Franchising's voice rings through the halls of Congress.

Politics, they say, is a contact sport. And nowhere in the world is the sport practiced with more ferocity than in the cool, quiet, marbled halls of Congress. But it was with welcome relief that hundreds of members of Congress and their staff members opened their office doors to find the smiling faces of enthusiastic franchising community leaders who were delivering a message of hope and opportunity.

More often than not, those who flock to Capitol Hill to meet with lawmakers arrive ready for confrontation with sharply-worded statements in hand. But the hundreds of International Franchise Association members who visited the nation's capital for the Seventh Annual Franchise Appreciation Day sessions came bearing evidence of the sector's economic benefits and promise for future generations of entrepreneurs and small-business owners.

Their message: franchising works.

Yes, they expressed their concerns about the struggle to provide adequate, affordable health insurance for themselves, their employees and their families. Yes, they noted the potentially-negative impact that raising the minimum wage could have on job creation and business profitability. Yes, they urged Congress to reform the nation's immigration laws and help thwart the dangers of frivolous litigation.

But their messages were delivered in the spirit of cooperation and in the form of education, not confrontation. And Congress listened.

The Voice Rings Out

Franchising World was there. We wanted to see, up close, the franchising community's version of grassroots political contact. We wanted to hear the actual voices of franchising as they rang out through the halls of Congress. That's why we followed the largest contingent from one company--Dunkin' Brands--which sent 57 representatives, a mix of corporate personnel and franchisees from 15 states.

Dunkin' Brands Inc., which consists of Dunkin' Donuts, Baskin-Robbins and Togo's, began life as Dunkin' Donuts in 1950. Its founder, William (Bill) Rosenberg, was among the founders of the IFA and for all of his life was almost as active and energetic in association activities as he was in building the company.

His untiring mission, often expressed in full voice, was one of building and strengthening franchisor-franchisee relations. He would have been proud to watch as the Dunkin' group moved en masse from one congressional appointment to another--especially knowing that longtime Dunkin' franchisee George Zografos was helping carry the torch.

Zografos, CEO of the 10-store Z Donut Co. headquartered in South Yarmouth, Mass., has annually embraced the personal and professional benefits of Franchise Appreciation Day since its inception.

"I think it's pretty exciting to be on the Hill and do some lobbying," said Zografos. "What other venue do you have the opportunity to do it?" Whether it's reuniting with friends made over the years at the conference, getting together with like-minded fellow franchisees to share business insights, strengthening the relationships between franchisor and franchisee, or getting to personally know members of Congress, the benefits of the event are countless.

"I have so many wonderful friends from around the country I get to see two to three times a year," he added. "We have a great time. We share information."

The structure of the event was very conducive to building camaraderie and making key relationships. The first day was spent in a variety of concurrent sessions where participants attended IFA committees meetings and met other stakeholders like themselves. It was a great opportunity to establish relationships and gather new ideas from other people knowledgeable in the same field. Day One also served as a good time to prepare for the following day of meetings on the Hill.

Time to Head for the Hill

Day Two started on a good note for Dunkin' Brands. In recognition of their strong attendance numbers, the group was honored with the All-Star award during the kick-off breakfast. Then it was off to The Hill for joint appointments with their legislators.

While most appointments were scheduled to start at 1:30 p.m., Zografos got an early jump on the day with a meeting at noon. In the lobby of the Capital Hilton, he was joined by Susanne Norwitz, Dunkin' Brands global communications manager. The duo piled into a cab, whizzed through the historic streets of the city for their first appointment, Massachusetts Congressman Michael Capuano.

Energized and excited about their upcoming meetings on the Hill, Zografos and Norwitz reflected on what they had learned about the lobbying experience over the past day and prepared for their presentation, divvying up talking responsibilities.

A majority of the concerns that franchisees face, such as policies on immigration, small-business health plans, minimum wage and secret ballot union voting are the same ones with which franchisors and suppliers grapple. Whether a franchise system sent representatives from their corporate office or from their front lines, on Franchise Appreciation Day, all formed an Army of One to combat these issues and create the best environment possible for their systems to thrive.

"One in 7"

Helping the attendees of Franchise Appreciation Day stand out was a bright yellow button with red lettering that read "One in 7," which referred to the fact that one out of every seven jobs in the United States is related to franchising.

