect product lines in ANZ. He has held senior leadership roles at Nexon, IBM, Samsung, and NTT Ltd, with extensive experience leading sales, product, and marketing teams. t, and marketing teams. As the General Manager of Australia/New Zealand (ANZ), Paul is responsible for all go-to-market activities for FranConnect in ANZ, including strategy, sales, customer success and the continued growth of all FranConnect product lines in ANZ.
Stephanie oversees the global people operations across multiple countries including the US, Canada, India, Australia, and Colombia. Over the last five years, Stephanie has led the notable journey of building a solid foundation that supports our hardworking employees. She has successfully built programs that improve employee engagement and efficiency to ensure that FranConnect is a company of choice for top talent. Prior to joining FranConnect, Stephanie started and spent most of her HR career working for a leading tax publisher.
As Chief of Staff, Trevor leads the detailed planning, cross-functional coordination, and management of key strategic initiatives. Previously, he was the Sr. Director of Finance and Chief of Staff at NetDocuments, where he led strategic planning, M&A activities, and FP&A. Prior to that, Trevor held various finance positions at Owlet Baby Care, Ivanti Software, and IndustryPro M&A Advisors.
As President of RizePoint, Kari is responsible for the overall strategy, vision and execution of the company. Kari works to ensure RizePoint is a dedicated partner in helping customers drive continuous improvement to product quality and client experiences. Tapping into over 25 years of software product and Customer leadership positions at Workfront, Optimum Energy, and Microsoft.
Lisa leads FranConnect’s global professional services, technology services, training, customer success and customer support teams. She also oversee all facets of the customer experience strategy, focusing on enhancing the value delivered to customers and supporting innovation and growth. She boasts over 15 years of experience in building customer experience organizations at leading tech companies including Accenture, Prove and ID.me.
Vikram Raj has over 15 years of experience in franchise and multi-location management software. As the Senior Vice President of Products & Sales Engineering at FranConnect, he drives the product roadmap by combining industry insight with customer feedback to foster continuous innovation. His responsibilities include leading cross-functional teams to align product priorities with market trends, guiding clients in evaluating technical solutions, and demonstrating the measurable value FranConnect’s platform provides. During his tenure at FranConnect, Vikram has led the release of new products and offerings that increased user adoption and contributed to double-digit annual revenue growth. He emphasizes data-driven decision-making, transparent collaboration, and a strong focus on measurable results—approaches that have strengthened FranConnect’s market position and delivered sustained value to its growing global customer base.
As Chief Customer Officer, Adam leads FranConnect’s customer success, professional services, and support teams, driving strategic initiatives that maximize customer value and long-term growth. With over 30 years of experience in B2B SaaS, Adam brings a cross-functional leadership approach shaped by roles across Customer, Product, Operations, and Sales.
Adam has held key executive positions at high-growth technology companies including CallMiner and most recently Cresta, where he helped scale customer experience and AI-driven solutions for enterprise clients. His leadership is grounded in a deep commitment to customer outcomes, with Net Retention as his guiding metric. Adam is passionate about building customer-first cultures and delivering innovative solutions that unlock measurable impact.
As CFO & COO, Charlie Zhang plays a pivotal role in aligning FranConnect’s financial strategy with its operational execution. He is responsible for driving fiscal discipline while enabling scalable growth and innovation across the organization. Charlie’s dual leadership ensures that the company remains agile and resilient as it expands its footprint in the franchise and multi-location technology space.
Charlie brings a wealth of experience in financial strategy, corporate development, and operational leadership, with a background spanning investment banking, private equity, and technology. Prior to joining FranConnect, he served as CFO of ION Analytics, where he led global financial operations for a data and software company serving capital markets.
As Chief Product Officer, Mark Calvillo is responsible for shaping FranConnect’s product vision and translating it into a strategic roadmap that delivers measurable impact for customers. His leadership will focus on evolving the platform in alignment with market needs, driving innovation, and ensuring product excellence across the board.
Mark brings over two decades of experience in product leadership, most recently at Restaurant365. Known for his customer-first mindset and ability to turn insights into scalable solutions, Mark will guide FranConnect’s product strategy to support growth and deepen value for franchise and multi-location businesses.
Bart Van Dessel leads FranConnect’s efforts to forge strategic partnerships, drive customer acquisition, and expand enterprise-level engagement. He is responsible for building and scaling high-performing sales programs that deepen customer relationships and maximize the value of FranConnect’s franchise management platform.
Bart brings over a decade of experience in enterprise and B2B sales within the software and services industries. Since joining FranConnect, he has driven growth across key verticals by aligning consultative selling with solutions tailored to franchise and multi-location businesses.
As Chief Revenue Officer, Ayron McLochlin leads FranConnect’s global go‑to‑market and revenue organization. He is responsible for driving new customer acquisition, accelerating customer expansion, developing new markets, and overseeing pre‑sales consulting and revenue operations to support FranConnect’s continued year‑over‑year growth.
With more than 15 years of leadership experience in enterprise software, SaaS, and technology‑enabled services—and over a decade working with Private Equity–backed companies across Vista Equity Partners, K1, and MidOcean Partners—Ayron brings a proven track record of scaling organizations ranging from $10M to $600M in revenue. Known for his ability to transform commercial teams, he specializes in building high‑performing sales, marketing, customer success, and RevOps functions that create predictable and repeatable growth
As Chief of Staff, Ali Muskett serves as a strategic partner to the CEO and CFO/COO, supporting critical cross-functional initiatives that advance FranConnect's key organizational priorities. She coordinates high-impact projects spanning multiple departments, ensures organizational alignment, and translates strategic vision into executable plans while maintaining accountability across initiatives.
Ali brings over five years of experience in the franchising space, having worked directly with hundreds of franchisors throughout her career. Her background includes leading high-performing sales teams and executing strategic initiatives that drive measurable results. Known for her ability to align cross-functional teams and support execution, Ali combines franchise industry expertise with strong leadership skills to help accelerate FranConnect's growth and operational excellence.
As Chief of Staff, Ali Muskett serves as a strategic partner to the CEO and CFO/COO, supporting critical cross-functional initiatives that advance FranConnect's key organizational priorities. She coordinates high-impact projects spanning multiple departments, ensures organizational alignment, and translates strategic vision into executable plans while maintaining accountability across initiatives.
Ali brings over five years of experience in the franchising space, having worked directly with hundreds of franchisors throughout her career. Her background includes leading high-performing sales teams and executing strategic initiatives that drive measurable results. Known for her ability to align cross-functional teams and support execution, Ali combines franchise industry expertise with strong leadership skills to help accelerate FranConnect's growth and operational excellence.
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