(Cincinnati, Ohio) — FirstLight HomeCare welcomed more than 45 franchisees, employees and caregivers to its first annual national conference on Oct. 6 at Big Cedar Resort outside Branson, Mo. The three day event incorporated panels and roundtable sessions on best tips and practices of successful networking, effective management, administration and training techniques, plus focus groups for recruiting, advertising, social media and care coordination. Special presentations from industry experts and guest speakers were also heard.

President and CEO Jeff Bevis took the opportunity to bestow top franchisees and caregivers with prestigious awards. Among them, Lake Mary, Fla.-based owner Tammy Iuso was named Franchisee of the Year, based on her ability to exemplify FirstLight’s Culture of Care and its service-oriented operating system, maintain highest measurements of client satisfaction, and achieve highest revenues for the last 12 month period.

"We’re thrilled to have Tammy on our FirstLight team," said Bevis. "Over the past year, Tammy has shown extreme dedication to her business, earning the highest achievements as a single territory owner. It was a hard decision, with so many deserving owners, but Tammy proved herself and exceeded our expectations as a new franchisee."

Additionally, Maria Wichmann was named Caregiver of the Year, which acknowledges the highest level of service, care, compassion and resourcefulness in providing care to FirstLight clients. The Caregiver of the Year and Franchisee of the Year awards are reserved for exceptional performance and positive contribution to the system.

"Maria clearly demonstrates empathy and compassion toward those receiving care by her concern and commitment to professionalism," said Bevis. "She is a leader to all caregivers by offering suggestions and encouragement to others and even her supervisors to reinforce our Culture of Care, which is already an industry leader in client satisfaction."

FirstLight HomeCare creates a new standard in non-medical, in-home care customized for seniors, new mothers and those recovering from illness, injury or surgery. The demand for high-quality in-home care is at an all-time high, with more than 12 percent of Americans over 65 and wanting to remain independent for as long as possible. FirstLight HomeCare combines best practices of a dynamic senior leadership team with more than 75 years of collective senior care experience and innovative approaches to make this franchise an emerging market leader in a fast-growing industry. FirstLight HomeCare franchises have exclusive access to Foundation First, the best-in-class franchise support system bringing together 24 franchise essentials, unmatched in the industry. Prime territories are going quickly, for more information please visit www.firstlightfranchise.com.