Richard Basch

Richard Basch brings more than 15 years of senior management and business development experience to his position as the Vice President of Franchise Automotive for the Sears Holdings Corporation. Since joining the company in 2011, Basch has spearheaded a new franchise program for independent auto centers, allowing them to utilize the Sears brand and its resources. An expert in franchise development and operations, Richard Basch began his career as an owner and operator of a The Little Gym franchise facility in Chandler, Arizona. Based on his skills and experience, Basch was recruited as the Director of Company-Owned Stores for The Little Gym International, Inc. In this position, he provided leadership and training to store managers and employees, resulting in increased employee retention and satisfaction. He quickly earned a promotion to Vice President of the Western Region, where he directed a team of 15 field consultants who designed and implemented an assortment of successful training programs. Acting as the Vice President of Operations and Franchise Support Services from 2004 to 2007, Richard Basch helped to increase revenues for franchise owners while cutting staff costs in half. In 2007, Richard Basch accepted a position as the Vice President of Operations for PIU Management, LLC, which subsequently acquired its primary competitor, Bounce U, two businesses in the children’s indoor entertainment industry. Basch launched nationwide discount programs that helped to boost gross revenue for one of the enterprises by more than 25 percent. Before coming to Sears, he gleaned insight into the automotive industry as the President of Cottman Transmission Systems, LLC, from 2009 to 2011. During this time, Richard Basch held responsibility for managing more than 100 auto repair locations across North America that accounted for in excess of $40 million in business. He effectively grew revenues by nearly 5 percent while guiding the company to a period of sustained bottom-line profitability. Richard Basch laid the foundation for his career at California Coast University, where he earned a Master of Business Administration and belonged to the Delta Epsilon Tau International Honor Society. He also holds a Bachelor of Science from Santa Clara University and an array of professional credentials, including Project Management Professional, Certified Franchise Executive, and Lean Six Sigma Green Belt.