For immediate release
Contact:Alisa Harrison, 202-628-8000
aharrison@franchise.org
www.twitter.com/franchising411
WASHINGTON, March 17, 2010—International Franchise Association Chairman Ken Walker, chairman & CEO of Driven Brands, announced today the resignation of Matthew Shay as IFA President & CEO. Shay has accepted the position of President & CEO at the National Retail Federation.
“Matthew Shay has done an outstanding job as President & CEO of the IFA and we wish him and his family all the best as he assumes his new responsibilities,” Walker said. “We will immediately form a search committee comprised of IFA leaders to find his replacement as quickly as possible.”
Shay joined IFA in 1993 and held several senior management positions including the position of President in 2004 and the addition of CEO in 2007. He joins the National Retail Federation in mid-May.
“It has been an honor for me to serve the franchise industry over the past 17 years and a privilege to have made so many close friends,” Shay said. “I’m proud of what we have been able to accomplish on behalf of our members, including increasing the awareness of IFA and franchising among a variety of audiences, particularly in Washington, D.C. IFA has a solid financial foundation and membership is bouncing back strongly after the recent economic challenges facing our country. I am confident that the progress we have made will continue under the strong team of leaders and staff guiding the organization.”
In the past year, the IFA forged strong relationships with the new Administration and met regularly with representatives of the White House, Department of Treasury and SBA to encourage initiatives that would restore the flow of credit to franchised businesses. Under Shay’s leadership, the association’s staff and budget were reorganized to provide greater emphasis on strategic priorities, including government relations and communications, and the IFA experienced significant financial growth, providing the IFA with the financial resources to weather the recent economic downturn.
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About the International Franchise Association
The International Franchise Association is the world’s oldest and largest organization representing franchising worldwide. Celebrating 50 years of excellence, education and advocacy, IFA protects, enhances and promotes franchising through government relations, public relations and educational programs. Through its awareness campaign highlighting the theme, Franchising: Building Local Businesses, One Opportunity at a Time, IFA promotes the 21 million jobs and $2.3 trillion of economic activity generated by franchising. IFA members include franchise companies in over 90 different business format categories, individual franchisees and companies that support the industry in marketing, law and business development.
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