IFA™s 50th Annual Convention Welcomes Former President George W. Bush

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February 2010 Franchising World

Former two-term President George W. Bush to address General Session. 

Former U.S. President George W. Bush, who served as the nation’s 43rd president, will open the International Franchise Association’s 50th Annual Convention in San Antonio Feb. 6. Bush cut taxes for federal taxpayers which introduced 52 straight months of job creation at the beginning of his presidency when faced with the recession. He oversaw operations to address the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks including the formation of the Department of Homeland Security. The former president’s remarks will kick off an historic milestone for the association—its 50th birthday. Educational sessions over the past five decades have been small and cordial or large enough to test the endurance of the conference staff tasked to work with hotel staff to ensure that IFA members are comfortable and satisfied. Networking venues have included huge indoor ballrooms and halls, while outside settings have encompassed elegant terraces.

As members enter the San Antonio Convention Center or Marriott Rivercenter they may encounter a sight totally unfamiliar to their conference experience–as more people gather and become more engaged in pointing to this billowing cloud, several begin noticing the various sizes and colors of the words.

For those unfamiliar with this sight, it’s a “keyword cloud,” not an indication of total mental exhaustion. It’s a visual representation of keywords that would likely appear on the IFA Web site if one were to search out words related to the IFA annual convention. But there’s something that the cloud doesn’t convey: individual priorities and expectations of each attendee participating in this year’s special anniversary celebration. Even for those convention warriors who have attended dozens of IFA conventions, marking a 50th year of growth, influence and inspiration will be memorable.

IFA will fully engage associationcompany members in achieving excellence, education and relationship building throughout the multi-day convention. For some attendees that may translate into getting the most out of the Financial Summit, for others it may mean exchanging ideas during a lively Business Solution Roundtable or making new friends during the “Taste of Franchising” networking event or International Reception. By the time of the closing gala on Monday night, attendees will have learned new best practices, engaged peers, charted the future and confirmed that IFA is prepared to contribute to the franchising industry’s next 50 years. 

Perhaps by the time convention-goers say their last goodbyes to friends and make a note of the dates for the 2011 convention, they’ll have some new words to enlarge the now-familiar keyword cloud.

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