Tommy's Express names directors to lead Canada and Europe growth

Tommy's Express has hired two franchise development directors to drive its expansion into Canada and Europe, according to reporting from Auto Laundry News. The moves reflect the express tunnel chain's stated goal of building a presence in markets around the world.

Kim Chohan takes on the role of director of franchise development for Canada. She has more than a decade of franchise development experience, having worked with brands including Boston Pizza, WAXON, and Medicine Shoppe. The company expects to have two Canadian locations open by the end of 2026, with additional sites planned.

Building out the international team

Kristijonas Minelga joins as director of franchise development for Europe. He brings more than six years of experience in the European express tunnel car wash sector, with a background in franchise development, market expansion, and building multi-site networks. He will support the brand's continued push into Europe, which follows its earlier entry into France.

Matt Nagelkirk, vice president of franchise development, described the additions as deliberate hires aimed at accelerating growth. He said the two new directors bring deep franchising backgrounds that fit the company's long-term ambitions. "Our goal from day one has been to bring Tommy's Express to every market in the world," Nagelkirk said, adding that the hires will help the company move quickly.

Growth trajectory

The hires come amid a period of steady expansion for the brand. Tommy's opened 45 new locations in 2025 and has added 13 so far in 2026. The company is on pace to open 31 total new locations this year and expects to pass 300 systemwide locations by the end of 2026.

The emphasis on dedicated Canada and Europe leadership signals that the chain sees international markets as a meaningful part of its next phase of growth rather than a side project. Both appointees carry franchise-specific experience, underscoring the company's reliance on a franchise model to scale across borders.

Why it matters for operators

For independent and regional operators, the continued march of a large franchise brand into new territory is a competitive signal worth tracking. When a national chain adds dedicated development leadership for a region, it usually means a coordinated site acquisition and buildout effort is coming, which can raise real estate competition and consumer expectations in affected markets.

Operators in Canada should watch where the first two locations land and how the brand positions its membership and pricing, since those benchmarks tend to reset customer expectations for wash speed, unlimited plans, and site design. The pace of expansion, more than 40 new sites in a single year, also illustrates how quickly franchise-backed capital can move into a market once a development team is in place.

For operators considering their own growth, the story is a reminder that structured development leadership and a repeatable franchise model are the mechanisms large players use to scale. Understanding that playbook helps independents decide whether to compete on local service and community ties or to pursue their own multi-site strategy before national brands arrive.