Franchise Update Magazine Issue IV, 2014 | Page 12

Grow Market Lead

CEO
profile:
Rock Around the Clock
New School of Rock CEO extols the power of music
BY KERRY PIPES

D

zana Homan’s story is one
of inspiration and perseverance. She grew up in Yugoslavia where she spent a
happy childhood filled with friends and
surrounded by a large extended family.
That came to an end in 1992 with the
start of the Bosnian War. Thousands
were killed and millions displaced.
Homan lost members of her family,
friends, and her country.
Despite these hardships, she continued to take solace in two things she
had always loved: learning and children.
Homan’s passion in these areas led her
to the U.S. and where she is today: this
past June she was hired as CEO at the
School of Rock. With a track record of
success at Huntington Learning Center and Goddard Systems, she has big
plans for School of Rock.
When Homan came to the U.S. in
1995 she spoke no English, but that didn’t
stop her. She worked hard, learned the
language, and earned a master’s degree
in electrical engineering and physics (she
also has studied piano), and settled in
Los Angeles. A series of events led her
to FutureKids, an educational software
company that focused on technological and computer literacy. She became
a teacher and director at a franchised
learning center, became a franchisee, and
was recruited to work for the corporate
Name: Dzana Homan
Title: CEO
Company: School of Rock
Units: 145
Years in franchising: 19
Years in current position: 5 months

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