IFA: Annual Convention 2022 | International Franchise Association | 26 February 2022 | San Diego Convention Center, 111 W Harbor Dr, San Diego, CA 92101, USA

As the largest, most relevant conference for the franchise community, this event is curated to take your success to new heights - no matter if you are a franchisor, franchisee, supplier, or working to expand to within franchising.

You’ll find fresh content, robust education tracks, and an unmatched COMMUNITY. Building on the power of gathering in person, we have TRANSFORMED this convention by shaking up the content and programs to match unique learning styles and maximize business development. If you’re in the franchising community, this is THE PLACE TO BE.

2022 Speakers

OPENING GUEST SPEAKER:

Catherine Monson
CFE, CEO & President, Propelled Brands and IFA Chair of the Board

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS:

Vernice “FlyGirl” Armour
America’s First Black Female Combat Pilot

Shaquille O’Neal
15-Time NBA All Star Player, Entrepreneur and Philanthropist

Seth Mattison
CEO, FutureSight Labs

SPEAKERS:

Cynthia Gartman, CFE
Publisher & Consultant, Seniors Blue Book

Kevin Moran
VP & General Counsel of Franchising, Hyatt Hotels Corporation

Richard Morey, CFE
Partner, DLA Piper LLP (US)

Suzette Blakemore, CFE
VP, Sales, Franklin Covey

Kory Kogon
VP, Global Sales Enablement, Franklin Covey

Evan Hackel, CFE
Founder & CEO, Ingage Consulting

Greg Nathan, CFE
Founder, Franchise Relationships Institute

Brian Schnell, CFE
Partner & Chair of Franchise Practice, Faegre Drinker

Steve LeFever, CFE
Chairman, Profit Mastery

Kay Ainsley, CFE
Managing Director, MSA Worldwide

Joe Bourdow, CFE
Senior Advisor, Premier Franchise Advisors

Barry Heller, CFE
Partner, DLA Piper LLP (US)

Mark Liston, CFE
Director, Special Projects, Mark Liston, Inc.

Bret Lowell, CFE
Partner, DLA Piper LLP (US)

Rod Bristol, CFE
Director, Business Development. Profit Soup

Barbara Nuss, CPA
Founder, Profit Soup

Matt Haller
President & CEO, International Franchise Association

Catherine Monson, CFE
IFA Chair; CEO, Propelled Brands

Stan Gray
Owner, FASTSIGNS, Torrance & Long Beach, CA (Navy Veteran)

Steve Carey
Owner, CertaPro, Mobile, AL, (US Air Force Veteran)

Mary Kennedy Thompson, CFE
Chief Operating Officer, Neighborly (US Marine Corps Veteran)

Lee Braun
CEO & Co-Founder, Perspire Sauna Studio

Shane Evans, CFE
Co-Founder, Massage Heights

Dave Mortensen
President & Co-Founder, Self Esteem Brands

Mark Cottle
Executive Vice President, Lendio Franchising, LLC

Lee Plave, CFE
Partner, Plave Koch PLC

Michael Seid, CFE
Managing Director, MSA Worldwide

Sam Ballas, CFE
President & CEO, East Coast Wings + Grill

Gary Robins
The G & C Robins Company

Mike Weinberger
Chief Franchise Officer, Unity Rd.

John Evans
President, EverLine Coatings and Services

Andrea Pirrotti-Dranchak
NewFlex

Larisa Walega, CFE
VP, Marketing, Ziebart International Corporation

Abe Dunaway
Senior Director, Operations and Training, Hounds Town, Inc.

