Team
Fred Kriss, Founder and Thought Leader
Fred Kriss is the chief architect of The FranchiseRight System — the proprietary methodology he developed for creating best-in-class franchise systems. In addition, he is the lead investor in start-up franchises participating in the FranchiseRight Partnership Program. With more than 30 years of business and marketing experience, he has developed investment-grade business plans and comprehensive franchise programs in more than 25 market verticals, successfully launched more than 50 start-up companies and served as Chief Operating Officer of several of the start-up franchise companies he developed. A member of the country’s most active angel investor networks, including the Keiretsu Forum (www.keiretsuforum.com), Fred travels extensively to identify potential franchise concepts as well as like-minded angels who will co-invest in FranchiseRight-managed projects. He also pursues a busy schedule as a keynote speaker and franchise seminar leader and is currently writing the definitive book on the subject, “Franchising Your Business, The New Wealth Strategy.”
Fred formerly served as the Chief Operating Officer of Explorations Franchise Group, Inc. of Boca Raton, Florida; a start-up franchise concept he developed and operated that sold 12 franchises and was acquired by a public company within 14 months of inception. He was a member of the Board of Directors of the Gold Coast Venture Capital Association and The Technology, Enterprise, and Development Center (Florida’s leading business incubator) and a past-president of The Treasure Coast Venture Capital Forum (currently Angel Investors Association of Florida). Fred holds a patent in the construction industry and is a Florida licensed general contractor. A multiple academic scholarship winner, Fred received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Temple University’s School of Communications.
Gordon Hasse, Executive Creative Director
Gordon Hasse is FranchiseRight’s Executive Creative Director. As such, he is responsible for researching and analyzing the vertical markets in which our clients compete, suggesting optimum positioning for their start-up franchises and guiding their advertising and marketing programs.
Gordon brings to his position at FranchiseRight more than 30 years of advertising and marketing experience in major New York City advertising agencies including J. Walter Thompson, Foote Cone & Belding and N.W. Ayer. His broad ranging experience includes multi-media advertising and marketing, writing for TV, print, and direct response advertising; marketing campaigns; PR and crisis management; business proposals and plans; corporate speeches and presentations; and magazine and newsletter development.
During his career, he has provided both account management and creative services to a long list of blue chip, Fortune 100 clients including AT&T, Citigroup, J.P. Morgan Chase, Kraft, Proctor & Gamble and Time Warner.
At various times Gordon has worked successfully as an Account Executive, Copywriter, Creative Director and Director of Strategy & Planning. During his tenure at Foote Cone & Belding, he and his partner were the Global Creative Directors on the Colgate-Palmolive account.
The American Institute of Commercial Production, Cannes Film Festival, International Broadcasting Awards, International Film & TV Festival and the One Show have all recognized his work. He has also won ADDYS, EFFIES and been selected Eastern TV Writer of the Year by Adweek Magazine. One of his AT&T commercials is in the permanent collection of New York’s Museum of Modern Art.
A published writer, award-winning Creative Director, specialty publisher and frequent speaker, Gordon is a Duke University graduate in English literature and a Wharton Marketing MBA.
Keith Kanouse, Jr., Director of Business Development
Keith serves as the Director of Business Development for FranchiseRight. In this capacity, he is responsible for the development and management of new business accounts for the company. He also works closely with the FranchiseRight Marketing Department to provide entrepreneurs with the latest information on how FranchiseRight can assist them. Keith has nearly a decade of experience in Business Systems Consulting with Fortune 500 organizations and in Business Development within the Technology Staffing organization. His background in both technology and sales ideally suit him to engage potential 21st century clients. Keith holds a Bachelor of Science in Decision and Informational Science from the University of Florida and is currently pursuing a Juris Doctor degree, specializing in franchise law, at Barry University. Keith recently assisted Barry University Law Professor Marvin Rooks in completing the first law school textbook for Franchise Law.
Patrick Donnally, Director of Organizational Excellence
Patrick holds both Bachelor and Master of Science Degrees in Industrial Engineering from West Virginia University and an MBA from Rollins College where he graduated #1 in his class.
