The Summit on Best Ideas and Leadership in Franchising

SPEAKERs

Jania Bailey, CFE
President and COO, FranNet

Stephen J. Caldeira, CFE
President and CEO, International Franchise Association

Stephen J. Caldeira is President & CEO of the International Franchise Association, the world's oldest and largest organization representing the franchising industry ...

Ronald Feldman, CFE
CEO, Franchise America Finance & Siegel Financial Group

Sherri Fishman, CFE
President, Fishman Public Relations

Sean Fitzgerald, CFE
Senior VP of Development at Quiznos

Stan Friedman, CFE
Vice Chairman, FranConnect

Darrell Johnson Stan Friedman is the Vice Chairman of FranConnect – bringing nearly two dozen years of franchisor experience with him. As a specialist in franchise development and relationships, Stan's expertise is now being brought to bear, for hundreds of FranConnect's ...

Bob Gappa, CFE
Founder & President, Management 2000

Bob Gappa founded Management 2000 in 1981. Bob and Management 2000 have worked with over 1150 franchise companies. Management 2000's clients include start up concepts, mid size companies and well established companies with hundreds of locations both in ...

Keith Gerson, CFE
President, FranConnect

Mindy Golde
Vice President of Sales, Listen 360

Marty Greenbaum, CFE
President, Greenbaum Marketing Communications

Evan Hackel
President, Ingage Consulting

Barry M. Heller, CFE
Partner, DLA Piper

Barry M. Heller For more than 28 years, Barry Heller's practice has consisted almost exclusively of representing clients in franchise and distribution disputes throughout the country, both in litigation and arbitration ...

Ken Hutcheson, CFE
President, US Lawns

Darrell Johnson, CFE
President & CEO, FRANdata

Darrell Johnson has been President and Chief Executive Officer of FRANdata since 2001. He is a nationally recognized authority on franchising in the U.S. and is a frequent speaker and author on franchising topics. Prior to a 2004 management ...

Bret Lowell, CFE
Partner, DLA Piper

David Nilssen
CEO Guidant Financial

Amit Pamecha, CFE
Founder and CEO, FranConnect

Amit Pamecha is the Founder and CEO of FranConnect – The world's #1 provider of Franchise management and recruitment systems. Amit has personally worked with over 300 Franchise organizations, helping them implement solutions for improving ...

Nick Powills, CFE
President, No Limit Media Consulting

Michelle Rowan, CFE
President, Franchise Business Review

Ken Switzer
Vice President/ CFO, Marco's Franchising LLC

Mary Thompson, CFE
President, Mr. Rooter LLC

For more information, please contact Irene Anders at 1-800-280-8305 or
email at franconnection12@franconnect.com

Bob Gappa, CFE
Founder & President, Management 2000

Management 2000 conducts seminars throughout the year that cover topics of interest to franchise companies. The topics of the seminars are: 1] "How To Recruit Better Candidates & Close More Franchise Sales", 2] "How To Become A More Effective Field Consultant - Part 1 & Part 2", and "How To Lead And Manage The Growth Of Your Franchise System". These programs are endorsed by both the International Franchise Association and the Canadian Franchise Association.

Management 2000's areas of expertise include helping franchise systems: 1] plan for their growth, 2] develop their leadership skills, 3] developing effective ways to generate, qualify and grant franchises to the most qualified individuals, 4] train their field consultants to be more effective with helping franchisees grow their businesses, 5] establish a culture that focuses on the customers' experience, 6] write operations and training manuals, 7] developing effective franchiser-franchisee relationships and 8] helping franchisees develop growth business plans for their operations.

Over the years, Bob Gappa has written and had published many articles on franchising. Recently he was asked by the International Franchise Association [IFA] to write two sections for the ICFE STUDY GUIDE for FRANCHISE EXECUTIVES.

Bob has been involved as a franchisee with several different concepts and brings a wealth of knowledge from that perspective in addition. Bob's many years of experience in the franchise community are an invaluable resource to companies that work with Management 2000.