Both Zografos and Norwitz reflected on the powerful statistic. The message they were determined to share with Congress: franchising creates jobs and has a huge impact on the economy. They understood the big picture. The grassroots lobbying they were doing could affect the livelihoods of the thousands of other franchise systems out there like them. The trickle-down effect would also make a difference in the millions of job-holders in the sector as well.

"We are very much in synch with what IFA supports," said Norwitz, who expressed much appreciation of IFA's government relations work on behalf of the franchising sector.

As they neared the Longworth House Office building, Zografos noted that he and Capuano were actually old neighbors. "It's all about the relationships," said Zografos.

Last year, Capuano wasn't on his appointment schedule but when he had down time, Zografos decided to drop by to meet since they hailed from the same town. Since he established that relationship, he has made it his task to keep in touch. "When there's a time of need and they know who you are, it makes a real difference," the Dunkin' franchisee said.

Agree to Disagree

After walking through the metal detector and greeting the security guards, the excitement mounted. Their appointment list read "1530 Longworth Building" which they thought meant the 15th floor, but as they searched the elevator buttons looking for "15," a young staff member nearby piped up and mentioned that all congressional buildings are labeled so that the first number of the address designates the building and the second number indicates the floor number. Oh, fifth floor, not 15th.

Zografos and Norwitz arrived and were met warmly by congressional staffers, then escorted into Capuano's office to meet with him face-to-face--an opportunity IFA staff and guest speakers had mentioned might be a rarity, due to the extremely busy legislative schedule that Congress was facing close to an election adjournment. And, as they were informed by the government relations professionals during their briefing, even if they were able to meet with the legislator in person, the chance that they would agree on every position presented would be slim.

The oft-debated topic of immigration was Zografos' first topic of discussion. Capuano listened intently but interjected with a glaring reality--nothing was going to happen before the election. After all, it was the final week Congress was in session before adjourning for a number of weeks. Norwitz continued the conversation and brought up the issue of health care, urging support of bill HR 525 that would allow franchisees to band together to have their own health insurance and provide to their members. She noted that franchise systems struggle daily to provide affordable health insurance for their employees, themselves, and their families. With a lack of reasonable alternatives, many franchisees opt for no coverage at all.

Capuano said he would not support the measure. "I think it's cherry-picking. The problem comes when everyone creates their own association with only 15 members and it becomes a problem. I'm not wanting to help or hurt anyone. Healthcare should help everyone."

Norwitz and Zografos nodded, not because they agreed, but because they understood the issue was a very complex one. The two parties disagreed, but they agreed on their disagreement. The rest of the appointment went smoothly. At the end, Zografos reached out to Capuano more personally and shared stories of his son who just started his first year at Boston's Northeastern University. Both talked about the happenings back home.

The experience was an empowering one. Zografos and Norwitz left the meeting with a good feeling. They both worked well as a team and they had a positive and well-engaged discussion. This meeting certainly set the bar for their next two Massachusetts appointments: One with Sen. Ted Kennedy and one with Sen. John Kerry.

A Little Excitement

No visit to Capitol Hill is complete without a trip to the Longworth Cafeteria, a massive, hubbub of a place buried deep within the old building's basement. The cafeteria was teeming with life. Droves of young Hill staffers swarmed the room eating quickly before returning to their work-filled days.

After lunch, Zografos and Norwitz decided to walk to their next meeting, which was a bit of a hike to the other side of Capitol Hill in the Dirksen Senate Office building. They strolled by the Library of Congress, then through a park between Constitution Avenue and the Capitol and plopped down on a cast-iron bench to soak up the scenery.

Suddenly the clamor of police sirens jarred the air. Police motorcycles, squad cars, two black limousines, and a number of black SUV's sped up to the steps of the Capitol. A presidential motorcade perhaps? Unable to tell, but excitement nevertheless.

Soon reality appeared in the form of a pack of Franchise Appreciation Day attendees walking toward them, easily identifiable with their yellow "One in 7" buttons.

The rest of the Massachusetts group had arrived. From Dunkin' Brands was brand officer Robert Rodriguez, communications expert Kari McHugh, senior meeting planner Carol Crossland, senior v.p. and brand officer Ken Kimmel, legal officer Steve Horn and G & P Inc. president Raj Ghosh, a Pretzel Time franchisee, who greeted Zografos and Norwitz with energized smiles. The throng moved on to the Senate, where they encountered a familiar face, liana Kachoris, the same legislative assistant with whom several members of the group met with last year.

