Ziebart Elevates Three Longtime Leaders to Senior Roles

Ziebart announced the promotions of three corporate leaders: Jason Theisen to senior vice president of U.S. franchise operations, Tom Bowler to vice president of U.S. retail operations, and Michelle Wells to vice president of marketing. Together, the three bring over 45 years of Ziebart experience to their expanded roles, company officials stated in a press release.

“There’s nothing more rewarding than watching people build entire careers here at Ziebart,” said Thomas A. Wolfe, president and CEO of Ziebart. “Jason alone has spent more than half his life with Ziebart after starting as a technician at a local store, and Tom and Michelle have each continued to learn and grow throughout their years with us. With over four decades of combined experience, the three of them show what happens when people are genuinely invested in a brand and its owners.”

Jason Theisen

Theisen’s history at Ziebart goes back to 2004. After nearly 10 years building a career at a local Ziebart store, he moved to the corporate side of the business in 2013 and worked his way up the sales and operations path. His experience at the local level, combined with his knowledge of corporate processes, gives Theisen a unique vantage point that’s proven invaluable for strengthening the relationship between the corporate team and Ziebart franchise owners, noted the release.

Tom Bowler

Bowler’s 10 years with Ziebart have moved him through roles of increasing responsibility, each sharpening his command of the brand’s sales processes, service offerings and products. As a product sales and technical support specialist, he built deep familiarity with Ziebart’s extensive catalog of services. He later served as a regional sales manager, including a special assignment supporting franchise owners who needed additional hands-on presence and training in their stores, before stepping into branch leadership. As vice president of U.S. retail operations, Bowler oversees Ziebart’s 15 corporate-owned locations.

Michelle Wells

Wells’ tenure at Ziebart began at the internship level of the marketing department in 2011. In the years since, she rose steadily along the marketing track at Ziebart, with responsibilities covering field marketing, advertising, strategy and execution. In her most recent role as director of marketing, Wells led the development of strategic, creative marketing campaigns, helping shape initiatives that continue to drive the brand’s growth. Her commitment to Ziebart’s franchise owners has shaped much of that work, and it extends well past the brand itself to the franchise sector as a whole, the company said.

The Language of Franchising

Ziebart says the three promotions come at a pivotal time, as the brand’s development strategy increasingly rests on the leaders who speak the language of franchising fluently. Theisen’s role centers on maintaining a strong relationship between the corporate team and franchise owners, while Wells keeps Ziebart prominent across the franchise space. She serves on the International Franchise Association’s Marketing and Innovation Committee, where she regularly collaborates with industry leaders to help advance the future of franchising.

“Michelle and Jason have each chosen to master franchising,” said Larisa Walega, senior vice president and chief growth officer of Ziebart. “Michelle sits at the table where the future of franchising gets debated, while Jason has dedicated the last 20 years to learning what owners want and need from a corporate office. That kind of thinking decides where Ziebart goes next, and it ensures our franchise owners have a voice in the industry and an advocate in the building.”