King of Prussia, Pennsylvania: Richard Shandelman, president and co-founder of the Safe & Sound child safety program, announces that Anna-Karin Skillen and her husband, Joseph, have completed an extensive training course and are now Safe & Sound child safety specialists. Their Safe & Sound certification enables them to evaluate homes for potential health and safety hazards and to install safety devices designed to be functional yet architecturally appealing.
As franchisees of what Small Business Opportunities calls one of the hottest concepts of the 1990’s, they will have exclusive rights to offer the Safe & Sound program in a territory that includes their hometown—Baton Rouge Louisiana. Ms. Skillen, a child care professional, will operate the program. Ms. Skillen received her degree in early childhood education in Stockholm. She worked in various capacities with children there and in America..

Ms. Skillen came to this United States in 1995 to marry and begin her own business. She was impressed by the child safety system she saw installed at a friend’s home—gates, hearth guards and more. "Sweden is extraordinarily safety conscious, but the idea of a safety program for the home was beyond what was available there," Skillen commented. After extensive research she selected the Safe & Sound franchise system.
"The founders have impressive credentials in the field—and the program emphasizes education for franchisees and consumers alike," she explains. Safe & Sound is the only home safety franchise with an established Safety Advisory Council comprising pediatricians and other health and safety experts. The council is available for advice and consultation. "Most importantly, the franchise was eager to help us succeed," says Skillen.
CEO Richard Shandelman, is a product engineer who served as consultant to a list of America’s leading corporations. When he himself became a parent, Shandelman became increasingly aware of household dangers. As a result, he dedicated his talents to correcting them. His credentials include several patents and patents pending on safety products and equipment. He founded Safe & Sound in 1992 with Peter Lipschutz, an industry specialist. The team has over 35 years combined experience in the field. They launched the Safe & Sound franchise in 1998 with a "First-Aid" program of special incentives for franchisees who get in on the ground floor.
"I am excited to be part of a growing franchise in a growing field," Skillen added. In recent years parents have spent over one billion dollars annually on child-related products and services.

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