Annual event recognizes outstanding franchisees including Franchisee of the Year and School of the Year

TROY, Mich., Nov. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Goldfish Swim School Franchising, LLC, the leading swim school franchise brand that celebrated 20 years of business this year, honored exemplary owners and schools at its 2026 Owners' Celebration in Greensboro, Georgia, in addition to celebrating its entire franchise system and community.

This year's event was highlighted by the Franchisee of the Year award, presented to The Meilleur Group led by Mike Meilleur, who owns and operates nine swim school franchises across North Carolina, Ohio and Ontario, Canada. His team was honored for their culture of excellence, accountability and ongoing improvement that impacts their teams, communities and the entire Goldfish franchise system.

Goldfish Swim School co-founder and CEO Chris McCuiston presented awards to franchisees who embody the brand's core values: creating a Golden Experience, delivering exceptional customer service, treating people with integrity and trust, exceeding expectations and celebrating wins.

"When Goldfish Swim School opened 20 years ago, it was our mission to bring water safety to families across the country while creating a truly special business model that celebrates excellence and service to communities," said McCuiston. "This year more than ever, we see how our franchisees embody our values, provide children with lifelong skills and create a welcoming place for families. Every one of our franchisees has made us who we are today, and we are thankful for each one."

Additional award recipients included:

• School of the Year Award: Goldfish Swim School – Saint Johns, Florida, owned and operated by Katy, Pat and Ryan Murphy and Mike Sullivan, was honored for providing exceptional experiences for families and team members while achieving outstanding business results. They have a 4.9 Google rating and are regularly praised for professionalism, friendliness and the quality of the team.
• Rookie of the Year Award: Goldfish Swim School – Acworth, Georgia, owned and operated by Amy and Marty Shelata, has rapidly built a strong membership base and established deep community connections within the market.

Five additional schools were recognized as Core Value Award winners in August at the brand's School Leadership Summit:

• Going Above and Beyond to Create a Golden Experience! Award: Goldfish Swim School – West Chester, Ohio
• Providing WOW! Customer Service Award: Goldfish Swim School – Centereach, New York
• Treating People with Integrity, Compassion and Trust Award: Goldfish Swim School – Boise, Idaho
• Meeting & Exceeding Expectations So You See Extraordinary Results Award: Goldfish Swim School – Wyckoff, New Jersey
• Making a Big Deal Out of Life's Accomplishments by Remembering to Celebrate! Award: Goldfish Swim School – Mount Laurel, New Jersey

A leader in children's swim education, Goldfish Swim School was recently named a Top Recession-Resistant Franchise for 2026 by Franchise Business Review, its third time receiving the honor (2023, 2025, 2026), and was ranked on the 2026 Inc. 5000 list of America's fastest-growing private companies.

For more information on Goldfish Swim School and its franchising opportunities, please visit https://www.goldfishswimschool.com/franchise-opportunities or call 248-801-1850. 

About Goldfish Swim School
Founded in 2006 by husband-and-wife team Chris and Jenny McCuiston, Troy, Michigan-based Goldfish Swim School provides swim lessons and water safety instruction to infants and children aged 4 months through 12 years. Classes are led by specially trained instructors in a safe, child-friendly environment using a research-based philosophy called The Science of SwimPlay^®. Its curriculum delivers guided, safety-focused lessons that help children make accelerated, measured progress in both swimming skills and confidence. Since opening its first franchised location in 2009, the brand has grown to over 200 Goldfish Swim School locations in over 40 states and Canada, with an additional 150-plus in development. Goldfish is ranked No. 78 overall in Entrepreneur's 2026 Franchise 500, has been recognized as the No. 1 swimming lessons franchise for 10 consecutive years, was ranked No. 169 in Franchise Times' Top 400 Franchises for 2026 list and is rated as a Top Franchise by Franchise Business Review for 2026.

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SOURCE Goldfish Swim School