Painting with a Twist Welcomes Katherine LeBlanc as Company's First Chief Marketing Officer

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Oct 03, 2018, 08:23 ET

NEW ORLEANS, Oct. 3, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Following its recent announcement of former Smoothie King executive, Joe Lewis, as the brand's first-ever CEO, Painting with a Twist®, the original and largest paint and sip franchise, welcomes Katherine LeBlanc to the newly-created position of Chief Marketing Officer.

Named one of New Orleans CityBusiness magazine's 50 Women of the Year in 2016 and 2018, LeBlanc most recently served as Head of Sales and Marketing at Dickie Brennan and Co., parent company of the Palace Café, Bourbon House and other iconic New Orleans restaurant brands. Prior to that, she was Smoothie King's Director of Brand Marketing and helped guide the marketing department in developing and executing initiatives for more than 900 stores nationwide. LeBlanc was integral in establishing Smoothie King's new brand strategy and reaching significant growth in almost every metric, including same-store sales and guest count.

"I had the pleasure of working with Katherine for four years while at Smoothie King and was impressed with her development and implementation of marketing strategy for a growing franchise organization," said Lewis. "Katherine will be an incredible asset to the Painting with a Twist team as we concentrate on fresh innovations to evolve our category and broaden our customer appeal."

In her new role as CMO at Painting with a Twist, LeBlanc will oversee the marketing, art and information technology departments. She is charged with increasing the brand's resources and capabilities with a focus on improving studio sales. Ranked the No. 1 Paint and Sip Studio in Entrepreneur magazine's Annual Franchise 500® edition for the past five years, and the No. 4 best low investment franchise to buy in 2018 by Forbes, Painting with a Twist has more than 300 studios in 39 states.

"I am thrilled to be joining a growing brand that inspires their customers, franchisees and employees through community involvement and the creation of art," said LeBlanc. "I look forward to being part of the team that takes this unique and fun concept to the next level."

At Painting with a Twist studios across the country, guests come together to experience a unique 'getaway' that includes friends, paint and the option to BYOB. Led by local art instructors, guests paint on bare canvases using paint and brushes provided by the studio. There are more than 13,000 original pieces of copyrighted artwork, ranging from landscapes, abstracts and cityscapes, to creative renderings of animals, iconic buildings and florals, which have all been conceptualized and produced by Painting with a Twist art instructors. The company's charitable arm, Painting with a Purpose, raises money for local charities through monthly events at all locations.

For more information about franchise opportunities with Painting with a Twist, visit www.paintingwithatwistfranchise.com.

About Painting with a Twist®
Painting with a Twist, based in the New Orleans, Louisiana metropolitan area is the leading paint-and-sip franchise with more than 300 studios in 39 states. The company maintains a strong focus on giving back to the local community, and was recently recognized by the International Franchise Association's Franchise Education & Research Foundation's Franchising Gives Back Awards. To date, Painting with a Twist has donated more than $4.8 million through its charity arm, Painting with a Purpose. As the fastest-growing franchise in the category, Painting with a Twist has been ranked the No. 1 Paint and Sip franchise as part of Entrepreneur magazine's annual Franchise 500 edition for the past five years. For more information about Painting with a Twist's franchise opportunity, visit www.paintingwithatwistfranchise.com.

Media Contact: Bre Whalen, Fishman Public Relations, (847) 945-1300 or [email protected]

SOURCE Painting with a Twist