Disappointed that legislative business prevented Sen. Kennedy from joining the meeting, they trekked to the senator's conference room and shared positive stories and statistics of franchising with the staff member who would soon be tasked with briefing the boss.

Horn kicked off the meeting, then one by one, each area of concern was highlighted and supported with anecdotal evidence. Zografos and Rodriguez shared experiences from both the franchisee position and the franchisor side, which gave them unique perspectives.

Giving Franchising a Voice

As the day neared its end, the group navigated the Russell building in search of their next appointment with Sen. Kerry's office, again dividing up talking responsibilities and enjoying another successful meeting. Their success was defined by their ability to communicate as a group and effectively with the congressional staff and characterized by the number of good, positive relationships that resulted from two days in the nation's capital.

Meetings completed, it was time to participate in another time-tested Capitol Hill grassroots lobbying exercise, the fabled Congressional Reception. More relaxed, but still "on," the Dunkin' Brands crew cruised into the ornate Cannon Building Caucus Room, flush with success, filled with a new awareness of the legislative process and eager to rub elbows with their peers and compare stories of the day's activities. Already, talk of next year's event was heard above the buzz of the crowd.

Although the registration list for Franchise Appreciation Day 2007 has yet to be created, one of the first names likely to appear will be that of a grassroots activist who knows how to deliver the message that franchising works. "I like having a franchisee voice," George Zografos reflected. "Having a franchisee voice, we get to make our point of view and have a dialogue which is not only good for us but good for all of franchising."

For this year's Franchise Appreciation Day, Dunkin' Brands epitomized the phrase "strength in numbers." As recipients of the All-Star award recognizing them for the largest attendance, the group ventured around Capitol Hill for a fun-filled day of grassroots lobbying and overall shared memorable experiences with each other. After two days, their hard work paid off as they strengthened the relationships within their own franchising system, and contributed to the strength and recognition of franchising as a whole.

Hilary Strahota is manager of public relations for the International Franchise Association. She can be reached at hstrahota@franchise.org.

Franchise Appreciation Day Participants:

Eric Abercrombie, Mr. Appliance

Kay Marie Ainsley CFE, Michael H. Seid & Associates

Matt Alden, Franchise Solutions Corp.

Bill Anderson, The UPS Franchisee Advisory Council

Elizabeth Anderson, E.H. Anderson Public Relations

Michael A. Andrews, Law Office of Michael Andrews

Lou Arab, Meineke of Neptune Beach, Fla.

Donald Averitt, United Marketing Solutions, Inc.

Michael Baker, Mr. Electric of Tucson, Ariz.

Scott Ball, Dunkin' Donuts of Coral Springs, Fla.

Michael Bamrick, Jack In The Box, Inc.

Barry Barnes, UPS Store of Houston, Texas

Bradley Barnett, Valpak Direct Marketing Systems, Inc.

Paul B. Baron, Sage Software, Inc.

Ken Bartell, ServiceMaster Building Service

Howard Bassuk, FranNet

Roger Baumgart, Home Instead Senior Care

Lou Beccarelli, Dunkin'Brands, Inc.

Chris Beer, Our Town of Atlanta

Mark A. Belanger, Dunkin'Brands, inc.

John Bennett, Appliance of Brockton, Mass.

Ron Berger, Figaro's Italian Pizza, Inc.

Jeffrey C. Bevis CFE, Comfort Keepers

Warren C. Bickers, Meineke Car Care Centers

Mike Bidwell CFE, The Dwyer Group

Adam Biedenbender, Dunkin' Donuts

Nancy Bigley CFE, Dunkin'Brands, Inc.

Susan E. Black-Beth CFE, Super Wash, Inc.

Sean Blickle, The UPS Store

Bruce V. Bloom CFE, FranChoice

Robert Bonsutto, The UPS Store

Andrew D. Bratzel, The ServiceMaster Co.

David Brethen, Wireless Toyz of Chevy Chase, Md.

Neils Brooke. Mr. Handyman of Williamsburg

Chris Brown, The Parable Group

Bo Bryant, McDonald's Corp.

Dennis Burke, Mr. Electric of Southeast N.H.

Janet Burke, Fran-Systems LLC

Linda L. Burzynski CFE, Liberty Fitness for Women

David L. Cahn, Franchise & Business Law Group

Shawn M. Caric CFE, Dunkin'Brands, Inc.