John Kutac
VP, Operations, Code Ninjas

Christina Russell, CFE
CEO, Sola Franchise LLC

Ruth Agbaji
CEO, Code Wiz

Kim Hanson, CFE
CEO, LearningRx Franchise Corporation

Josh Skolnick
Founding Partner, SVHB Marketing LLC/Horse Power Brands

Landon Eckles
CEO, Clean Juice Franchising, LLC

Dan Monaghan, CFE
Managing Partner, Clear Summit Group

Lisa Lombardo
Chief People and Culture Officer, HDG Hotels

Graham Chapman, CFE
EVP, Account Services, 919 Marketing Company

Robin Gagnon, CFE
Co-Founder & CMO, We Sell Restaurants

Sean Falk, CFE
Client Executive, Hylant

Tim Vogel
Founder & CEO, Scenthound Franchising LLC

Tom Wells, CFE
Managing Partner, 10 Point Capital

Brian Kelley
President & COO, Phenix Salons Suites

Roberto Litwak, CFE
COO, Feher Consulting

James Goniea
General Counsel, Self Esteem Brands as a speaker to this session

Sean Fernandes
President, Scion Social

Mac Srinivasan
Global Markets President, BNI Global

Richard Wilson
President & CEO, Paul Davis Restoration

Clint Elhers
President & CEO, FASTSIGNS of Lancaster & Willow Grove, PA

Mike Hopkins
COO, Paul Davis Restoration

Joe Lindenmayer, CFE
Owner, California Closets of the Gulf Coast

Tom Wood, CFE
President & CEO, Floor Coverings International

Lisa Merry
COO, Junk King

Bruce Stone
President, Junk King of San Diego

Kim Juda
SVP, Operations, Clean Juice

Nathan Ring
Area Developer - Southern California, Clean Juice

John Cohen
VP, Operations & COO, The Lash Lounge, Franworth

Rebecca Miller
CMO, Smoothie King Franchises, Inc.

Vera Shafiq
VP, Digital Strategy, Location3

Rich Greenstein
Partner, DLA Piper LLP (US)

Rick Morey, CFE
Partner, DLA Piper LLP (US)

Stephanie Zosak
Associate, DLA Piper LLP (US)

Nancy Bigley, CFE
President & CEO, The Little Gym International, Inc.

Danessa Itaya
President, Property Management, Inc.

Michelle Rowan, CFE
President & COO, Franchise Business Review

Silvia Slemmer
Owner, Wild Birds Unlimited of Carlsbad, CA

Darrell Johnson, CFE
CEO, FRANdata

Joyce Mazero
Shareholder, Polsinelli

Greg Flynn
Chairman & CEO, Flynn Restaurant Group LLC

Len MacPhee
Shareholder, Polsinelli

Jyoti Sarolia
Past Chair, Choice Hotels Owners Council

Cheryl Stanton
General Counsel, BrightStar Franchising, LLC

Geoff Seiber
CEO, FranFund

Jonathan Theissen
CDO, Home Franchise Concepts

Paige Robinson, CFE
Director, Franchise Development, American Family Care

Ron Stilwell, CDO
FullSpeed Automotive

Rikki Amos, CFE
Executive Director, IFA Foundation

Earsa Jackson, CFE
Chair of Diversity Institute and Member, Clark Hill Strasburger

Ben Lawrence
Aziz Hashim Professor of Franchise Entrepreneurship, J. Mack Robinson College of Business, Georgia State University

Carolyn Thurston, CFE
Vice Chair of Black Franchise Leadership Council and Founder & CEO, Wisdom Senior Care

Wanda Williams
Head of Global Franchising, Yum! Brands, Inc.

Richard Snow
Chair of Black Franchise Leadership Council and VP, SBA National Franchise Relations, WSFS Bank

Tim Courtney, CFE
VP, Franchise Development, PuroClean, Inc.

Tray Doster
Director of Franchise Sales, Zaxby's Franchising LLC

Cheryl Fletcher
CDO, Tropical Smoothie Café

Jim Hartenstein
Former SVP, International, Wendy’s and Little Caesars and Managing Director, Hartenstein Global Consulting, LLC

Tony Padulo, CFE
CDO, School of Rock

Rafik Farouk
Sr. Director, Global Business Development, P.F. Chang’s

Marc Mushkin
VP, International Franchise Sales & Development, CKE Restaurants

Scott Greenberg
Franchise Expert, Business Performance Consultant and Author, The Wealthy Franchisee

