Pete First

Pete First, Chief Development Officer

“Watching the Nurse of the Year and Caregiver of the Year awards presentation is always a highlight of the Annual Conference. The love that families express for their caregivers and the pride that franchisees have for their agency rockstars is uplifting. It’s truly a testament to the passion within the BrightStar Care family.”

Pete First has spent his entire career helping people reach their entrepreneurial goals through franchising. He says this has been deeply rewarding, but his role as Chief Development Officer for BrightStar Care takes it one step further: “Not only do we have the opportunity to provide an amazing brand that empowers franchisees to thrive, we’re also making a positive impact — EVERY day — with the families we serve.”

Building upon Pete’s extensive experience in the franchise industry, he is responsible for the brand’s franchise development, including expansion to new, untapped markets across the country. He provides leadership, strategy and direction to the franchise sales team as well as establishes systems that will improve the overall franchise sales process.

In addition to the development and proliferation of the BrightStar Care and BrightStar Senior Living network through the addition of new franchisees, Pete’s goals include expanding the BrightStar Care footprint across all states and launching the BrightStar Care Homes opportunity nationwide. 

Prior to joining BrightStar Care in 2018, Pete spent 14 years at Winmark Corporation, the franchisor for brands such as Play It Again Sports, Once Upon A Child, Plato’s Closet, Style Encore and Music Go Round. During his tenure at Winmark, he awarded dozens of new franchise agreements annually and helped build the system to over 1,200 locations across North America.

When Pete wasn’t busy establishing and growing franchises early in his career, he was an active volunteer for youth sports including serving as hockey coach for his children’s teams. Today, Pete enjoys spending time at the lake with family and friends and is fully committed to growing the BrightStar Care brand to meet the needs of families across the nation for decades to come.