Michael Carlet, Meineke Car Care Centers

Rob Carpenter, Mr. Handyman of North & West Central Md.

Stacey Carroll, Dunkin' Donuts

David Castella, Learn.com, Inc.

U. Gary Charlwood CFE, Uniglobe Travel International Limited Partnership

Charles E. Chase, CertaPro Painters

Josie Cicerale CFE, Decor & You, Inc.

Lawrence Cohen, CFE, DOC & Associates, Ltd.

Mitch Cohen, Dunkin' Donuts

Dennis Colaitis, Dunkin' Donuts of Brooklyn

Matt Cole, mUrgent Corp.

Douglas Collins, America's Best Franchising, Inc.

Patrick Connealy, National Cooperative Bank

Victoria Conte, The Victoria Group Marketing, Inc.

Terry Corkery, FRANCHISEWORKS.com

Jerry L. Crawford CFE, Jani-King International, Inc.

Roger Cross, Meineke of Amarillo, Texas

Carol Crossland, Dunkin'Brands, Inc.

Ryan Cunningham, Javelin Solutions

George Curis, Dunkin' Donuts of Brooklyn, N.Y.

Matthew Cutler CFE, Two Men And A Truck International, Inc.

Brent Cutlip, Two Men And A Truck of Orlando, Fla.

Tom Cyr, National Cooperative Bank

Anthony D'Amico CFE, Dunkin'Brands, Inc.

Cesar J.De Leon, Fransmart

Peter DeSarno, Dunkin' Donuts

Don DeSmith, Servant Systems, Inc.

Sharon Dietrich, Franchise Solutions Corp.

Joseph Dondero, Rolly Pollies International, Inc.

Kevin Drudge, Valpak Direct Marketing

Daniel M. Dugal, Remote Data Backups, Inc.

F. Joseph Dunn, FisherZucker LLC

Donald J. Dwyer, Jr. CFE, The Dwyer Group

Janice M Dwyer CFE, Luce, Smith & Scott, Inc.

Dina Dwyer-Owens CFE, The Dwyer Group

Robert Earl, Express Personnel of Marlton, N.J.

Jack Earle, Earle Enterprises

Patrick Edd, PostalAnnex+, Inc.

William Edwards CFE, Edwards Global Services, Inc.

William J. Ehrig, Yum! Brands, Inc.

Neil Eidel, Mr. Appliance of Tempe, Ariz.

Craig Eldridge, BFC

Kimberly M. Ellis, BISON Advertising, Inc.

Tom Epstein, Franchise Payments Network

Tim Evankovich, The Cleaning Authority

Mark Fagan, Citrin Cooperman & Company, LLP

Joe Farmer, Express Personnel of Salem, Va.

Coy Faucheux, Baskin-Robbins of Slidell, La.

Steven B. Feirman, DLA Piper

Sid Feltenstein, Sagittarius Brands

Lane Fisher, FisherZucker LLC

Brad Fishman, Fishman Public Relations

Lela Foust, Baskin-Robbins of Pensacola, Fla.

John Francis, PostNet of Minn. & Wis.

Philip Friedman, McAlister's Corp.

Stan Friedman, Wing Zone Franchise Corp.

Melissa Froehlich, Marriott International

Andrew Fuld, 4 Color Press

William Gabbard, Navis Logistics Network

Glenn Gallas, Mr. Electric of Hot Springs, Ark.

Cynthia Gartman CFE, iFranchise Group

Raymond Gaspart, The Philly Franchising Co.

William Gellert, Cinnabon of Hillsdale, N.Y.

Stewart Germann, Stewart Germann Law Office

Robert Gerstenfeld, Dunkin'Brands, Inc.

Raj Ghosh, G & P, Inc.

Jeff Goebel, Comfort Keepers of Sheboygan, Wis.

Charlie Golf, Mr. Appliance of Austin/Bastrop, Texas

Seth Goldstein, Dunkin' Donuts

Michael Gornet, Handyman of San Rafael, Calif.

Dwight Gould, Aviatech, LLC

Joe Grana, ADP Small Business Services

Michael R. Gray, Gray Plant Mooty

Steve Greenbaum CFE, PostNet International Franchise Corporation

Nathan Greenberg, Siegel Capital, LLC

John Gregory, ADP Small Business Services

Sanjay Gupta, Dunkin' Donuts of Richboro, Pa.

Fred Guttenberg, Dunkin' Donuts of Coral Springs, Fla.

