The Franchise Veteran Brings Extensive Global Development Experience to Drive the Pizza Franchise’s Expansion
Brad Smith is the new vice president of franchise growth for Marco’s Pizza. With three decades of experience in franchise development and operations, Smith has helped scale brands across the fitness, hospitality, home services, commercial cleaning, real estate and restaurant industries. He has been a frequent speaker and panelist at top events, including the International Franchise Association’s annual convention and the International Franchise Expo.
“I’ve spent my entire career in franchise growth, and what I enjoy most is the strategic challenge, analyzing markets, studying demographics and building systems that enable brands to scale quickly and sustainably,” Smith said. “For Marco’s specifically, I’m excited to continue strengthening the development processes that support expansion. The brand already excels at protecting its identity and ensuring consistency across locations. Now, given current industrywide conditions, the opportunity is to streamline real estate, construction and other development functions to make scaling even more efficient and sustainable.”
Smith said the pizza franchise’s strong culture is one of its core strengths. “The brand operates with a level of purpose, accountability and franchisee-first commitment that’s rare. It’s a brand that knows who it is and where it’s headed. Through conversations with leadership, it became clear that my background in development and my passion for helping entrepreneurs grow their businesses would be a strong match for the next chapter of Marco’s expansion.”
Smith identified continued investment in technology, optimization of unit-level economics and ongoing enhancements to franchisee support systems as the primary factors behind the company’s growth. “We’re also leaning into multi-unit growth; international expansion, particularly across Latin America and the Caribbean; and exploring additional avenues to introduce Marco’s to new audiences.”
Gerardo Flores, Marco’s Pizza’s chief development officer, said Smith is a perfect fit for the role thanks to his sharp strategic vision, hands-on operational know-how and franchise savvy. “As we continue to scale with purpose, his leadership will be instrumental in accelerating growth, deepening our operational excellence and expanding our reach with high-caliber franchise partners,” Flores said.
Successful Franchise Growth
Throughout his career, Smith said he has learned that franchise growth comes from a clear, aligned strategic vision, deeply consistent operations backed by solid systems, and meaningful, trust-based relationships. “When franchisees feel supported, and leadership remains proactive and adaptable, growth becomes both sustainable and scalable.”
About Marco’s Pizza
Headquartered in Toledo, Ohio, Marco’s Pizza is one of the fastest growing pizza brands in the country. Founded in 1978 by Pasquale Giammarco, Marco’s Pizza now operates in more than 1,200 stores in 35 states, Puerto Rico, the Bahamas and Mexico.
