Lightbridge Academy promotes president to parent company CEO

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Lightbridge Academy President Gigi Schweikert has been promoted to chief executive officer of parent company Lightbridge Holdings Group after five years with the company.

Since joining Lightbridge Franchise Co. in Iselin in 2015, Schweikert served as chief operating officer before taking the reins as president. Founder Guy Falzarano will continue to serve as chairman for the combined company, providing strategic oversight alongside the board of directors.

“Since joining the company in 2015, Gigi has proven herself to be an inspirational leader and effective integrator,” Falzarano said. “I have complete confidence in her ability to lead this company through our next phase of development.”

The 60-unit early education and child care franchise also brought on John Hamilton as vice president of franchise operations and Bada Hong as vice president of customer experience, and added Susan Wolford as a new board member.

Before joining Lightbridge, Hong worked for Fortune 100 companies including Allstate Insurance and Prudential, and she was a customer experience consultant for businesses across various industries implementing effective customer experience management programs.

Hamilton has worked for nearly 15 years as a franchise business consultant for major restaurant chains including Cinnabon and Rita’s Italian Ice. Wolford joins the Lightbridge Academy board of directors after spending more than half of her 40-year banking career advising brands in the education sector.

“The addition of someone with the stature of Susan Wolford on our board strengthens Lightbridge Academy’s position as a leader in early childhood education and child care,” Schweikert said in a prepared statement. “We are proud to have her insights and wisdom both as a respected business leader and also as someone who brings the perspective of a mom to the table.”

The franchise aims to grow from 60 to 150 units in the next five years, according to the Oct. 7 announcement.