Charles Hackman, National Cooperative Bank

Rick Hagan, IDENT-A-Kid services of America

Marcia Hales, My Girlfriend's Kitchen

Noel Halgreen, Sona MedSpa of Houston

Art Hall, Mr. Electric of Southern Minn.

William G. Hall, CFE, William G. Hall & Co.

Sam Hammons, Express services, Inc.

Linda C. Haneborg CFE, Express Personnel Services

Scott R. Haner CFE, Yum! Brands, Inc.

James Hansen, North American Association of Subway Franchisees

Tom Harrington, First Date Merchant Services Direct Business Group

Christine Harris, FRANdata Corp.

Kent Hart, UPS Store of Richmond, Ind.

Rosemarie Hartnett, Abrakadoodle Remarkable Art Education

Laryssa Hauswald, Pacific Marketing Services

Roberto Heckscher, Baskin-Robbins of San Francisco

Shub Hegde, Dunkin' Donuts of Lakewood, N.J.

Kevin P. Hein, Snell & Wilmer, LLP

Kevin Hicks, Blackman & Associates

Parks H. Hicks, Hicks & Associates

Donald Higginson, The UPS Store

Geoff Hill CFE, FOCUS Brands, Inc.

Sean Hilly, PostalAnnex+, Inc.

Algie Hodges, Dunkin'Brands, Inc.

Woody Holloway, Mr. Appliance of Birmingham, Ala.

David E. Holmes, Holmes & Lofstrom, LLP

Peter D. Holt, Great Hill Partners

Harvey Homsey, Express Personnel of Oklahoma City, Okla.

Stephen Horn, Dunkin'Brands, Inc.

Ray Howell, Meineke of Gloucester Point, Va.

C. Keith Hudson, La Paletera Franchise Systems, Inc.

Paul Hulett, UPS Store of Reno, Nev.

David Hunt, Two Men And A Truck of Lakeshore, Mich.

Michael M. Isakson, The ServiceMaster Co.

Earsa R. Jackson, Strasburger & Price, LLP

Ram Javia, Eight P CPL, LLC

Mark Jenkins, Planet Beach Franchising Corp.

Randy Jessup, UPS Store of Roseville, Minn.

Darrell M. Johnson, FRANdata Corp.

Jerome Johnson, JBAR, Inc.

Brian D. Jones, BD Jones

Terry Jones, The Dwyer Group

Steve Katz, The Cleaning Authority

Michael P. Kearns, Jani-King of Raleigh/Durham

Mariruth Kennedy, Our Town

Aslam Khan, Falcon Holdings

Ken Kimmel, Dunkin'Brands, Inc.

Mark King, PostNet of Scottsdale, Ariz.

Mike King, Express Personnel of Union, Mo.

Kirk Kinsell CFE, InterContinental Hotels Group

Kris Kirk, Our Town of Frisco, Texas

Paul and Saunda Kitchen, Mr. Rooter of Santa Rosa, Calif.

Gaylen L. Knack, Gray Plant Mooty

Bill Knight, Lenny's Franchisor, LLC

Jeffrey E. Kolton, Franchise Market Ventures, LLC

Bob Kueny, Mr. Electric of Central Okla.

Gary Law, UPS Store of Mesa, Ariz.

Dawn Lawin, Hot Dish Advertising

Willa Levin, UPS Store of Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich.

Mark Levis, Gatti's L.P.

Tim Lighther, Two Men And A Truck of Madison, Wis.

Mark Liston CFE, Valpak Direct Marketing Systems, Inc.

Benjamin C. Litalien CFE, Social Franchise Ventures, LLC

Carol I. Littell, U.S. Small Business Administration

Robin Lowe, Golden Corral Buffet & Grill

Bret Lowell CFE, DLA Piper

Kevin M. Lundy, Wendy's International

G. Thomas Macintosh, Krass Monroe, P.A.

Julie MacPherson, Baskin-Robbins of El Cajon, Calif.

Ron Madera, The Dwyer Group

Arun Mandi, Dunkin' Donuts of Pleasantville, N.J.

John Mann, Rolly Pollies International, Inc.

Robert W. Marquardt, The Retrofit Companies

Eileen Marrison, Two Men And A Truck of Omaha, Neb.

Dan Martin, IFX International, Inc.

Joseph Mathews, Franchise Performance Group

Stuart Mathis, The UPS Store

Vonzell Mattocks, Express Personnel of Camp Springs, Md.

