Moran Family of Brands Names 2026 Franchisees of the Year, Winners to be Honored at IFA Advocacy Summit in Washington, D.C.

"Randy and Chris represent everything we look for in a Moran Family of Brands franchisee: operational excellence, a genuine commitment to mentoring others, and a willingness to put the success of the entire system ahead of their own," said Barbara Moran-Goodrich, CEO of Moran Family of Brands. "Their leadership has helped shape our brands for the better, and we're proud to celebrate them at this year's Advocacy Summit alongside franchise owners from across the country."

Randy Whitworth, a multi-unit owner of Mr. Transmission in Birmingham and Pelham, Ala, has been part of the Mr. Transmission family for more than 40 years, with a top rating from customers. He is a 15-time winner of the Award of Excellence, including 2025, and was previously named Moran's Franchisee of the Year in 2010.

Whitworth's path to ownership began on the shop floor, where he worked as a technician. He then advanced to the positions of builder and manager before ultimately becoming a franchise owner in 2007. That hands-on experience still defines how he runs his business today. Whitworth is known for arriving early and staying late, leading by example with a strong work ethic and full daily involvement in shop operations.

Since 2024, Whitworth has served on the Franchise Advisory Board, where he plays a crucial role in supporting the growth of the broader franchise system. He has also personally mentored five fellow franchisees in recent years, regularly inviting them to his own locations to share best practices and operational knowledge.

Whitworth's commitment to Moran extends to his family, several of whom work alongside him. His daughter, Kimberly Countryman, joined the system as a franchisee in 2019. His son Randall serves as center manager, while his daughter-in-law Hunter manages administration and back-office operations. Additionally, his brother Ricky and his nephew both work in the shop as a builder and technician.

Chris Laverdure, owner of Turbo Tint in Cary, N.C., joined the Moran system in June 2023 and has won the Award of Excellence every year he has been eligible. His location maintains a top rating.

After a sales career at Amazon, Laverdure decided to pursue his passion of cars by opening a Turbo Tint in his own community. He was among the first franchisees in the system to fully embrace social media as a tool to educate and engage customers, helping shape how Turbo Tint locations approach digital marketing today.

Laverdure has built a workplace culture strong enough to retain and promote from within. For example, a senior installer hired in June 2023 has since been promoted into a sales manager now running the location's day-to-day operations. Despite maintaining a full-time job outside of Turbo Tint, Laverdure continues making time to mentor newer franchisees and stay closely engaged with the corporate office.

Beyond his own shop, Laverdure has participated in beta testing and Schedule A product evaluations to bring new vendor partnerships to Moran, including Geoshield, which has helped save the system up to 20% in costs.

"Bringing our Franchisees of the Year to Washington, D.C. felt especially fitting this year," Moran-Goodrich added. "Randy and Chris are exactly the kind of franchise owners who should be sharing their stories with lawmakers. They built real businesses, created jobs and played a role in helping their communities. Their experiences and impact are some of the best examples for why the franchise model works."

Whitworth and Laverdure will join fellow franchise owners, franchisors and suppliers at the IFA Advocacy Summit, an event historically held each March but moved to September this year as the IFA sharpens its focus on advocating for the franchise industry on Capitol Hill. Attendees will meet with lawmakers to build support for the American Franchise Act, federal legislation aimed at establishing clear joint employer standards and protecting the independence of franchise owners.