International Franchise Association Names New Board Leadership

Names 14 new franchisor, franchisee, and supplier leaders to serve on IFA Board of Directors; Top leaders in franchising, along with committee leaders, will help advance IFA’s mission to protect, enhance, and promote franchising

WASHINGTON – The International Franchise Association (IFA) today announced the election of fourteen new franchise professionals to serve on its Board of Directors, selected to lead the top organization representing franchise businesses worldwide. The new directors—comprised of franchisor, franchisee, and supplier members—will assume their positions at the 2026 IFA Annual Convention in Las Vegas February 23-25, 2026.

“These accomplished leaders represent the best of franchising—business owners and executives who understand the power of franchising to grow brands and support local ownership in the U.S. and around the world,” said Matt Haller, IFA President and CEO. “I’m grateful for their volunteer service in support of the IFA mission to strengthen the franchise business model and ensure the success of our members across all sectors.”

“Serving on the IFA Board of Directors is one of the highest honors a member of the franchise community can have to advance the franchise business model and the opportunities it creates,” said Mary Kennedy Thompson, Chair of the IFA Board of Directors and CEO of BNI. “This group brings a wealth of experience from across franchising’s diverse ecosystem. Their insight and leadership will help IFA continue to advocate for franchising and expand opportunity in the U.S. and around the world.”

The 2026 IFA Board of Directors includes representation across industries and business lines, reflecting the diversity of the franchise business model and the breadth of IFA’s membership. According to IFA data, in 2024, there were 831,000 franchise businesses in the U.S. employing nine million people and generating more than $900 billion in economic output.

The incoming 2026 IFA Board Members include:

Bill Bode, Chief Operating Officer, Planet Fitness
Lane Fisher, Partner, Fisher Zucker
Charles Keyser, President, Neonwax, LP
Kevin King, CEO and President, Donatos Pizza
Shelly O’Callaghan, Executive Vice President and General Counsel, International Dairy Queen
Nadia Sarangi, VP and Associate General Counsel, IHG Hotels & Resorts
Joe Sieve, Chief Restaurant and Global Development Officer, Papa Johns International
Cheryl Stanton, Chief Legal and Government Affairs Officer, Brightstar Care
Brad Stevenson, Chief Development Officer, Neighborly
Sam Tatevosyan, VP, Federal Government Relations and Global Policy, McDonald’s Corporation
Clement Troutman, Franchise Owner, Tropical Smoothie Cafe
Larisa Walega, Chief Growth Officer, Ziebart
Richard Weissman, Chairman, CEO, & Co-Founder, The Learning Experience
Tom Wood, President & CEO, Floor Coverings International

The new directors will serve an initial three-year term beginning in February 2026.

In addition to the new directors, IFA announces the succession of its 2026 officers, including the appointment of Dave Mortensen, co-founder of Anytime Fitness and Board member for Purpose Brands, as the incoming Second Vice Chair of the Board.

Leading the IFA Board of Directors, the 2026 IFA officers include:

Chair – Sam Ballas, CEO & Founder, East Coast Wings + Grill and Sammy’s Sliders
Vice Chair – Gary Robins, President, The G & C Robins Company
Second Vice Chair – Dave Mortensen, Co-founder and Board Member, Purpose Brands
Immediate Past Chair – Mary Kennedy Thompson, CEO, BNI

The 2026 IFA Board of Directors will also include representatives from the Diversity Institute Board, the Women’s Franchise Committee, and each of the IFA’s three forums (Franchisee Forum, Franchisor Forum, and Supplier Forum Advisory Board). The following representatives will serve on the Board while serving in their respective role:

Chair of the IFA Foundation’s Diversity Institute Board – John Lancaster, Senior Vice President of Franchise Development, Choice Hotels
Chair of the IFA Women’s Franchise Committee – Ali Kraus, Chief Marketing Officer, Benetrends Financial
Franchisee Forum
- Chair – Jesse Keyser, CEO, Keyser Enterprises
- Vice Chair – Stephen Shields, Franchise Owner, Express Employment Professionals
Franchisor Forum
- Chair – Emma Dickison, CEO & President, Home Helpers Home Care
- Vice Chair – Tom Wood, CEO, Floor Coverings International
Supplier Forum Advisory Board
- Chair – Abby Schmidt, National Partnership Development Manager, Paychex
- Vice Chair – Daniel Mormino, President of Sales and Chief Business Officer, InfinitiHR

The directors’ full bios are available here.

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About the International Franchise Association:

Celebrating over 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 approximately 831,000 franchise establishments that support nearly 8.8 million direct jobs, $896.9 billion of economic output for the U.S. economy, and almost 3 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.