Message From Michael Seid, Chairman, VetFran Committee
Our servicemen and women understand one thing better than anyone else -
Dedication to the Mission.
Each of them recognizes that victory requires them to master their craft, constantly improve their performance, be part of a team, lead when it is asked of them and to always follow the rules. By the time our sailors, soldiers, airmen and marines become veterans, they know how to win. When they leave the service of our country, their training has given another set of skills – those required to be the perfect franchisee. Their dedication to your mission equals victory for your franchise system.
“Two hundred thousand servicemen and women separate from military service annually, and it’s up to all of us … whether in the public or private sector … to help them start … or re-start … their civilian careers.”
U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jim Nicholson, 2007
Every franchisor knows that success requires franchisees that can consistently deliver on the Brand’s Promise every day. Potential franchisees have choices and differentiating your opportunity from others is often difficult and expensive. Making sure that your franchise opportunity is attractive to veterans has never been easier.
Welcome to the International Franchise Association’s VetFran Program
VetFran was born out of the desire of the late Don Dwyer Sr. – founder of The Dwyer Group, to say thank you to our veterans returning from the first Gulf War. Reborn and re-energized by his daughter, IFA First Vice Chair, Dina Dwyer-Owens after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, VetFran’s ranks have grown to include more than 325 franchise systems that voluntarily offer financial incentives to veterans seeking to become franchise small-business owners. Through the VetFran program more than 1,100 servicemen and women have become franchisees and more are being added every month.
What do you need to do to become a VetFran Member?
Make the commitment. VetFran members commit to offering financial incentives to franchisees that meet their requirements. Since each franchise system is different; how each franchisor structures its own VetFran offering is their decision. Some franchisors provide financial incentives by reducing their initial franchise or other fees or by contributing to the franchisee’s initial cost of investment. To see examples of VetFran programs established by other franchisors and a list of those franchisors already benefiting from the VetFran program, visit the VetFran Directory. To participate in the program, please complete the VetFran Sign-up form.
The VetFran Scholarship Program
The franchising community is actively participating in developing future franchise leaders through several scholarship programs.
Created by Michael H. Seid & Associates, the VetFran Scholarship Program provides funding for veterans who choose to focus on an entrepreneurial course of studies when they leave our nation’s service. Other sponsors of the VetFran Scholarship Program include:
• The Dwyer Group
• Figaro’s Italian Pizza
• Luce, Smith and Scott
• The Pepsi Foundation
• Valpak International
“We are delighted to be able to provide these scholarships to such outstanding individuals, thanks to the generosity of IFA members who support our scholarship programs.”
Steve Greenbaum, CFE, CEO of PostNet International Franchise Corp
and Chairman of the International
Franchise Association.
Since 2002, through the IFA Education Foundation, these leading franchisors and suppliers have awarded 11 scholarships totaling $30,000 to military veterans.
To participate, each VetFran Scholarship Sponsor commits to contribute $15,000.00 over a five-year period. The IFA Educational Foundation selects the winners each year based on the information contained in the recipient’s application. Each veteran awarded a scholarship receives $2,500 to be used toward their tuition or other educational expenses, including books, room and board, and other costs.
To be eligible, candidates for a VetFran Scholarship must have received an honorable discharge from any branch of the U.S. military or Coast Guard and must submit an application and required supporting materials. For further information on the VetFran Scholarship Program, including application, click here.
Promoting the VetFran Program
In 2002, the International Franchise Association and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs signed an official memorandum of understanding to jointly promote the VetFran program. IFA’s members’ work in support of our nation’s veterans has been recognized by the Veteran Administration’s Center for Veterans Enterprise that honored the IFA by naming it a “Support Sector Champion” in 2003.
IFA also works with the U.S. Small Business Administration, Congress, military organizations and other entities to promote VetFran via additional government channels. VetFran and participating companies are frequently featured on Web sites targeted to military personnel leaving active service. Through the support of the IFA’s media department, VetFran and its member companies are included in new articles about franchising throughout print and electronic mediums and articles regularly appear in IFA’s Franchising World magazine. Providing information and options to our veterans is one of the missions of the VetFran program.