Bret Lowell, CFE
Partner, DLA Piper

Bret Lowell is an internationally recognized leader in franchise and distribution law and has counseled and represented clients across a broad spectrum of industries, including restaurants and food service, car rental, hotel and motel, health care, financial services, high tech, real estate and retail.

Mr. Lowell's experience includes extensive analysis as to whether arrangements constitute "franchises"; drafting and negotiating domestic and international franchise, distribution, and license agreements; preparation and filing of disclosure documents; counsel and advice regarding the establishment and operation of franchise and distribution systems; counsel and advice regarding termination, transfer, and renewal obligations; dispute resolution, including representation before federal and state government agencies; mediation; due diligence reviews and document preparation in connection with public offerings, mergers, and acquisitions; and trademark and other intellectual property matters.

Mr. Lowell writes and speaks extensively on franchise-related topics in a variety of forums.

He is widely recognized for his practice. The respected research firm Chambers & Partners has repeatedly recognized him in Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business, calling him "a superb transactional lawyer" and "an expert counselor" and noting that he "is singled out by peers as one of the leading lights of the franchising team. Especially noted for his transactional work, both domestic and international, he offers formidable technical knowledge of the franchising field."

Mr. Lowell has also been listed in The International Who's Who of Franchise Lawyers, in The Best Lawyers in America and in Who's Who in America. Washingtonian magazine has named him one of the Best Lawyers in Washington. Mr. Lowell was also listed in the 2005-2010 Who's Who Legal: The International Who's Who of Business Lawyers and named both a Virginia Super Lawyer and a Washington, DC Super Lawyer. Franchise Times has named him to its list of "Legal Eagles," the top 101 franchise lawyers in the US and Canada.

David Nilssen
CEO Guidant Financial

David Nilssen David co-founded Guidant Financial and has been a featured speaker at over 350 national and international events, covering topics from entrepreneurship and branding to small business financing. In addition, he and his company have been highlighted in such media sources such as CNBC, Fortune Magazine, Entrepreneur, CNN and The Wall Street Journal. In 2007, the Small Business Administration (SBA) named Nilssen the National Young Entrepreneur of the Year and the Puget Sound Business Journal named him one of the top 40 business people under 40 years of age. In both 2008 & 2009, Ernst and Young named him a finalist for their coveted Entrepreneur of the Year award. In 2011, David released a book called Making the Jump into Small Business Ownership.

Amit Pamecha, CFE
Founder and CEO, FranConnect

Amit

Pamecha Amit Pamecha is the Founder and CEO of FranConnect – The world's #1 provider of Franchise management and recruitment systems. Amit has personally worked with over 300 Franchise organizations, helping them implement solutions for improving franchise recruitment, enhancing franchisee relationships and performance. Under Amit's leadership, FranConnect has grown to become the world's largest technology provider to franchise systems with over 200 employees and over 450 franchise brands as customers. Amit is also a frequent speaker, motivator and strategist helping franchise organizations find creative solutions to their complex needs. Amit serves on the board of the IFA supplier forum and is a Certified Franchise Executive.

Prior to FranConnect, Amit was a Co-founder and CTO of Zgraffiti and Director of E-Commerce at SRA International, a global consulting leader. Amit has a MS in Robotics from Johns Hopkins University and a B.Tech from IIT Delhi. Amit also holds patents on Public Key Infrastructure and Metamorphic robots.

Mary Thompson, CFE
President, Mr. Rooter LLC

Mary Thompson Mary Kennedy Thompson is President of Mr. Rooter Corporation. She is also a former Marine officer. Her previous experience includes being a multi-unit franchisee for Cookies by Design before being recruited to its home office.

