Meet the i9 Sports® Leadership Team

Frank Fiume

Founder

Frank is credited for taking his unique amateur sports business concept and creating the first youth sports league franchise opportunity in the United States.

As founder of i9 Sports®, Frank served as leader and CEO of our company from its inception in July 2002 until November 2015 when he became Chairman until July 2017.

Frank serves as Director on the Board since July 2017 and advisor to the CEO and continues to be involved in the development of company strategy and new technology. Frank is a Certified Franchise Executive (CFE).

Matt Kurowski serves as President of i9 Sports®, a position that calls on his years of experience in marketing, operations and franchising. Prior to joining i9 Sports® in 2023, Matt served as VP of Operations at Franworth, where he provided consultation and hands-on support to drive growth at various franchise brands in the fitness and home services industries.

As a lifelong believer in the benefits of youth enrichment, Matt spent 5 years with Soccer Shots as VP of Marketing and Chief Operating Officer. In his early career, Matt worked with several national marketing agencies, and worked at Under Armour as a Senior Brand Manager for multiple categories.

Matt Kurowski

President

Kim Armellino

VP Finance & Administration

Kim has been with i9 Sports® since the company’s inception in July 2002. As Vice President of Finance & Administration, Kim manages all of the company’s financial processes including bookkeeping, invoicing, budgeting, forecasting, the annual audit and all financial reporting. Kim’s additional responsibilities include oversight of HR, Purchasing & Contracts, and Office Administration.

Kim is an expert at controlling costs and finding ways to help franchisees improve their bottom lines. Kim is a Certified Franchise Executive (CFE).

Joining i9 Sports® in 2021, Chris is a respected industry veteran with deep ties to the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) and the national effort to reshape the future of youth sports. As Director, Coaching Education for the USOPC, he led the American Development Model (ADM) program which instituted long-term athlete programming across the 50 National Governing Bodies of Sport. He was also a founding member and leader in the Aspen Institute’s Project Play and spearheaded the USOPC’s joint effort with Nike to create the national How to Coach Kids program.

As the Senior VP of Sport, Education, and Programs, Snyder oversees the franchise system’s execution of the sport programming and product, training and education of the processes and formulas for success and the alignment of resources to help franchisees achieve their on the field and off the field goals. Snyder and his team are motivated to help all i9 Sports franchisees deliver an unparalleled experience to the kids and families they serve.

Chris Snyder

SVP Sports, Education, and Programs

Brandy Zickefoose

VP Marketing

Brandy was a vital part of our marketing department from 2008 to 2013 and returned as VP of Marketing in 2022 to lead i9 Sports® marketing initiatives. Brandy brings over 15 years of franchise experience creating marketing strategies that drive aggressive growth, increase brand awareness, and grow customer retention and engagement.

Brandy brings a depth of knowledge in developing and executing strategies at both the national and local level. With a focus on developing customer-centric marketing capabilities, she has a proven record of developing relationships, increasing loyalty and elevating business outcomes.

Susan joined i9 Sports® in 2010 and manages the centralized purchasing functions which include vendor partnerships, sourcing strategies, contract negotiations and merchandise/service offerings. Susan’s additional responsibilities include directing the annual Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) processes, Area Developer Agreements from creation to final execution, and network-wide compliance with brand standards.

As a Certified Franchise Executive (CFE), Susan monitors/analyzes market trends and the costs of goods in an effort to make solid purchasing decisions and identify potential areas of savings for franchisees.

Susan Rabel

VP Purchasing & Contracts

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