Meet the Team Behind Hello Garage Franchising

Dan Thrasher

Chief Executive Officer

Dan is a second-generation leader of the Thrasher family of companies, bringing decades of experience in the home services industry to his role. Since joining the business in 2004, he has helped guide its growth with a strong focus on innovation, customer experience, and long-term impact. As CEO, Dan plays a key role in shaping the vision and direction of Hello Garage as it continues to redefine what homeowners can expect from their garage transformation experience.

Dave Banark

President

With more than 20 years of leadership experience at Home Instead, Dave brings a deep passion for serving others, building strong teams, and creating meaningful customer experiences. His commitment to helping people and developing trusted relationships guides Hello Garage’s mission to deliver exceptional garage solutions for homeowners. As President, Dave works alongside the Hello Garage team and franchise partners to continue growing a brand built on quality, integrity, and care.

Jenny Sonderman

Senior Director of Franchise Development

 Jenny is passionate about helping entrepreneurs take the next step toward business ownership and supporting them as they build successful, local Hello Garage franchises. She works closely with future franchise partners to guide them through the process and ensure they feel confident and supported every step of the way. With a strong focus on relationships, communication, and long-term success, Jenny plays a key role in growing the Hello Garage family and expanding its impact in communities across the country.

Lowell Miller

Senior Director of Field Operations

Prior to coming for Hello Garage, Lowell worked at Supportworks training, coaching and leading. He helped developed people, systems, and training programs that strengthened the dealer network and supported long-term success. At Hello Garage, he works closely with franchise owners, General Managers, and field teams to improve accountability, profitability, customer experience, and overall business performance.

Brian McCulloch

Senior Director of Franchise Support

With more than 30 years of experience in sales, franchising, and small business ownership, Brian brings a wealth of knowledge and a passion for helping businesses succeed. His knowledge spans every facet of business operations, from driving sales growth and developing high-performing teams to financial management and strategic planning. Brian finds the greatest fulfillment in partnering with business owners, helping them overcome challenges, achieve their goals, and build thriving businesses.

Laura Moore

Director of Marketing

With a passion for building meaningful connections and creating exceptional customer experiences, Laura helps bring the Hello Garage brand to life while supporting homeowners and franchise partners across the country. Her strategic mindset, creative energy, and commitment to making every interaction remarkable help drive the growth of our team and the Hello Garage mission. When she’s not helping transform the way people think about their garages, Laura enjoys spending time with her husband Joe and daughter Hadley.

Anthea Weihman

Senior Accountant

As a proud mom of two, she enjoys balancing family life with a career she’s passionate about. Throughout her career, she has held a variety of accounting roles across the organization, giving her a well-rounded perspective from the vendor side, franchise headquarters, and franchise locations. This diverse experience has helped her understand the unique needs and challenges of each group, allowing her to build strong connections and support the success of teams across the network.

Leah Jenkins

National Appointment Center Manager

Shannelle Pokorny

Franchise Training Manager

Meet Lizz Barnhart, Senior Marketing Specialist at Hello Garage. Lizz helps bring the Hello Garage experience to life by making it easier for homeowners to discover smart, lasting garage solutions. From shaping helpful messaging to supporting marketing campaigns across the country, she focuses on connecting customers with ideas and inspiration for transforming their garages. Lizz is passionate about creating clear, engaging communication that helps customers feel confident and excited about their home improvement journey.

Lizz Barnhart

Senior Marketing Specialist

Meet Lizz Barnhart, Senior Marketing Specialist at Hello Garage. Lizz helps bring the Hello Garage experience to life by making it easier for homeowners to discover smart, lasting garage solutions. From shaping helpful messaging to supporting marketing campaigns across the country, she focuses on connecting customers with ideas and inspiration for transforming their garages. Lizz is passionate about creating clear, engaging communication that helps customers feel confident and excited about their home improvement journey.

Sierra Bolkema

Onboarding and Technical Support Coach

Sierra is dedicated to helping Hello Garage franchise owners build efficient, profitable businesses. As a Franchise Performance Coach, she works directly with owners to improve operations, strengthen customer experiences, and identify opportunities for long-term growth. With a background in business development, sales, marketing, and operations, Sierra brings a well-rounded perspective to every coaching conversation. Her passion is helping franchisees streamline their businesses, overcome challenges, and reach their goals with confidence.

Lou Scalesse

Franchise Support Coach

With more than 28 years of experience in the concrete coatings and home improvement industry, Lou brings a unique combination of hands-on installation expertise, business leadership, and operational excellence to Hello Garage. After successfully owning and operating his own flooring company for nearly two decades, he now focuses on developing production systems, training franchise teams, improving installation quality, and helping franchise owners grow profitable businesses. His passion is creating consistent processes, coaching high-performing teams, and delivering an exceptional customer experience across the Hello Garage network.

Stephen Long

Inside Sales Specialist

Stephen has been a valued member of the Hello Garage team for four years, serving as our Inside Sales Specialist. He plays an important role in supporting all of our franchise locations by helping recover unsold jobs and assisting Design Consultants with our systems and processes. His knowledge and willingness to help make him a go-to resource for teams across the network.

Outside of work, Stephen is a proud father of two and enjoys spending his free time working on project cars. Whether he’s helping a franchise succeed or bringing an old car back to life, Stephen is always ready for his next challenge.

Sam Milone

National Appointment Center Specialist

Sam is currently pursuing a degree in architecture and enjoys the challenge of designing spaces that are both functional and creative. As one of the first people customers connect with, he enjoys helping homeowners take the first step toward remodeling their garages and is committed to making the experience welcoming and enjoyable from the very beginning. Outside of work and school, Sam loves being an uncle to his nephew, spending time with friends and family, cheering on his favorite sports teams, and hanging out with dogs whenever he gets the chance.