Dave Keil
President, Franworth

Jeff Lewis
Assistant Vice President of Franchise Support, Propelled Brands

Christina Chambers
EVP Franchise Development, InXpress

Carrie Evans, CFE
VP, Franchise Development, Chicken Salad Chick

Josh Wall, CFE
EVP & Chief Franchise Officer, Unleashed Brands

Eric Easton
CFO, Ampex Brands

Barbara Nuss
Founder, Profit Soup

David Pepper
CDO, Choice Hotels International

John Leer
Chief Economist, Morning Consult

Mark Jameson, CFE
Chief Support & Development Officer, Propelled Brands

David Mesa
EVP, Franchise Division & Chief Development Officer, Ballard Brands

David Bloom
Chief Development and Operating Officer, Capriotti's Sandwich Shop, Inc.

Joe Loch
President, College Nannies + Sitters

Mary Mills
VP, Marketing, College Hunks Hauling Junk

Carisa Findley
VP, Learning & Development, TITLE Boxing Club

Josh Hotsenpiller
CEO, JUNO

Heather Lane
VP, Training & Operations Services, FOCUS Brands

James Mowery
CFE, ICFE Chair; CTO, SMB Franchise Advisors

Paul Brown
Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Inspire Brands

Julia Berman
Business Development Manager, FranWorth

Candice Caruso
SVP, Director of Government

Guaranteed Lending
WSFS Bank

Mike Rozman, CFE
CEO, Boefly Inc.

Allison Zorich, CFE
President, Franchise Development, Premium Service Brands

Jania Bailey, CFE
CEO, FranNet

Don Powers
CEO, Fitness Machine Technicians

Ryan Zink, CFE
CEO, Franchise Fastlane

Ryan Parsons
Vice President, The Brothers that just do Gutters

David Burton
Choice Hotels of Tulsa, OK

Clint Ehlers
President & CEO, FASTSIGNS of Lancaster & Willow Grove, PA

Indi Nandra
Mathnasium of West Marietta, GA

Eric Johnson, CFE
Global Franchising Team Leader, U.S. Department of Commerce

David Oppenheim, CFE
Shareholder, Greenberg Traurig

Alberto Vidal
Director, International Business, Ace Hardware Corporation

Kelly Crompvoets
VP, Marketing, Any Lab Test Now Franchising, Inc.

Shana Krisan, CFE
VP, Marketing, Goldfish Swim School Franchising, LLC

Michelle Morris
Marketing Manager, Tutor Doctor Systems, Inc.

Mitch Cohen
Franchisee, Sola Salons of New York

Mark Dawson
COO, Clockwork, Inc./Mister Sparky Electric

Marianne Murphy, CFE
VP, Brand Experience, Floor Coverings International

Doug Curtis
Partner, Specialty Tax Services, BDO USA, LLP

Dana Zukofsky
Director, BDO USA, LLP

Frank Milner, CFE
President, Tutor Doctor Systems, Inc.

Jonathan Weathington, CFE
CEO, Shuckin' Shack Franchising, LLC

Lori Shaffron, CFE
Senior Director of Franchise Sales, Rita's Franchise Company

Peter Ortiz
CDO, Huddle House Inc.

Carty Davis
Partner, C Squared Advisors, LLC

Ian Kang
Partner - Core Tax Service, BDO USA

Amy Cheng, CFE
Partner, Cheng Cohen LLC

Emma Dickison, CFE
CEO & President, Home Helpers Home Care

Jayson Pearl, CFE
President, ServiceScore

Dale Myska, CFE
Executive Vice President, Network Sales and Operations, Alphagraphics

Edith Wiseman, CFE
President, FRANdata

Joe Sieve, CFE
CDO, Inspire Brands

Ximena Couret
Associate, Baker McKenzie LLP

Kerry Renker Green
Associate General Counsel - Global Franchise - The Wendy’s Company

Andrew Thengvall
CDO, Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

Bill Valentas
CFO, Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

Brian Wise
SVP, Operations, Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

Eric Eversole
President, Hiring our Heroes, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation

Kathy Roth Douquet
CEO, Blue Star Families

Art delaCruz
CEO, Team Rubicon

Dr. Mike Haynie
Founder & Executive Director, Institute for Veterans & Military Families (IVMF)

Amanda Palm
Communications Manager, Sport Clips

Shannon Wilburn, CF
CEO & Co-Founder, Just Between Friends

Azim Saju
Chair, IFA Franchisee Forum; Principle, HDG Hotels

Charlie Chase
IFA Vice Chair; President & CEO, FirstService Brands, Inc. and California Closets, Inc.

