British Swim School Names New President as Brand’s Growth Soars

Nation’s Premier ‘Learn to Swim’ Provider Is Excited to Announce the Promotion of Ashley Gundlach.

British Swim School, the nation’s leading “learn to swim” provider, is excited to announce Ashley Gundlach as the brand’s next President. Gundlach ascends to the role after joining the team soon after the brand’s acquisition by Buzz Franchise Brands in early 2019 and has spent the past two years as the brand’s Director of Marketing.

She was vital in helping guide British Swim School franchise owners through and beyond the pandemic and will now take the reins from Brian Garrison, who has been serving as brand president on an interim basis.

"For the past few years Brian Garrison has worn multiple hats, as President of both British Swim School and Buzz Franchise Brands. With British Swim School experiencing record-breaking growth, we're excited to promote Ashley Gundlach into the president role to continue the brand's momentum, allowing Brian to focus on the broader operations and long-term growth of the parent company,” said Kevin Wilson, CEO of Buzz Franchise Brands. “Ashley has enjoyed incredible success in running our marketing operations for British Swim School, and no doubt has the drive and insight to take the brand to the next level."

Ashley is a mother of three young boys and arrived at British Swim School with more than a dozen years of marketing experience. She will serve as the first female President to lead a Buzz Franchise Brands company.

“I am honored to take on this role for a brand that I truly believe in. All of my boys are British Swim School students, so I understand the value of teaching these critical life skills from a parent’s perspective and the mission of this company,” said Gundlach. “I am so proud of what we have accomplished as a team over the past 18 months. This pandemic was incredibly challenging for our franchise owners, but we’ve not only overcome the struggles, we are truly thriving! It’s an exciting time at British Swim School, and I am thrilled to be part of this talented team.”

Since the start of 2021, the company has added 29 new units across 11 states to its franchise roster, nine of which are current franchise owner expansions into new territories. Eighty-five percent of British Swim School owners are enjoying their best year ever in revenue and profitability.

"I'm excited for Ashley to take over as President of British Swim School. She's been instrumental in the success the brand has enjoyed the past two-plus years, and she has a wonderful rapport with our owners and team,” said Brian Garrison, President and COO of Buzz Franchise Brands. “With her experience, talent and dedication, she's the obvious choice to scale British Swim School into a $100M brand in the next five years. I look forward to supporting her during the transition and beyond, and I'm thrilled that we're able to demonstrate our commitment to giving our top performers the opportunity to grow here at Buzz Franchise Brands.”