BrightStar CEO and co-founder Shelly Sun, CFE, was honored February 7th at the International Franchise Association as the Entrepreneur of the Year during its 50th annual convention, conducted in San Antonio.
As the leader of BrightStar, a health-care staffing company, Sun enables the firm to provide the full continuum of care, from homecare to supplemental staffing for corporate clients such as nursing homes and physicians. At BrightStar’s inception, Sun, along with her husband and co-founder J.D., launched its franchising efforts in 2005, becoming the first and only franchising company in the United States to specialize in both medical and non-medical care and health-care staffing. In three years, the company has grown from one company-owned store to more than 160 locations nationwide.
Sun is a member of the IFA board of directors, and the Membership and FranPAC committees. She was selected as the Entrepreneur of the Year by the National Association of Women Business Owners in 2006, was on the 50 fastest-growing, woman-owned companies listed in Entrepreneur magazine in 2007, 2008 and 2009 and was honored as an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist in 2008 and 2009. Sun was also named the “franchise queen” by Crain’s Chicago Business.
The Entrepreneur of the Year Award is presented to an individual who is currently building a successful business venture, demonstrates innovative management skills in a franchise that has been in operation at least three years and is active in the community.