MODERATORS:

Steve White
President & COO, PuroClean, Inc. (Army Veteran)

Steve Greenbaum, CFE
CEO, Full Contact Franchising

Tam Kennedy
Franchisee, Owner - Taco John's, Twin City TJ's, Inc.

Eli Bensignor
Counsel, Lathrop GPM

Christy Barnes
VP, Marketing, Camp Bow Wow

Jenna Hilb
Director, Field Operations, Code Ninjas

Angela Cote
CEO & Founder, Angela Cote

Edward 'Ned' Levitt, CFE
Partner, Dickinson Wright LLP

Graham Weihmiller, CFE
Chairman & CEO, BNI Global

Eric Stites, CFE
CEO, Franchise Business Review

Brandi Kloostra
Digital Marketing Director, Franworth

Paul Pickett, CFE
COO, Wild Birds Unlimited, Inc.

Jeff Hanscom
VP, State and Local Government Relations & Counsel, IFA

Michael Layman
SVP, Government Relations and Public Affairs, IFA

Ron Feldman, CFE
CDO, ApplePie Capital, Inc.

Randy Jones
Head of Originations, ApplePie Capital, Inc.

Therese Thilgen
CEO & Co-Founder, Franchise Update Media

Beata Krakus
Partner, Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C

Mark Siebert
CEO, iFranchise Group

Joe Lewis
President & CEO, Smalls Sliders Franchising LLC

Bill Graefe, CFE
Partner, FisherZucker LLC

Eric Schechterman, CFE
CDO, Benetrends Financial

Brook Wise, CFE
Director, Franchising, Express Services, Inc.

Harvey Homsey, CFE
VP, Franchise System, Express Services, Inc.

Bill Edwards, CFE
CEO & Global Advisor, Edwards Global Services

Heather McLeod, CFE
CMO, Authority Brands, LLC

Stacie Waller, CFE
President, Franchise & National Accounts Division, Althans Insurance Agency

John Francis
Board of Directors, Sport Clips, Inc.

Patricia Perry, CFE
VP, Franchise Development, Edible Arrangements, LLC

Larry Weinberg
Partner, Cassels

Ralph Yarusso, CFE
VP, Franchise Development, BrandONE Franchise Development, LLC & Incoming Chair, VetFran

Jo Kirchner
CEO, Primrose School Franchising Company

2022 Sponsors

• 1huddle
• Answerconnect
• Atmosphere
• BDO
• BNI
• DLA Piper
• Duskin
• Express
• Franchise Update Media
• Franworth
• Jani King
• Lathrop GPM
• Lift
• Neighborly
• Paychex
• Pepsico
• Scorpion
• Silvercrest
• SportClips
• Unleashed Brands
• The Ups Store
• All Points
• ChoiceLocal
• Citrin Cooperman
• Davo
• EventPrep
• Fisher Zucker
• Infiniti
• Maple Bear
• MSA
• Polsinelli
• RevLocal
• Riverside
• Soci
• Text Request
• Thryv
• Uberall
• Apple Pie Capital
• Baker Mckenzie
• Benetrends Financial
• Cassels
• Cheng Cohen
• Core Logic
• EGS
• Entrepreneur
• First Service
• Fox Rothschild
• Frannet
• GreenbergTraurig
• Hoffer Adler
• Huntington
• MFV
• Morrow HLL
• Mulberri
• Netsertive
• Plante Moran
• Tenet
• Ziebart