IFA Marks One-Year Anniversary of Operation Enduring Opportunity

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Franchising World January 2013


BY BETH SOLOMON 


 


 ON VETERANS DAY, THE International Franchise Association marked the one-year anniversary of Operation Enduring Opportunity, a campaign to hire and recruit 75,000 military members and 5,000 wounded warriors by the end of 2014. IFA is well on its way to fulfilling the  commitment made by the franchise industry to First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden to enable veterans to find employment at home.   


IFA President and CEO Steve Caldeira, CFE, appeared on FOX Business on Nov. 12 showing how the franchise industry has done its part in ensuring veterans don’t have to fight for a job when they return from the battlefield and explaining why veterans make a good fit for franchising.   


Since the Operation Enduring Opportunity campaign began in 2011, 64,880 veterans, military spouses and wounded warriors have started careers in franchising, including 4,314 new veteran franchise business owners, according to a new report from the IFA prepared by Franchise Business Review. “These results are a great step forward toward the IFA’s goal and we must keep up the momentum to enable those who have served and sacrificed to fulfill their dreams and find meaningful careers here at home,” says Caldeira.   


With more than 1 million veterans returning home by 2015, IFA plans to keep up the momentum to answer the call made by the White House. Veterans are used to systems and structure and if you look at what makes franchising successful, it requires the same skills,” Caldeira told FOX Business. “Now we have the research to show that franchising is good for veterans and veterans are good for franchising.”       


A new video, From Honor to Owner, highlighting the industry’s efforts, premiered at IFA Veterans Day events in Atlanta, Ga., Austin, Texas, St. Paul, Minn. and San Antonio, Texas where IFA members and prominent leaders joined together to honor the nation’s veterans and recognize the progress that has been made in fighting veteran unemployment through franchise ownership and employment opportunities.     


San Antonio and Austin, Texas    In San Antonio, Texas, U.S. Small Business Administrator Karen Mills joined the franchise industry to show how the SBA has helped veterans start, grow and expand small businesses. VetFran Committee Chairwoman Mary Kennedy Thompson, CFE, (president of Mr. Rooter), and a Marine veteran, and Mike Rozman, co-president and chief strategy officer, BoeFly, were alongside new Lenny’s Sub Shop owner Maj. Cody Roberson (U.S. Army Reserve) and new WIN Home Inspection owner SSG Shilo Harris (U.S. Army, Ret.) to celebrate veteran-owned franchise businesses while emphasizing the need to continue this important effort.   


In Austin, Texas, veterans were joined at the State Capitol by U.S. Rep. John “Judge” Carter and State Representative Charles Schwertner, who emphasized the importance to expand the opportunities available for veterans to ensure veterans     are able to make a productive transition to civilian life. Gordon Logan, founder and CEO of Sport Clips, who has been involved in the VetFran program for 10 years and has more than 12 percent of franchisees as veterans, spoke about the importance to recognize the service and commitment made by each veteran.   


Atlanta, Ga.   


In Atlanta, Ga., attendees gathered at the State Capitol on Nov. 8 for a presentation of the Color/Honor Guard and speeches from Governor Nathan Deal, U.S. Small Business Administration Regional Administrator, IV, Cassius Butts, and TSS Photography President Joe Lindenmayer, incoming chairman of IFA’s VetFran Committee.   


St. Paul, Minn.     


In St. Paul, Minn., Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives Kurt Zellers, along with veteran owners from Mr. Appliance and Aire Serve, gathered at the Minnesota State Capitol Rotunda to honor our nation’s veterans and mark the one-year anniversary of Operation Enduring Opportunity and the huge strides that have been made for veterans.   


For information on VetFran issues, contact International Franchise Association Senior Manager, Research & Strategic Initiatives Josh Merin at 202-662-0762 or  jmerin@franchise.org.  


 


 


 


 

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