John Rotche, CFE, is the Founder and CEO of Franworth. After graduating from the University of Michigan in 1990, John Rotche began his career in franchising at the Ann Arbor-based pizza giant, Domino’s®. Rotche started at the store level where he began delivering pizzas and quickly advanced into a management role. Rotche directed the operations for hundreds of Domino’s Pizza stores in a multi-state region and was then promoted to a corporate area field trainer position. Rotche went on to be recognized as Domino’s Pizza’s Worldwide Trainer of the Year. After Domino’s Pizza sold to Bain Capital, Rotche accepted a senior level position with Krispy Kreme Doughnuts® and helped lead the brand’s expansion throughout the Midwest. While at Krispy Kreme, Rotche purchased a small, one-van air duct cleaning business as a passive investment from a family member. Soon after purchasing, Rotche saw the impact this small business could have on improving the indoor air quality for children suffering from asthma, as demonstrated by his own two-year-old son. Rotche decided to resign from corporate America with the plan to take this small company (DUCTZ) national. Within three years, Rotche grew DUCTZ to be the nation’s largest air duct cleaning business with 150 offices before selling the business to Belfor Property Restoration. Two years after selling DUCTZ, Rotche’s entrepreneurial spirit struck again and he recognized another opportunity within the fragmented space of restaurant kitchen exhaust cleaning, so he created his next company, HOODZ. HOODZ quickly became the nation’s largest within its category, growing to over 100 locations in less than two years, prior to Rotche selling it. In April 2012, Rotche accepted the position as both President and Partner of TITLE Boxing Club International. TITLE Boxing Club has been recognized as one of the fastest-growing group fitness companies in America with clubs under development nationwide and in Mexico. John still serves on the Board of Directors for TITLE Boxing Club International after selling the company to Box Union in 2020. In 2015 Rotche created and launched Franworth, a franchise-focused growth equity firm, which currently supports a roster of 12 build and portfolio emerging and mature franchise brands. He assembled a team of franchise industry experts with more than 450 years of functional and industry experience to help brands accelerate value for franchisors and independently owned and operated franchise owners.
Rotche was recognized in 2007 by Crain’s Detroit Business as one of the Top 40 Executives under the age of 40. In 2011, Rotche was honored with the Entrepreneur of the Year award from the International Franchise Association (IFA), joining the ranks of Fred DeLuca (Subway®), J. Willard Marriott (Marriott® hotels), Tom Monaghan (Domino’s Pizza®), and Frank Carney (Pizza Hut®) to name a few. Additionally in 2011 Rotche was honored with the Entrepreneurship award from his Alma Mater the University of Michigan. Rotche was also the recipient of the 2015 Outstanding Business Leader Award from Northwood University, and recognized with 2015 The Career Achievement Award from the University of Michigan.
As a franchise executive, Rotche has been featured on Fox News and Bloomberg and as a Board of Directors member of the International Franchise Association, he is frequently invited to speak within the franchise industry. Rotche is credited for creating and running FranShip, the mentoring program for the IFA that provides franchisees and franchisors the opportunity to share best practices plus strategic positioning and advice from some of the franchise industry’s premier leaders.
Watch John speak after he receives the 2019 EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award.