There she filled positions of Field Consultant, Executive Director of Operations, and President. Under her leadership at Mr. Rooter Corporation, the company has been included in prestigious rankings such as Entrepreneur magazine's Franchise 500 list, Plumbing and Mechanical's Pipe Trades Giant, Entrepreneur magazine's Top Global Franchises list, and Franchise Business Review's 2009 Franchise 50 Awards. She is the Chairman of the IFA's VetFran Committee.

Sean Fitzgerald, CFE
Senior VP of Development, Quiznos

Sean Fitzgerald A senior level franchise executive with over 15 years of experience working with startup franchise concepts to large developed corporations in need of rebranding, giving a unique insight and perspective in growing, operating and building franchise brands. Formerly National Vice President of Franchise Development for Wireless Zone, a cellular retail chain that exclusively offers Verizon Wireless products and services. In 2007, joined Wireless Zone to direct the sales & development efforts of the company as it prepared for national expansion and to oversee the franchise development team. He is responsible for franchise marketing and recruiting, website development, PR, real estate development and the franchise awarding recruiting process. In the past 2 years, the company has grown from 230 stores to over 480 stores. Prior to Wireless Zone, was COO of a startup women's fitness franchise that grew to over 100 franchisees and 250 locations in 3 years. Co-founder and COO of an automotive accessory retail chain out of Cincinnati, OH, which grew to a national franchise and eventual IPO trading on the NASDAQ-QTC.

Stan Friedman, CFE
Vice Chairman, FranConnect

Stan Friedman is the Vice Chairman of FranConnect – bringing nearly two dozen years of franchisor experience with him. As a specialist in franchise development and relationships, Stan's expertise is now being brought to bear, for hundreds of FranConnect's clients. Previously, Stan served in leadership and development positions for several well known franchise brands, such as Wing Zone, WSI Internet, ERA Franchise Systems and Prudential Real Estate Affiliates.

Stan Friedman is a founding Board member and first vice-chair of IFA's Diversity Institute, chairs the advisory board of the Professional Athlete Franchising Initiative, a collaborative that works in conjunction with IFA, to bring soon-to-retire professional athletes to a whole new playing field, that of business ownership, through franchising, a board member of the Southeast Franchise Forum (IFA's Atlanta-based FBN) and is the 2010 recipient of IFA's prestigious Ron E. Harrison Diversity Award.

Ronald Feldman, CFE
CEO, Franchise America Finance & Siegel Financial Group

Ronald Feldman is a co-founder of Franchise America Finance™, a boutique franchise investment and lending source. Prior to his affiliation with Siegel Financial Group & Franchise American Finance, he was Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Response USA, a publicly traded Alarm Systems Company. Mr. Feldman was instrumental in both the public offering and ultimate sale of the Alarm Division. Mr. Feldman and his wife were one of the early Goddard School Franchisees and successfully owned, operated and sold their Goddard School in 2007. He has been a keynote speaker at scores of franchise related events, appeared on television programs as the "Champion of Small Business", and has been published numerous times in trade magazines. He is also an instructor on SBA financing and access to capital to the International Franchise Association (IFA) and the International Business Brokers Association (IBBA). Ronald has the distinction of being a Certified Franchise Executive ("CFE").

Darrell Johnson, CFE
President & CEO, FRANdata

Darrell

Johnson Darrell Johnson has been President and Chief Executive Officer of FRANdata since 2001. He is a nationally recognized authority on franchising in the U.S. and is a frequent speaker and author on franchising topics. Prior to a 2004 management buy-out of FRANdata, the only independent research company supplying information and analysis for the franchising sector, from his previous employer, the National Cooperative Bank, Johnson was part of NCB's executive team, where he managed FRANdata along with several other NCB business ventures. His career spans information services, commercial banking, investment banking, and federal financial regulation. Before joining NCB in 1992, he was an investment banker specializing in mergers, acquisitions, and financial advisory services for middle market companies. Johnson was a founder of the investment banking subsidiary of a regional commercial bank (now part of Bank of America) and also worked in several independent advisory firms. He received a bachelor's degree in business and a master's degree in economics from Montana State University. He also earned a master's degree in business from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. He is a Certified Franchise Executive and has served on many for-profit and not-for-profit boards, which currently includes the International Franchise Association Board of Directors, the IFA Education Foundation Advisory Board, and the IFA Supplier Forum Advisory Board.

