Jo Kirchner

As CEO of Primrose Schools, Jo Kirchner leads strategic growth, culture, early education, brand leadership and public advocacy direction for the company. She joined Primrose in 1990 as Vice President and became President and CEO in 1999. Her lifelong mission is to deliver a nurturing environment and a quality early learning and care foundation to support families and help children become confident adults who love who they are and what they do.

Under Jo’s leadership, Primrose has grown from four schools in metro Atlanta to more than 500 schools nationwide. Jo serves as a member of the Primrose Early Learning Council and oversees the Primrose Schools Board of Directors.

Jo launched the Primrose Promise? Corporate Social Responsibility program and founded the Primrose Schools Children’s Foundation, which has raised and donated more than $5.5 million to charities focused on the needs of underserved children.

Jo was honored with the International Franchise Association (IFA) Entrepreneur of the Year Award at the 2023 IFA Annual Convention. In 2022, Jo won two Gold Stevie® Awards in the Female Executive of the Year and Lifetime Achievement categories. She was also named an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of The Year® 2022 National finalist in the resilience category. Jo was recognized by the Atlanta Business Chronicle in 2018 as one of Atlanta’s Most Admired CEOs and was awarded the 2017 Bonnie LeVine Award by the International Franchise Association (IFA) for her professional accomplishments within franchising and her commitment to the mentorship of women. In 2016, Jo was awarded a Silver Stevie® Award in the Female Executive of the Year category and was recognized by the Atlanta Business Chronicle as one of its Women Who Mean Business honorees.

In 2012, Primrose was selected to partner with AdvancED to develop and pilot the new Standards for Quality Early Learning Schools and was the first early childhood education school system to complete the process and earn AdvancED Corporation Systems Accreditation (now Cognia). Jo previously served on the AdvancED (now Cognia) Board of Trustees, making her the first individual to represent early childhood education on this 12-member, international board. She also serves on the board of the IFA Franchise Foundation. Additionally, Jo cofounded and serves as co-chair for the Early Education and Care Consortium, is a trustee for the Committee for Economic Development of The Conference Board and currently serves as a co-chair, helping business leaders influence government policies related to early childhood education.

Jo holds an associate degree in marketing from Ohio Career College.