Orlando, FL – The International Franchise Association (IFA) today announced Daniel Halpern, CEO and Co-founder of Jackmont Hospitality, as the 2019 recipient of the Ronald E. Harrison Award.

The Diversity Award is named in honor of Ron Harrison, past chairman of the IFA and a pioneering leader who built up one of the most robust diversity and inclusion programs in the industry while at PepsiCo. The recipients of the award share Ron’s extraordinary passion, values and accomplishments. 

“Diversity and inclusion are not just a cause that we champion at Jackmont Hospitality and beyond, they are a major driver behind our ongoing success,” said Daniel Halpern. “An organization that makes diversity and inclusion a priority can unleash the full potential of its human capital, relationships and can do well by doing good.” IFA President and CEO Robert Cresanti said, “Daniel Halpern’s life and career are a case study in how being a leader in diversity and inclusion and being a hugely successful business owner go hand in hand.”

As CEO of Jackmont Hospitality, Daniel Halpern has seen his group become one of the most successful multi-unit franchisees of TGI Fridays, winning multiple brand awards. Most recently, Jackmont was recognized as both the Best Operator of the Year and Best General Manager of the Year in 2019 by their franchisor. Jackmont is proud of the diversity of both their leadership team and their staff, who together form an exemplary team. 

In addition to his successful business career, Daniel Halpern has had an outsized positive impact on not just his community, but his state and even on the national stage. His accomplishments are too numerous to list, but he has been an advisor to former presidents and senators, is a former board member of Tuskegee University’s School of Hospitality, a former chair of the Atlanta Housing Authority, and a founding board member and past chair of BrandUSA. Daniel is also a leading philanthropist, supporting causes like the Maynard Jackson Youth Foundation, the United Negro College Fund, the Multi-Cultural Foodservice and Hospitality Alliance and others. 

About the International Franchise Association

Celebrating 60 years of excellence, education and advocacy, the International Franchise Association (IFA) is the world’s oldest and largest organization representing franchising worldwide. IFA works through its government relations and public policy, media relations and educational programs to protect, enhance and promote franchising and the more than 733,000 franchise establishments that support nearly 7.6 million direct jobs, $674.3 billion of economic output for the U.S. economy and 2.5 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). IFA members include franchise companies in over 300 different business format categories, individual franchisees and companies that support the industry in marketing, law, technology and business development. To learn more about the IFA, visit https://www.franchise.org.

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