school of rock

HOMAN

School of Rock, the national leader in performance-based music education, and its growth equity partner, Sterling Partners, has announced the appointment of Dzana Homan as the company’s new Chief Executive Officer.  Homan will lead School of Rock into its next phase of growth by leveraging her extensive career leading large franchise organizations, her experience as a franchisee, and her musical background.  She will focus on expanding the company’s global footprint, introducing new programs and services and forming industry partnerships to provide current and future students of all ages with additional instructional and performance-oriented music education opportunities.

“Seven years ago, I attended a School of Rock concert in Los Angeles. I was mesmerized by the quality of the performances, the passion of the students and their instructors, and the reaction from the audience. These School of Rock students had only been playing their instruments for a few months, and their performances were astonishing,” said Homan. “As a classically trained pianist, I have a deep appreciation of the arts and personally understand how playing an instrument builds confidence, encourages teamwork and problem solving, and inspires people on stage and in life.”

Founded as a single school in Philadelphia in 1998, School of Rock has become a growing international franchise with schools in eight countries that impact more than 17,000 students and their families. Through its performance-based approach to music lessons, School of Rock students are taught by professional musicians using an interactive approach that culminates in live performances before crowds in real rock venues. This teaching method results in students who are more inspired to learn, more motivated to excel and more confident in life.

Sterling Partners welcomed School of Rock into its portfolio, largely because of its mission to provide quality education offerings that yield demonstrated learning outcomes and inspire students to become better citizens and positively impact their communities. Since partnering with Sterling, the education-based franchise company has continued to increase its number of schools both in the United States and abroad, and has added even more programs and services for toddlers, children, teenagers and adults in order to meet the growing demand for quality music education.

“Having previously served in roles as both a franchisor and franchisee, I understand the deep connection between the two and realize that one cannot succeed without the other. That’s why I’m visiting all of our locations, camps and concert venues, so I can foster the relationship between our corporate team and the individual schools to ensure we are continuing to provide an immersive experience that inspires our students to be their best,” said Homan. “When Sterling Partners reached out to me about this new role, I jumped at the opportunity to be part of a company with such a meaningful purpose.  As School of Rock moves into its next phase of growth, I look forward to working closely with the entire School of Rock family from the executive leadership team, franchisees and general managers to music directors and instructors.”

Homan has more than 15 years of hands-on experience leading and managing high-growth and outcome-driven institutions in the education, technology and franchise industries. Prior to School of Rock, she served as Chief Operating Officer of Goddard Systems, Inc., the leading early-childhood education franchise in the nation, and as the CEO of Huntington Learning Center.

Homan also served as the CEO of FutureKids, Inc., during which time she led strategic partnerships with leading technology companies such as IBM, Microsoft and Hewlett Packard that resulted in the Classrooms for the Future (CFF) initiative. Prior to leading FutureKids, Homan served as a teacher and a center director at the company, before becoming a franchise owner for five years. She holds an M.S. in Electrical Engineering and Physics and a B.S. in Piano.