Bret Lowell, CFE
Partner, DLA Piper

Bret Lowell is an internationally recognized leader in franchise and distribution law and has counseled and represented clients across a broad spectrum of industries, including restaurants and food service, car rental, hotel and motel, health care, financial services, high tech, real estate and retail. Mr. Lowell's experience includes extensive analysis as to whether arrangements constitute "franchises"; drafting and negotiating domestic and international franchise, distribution, and license agreements; preparation and filing of disclosure documents; counsel and advice regarding the establishment and operation of franchise and distribution systems; counsel and advice regarding termination, transfer, and renewal obligations; dispute resolution, including representation before federal and state government agencies; mediation; due diligence reviews and document preparation in connection with public offerings, mergers, and acquisitions; and trademark and other intellectual property matters. Mr. Lowell writes and speaks extensively on franchise-related topics in a variety of forums. He is widely recognized for his practice. The respected research firm Chambers & Partners has repeatedly recognized him in Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business, calling him "a superb transactional lawyer" and "an expert counselor" and noting that he "is singled out by peers as one of the leading lights of the franchising team. Especially noted for his transactional work, both domestic and international, he offers formidable technical knowledge of the franchising field." Mr. Lowell has also been listed in The International Who's Who of Franchise Lawyers, in The Best Lawyers in America and in Who's Who in America. Washingtonian magazine has named him one of the Best Lawyers in Washington. Mr. Lowell was also listed in the 2005-2010 Who's Who Legal: The International Who's Who of Business Lawyers and named both a Virginia Super Lawyer and a Washington, DC Super Lawyer. Franchise Times has named him to its list of "Legal Eagles," the top 101 franchise lawyers in the US and Canada.

Stephen J. Caldeira, CFE
President and CEO, International Franchise Association

Steve Caldeira Stephen J. Caldeira is President & CEO of the International Franchise Association, the world's oldest and largest organization representing the franchising industry.

As President & CEO, Mr. Caldeira works with the IFA board to set the direction for the organization's strategic priorities: government relations and public policy, including the association's political action committee, media relations, public relations and professional development programs and research initiatives. He represents the association and acts as its primary spokesperson and liaison to government, news media, members, prospective members, business and professional organizations, educational institutions and the public, both domestically and internationally.

Mr. Caldeira has nearly 30 years of government relations, political, communications, fundraising and professional development experience. Before joining IFA in June 2010, Mr. Caldeira served as the Executive Vice President of Global Communications & Chief Public Affairs Officer for Dunkin' Brands, Inc., the $7 billion parent company of Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin-Robbins. In that capacity, Mr. Caldeira oversaw worldwide communications for all internal and external audiences including employees, franchisees and media, as well as government affairs, corporate social responsibility, multicultural initiatives, community relations, industry relations and customer relations.

Mindy Golde
Vice President of Sales, Listen 360

Mindy Golde is VP of Sales for Listen360 (formerly Systino, Inc.), the leading customer feedback management solution for franchise brands. In just two years, Mindy has secured more than 43 clients across 70 brands, supporting them in gaining real-time customer insight, improving customer retention and increasing customer loyalty. Mindy specializes in creating value-based relationships with clients, and facilitating their successful use of advanced customer feedback technology, text-analytics and social media integration. In fact, Mindy is a popular and respected conference speaker and panel moderator on the topic of social media and the ability to mobilize customers into brand advocates via the integration of customer feedback management solutions and social media.

Prior to VP of Sales, Mindy was the manager of Marketing and Business Services for Listen360, where she excelled in working with clients in the evaluation of the customer experience and implementing technology and efficient business operations to increase customer retention and loyalty.

