Catherine became CEO of FASTSIGNS International, Inc. in 2009, bringing over 30 years of franchising and management experience that she now leverages for Propelled Brands.
In 2009, she received the International Franchise Association (IFA) Bonny LeVine Award in recognition of her contributions to the growth of the franchising industry, and in 2010, the Dallas Business Journal named her a top Women Industry Leader in the Dallas Metroplex. In 2012, Catherine appeared on the Emmy Award-winning series Undercover Boss to learn new ways to advance the FASTSIGNS® brand. In 2015, she received the International Franchise Association’s first Franchise Action Network “FAN of the Year” award for her advocacy work in the franchising community. In 2016, she was selected as a Soderstrom Society Inductee for her contributions to the printing and graphic communications industry and was also honored with the 2016 Leadership Award from the Women That Soar organization. In 2018, she was honored by the Sales and Marketing Executives International (SMEI) with their Ambassador of Free Enterprise Award.
Catherine has served on the Board of Directors of the IFA since 2008 and served as chair in 2020 and 2021, the only person to serve two terms as IFA chair. In 2024, she was inducted into the IFA Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame Award is the oldest and most prestigious recognition conferred by the IFA, recognizing a franchisor or franchisee who has contributed significantly to the advancement of the franchise business model and to the benefit of the IFA mission. Additionally, she serves on the Board of Directors of Brain Balance, a franchise company with a non-drug alternative for children with behavioral challenges, and she serves on the Board of Directors of the franchisor Big Blue Swim School, one of the nation’s fastest-growing swim schools. She is a keynote speaker at many franchise industry events, as well as many sign and visual graphics industry events.