Kevin Maybury, Dunkin' Donuts

Adrian Mayer, UPS Store of Clermont, Fla.

Nigel J. Mayne, Franmatch

Stephen McLean, UPS Store of Columbia, Md.

Eric McCarthey, The Coca-Cola Company

Faith McCutcheon, UPS Store of Pittsburgh

Karl McHugh, Dunkin'Brands, Inc.

Matthew W. McKay, Oreck of Stevensville, Md.

Linton McKnight, Birthflowers.com

Linda McKnight, Birthflowers.com

John McLellan, Service Brands International

Myles McNamara, Comfort Keepers of Santa Clarita, Calif.

Deepak Mehta, ADP Small Business Services

Al Mekaw, Meineke Car Care Centers

Chuck Merin, BKSH & Associates

David Messenger CFE, The ServiceMaster Co.

Jeff Meyers, Mr. Electric

Charles Meyers, Jr., The UPS Store

Barry E. Miller, NBM Management, Inc. Sylvan Learning Centers

Keith Miller, North American Subway Owners Council

Rick Milner, UPS Store of Gainesville, Va.

Judy Milner, UPS Store of Gainesville, Va.

Scott Minghenelli, Meineke of Voorhees, N.J.

Bob Minkert, Mr. Electric of Metro Atlanta

David Mlotkiewicz, Lawn Doctor of Toms River, N.J.

James Molloy, Merrill Corp.

Catherine Monson, PIP Printing & Document Services

Ray Moore CFE, Snap-on-Tools Co., LLC

Jane Moore, FranConnect Software

Barbara Moran, Moran Industries, Inc.

Jeanne Morin, The Jefferson Group

Robert Moschorak, Bally Total Fitness

John Motta, Dunkin' Donuts of Merrimack, N.H.

Janet C. Muhleman CFE, re:group, Inc

Cindy Neal, Express Personnel of Peoria, Ill.

Dirk Nelson, Allegra Network, LLC

Cheri Nelson, Express Personnel of Kalispell, Mont.

Anne Nemer, Mr. Handyman

Robert Nevadomski CFE, Golden Corral Buffet & Grill

Holly Noel, Baskin-Robbins of Victorville, Calif.

Kevin O'Brien, Constant Contact

Mary Ann O'Connell, O'Connell & Co., Inc.

Maurice Ojeda, Wireless Toyz

Jenn Onnen, Hot Dish Advertising

Amit Pamecha, FranConnect Software

Elaine Papadopoulos, Citrin Cooperman & Co., LLP

Steve Parascondola, Meineke of Staten Island, N.Y.

Harry Patel, Dunkin' Donuts of Elkridge, Md.

Parag Patel, Dunkin' Donuts of Odenton, Md.

Jack Pearce, Handyman Matters, Inc.

Herb Perlich, Cookie Baker Partners, Inc.

Barbara Perlich, Cookie Baker Partners, Inc.

Annette Perzan, Fransmart

Michael Plummet, Our Town

Michael Plummer, Jr., Our Town

John D. Pollock CFE, The Philly Franchising Co.

Karen Powell CFE, Decor & You, Inc.

H. Scott Pressly, Roark Capital Group

Don Rauch, Meineke Car Care Centers

Todd R. Recknagel, Mr. Handyman

Brian Redden, Our Town

Darryl Reed, United Marketing Solutions, Inc.

Richard B. Rennick CFE, American Leak Detection, Inc.

Russ Reynolds CFE, Batteries Plus

Gene Rhodes, ServiceMaster Quality Services

Irwin C. Roberts CFE, Golden Corral Buffet & Grill

Richard A. Robinson, Jani-King Southwest

Robert Rodriguez, Dunkin'Brands, Inc.

Doug Rogers, Mr. Appliance

Mary Rogers, Abrakadoodle Remarkable Art Education

Michael J. Roman CFE, ExxonMobil Corp.

Steve Romaniello CFE, FOCUS Brands, Inc.

Jeff Rosa, Dunkin' Donuts of Easton, Pa.

Heather Rose, Sona MedSpa

Ann M. Rosenberg CFE, D'Vine Wine

Bernard Rubenstein, Franchise Benefit Solutions

Cesar Saldivia, Two Men And A Truck International, Inc.

James Salerno, FOCUS Brands, Inc.

