BrightStar Care taps franchise veteran Josh Wall to be next CEO

BrightStar Care, a home care, skilled nursing and medical staffing franchisor with more than 420 locations in the United States, has named a new CEO. Josh Wall, who previously served as chief operating officer of Unleashed Brands, a youth enrichment franchise platform, succeeds Andy Ray, who has been CEO since 2024.

“I’m honored to join BrightStar Care at such an exciting time for both the company and the home care industry,” Wall said in a statement released Tuesday. “BrightStar Care brings together two things I’m deeply passionate about: helping franchise owners build successful businesses and delivering exceptional care to families. I look forward to partnering with our franchisees, caregivers, nurses and team members to build on the strong foundation that’s already in place while continuing to innovate, grow and create even greater value across the network.”

Wall has deep experience in the franchise world. As former COO of Unleashed Brands, he oversaw franchise operations, franchise development, franchisee support and mergers and acquisitions across a portfolio of brands, including Urban Air Adventure Park, Sylvan Learning, The Little Gym, Water Wings Swim School, Snapology, Premier Martial Arts and Class 101. Earlier in his career, he spent 16 years with Christian Brothers Automotive, where he helped grow the brand from 21 locations to more than 350 locations, a press release said.

BrightStar sits in a strong position to meet demand for home care, the company said.

“Over the past 18 months, the company has signed more than 60 franchise agreements for new territories, including 20 in 2026 alone, while continuing to build a strong pipeline of both prospective franchise owners and existing owners looking to expand,” the firm said Tuesday.

BrightStar was acquired by an affiliate of Peak Rock Capital, a private equity firm, last year. Ray, a former BrightStar franchisee, was named chief operating officer of BrightStar in 2022. He took the reins of the company from founder Shelly Sun Berkowitz in February of 2024.