Mindy has built a successful career marketing to and supporting a variety of different audiences, in both large- and small-sized organizations. She is known for her ability to quickly understand customers' business operations and their accompanying issues, and providing the tools and roadmap to help them achieve their customer objectives and growth goals. Mindy has worked with some of the largest companies in the world, including The Gap, Shire Pharmaceuticals and ADP, developing her philosophy of creating successful individual experiences and building client-focused relationships.

A graduate of Xavier University in organizational communication, Mindy continues to build on her area of expertise in customer engagement for franchise brands, as well as consumer advocacy in social media. She is active in the International Franchise Association (IFA), where she serves as a board member of the Women's Franchise Committee. Mindy is also co-chair of the Atlanta chapter of Women's Franchise Network (WFA).

Marty Greenbaum, CFE
President, Greenbaum Marketing Communications

Marty Greenbaum Martin Greenbaum began his professional career in the family business in what became PostNet International, developing postal and business centers across the nation. Over an eight-year period he was involved in over 500 store openings, serving the company in operations and then as Director of Marketing. In 1991, Greenbaum launched a full-service advertising agency in Las Vegas under the name Creative Dynamics Inc. Greenbaum built a thriving agency, working with both national and local clients from a broad range of industries. The company was acquired in 1999 and Greenbaum went on to serve as a national marketing director for a healthcare company building diagnostic imaging facilities across the nation.

In 2003, Greenbaum leveraged his franchise experience and formed Greenbaum Marketing Communications, a full-service marketing, creative and web development firm servicing the franchise industry. Today, Greenbaum Marketing Communications works with many of the most recognized brands in franchising, strengthening unit revenues and franchise sales. Greenbaum serves as a consultant, speaker and marketing strategist, while managing one of the most innovative marketing companies in franchising. He is active in the IFA and is focused on client results.

Keith Gerson, CFE
President, FranConnect

Keith Gerson is the President of FranConnect and possesses years of experience in the franchise industry. Keith is recognized in franchising circles for his extensive leadership experience. He has led companies to record levels of franchise development and accelerated them to multimillion-dollar revenue growth. This has led to increased royalties and significant EBITDA, companies he has led include PuroClean, AlphaGraphics, Mrs. Fields, and ChemDry.

In his role as President/Chief Operating Officer, Keith has taken PuroSystems, Inc. from ninety-two (92) franchises to three hundred and four (304) locations within a three-year period. In that same period of time, consumer level revenues more than doubled growing from $42 million to $94 million and EBITDA swelled from $1.6 million to $5.2 million. All of this while reducing annual franchisee attrition rates from an excess of 18% to the current levels of 5%.

His expertise is backed by recommendations such as "Keith Gerson has transformed our PuroClean brand into a money making machine, and has done it well!!! I could not recommend anyone higher than Keith"- - David McKinnon, Chairman of Service Brands International (SBI).

Ken Hutcheson, CFE
President, US Lawns

Ken Hutcheson Kenneth L. Hutcheson, Ken serves as President of U.S. Lawns of Valleycrest Companies and ValleyCrest Landscape Maintenance. Mr. Hutcheson joined U.S. Lawns in 1995 and helped grow the franchise landscape maintenance company from an 18-franchise network in 1996 to more than 100 franchises nationwide. Starting as a facilitator, Mr. Hutcheson was promoted quickly to Director of Franchise Development. Mr. Hutcheson also served as Vice President, Sales and Marketing, he developed and implemented the Projected Internal Growth program, used to achieve Valleycrest Companies long-term business goals. Additionally, he created and mentored the U.S. Lawns' Franchise Development Team and Corporate Support Team-teams central to Valleycrest Companies steady expansion nationwide. He served as U.S. Lawns General Manager and Vice President and aggressively led U.S. Lawns to an unprecedented level of success. He represents the entrepreneurial spirit that defines U.S. Lawns. Under his guidance, U.S. Lawns was included among SUCCESS magazine's listing of best franchises in its annual Franchise Gold 100 series and given 5-stars in the magazine's franchisee satisfaction poll. He is an ISA (International Society of Arboriculture)-certified arborist and a licensed, certified Pest Control Operator. Mr. Hutcheson received a B.S. in Agriculture from the University of Florida and has more than 25 years of experience in all facets of administration, management and sales.