Ron Randolph, Educational Sales Director
Ron Randolph is the Educational Sales Director of FranchiseRight. As Airborne, Ranger, and Special Forces qualified, Randolph served as a Military Intelligence officer in the United States Army for 20 years. Following his military career, he spent 15 years as an Information Technology consultant and several years as a Realtor. Mr. Randolph, who holds a Masters Degree in System Engineering, has developed Programs of Instruction and taught for both the Defense Intelligence College and the University of Southern California. He has extensive experience as a corporate consultant having worked closely with Computer Sciences Corporation, Information Support Systems, Inc., Cubic Applications Corporation, as well as other technology firms. He has also done business reengineering projects for international strategy and technology consultants Booz Allen Hamilton. In 2009, Randolph began working with Franchise Right and is currently focused on recruiting and educating potential franchisors and franchisees.
Corey Kriss, Quality Systems Specialist
As coordinator of the FranchiseRight Certification Program, Corey Kriss is responsible for the deliverables related to Franchise Prototype Analysis and Operational Franchisor Assessments leading to qualification for certification.
Prior to joining FranchiseRight, Corey held management positions with Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne (or its sub-contractors) from July 2005 until January 2009. As Continuous Improvement, Lean Six-Sigma Facilitator and A.C.E. Consultant (Achieving Competitive Excellence), Corey advised or led various manufacturing and business process improvement projects. He had the opportunity to work on various business and manufacturing continuous improvement projects, under master six-sigma blackbelts, while he advanced his own six-sigma degree. As an Earned-Value (EVMS) Program Analyst for Space Constellation Programs (J-2X, CECE), he was responsible for Program planning, budget/estimate at completion control, cost accumulation, and cost/schedule variance analysis.
Corey was recruited by Pratt & Whitney while working as a Senior Engineer/ Technical Writer of Advanced Systems Manuals for the U.S. Military Fighter Aircraft and the Delta Airlines project for lead contractor Belcan Corp where he was responsible for on-site validation and verification of technical manuals and procedures. Corey started working in the Aerospace industry as an EVMS on the Space Shuttle Main Engine Program (SSME) where he successfully managed the planning and control activities.
Corey received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration – Economics in December 2003 and his Masters of Business Administration in May 2005 from the University of Central Florida. He received his second Masters degree from The National Graduate School of Quality Management. Graduating in April 2009, he holds a Masters of Science in Quality Management – Lean Manufacturing and has been certified as a Six Sigma Blackbelt.
Corey volunteers his time as the Chief Financial Officer of Christ the King, Lutheran Church. He also maintains an active workout schedule as a member of the Master’s Crew Team in the North Palm Beach Rowing Club. At the University of Central Florida, Corey was a member of the Crew Team (1999-2003) and the Inaugural Vice-President of the Society for Marketing of Professional Services (2001-03).
Anthony Phelps, Director of Sales
Anthony (Tony) Phelps, FranchiseRight’s Director of Sales, is the CEO and Producer at Allied DVD Productions, a company he founded in 1993 to provide a complete line of digital productions to both the consumer and commercial markets.
Tony has enjoyed a long history of accomplishment beginning with his rise from Private to Captain and Infantry Company Commander in Vietnam where he was awarded the Bronze Star, Combat Infantry Badge and Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Bronze Star. His subsequent career in sales and marketing management spans several decades and includes senior level responsibilities in a variety of market categories.
As General Sales Manager for one of the nation’s mega-auto dealerships Tony was responsible for planning, ordering, delivery, inventory control and maintenance as well as the hiring, training and supervision of all sales personnel. During a declining automotive market, he maintained high levels of sales in five separate dealerships,
Prior to that, Tony served as Executive Vice President of Hollywood Travel, a vacation package marketing company where he hired, trained and supervised a staff of more than 50 telemarketers and administrative personnel. Other management positions held include President of a management consulting firm specializing in security and communications applications; Vice President of Commercial Development for National Television; Partner in Tri-County Pool Corporation, a Long Island pool builder, and General Manager of Farmingdale Garden Labs, handling mass merchandisers and other key accounts.
Tony is a graduate of Berkeley Claremont University of Long Island and numerous sales, management and motivational courses. He also has held a Top Secret Crypto Security Clearance during his former military service.