IFA first introduced an Awards Program when it established the Hall of Fame Award in 1979. As the Association’s oldest and most prestigious honor, it is conferred upon legendary franchisors who are pioneers in franchising and/or founders of companies whose unassailable track records are examples of the best in franchising. This award was intended to identify and recognize publicly those individuals who, as franchisors, had contributed most to making franchising the acknowledged leader in distribution methods. By publicizing the accomplishments of those pioneers who introduced many new innovations while developing successful systems, it was hoped a new generation of leaders would be inspired to reach those same high levels of accomplishment.