The IFA Board of Directors is made up of 75 franchise executives from across industries and representing each section of the IFA membership—franchisees, franchisors, and suppliers. This dedicated group of leaders guides the Association’s strategic direction and ensures that the issues of greatest importance to the membership are always at the forefront of IFA’s efforts.
To learn more about serving on the IFA Board, please contact Catherine Bartley Darden.
Chair, IFA Board of Directors; CEO & Co-Founder East Coast Wings + Grill/ Sammy’s Sliders
Vice Chair, IFA Board of Directors; President, The G & C Robins Company
Second Vice Chair, IFA Board of Directors; Purpose Brands, LLC; Co-Founder - Anytime Fitness
Immediate Past Chair, IFA Board of Directors; CEO, BNI
IFA Treasurer; CEO, Treats Investments, LLC and CEO, Align Capital, LLC
Chair, IFA Foundation Board of Trustees; CEO, Propelled Brands
Vice Chair, IFA Foundation Board of Trustees; CEO, Head to Toe Brands
Chair, IFA Franchisor Forum; CEO & President, Home Helpers Home Care
Chair, IFA Franchisee Forum; CEO, Keyser Enterprises 1, LP
IFA Supplier Forum Advisory Board; Franchise Partnership Development Manager, Paychex, Inc.
Chief Franchise Officer, Marriott International
Owner, Great Clips
Executive Vice President, Government Relations, Ecolab
Multi-Unit Franchisee IHOP
SVP, Litigation, Employment Law & Government Relations Wyndham Hotels and Resorts
Chief Operating Officer, Planet Fitness
Franchise Owner, Jersey Mike's Subs and Sola Salon Studios; Partner, PerforMax Franchisee Advisors
VP, Government Affairs & Impact, Inspire Brands
Partner, Area 15 Ventures
Chief Operating Officer, Jani-King International, Inc.
President, Fish Window Cleaning
Principal & CEO, Kalo Companies
Vice President, Head of U.S. Government Relations & Community Affairs, Restaurant Brands International
Owner, FASTSIGNS of Willow Grove, PA and Cherry Hill, NJ
Chairman, Oasis Senior Advisors Franchise System, LLC
Co-Founder & CEO, Heights Wellness Retreats (Massage Heights Franchising)
Sean Falk, CFE, President & COO, Careertopia Franchise Executive
CEO, Benetrends Financial
Partner, Fisher Zucker
Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer, Flynn Group
Chair of IFA Franchisor Forum; Co-Founder and CEO, We Sell Restaurants
CEO, Sizzling Platter, LLC
CEO & Co-Founder, Jackmont Hospitality
Global Board of Directors, InXpress
Chief Sustainability Officer & Vice President of Global Government Affairs, Yum! Brands
Vice President of Franchise Systems, Express Services, Inc.
Member, Clark Hill Strasburger
President, Twin City's T.J.'s, Inc.
President, Keyser Enterprises 1, LP
Chairman, Falcon Holdings
CEO and President, Donatos Pizza
Vice Chair, WFC Committee, Chief Marketing Officer, Benetrends
akraus@benetrends.com
Vice President Emerging Markets Franchise Development, Choice Hotels International
Vice President and Assistant General Counsel, Head of External Affairs and Global Public Policy, Choice Hotels International, Inc.
CEO, Starheel Ventures, LLC
Chief Business Officer, INFINITI HR
Executive Vice President and General Counsel, International Dairy Queen
President & CEO, O&M Restaurant Group
PCRK Group, National Envy Development
Franchisee, Sport Clips
Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, 7-Eleven
CEO & President, HDG Hotels
VP and Associate General Counsel, IHG Hotels & Resorts
President and CEO, Ellis Hospitality Group
Senior Vice President and Assistant General Counsel, Asia Pacific Hilton Hotels & Resorts
Vice President, Communications, Public Affairs & Customer Care, The Wendy's Company
Managing Director, MSA Worldwide
Franchisee, Express Employment Professionals
Managing Director, Exaltare Capital Partners
Chief Legal and Government Affairs Officer, Brightstar Care
Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, Chick-fil-a, Inc.
Senior Vice President, Legal, General Counsel and Secretary, Dine Brands Global
Founder and CEO, Kensington Hill Partners
Chief Development Officer, Neighborly
Vice President, Federal Government Relations and Global Policy, McDonald’s Corporation
CEO & President, Hand & Stone Franchise, LLC
CEO & Founder, Wisdom Senior Care
Franchise Owner, Tropical Smoothie Café
Chief Growth Officer, Ziebart International Corporation
lwalega@ziebart.com
CEO, Smalls Sliders Franchising LLC
Chairman, CEO, and Co-Founder, The Learning Experience
President & COO, PuroClean
Chief Franchising Officer, Williams Fried Chicken
President & CEO, Floor Coverings International
Chief Executive Officer, FranConnect
President & CEO, Stretch Zone