Martinelli Leverages Marketing Expertise to Elevate the Brand and Enhance Franchisee Success
Hounds Town USA, a dog day care and boarding concept, has promoted David Martinelli to president. Martinelli joined the brand’s leadership team in 2022 as vice president of marketing, and recently served as chief relationship officer. Announcement of Martinelli’s promotion, as well as Rob Flanagan’s elevation to CEO, came during the pet franchise’s annual convention in Charlotte, N.C.
“As president, I want to ensure we are driving strong unit-level growth and setting ourselves apart from our competitors,” Martinelli said. “With a strong focus on aligned franchise support and brand growth, our teams will all be focused on driving our 10-year target of every dog in America having access to Hounds Town. I also want to ensure we are focused on the initiatives that our founders, Mike Gould and Jackie Bondanza, and our CEO, Rob Flanagan, have set forth.”
Since joining the dog day care and boarding franchise, Martinelli said Hounds Town has made significant strides, including adding new team members, doubling the number of open locations and maintaining a strong focus on building scalable systems, all while staying true to the heart of the business.
In this new role, Martinelli leverages his experience in marketing, which empowers him to elevate brand standards and enhance franchisee relationships, he said. “Delivering a powerful brand message can only be successful if our operations are aligned, so it will be critical that these two functions work more closely together to ensure a consistent experience in every Hounds Town.”
The Meaning of Leadership
Martinelli defined leadership as inspiring and empowering others to achieve and be their best selves while fostering a collaborative environment where every team member feels valued and supported. “Effective leadership means providing guidance resources and growth opportunities, ultimately driving the collective success of the organization and innovation,” he said.
About Hounds Town USA
Founded in 2000, Hounds Town USA offers a unique and fun approach to dog day care and boarding, and emphasizes a safe and welcoming environment for dogs of all sizes, breeds, ages and abilities. The fully interactive day care facility is designed to meet each dog’s physical, social and psychological needs. Hounds Town has expanded to more than 60 locations open across the U.S., with more than 30 locations projected for 2024.
