Meet the Fresh Coat Leadership Team: The Pros Behind the Painting Franchise

With a combined century-plus of business experience, much of it in franchising, the team supports the system with powerful resources from the time an owner signs through the lifetime of the business.

Fresh Coat Painters, the nearly 200-unit painting franchise with a strong national presence, supports its franchisees in growing steady, healthy businesses. A key part of this support is the passion and expertise that exists at the leadership level. In addition to making informed decisions regarding strategy and growth, the leadership team leverages its experience and passion to inspire franchisees at the local level, supporting a happy, healthy system.

For prospective franchise owners, knowing exactly who will be standing behind you is key to making an informed investment decision. Here are the key leaders at the heart of the Fresh Coat system:

Lisa Hudson — President

Lisa Hudson has served as President of Fresh Coat since March 2024, following her role as Executive Vice President beginning in October 2023. She brings more than 30 years of experience in organizational leadership and franchising to the brand. Her career began at Macy’s, where she spent 26 years in various leadership and management positions during a time of significant growth and transformation.

After Macy’s, Hudson became a Growth Coach franchise owner, building a strong client base of small and mid-sized businesses with a focus on leadership development and business profitability. She went on to serve as President of The Growth Coach franchise and a member of its Board of Directors from 2019 to 2021. She later led Lysse New York as President from August 2021 through November 2023.

Now as President of Fresh Coat, Hudson guides the brand’s overall strategy and operations. Drawing from her diverse experience as both a franchisee and franchisor, she brings a well-rounded perspective focused on growth, financial strength, and marketing.

Jeff Deraway — Vice President of Operations, Training and Technology

Jeff Deraway has worked in the franchising space for more than 30 years, occupying both the franchisor and franchisee sides of the business. Having specialized in new store openings, growth, operations and general training with brands like Burger King, Mrs. Fields and Sport Clips, Deraway has developed a passion for training and onboarding new owners and ensuring they’re equipped with the knowledge and tools they’ll need to succeed in building businesses that will help them reach their goals.

Since joining Fresh Coat in 2021, Deraway has served as a franchise consultant, director of training and vice president of franchise onboarding.

Greg Platz — Senior Vice President of National Accounts and Commercial Division

With over two decades of experience in franchising, Greg Platz has served in leadership roles in multiple home service franchise systems. Since joining Fresh Coat in 2008, Platz has been instrumental in developing the brand’s business coaching team and now leads the National Accounts and Commercial Division. Through these initiatives, Platz supports franchisees in further growing their businesses and gaining valuable experience with commercial painting projects.

Katie Schoessel — Vice President of Marketing

Katie Schoessel brings over 20 years of experience in brand management with major companies like Kraft Foods and Scotts Miracle-Gro. At Scotts Miracle-Gro, she led marketing for the multi-branch service division, Scotts LawnService, and was responsible for lead generation, customer acquisition and retention, and all consumer communication efforts — experiences that will be invaluable to supporting Fresh Coat franchisees in boosting their marketing efforts and business growth.

Chris Lucas — Vice President of Sales

Chris Lucas joined the Fresh Coat team after serving as a general manager for multiple Skyline Chili units and later functioning as a key player in the rapid growth of Penn Station East Coast Subs — including the sale of 115 units in just three years. During this time, he focused on bringing a process-driven approach to each hurdle he encountered, working to find real solutions and make a lasting impact on the brand and its system.

Now, at Fresh Coat, Lucas will do the same. As he works to continue expanding the Fresh Coat system, his commitment to strong processes and quality results will shine as he brings more passionate, driven franchisees into the system, ultimately benefitting everyone involved.

The strength of the Fresh Coat franchise system is a reflection of the franchisees throughout it, their dedicated teams and the insightful, dedicated leaders at the helm. With seasoned veterans leading every aspect of the business, from franchise development to training and marketing, franchisees are well-supported every step of the way.

