Meet the Swimtastic Franklin Team

Kara Thomas is half owner of Swimtastic Franklin and opened it with her ex-husband, now business partner, in 2004. When the opportunity arose to buy a Swimtastic Franchise, she knew Franklin was the community she wanted to grow her business in. Water was always an important part of Kara’s life. Swimming and water skiing at a very young age made Kara feel very at peace around the water. She wanted to give this gift to children because after all swimming is a skill that lasts a lifetime. This sport provides great health, confidence, and happiness when shared with family and friends! Teaching swimming to thousands of children is one of Kara’s great accomplishments, but sharing that joy with her employees throughout the years and watching each and every one of them grow from young adults to amazing men and women is a gift that she cherishes deeply. Being a family and treating others with respect and compassion is a very important motto at Swimtastic. This motto is so evident through the business that customers and their children can feel it the moment they walk through the door. Kara is now retired and allows her business to be run by her incredible management team. She lives on a mini farm with her husband Gerald, and is living her dream by raising her animals, and spending time with her children and grandchildren. Being a mother to Danielle and Heather, who are also past employees and a huge part of Swimtastic's success story, a Mother-in-Law to Ricky, and a grandmother to Isaac and Ryker has given Kara the life she’s always dreamt of, and she has Swimtastic, the Franklin community, her employees, and her beautiful family to thank for that.