Ziebart Doubles Down on Success Recognizing Franchise Growth and Meaningful Partnerships

• Franchisees and store leaders recognized for performance, leadership, and customer service excellence
• Inaugural Heart of Ziebart Award, celebrating the spirit of the brand, presented to Zach Mattiacio
• Technology advancements took center stage with goal to elevate the customer experience and drive franchise owner success

TROY, Mich., March 31, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Ziebart, the global leader in vehicle appearance and protection services, brought its franchise family together to celebrate a year of standout achievements, meaningful milestones, and the people behind the brand's continued momentum. Centered on the theme "Double Down on Success" as a fitting nod to the host city of Las Vegas, the conference recognized franchise owners, store leaders, and operators from across the Ziebart system for their performance, leadership, and commitment to delivering exceptional customer experiences.

The Heart of Ziebart
Among the most meaningful moments of this year's conference was the presentation of the inaugural Heart of ZiebartAward to Zach Mattiacio, Chief Financial Officer of The Mattiacio Group. Unlike traditional awards that recognize store owners and leaders for KPIs, sales excellence, or customer ratings, the Heart of Ziebart Award was created to recognize an individual who captures the essence of the Ziebart brand; someone who inspires others across the franchise system, is always willing to lend a helping hand, brings people together, and exemplifies the values at the core of Ziebart.

"Success at Ziebart has always been about more than performance metrics alone," said Thomas A. Wolfe, President & Chief Executive Officer of Ziebart. "The Heart of Ziebart Award was created to recognize someone who reflects the values of this brand in everything they do, and Zach is that person. His leadership, character, and ability to bring people together have made a lasting impact across our franchise family."

Zach Mattiacio co-owns Ziebart's largest franchise operating group alongside his siblings; their father, Tony Mattiacio, founded and remains CEO of The Mattiacio Group. Zach Mattiacio was unable to attend this year's Ziebart conference. His siblings accepted the Heart of Ziebart Award on his behalf, which included an inspiring video that was played in his absence.

"It means more than I can put into words to receive the very first Heart of Ziebart Award. When I think about what the Heart of Ziebart means, it's about lifting someone up when needed, it's about sharing an idea that might help someone at another store, it's about passionately doing everything you can for the Ziebart family," Zach Mattiacio said in the video. "This brand is bigger than business… We are one Ziebart, one family, and I promise to continue doing whatever I can from wherever I am to build, protect, and strengthen the Ziebart brand."

Leading the Way
In addition to the Heart of Ziebart Award, The Mattiacio Group led this year's honorees with recognition with nine traditional awards. Among those, the highly coveted Dealer of the Year Award. That honor capped off a milestone year for the family-operated franchise group following its acquisition of The Harris Group's 17 stores in July 2025. In total, The Mattiacio Group now owns and operates 26 Ziebart stores open across New York, Florida, Indiana, and Ohio with another in development.

Their stores were recognized with the following awards:

• Customer Experience Rising Star (Fort Myers, FL)
• Z-Gloss Top Performer (West Seneca, NY)
• Ziebart Credit Card Top Performer
• Top Maintenance Average Ticket (Fort Myers, FL)
• Top Multi-Unit Top Achiever:
  • Total Sales (West Seneca, NY)
  • Retail Sales (West Seneca, NY)
  • Associate Sales (West Seneca, NY)
  • Maintenance Sales (Rochester - Henrietta, NY)

Celebrating Systemwide Excellence
Ziebart recognized dozens of owners for achieving sales success and delivering exceptional customer service. Other franchisees honored included:

• 2025 Most Improved Dealer: Pacesetter Truck & Auto Accessories, Inc. (Bourbonnais, IL)
• 2025 Corporate Store Manager of the Year: Darren Weyand (Wexford, PA)
• Outstanding Customer Service: V2 Corp (Appleton, Milwaukee, and Waukesha, WI)
• Outstanding Customer Service: NMC Lambie Services (Morgantown, WV)
• Outstanding Community Service: NMC Lambie Services (Morgantown, WV)
• 2025 Single Store Top Achiever in Total Sales: Shinkauto, Inc. (Warsaw, IN)

"These awards reflect the strength of our franchise system, the momentum of our brand, and the kind of leadership that drives Ziebart forward," Wolfe said. "The successes we're celebrating is the result of franchisees and store leaders who continue to raise the bar, invest in their businesses, and create meaningful growth while staying true to the values that define Ziebart."

New Era of Technology and Innovation
Beyond recognizing achievements across the franchise system, the conference also offered a look at what's ahead for the brand. Ziebart shared updates on the recently announced Gold Shield Protection Program, an initiative that allows car dealerships across the country to offer Ziebart's trusted protection products directly to customers. Executives also introduced plans to the franchise system for the new iBart app, the latest investment in technology and innovation aimed at enhancing the franchise owner and customer experience.

For more information on franchise opportunities with Ziebart, please visit www.ziebart.com/franchise-opportunities.

To find a Ziebart near you, visit www.ziebart.com.

About Ziebart
Founded in 1959, Ziebart International Corporation is the worldwide leader in premium automotive appearance and protection services that extend the life of vehicles. All Ziebart products and services are made and sourced in the United States. Ziebart operates over 400 locations, with more than 1,000 car dealer partners, in 37 countries. Ziebart continues to grow and offers domestic and international franchising opportunities, a best-in-class investment for qualified prospects. For more information about Ziebart including franchise opportunities, please visit www.ziebart.com.

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