Benetrends, the International Franchise Association’s (IFA) preferred vendor for ROBS rollover financing and a leader in franchise and small business funding for over 40 years, has spent the last few months on an executive recruiting spree. The company announced the addition of three new team members, a key internal promotion and the acquisition of an outsourced advisor, to join the company’s executive management team.

Benetrends new executive hires, promotion, and outside advisor include the following individuals:

• Ali Kraus has joined the company as Benetrend’s new Vice-President of Marketing and will develop a new department to manage all the brand’s corporate marketing and outreach efforts. The new position was necessitated in part by two recent company announcements, the naming Benetrends as the official IFA preferred vendor and the brand’s acquisition of DCV Franchise Group. Kraus is a highly experienced industry veteran, skilled in franchise development marketing, digital strategy, branding, social media marketing, PR, and event management. Prior to joining Benetrends, Kraus served as Entrepreneur Magazine’s director of franchise marketing, as well as a three-year stint as the Director of Franchise Development Marketing at Celebree School.
• Mike Minitelli is a new hire at Benetrends, joining the company as the Vice-President of Business Development. In this newly created role, Minitelli will target and drive the growth of the company’s new business relationships with franchisors, as well as managing the department’s existing clientele. Benetrends created this position to provide more communication and relationship support for the franchise brands on their roster. In addition to Minitelli’s Six Sigma Green Belt certification, he brings more than 15 years of Fortune 500-level sales experience and has a proven track record of driving multimillion dollar growth and market expansion. Prior to joining the Benetrends team, Minitelli served as the national sales and relationship manager for one of the industry’s leading franchise consultancy firms.
• Jen Wherrell is the final new hire for Benetrends and has accepted the role of Franchise Funding Consultant. An entrepreneur at heart, Wherrell is also an industry veteran who, along with her husband, launched their own franchise concept over a decade ago. Her first-person experience as a franchisor has provided her with a unique perspective into the funding needs of entrepreneurs from all walks of life. Throughout her career, Wherrell has worked with dozens of franchise brands and broker networks to help entrepreneurs turn their own business ownership dreams into a reality.
• Kristen Gordon was promoted from Senior Funding Consultant to the newly created position of Major Account Manager at Benetrends. In this role, Gordon will oversee and manage all updates and communications with major accounts, including FSOs and multi-brand franchisors. She’ll be the new centralized point of contact for Benetrend’s leads, brokers, franchisors, and internal sales team members, keeping all parties apprised of the latest updates, processes, and timelines.
• Sally Facinelli, CFE, has been retained by Benetrends to act as an outside advisor to the company. Facinelli brings over 25 years of experience and mentorship as a dynamic executive and “outside-the-box” strategist. A natural-born problem-solver, Facinelli has years of in-category franchising experience under her belt, having worked with franchisors, franchisees, suppliers, vendors, and brands to enhance productivity and streamline company operations.

“When you reflect on the caliber of these individuals who recently joined our team, there can be no doubt that we’ve recruited an absolute all-star team of executives,” said Rocco Fiorentino, CEO of Benetrends. “This year has been one of continuous momentum and it has only motivated us to achieve even more success, new partnerships, widespread expansion, and corporate growth. With the talent we now have in place, the sky is truly the limit and I’m tremendously excited to see how their contributions will shape the future of our company.”

Benetrends is the pioneer of the “Rainmaker Plan,” is ranked No. 1 by Investopedia, and holds the top net-promoter score in the industry. Earlier this year, Benetrends was named as a preferred vendor by the IFA and also announced the acquisition of DCV Franchise Group. These updated credentials and partnerships have made Benetrends the go-to option for franchise financing, especially the 401(k) ROBS business funding option, the company’s tax-free and tax-deferred funding specialty.

Eric Schechterman, Chief Development Officer at Benetrends, echoed Fiorentino’s excitement about the company’s new team members, stating “As a company, we’ve committed ourselves to growing our brand beyond expectations. It takes talented individuals in the right roles to drive an effort of this magnitude. These new hires, promotions, and acquisitions have put us in perfect position to do so, and I’m excited to see what our newfound synergy is capable of achieving.”

Benetrends provides a comprehensive suite of small business solutions including SBA loans, securities backed lines of credit, equipment leasing, commercial insurance, individual and group healthcare, and payroll services.