Does IFA Really Represent Franchisees?
The International Franchise Association (IFA) claims to represent the interests of 800 franchisors and 29,000 franchisees (1,000 individual member franchisees and 28,000 franchisees affiliated with its 45 association members) [Source: IFA Letter to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), December 21, 1999]. IFA also claims all of its members oppose HR 3308, the Small Business Franchise Act, introduced by Congressmen Howard Coble (R-NC) and John Conyers (D-MI). But does IFA really represent franchisees? The Facts: Only 5 of the 37 members of IFAs Board of Directors are franchisees (and one of these 5 is a master franchisee, another an area developer and another a former franchisee) [Source: IFAs 1999 Franchise Opportunities Guide]. There are no franchisees or franchisee representatives on IFAs Legislative Advisory Group which controls IFAs public policy positions, its lobbying effort and the coalition it assembled to lobby against HR 3308. IFAs Franchisee Advisory Council is not separately
