BrightStar Acquires Iowa’s HomeChoice Senior Care
In move to extend its nationwide presence, in-home care franchise BrightStar Care acquired HomeChoice Senior Care, an Iowa-based provider of non-medical care, housekeeping and 24-hour assistance.
The deal gives Chicago-based BrightStar a presence in Iowa markets including Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Des Moines and their surrounding communities. HomeChoice owner Koleene Herlocker, also the company’s executive director, is familiar with the franchising model, having previously operated several Sylvan Learning Centers across Iowa.
“Because of my background with Sylvan Learning Centers, I was very well aware of the advantages to being part of a franchise system,” said Herlocker in a release. “We have been approached multiple times about the potential of selling to franchise networks, but frankly none of them offered us anything that we couldn't produce and create on our own until BrightStar Care.”
BrightStar founder and CEO Shelly Sun called the new Iowa cities “important” to her company’s growth and noted in Herlocker and her team “we found the perfect partners in Iowa: respected, caring, dedicated people who share our passion for person-centered care at the highest professional standards.”
BrightStar operates more than 330 locations across the U.S. and Canada.
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