How Your Company Can Benefit
You, your staff and your franchisees get the pride of knowing that your company has stepped up to say “Thank You” to our nation’s fighting men and women.
For franchisors, there is no better pool of prospective franchisee talent than can be found in our veterans. Being able to target those prospects and allowing them to know that your system has a program tailored to their needs improves your opportunity to attract these candidates to your opportunity.
Anyone can sponsor a VetFran Scholarship – Suppliers, Franchisors or Franchisees. You will receive recognition for your support to the IFA Educational Foundation and know that you have contributed to providing an educational opportunity to someone who helped keep you and your family safe during troubled times.
Upon becoming a VetFran participating company, the IFA Educational Foundation will allow you to use the VetFran logo on your letterhead, brochures, franchise recruitment material, tradeshow booths and other promotional material.
The IFA and its members receive no government funding for VetFran and the program is entirely voluntary. Participating is a benefit of being an IFA member.
For information on becoming a member of VetFran, contact Terry Hill, IFA Staff Liaison for the program. For information about the Veteran Scholoarship Program, contact John Reynolds, President of the IFA Education Foundation.
It’s time for your company to take its place among the leaders in franchising by saying “Thank You” to our veterans. Make it a point of signing up your franchise system today or by becoming a sponsor of your own VetFran Scholarship.
Other Benefits for our Veterans
The International Franchise Assocation provides free entry for veterans to the International Franchise Exposition trade shows held in Washington, D.C., Los Angeles and Miami. At the IFE, veterans can view many business opportunities, meet with franchisors and attend the “Franchising 101 for Veterans” seminar free of charge. Companies looking to franchise their businesses can also attend symposiums on how to franchise, manage and expand their businesses at the IFE.
The VetFran Committee
In 2007, the IFA Executive Committee and Board of Directors approved the creation of The VetFran Committee. The volunteer members of the VetFran Committee work to increase the opportunities for our honorably-discharged military veterans interested in furthering their careers through ownership of a franchise or through expanding of their entrepreneurial education.
Over the coming months the VetFran Committee will be identifying other opportunities for franchisors to identify and recruit veterans as franchisees. We will be working with military organizations to identify publications and venues where franchisors can alert veterans of their opportunities. We will also be actively recruiting additional companies and individuals to sponsor additional VetFran Scholarships.
VetFran Committee Members:
Chairman - Michael H. Seid, CFE, Managing Dir., Michael H. Seid & Associates,
• Ron Berger, CEO, Figaro's Italian Pizza, Inc.
• Ryan Cunningham, President, Javelin Solutions
• Janice M. Dwyer, CFE, President, Luce, Smith and Scott, Inc.
• Marisa D. Faunce, Partner, Wiley Rein LLP
• John Francis, PostNet Area Franchisee for Minnesota & Wisconsin
• Lonnie Helgerson, CFE, President, IDENT-A-Kid Services of America
• Clint Lee, Director, Franchise Development, Wing Zone
• Mark Liston, CFE, Director, New Franchise Development, Valpak
• Bret Lowell, CFE, Partner, DLA Piper US LLP
• G. Thomas Macintosh, Partner, Krass Monroe, P.A.
• Joseph McCord, Vice President of Corporate Development, Steak-Out
• Steve Olson, Publisher, Franchise Update, Inc.
• H. Scott Presley, CFE, Managing Partner, Van New Capital Advisors
• Jerrod Sessler, CEO, HomeTask Handyman Service, Inc.
• Mary Thompson, CFE, President, Mr. Rooter
• Phil Trigg, FranFit Sales Manager, NG Franchise Services, Inc.
• Steve White, President, Signs Now
Staff Liaison: Terry Hill, Vice Pres., Publishing
