Meet the Team
CEO
Michael Browning
Dreamer, Pusher, Connector
Starting in childhood, those who watched Michael’s passion for business, recognized an innate ability and vision that would help him overcome obstacles and push him to succeed. It was this passion and determination combined with his ability to turn what is “typical” upside down is what has driven Michael’s success in creating two companies, Phoebos Partners which applied innovative data analytics to drive profitability and innovation in healthcare and Urban Air Adventure Parks, a differentiated, scalable indoor amusement park that didn’t just give kids a place to play but a place to become better people.
Having spent years as an entrepreneur, Michael leads the team with true insight into the challenges that new businesses face and he doggedly pushes the team to look for new ways to overcome obstacles and break down barriers to achieving success.
Brand Presidents
Jay Thomas
President, Urban Air
Three decades of experience with Six Flags, Inc. means that Jay understands every detail of how to operate a business from staffing efficiently to managing a complex P&L to making sure you are following all safety and regulatory guidelines. And, he always makes it fun, listening and supporting along the way. During his tenure in the entertainment attractions industry, he has served in executive roles as diverse as Administration, Operations, HR, IT, and Marketing. He also won Park President of the year as the President of Magic Mountain which competed directly with Disneyland.
Laura E. Coe
CEO, Snapology
Laura is the CEO of the Snapology franchise system. Laura, along with her sister Lisa, founded Snapology in 2010. Snapology’s mission is to provide educational play to children using LEGO® bricks, K’Nex and other interactive mediums. Snapology provides coding, robotics and S.T.E.A.M. (science, technology, engineering, art and math) programs to children of all abilities, including gifted children and those with extra needs.
Laura oversees the daily operations of the Snapology franchise; including franchisee support, lead generation, systems development, curriculum development and the function of the local Pittsburgh-South franchise.
Prior to starting Snapology, Laura held a successful career as a health care actuary for 20+ years. As a health care actuary, she held senior-level positions with Aetna, CVS Pharmacare, Eckerd Health Services and Mercer Human Resource Consulting. In these roles, Laura was responsible for providing actuarial and strategic guidance for pharmacy, dental and behavioral health products. Laura has also presented to various State legislatures and members of the US Senate and House of Representatives on various topics involving prescription drug programs.
Laura holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from Penn State University. She is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries and a Member of the American Academy of Actuaries. She lives in the Pittsburgh area with her two children.
Nancy Bigley
CEO, The Little Gym
From Palm Springs California…she’s got a “big” last name but she runs Little Gyms! Your brand president and CEO of The Little Gym….It’s NANCY BIGLEY!!!
An experienced Franchise Operations Executive with a proven track record of increasing revenues and profits through the implementation of growth strategies, business practices, and systems that create a sustainable competitive advantage.
A high energy, driven, innovative and problem solving leader focused on achieving strategic objectives while strengthening franchisee relations and cross functional teams.
Barry Van Over
CEO, Premier Martial Arts
In 2004, Barry Van Over founded the Premier Martial Arts organization that grew to over 70 locations in the United States, Canada and Great Britain. In 2018, he franchised Premier Martial Arts and the franchise has quickly grown to 564 franchises sold to 228 owners, making Premier Martial Arts one of the largest and fastest-growing franchises in the world.
Premier Martial Arts’ mission is to provide the skills needed to help its students succeed in life, such as confidence, focus, self-esteem and physical wellbeing. The brand’s studios have certified, professional instructors that are trained in modern teaching techniques and martial arts skills.
Executive Leadership
Stephen Polozola
Legal Eagle, Negotiator-in-chief, Rule Jockey
After 17+ years practicing law in the areas of franchising, real estate, construction, compliance, insurance and regulatory matters, Stephen has seen it all from both the franchise and the corporate sides. This gives him the unique ability to anticipate challenges and obstacles before they happen. Stephen’s experience across multiple areas of law ensures allows him to be the first part of the one-two punch that allows the team to push the envelope – but within all guidelines set by respective states.
Scott Perry
Profitability Driver, Process Improvement Master, Budget Keeper
Scott is the other of the one-two punch team that keeps us on the rails so that we can continue to push without going off track. With 25+ years of experience across finance, accounting, business modeling and M&A among other areas, Scott’s financial acumen ensures that we aren’t just developing the best businesses for the consumer, but the best businesses for the bottom line. And his experience growing Sport Clips from 400 to 1800 units means that he understands franchising and its unique challenges.
Josh Wall
Development Mogul, Rapport Engineer
Relationship building has always been a passion for Josh and was central to his success in over 15 years in franchising at Christian Brothers Automotive Corporation increasing units to 250 units across 29 states and creating a sophisticated development strategy at Urban Air. The ability to be a true partner and sounding board to colleagues has helped him attract franchisees, negotiate strong leases, and create stronger teams. Josh is a Certified Franchise Executive through the International Franchise Association and is a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers.
Jessica Correa
Consumer Enthusiast, Data Geek, Marketing Maven
Jessica has what she calls “a mosaic marketing background” having spent 25+ years in marketing across travel & hospitality, multi-unit retail, fitness and family entertainment in both public and privately held companies. She has a passion for learning about what makes consumers tick and she uses that insight to drive revenue whether through innovations in product development or the latest in media. And, as important, she knows how and when to take advantage of scale to drive efficiencies in marketing delivery without sacrificing brand and product attributes that make companies unique.
Peter Karaganis
Chief Technology Officer
Peter has over 25 years of professional experience in the field of Information Technology. He has worked in a vast array of industries including insurance, healthcare, aerospace, automotive and family entertainment for both private and publicly held corporations. His experience is very diverse including working with network engineers, software engineers, and enterprise architects. He has a passion for technology, and he knows how to leverage technology to drive innovation and success.