Evan Hackel
President, Ingage Consulting

Evan Hackel is Founder and Principal of Ingage Consulting, a consulting firm focused on improving the performance of Franchises by improving the relationship of franchisees and the franchisor. By creating a culture of partnership and common purpose, Ingage Consulting is able to help Franchises dramatically improve their performance.

Before founding Ingage Consulting, Mr. Hackel worked at CCA Global Partners for twenty years. At CCA Mr. Hackel was responsible for four business divisions with over 2000 units, over $5 billion in sales operating in four countries. While at CCA, Mr. Hackel founded its marketing, national programs department, and its award-winning training department.

During Mr. Hackel's career he has helped launch and found three franchise businesses. Two at CCA Global Partners (which are still successfully operating now) and one, prior to CCA, which he founded, developed and sold. Also at CCA Mr. Hackel led the company's effort to buy and turn around a troubled franchise organization from bankruptcy. In four years he was able to grow the troubled franchise from 250 locations to a very successful company with over 550 locations.

Mr. Hackel received an MBA from Boston College and a BA, in Economics, from Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO. He is a current and former board member of several organizations, cooperatives and groups to which he lends his expertise.

Mr. Hackel resides in Reading, Massachusetts with his wife, Laura, and three children.

Barry M. Heller, CFE
Partner, DLA Piper

Much of his practice has focused on franchise termination matters, as well as on more complex franchise cases involving issues affecting the entire franchise system. He has handled cases involving, among other issues, termination, transfers, rights of first refusal, implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, alternative distribution channels, covenants against competition, trademark infringement, product sourcing and approval, franchisee associations, and unfair competition.

Mr. Heller is the former director of the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Division of the ABA Forum on Franchising. He has authored and lectured on franchise litigation issues, including conducting Legal Roundtable seminars in different cities for the International Franchise Association on franchise litigation matters. He was co-author of a manual entitled Franchise Litigation Claims of the Litigation Section of the District of Columbia Bar Association, for whom he conducted a seminar on the subject. His numerous articles on franchise issues have appeared in such publications as The Franchise Lawyer, Franchise Legal Digest, Of Interest and the Franchise Law Journal.

Mr. Heller was a founding member of the Steering Committee of the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Division of the ABA 's Forum on Franchising. In this connection, he has participated in presentations concerning franchise litigation and dispute resolution at ABA conferences, including the ABA Annual Meeting. He was selected to lecture on franchise litigation in a seminar sponsored by the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education.

Mr. Heller is listed in An International Who's Who of Franchise Lawyers and has been selected as one of the top 100 Franchise Legal Eagles by Franchise Times in 2004 and from 2006 to 2011. He has been listed in Who's Who Legal: The International Who's Who of Business Lawyers each year since 2002 and is listed in the 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 editions of The Best Lawyers in America. He has been named a Virginia Super Lawyer for the years 2006-2010 and a Washington, DC Super Lawyer for the years 2007-2010.

Jania Bailey, CFE
President and COO, FranNet

Jania Bailey is the President and COO of FranNet. Bailey has more than 25 years of experience in the banking and franchise industries. She worked for more than eight years, and in several different managerial capacities, with Fantastic Sams International, a hair care franchise. In her last position, she served as the regional manager for Fantastic Sams in Texas. Before that, she oversaw operational support and development for franchisees in a five-state region.

