International Franchise Association Concludes 64th Annual Convention in Phoenix
Event brought together nearly 4,000 franchise professionals for franchising’s premier event to discuss how to franchise smarter
PHOENIX, Feb. 20, 2024 – The International Franchise Association (IFA) today concluded its 64th Annual Convention in Phoenix, Ariz., bringing together nearly 4,000 franchise professionals from more than 30 countries for the largest event in franchising. The event comes as franchising is predicted to surpass growth expectations, with Arizona named one of the top states in the nation for franchising.
“The IFA Convention shows the power of the franchise business model and reinforces why franchising continues to outpace growth of the U.S. economy,” said IFA President and CEO Matthew Haller. “Even as lawmakers have targeted franchising on a number of policy fronts, IFA members demonstrated a renewed commitment to our collective mission to protect, enhance and promote responsible franchising through our advocacy, educational and communications programs that will make the next generation of franchising even stronger than it is today.”
The IFA Annual Convention featured speakers including sports legend Deion Sanders, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin, Denny’s CEO Kelli Valade, IFA Chair and Great Clips CEO Steve Hockett, award-winning sports journalist Don Yaeger, and several other top business professionals offering advice on leadership, building great teams, and the importance of franchising responsibly.
On the main stage, IFA launched the Franchise Ascension Initiative, a new program created to accelerate franchise opportunities among underrepresented communities and help bridge the wealth gap through franchising.
IFA also recognized several individuals with the highest awards in franchising:
- Hall of Fame – Catherine Monson, Propelled Brands
- Entrepreneur of the Year – Nick Friedman and Omar Soliman, College H.U.N.K.S.
- Bonny LeVine Award – Tamra Kennedy, Taco John’s
- Ronald E. Harrison – Paul Pickett, Wild Birds Unlimited
- William Rosenberg Foundation Leadership Award – Tony Valle, Clear Summit Group
In addition, 109 business owners were selected as Franchisees of the Year, and 170 individuals graduated from the Certified Franchise Executive program, receiving the prestigious CFE designation.
The event follows the release of IFA’s Franchising Economic Outlook last week, which shows that the growth of franchising is predicted to surpass overall U.S. economic growth, reaching 821,000 businesses in the U.S., providing 8.9 million jobs. Arizona is predicted to be the 8th best state in the country for franchise growth with over 195,000 franchised businesses in the state.
Despite this growth, franchising faces a number of policy challenges threatening this growth, including the National Labor Relations Board’s expanded joint employer rule, which is set to go into effect next week on Feb. 26, 2024 and would fundamentally alter the business model. During his main stage speech, U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin said the policy, “makes no sense whatsoever,” and is working to overturn the rule in the Congress.
The week in Phoenix kicked off with the launch of the 2024 Open for Opportunity Roadshow, IFA’s multi-year campaign to share the story of franchising through local business owners. The event featured a roundtable discussion at the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry, bringing together local franchise owners, business and community leaders, and elected officials.
The IFA Annual Convention has consistently been named the top event in franchising by Entrepreneur media.
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Celebrating over 60 years of excellence, education, and advocacy, the International Franchise Association (IFA) is the world’s oldest and largest organization representing franchising worldwide. IFA works through its government relations and public policy, media relations, and educational programs to protect, enhance and promote franchising and the approximately 806,270 franchise establishments that support nearly 8.7 million direct jobs, $858.5 billion of economic output for the U.S. economy, and almost 3 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). IFA members include franchise companies in over 300 different business format categories, individual franchisees, and companies that support the industry in marketing, law, technology, and business development.