INTERNATIONAL FRANCHISE ASSOCIATION WELCOMES BILL MEIERLING AS VP OF STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING

Washington, D.C. – The International Franchise Association (IFA), the world’s oldest and largest organization representing franchising worldwide, has added Bill Meierling to its leadership team as Vice President of Strategic Communications and Marketing.

In this role, Meierling will be responsible for spearheading strategies to support the IFA’s mission to protect, promote and enhance franchising as he leads all aspects of external communications across a broad range of issues and projects.

“We are thrilled to have Bill join IFA and help tell the story of the franchising community to internal and external stakeholders,” said Matt Haller, IFA President and CEO. “Bill’s experience implementing public affairs and marketing campaigns that drive member value, increase revenue and innovate our product offerings will be critical to IFA as the franchise sector leads the economic recovery and continues to grow.”

Meierling joins the IFA from the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), where he served as Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Vice President of External Relationships and Strategic Partnerships since 2013. During his time at ALEC, Bill established and grew the public affairs and membership divisions as new initiatives for the nation’s largest organization of state and local elected officials.

“Franchising is a key pathway to opportunity in the smallest communities and biggest cities across America and around the world,” said Bill Meierling. He continued, “I’m looking forward to enhancing and promoting public awareness of the franchising system and the consumer choice and business opportunity it provides.”

Meierling brings with him over 16 years of strategic communications and policy experience and has held roles at United Way Worldwide, Edelman and OpinionMakers International where he was a founding partner. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Spanish from Hampden-Sydney College and his Masters of Political Management from The George Washington University, where he lectured in its Graduate School of Political Management.

About the International Franchise Association

Celebrating 60 years of excellence, education, and advocacy, the International Franchise Association 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.

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