Prior to joining Fantastic Sams, Bailey spent 18 years in the banking industry in the commercial lending and business development areas. She has been a keynote speaker at several national events for organizations such as Skill-Path Seminars and Risk Management Associates. Bailey is the author of "Thriving – The Journey to Success in the Business World," a book that was published in 1995. She also has received numerous industry awards and recognitions including: 1998 recipient of the "Woman of Achievement" from the St. Matthews Business and Professional Women Organization; 1997 recipient of the Louisville Business First "Forty Under Forty" Outstanding Business Leaders; and 1995 recipient of the Bell Award for "Outstanding Volunteerism in the Workplace."

Sherri Fishman, CFE
President, Fishman Public Relations

Since 1984, Sherri Fishman has been generating high-level publicity on behalf of more than 300 leading franchise concepts throughout the U.S. and Canada. A noted expert on franchise PR, Sherri has authored several articles as well as been quoted as a franchise industry expert in trade publications, including Franchise Update, Franchise Times, The Franchise Handbook, and Franchising World.

Staying smart and progressive as a PR agency is the only way to operate and that's why as President she stays up to speed on all the best practices, the latest news, technologies and recognizes the power of leveraging social media channels to optimize franchise brand awareness. Inside the agency, Sherri is known for being the “glue" that holds all the critical pieces together, including reminding staff of their mission to constantly keep our clients and their key messages in the spotlight. She is a firm believer in “quality over quantity" when it comes to publicity for our franchise clients. Her mantra, “results speak louder than words" are engrained in the agency culture.

As an advocate for women in franchising, Sherri has served on the Board of the Franchise Supplier Forum and the International Franchise Association's Marketing and PR Committee and was recently named to the 2011 IFA Convention Task Force. Formerly, Sherri served on the board of the Women's Franchising and Distribution Forum (WFDF), dedicated to empowering women and providing opportunities for them to advance in any level of franchising.

Nick Powills, CFE
President, No Limit Media Consulting

Nick Powills is the President of No Limit Media Consulting, a progressive communications agency blending franchise public relations and social media campaigns. Through management of more than a 100 different franchise's media relations accounts, Powills led brands to greater success in public relations, advertising and marketing strategy. Lending to his media experience, Powills spent ten years as a journalist in hard news, sports, entertainment and music. He developed an online magazine during the birth of Social Media and spent 3 years as a resident columnist for a Chicago daily newspaper.

Michelle Rowan, CFE
President, Franchise Business Review

With over 15 years of experience in sales, business development, client relations and operational management, Michelle Rowan has spent more than seven years helping Franchise Business Review clients survey their franchisees and identify and improve operational issues. Recently promoted to President, she continues to focus on helping franchisors improve operations and franchisee relations, and she is committed to promoting franchise brands that have strong satisfaction in order to help build their franchise networks. Rowan is a graduate of the University of New Hampshire and sits on the Funding Development Committee for the Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains, serving New Hampshire and Vermont.

Ken Switzer
Vice President/ CFO, Marco's Franchising LLC

Ken Switzer has been a Vice President and the Chief Financial Officer of Marco's Franchising LLC since January 12, 2004. Marco's Franchising is the franchisor of the 280 unit Marco's Pizza chain which operates in 22 states and the Bahamas. He began working for Marco's, Inc. in 1986 and was elected to the position of Vice President and Chief Financial Officer in October 1998. Mr. Switzer's responsibilities today include franchise finance and administration of all franchising activities. Mr. Switzer is the chief architect of the Company's captive leasing company, its private equity fund, and its captive loan loss guarantee entity.

Mr. Switzer is also a majority shareholder of CRH, Inc., an Indiana corporation that operates one (1) franchised Marco's Pizza^® store in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. Prior to coming to Marco's, Mr. Switzer owned a franchised business and franchise brokerage company for 4 years, and worked for Owens Corning Fiberglas in corporate finance for 5 years. He started his business career in banking in 1976 at a predecessor of Key Bank after obtaining his MBA from Miami University. His BA is from the University of Cincinnati.