To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/freshcoat/info

Meet the Fresh Coat Leadership Team: The Pros Behind the Painting Franchise

With a combined century-plus of business experience, much of it in franchising, the team supports the system with powerful resources from the time an owner signs through the lifetime of the business.

Fresh Coat Painters, the nearly 200-unit painting franchise with a strong national presence, supports its franchisees in growing steady, healthy businesses. A key part of this support is the passion and expertise that exists at the leadership level. In addition to making informed decisions regarding strategy and growth, the leadership team leverages its experience and passion to inspire franchisees at the local level, supporting a happy, healthy system.

For prospective franchise owners, knowing exactly who will be standing behind you is key to making an informed investment decision. Here are the key leaders at the heart of the Fresh Coat system:

Lisa Hudson — President

Lisa Hudson has served as President of Fresh Coat since March 2024, following her role as Executive Vice President beginning in October 2023. She brings more than 30 years of experience in organizational leadership and franchising to the brand. Her career began at Macy’s, where she spent 26 years in various leadership and management positions during a time of significant growth and transformation.

After Macy’s, Hudson became a Growth Coach franchise owner, building a strong client base of small and mid-sized businesses with a focus on leadership development and business profitability. She went on to serve as President of The Growth Coach franchise and a member of its Board of Directors from 2019 to 2021. She later led Lysse New York as President from August 2021 through November 2023.

Now as President of Fresh Coat, Hudson guides the brand’s overall strategy and operations. Drawing from her diverse experience as both a franchisee and franchisor, she brings a well-rounded perspective focused on growth, financial strength, and marketing.

Jeff Deraway — Vice President of Operations, Training and Technology

Jeff Deraway has worked in the franchising space for more than 30 years, occupying both the franchisor and franchisee sides of the business. Having specialized in new store openings, growth, operations and general training with brands like Burger King, Mrs. Fields and Sport Clips, Deraway has developed a passion for training and onboarding new owners and ensuring they’re equipped with the knowledge and tools they’ll need to succeed in building businesses that will help them reach their goals.

Since joining Fresh Coat in 2021, Deraway has served as a franchise consultant, director of training and vice president of franchise onboarding.

Greg Platz — Senior Vice President of National Accounts and Commercial Division

With over two decades of experience in franchising, Greg Platz has served in leadership roles in multiple home service franchise systems. Since joining Fresh Coat in 2008, Platz has been instrumental in developing the brand’s business coaching team and now leads the National Accounts and Commercial Division. Through these initiatives, Platz supports franchisees in further growing their businesses and gaining valuable experience with commercial painting projects.

Katie Schoessel — Vice President of Marketing

Katie Schoessel brings over 20 years of experience in brand management with major companies like Kraft Foods and Scotts Miracle-Gro. At Scotts Miracle-Gro, she led marketing for the multi-branch service division, Scotts LawnService, and was responsible for lead generation, customer acquisition and retention, and all consumer communication efforts — experiences that will be invaluable to supporting Fresh Coat franchisees in boosting their marketing efforts and business growth.

Chris Lucas — Vice President of Sales

Chris Lucas joined the Fresh Coat team after serving as a general manager for multiple Skyline Chili units and later functioning as a key player in the rapid growth of Penn Station East Coast Subs — including the sale of 115 units in just three years. During this time, he focused on bringing a process-driven approach to each hurdle he encountered, working to find real solutions and make a lasting impact on the brand and its system.

Now, at Fresh Coat, Lucas will do the same. As he works to continue expanding the Fresh Coat system, his commitment to strong processes and quality results will shine as he brings more passionate, driven franchisees into the system, ultimately benefitting everyone involved.

The strength of the Fresh Coat franchise system is a reflection of the franchisees throughout it, their dedicated teams and the insightful, dedicated leaders at the helm. With seasoned veterans leading every aspect of the business, from franchise development to training and marketing, franchisees are well-supported every step of the way.

To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/freshcoat/info

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Morgan Wood

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Morgan Wood

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