Ever Santana, Dunkin' Donuts of Totowa, N.J.

Mario C. Sardinha, Dunkin' Donuts of Laconia, N.H.

Jodi A. Sardinha, Dunkin' Donuts of Laconia, N.H.

Lori Satterfield, ServiceMaster of Fishers, Ind.

Brian B, Schnell, Faegre & Benson LLP

Steve Scully, Express Personnel of Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Michael H. Seid, CFE, Michael H. Seid & Associates

Nikki Sells, CFE, Express Personnel Services

Robert J. Sells CFE, Express Personnel Services

Nikki and Jerrod Sessler, HomeTask Handyman Service, Inc.

Pramodkumar Shah, Dunkin' Donuts of Yardley, Pa.

Alan Sheiness, ADP Small Business Services

Linda Shunk, CFE, Oreck Franchise Services, LLC

Mark Siebert, iFranchise Group

Bernie Siegel, Siegel Capital, LLC

Steve R. Siegel, Brookside Consulting

Tristan B.L. Siegel, Gray Plant Mooty

Kathiryn Sikkema, ADP Small Business Services

Stefan Silverman, Mr. Handyman of SW Minneapolis

Jim Simmons, Mr. Electric of Olympia, Wash.

Richard Simtob, Wireless Toyz

Derrick Skogsberg, FranFund

Mark Slagle, Handyman of Trenton, Mich.

Don Slifer, Merry Maids, Inc.

David Sliman, Our Town of Phoenix, Ariz.

Jonathan Smith, DirectCapital Franchise Group

Brig James Sorber CFE Two Men And A Truck International, Inc.

Jon Sorber, Two Men And A Truck International, Inc.

Rod Southwick, Baskin-Robbins of Phoenix

Shawn Spencer, Fran-Systems LLC

Karen Spencer, Fran-Systems LLC

Barry J. Spiegel, Dunkin' Donuts/Baskin Robbins of Coral Springs, Fla.

Brian Spindel CFE, PostNet International Franchise Corp.

W. James Squire CFE, HoneyBaked Ham Company and Cafe

Michael St. Jacques, St. Jacques Franchise Marketing

Philip St. Jacques, St. Jacques Franchise Marketing

Linda Strauss, ADP Small Business Services

Doug Sudell, Social Franchise Ventures, LLC

Ian Swain, Wireless Toyz

Leonard N. Swartz, iFranchise Group

Larry Tate, Golden Corral Buffet & Grill

Barron L. Teagle, Mighty Distributing System

Mike Thompson, Two Men And A Truck o! Augusta, Ca.

Syam C. Thotakura, Dunkin' Donuts of Bensenville, Ill.

Ronald Tranquill, Dunkin'Brands, Inc,

Steve Truett, The Dwyer Group

Steve Uhl, Our Town of Baltimore

Rick Urso, Meineke of Hickory Hills, Ill.

Lee Vala, The Quizno's Corporation

Lenny Valentino, Rita's Water Ice Franchise Co., LLC

John Vitagliano, Meineke Car Care Centers

Kenneth Voelker, Mighty Distributing System

Ronnie Volkening, 7-Eleven, Inc.

James L. Walker, DataPreserve

Jeffrey Walker, Two Men And A Truck of Colorado Springs

Kenneth D. Walker, Meineke Car Care Centers

Patrick Walls, McAlister's Corp.

Iric Wexler, The Cleaning Authority

Phillip L. Wharton, Spherion Corp.

Mike White, Dunkin' Donuts of Woodstock, Ga.

Steven P. White, Signs Now

Richard Whitley, Valpak Dealers Association

Denis Wickham, Meineke Discount Muffler Shop of Croton, Conn.

Larry Wilburn, Hicks & Associates

Rhonda Williams, Express Personnel of Lufkin, Texas

Jim Wills, Wills Cookie Co.

Donn R. Wilson, Pay By Touch

Jenni Wisniewski, Snell & Wilmer, LLP

Steve Wood, UPS Store of Kennewick, Wash.

Sam Wright, Cendant Corp.

Glenn Yanow, Baskin-Robbins of Springfield, Ill.

Ralph Yarusso, Meineke of Castle Rock, Colo.

Amy Yendall, Our Town of Montgomery County

Philip Zeidman, DLA Piper

David Zillig, Jani-King of Clearwater, Fla.

George Zografos, Z Donut Co.

Carl E. Zwisler III, Haynes and Boone, LLP