Continuing its streak of drawing ever-larger groups offranchising community attendees, the InternationalFranchise Association’s Seventh Annual Franchise

Appreciation Day drew more than 350 franchisees, franchisors andsuppliers to the nation’s capital for its popular grassroots lobbyingeffort September 25 and 26. This year, IFA made a deliberatedecision to do things differently. Instead of large delegations fromstates, the association organized much smaller delegations orindividual meetings. The result was more than twice as manyindividual visits–125 to 260–from 2005 to 2006. Issues ranging fromcomprehensive immigration reform, affordable health care, litiga-tion reform and wages were key items on the discussion agendas.

The event got a big boost from its founding sponsor, ADP Small Business Services.The two-day celebration began with several IFA committee meetings and

briefing sessions to update attendees on recent congressional action. Key orienta-tion sessions were conducted to formally welcome new participants and addresstopics such as the best practices of grassroots lobbying and things to expect.

Highlighting the Leadership Dinner was the presentation of IFA’s AnnualLegislator of the Year Awards to Texas Congressman Sam Johnson, who washonored for his strong and consistent support of franchising and small business.Johnson has been a major leader in the fight to aid small business’s quest for afford-able health insurance.

Day Two began with an up-close and very detailed view of the upcomingelection with political expert and author Charlie Cook, who’s widely respected as anon-partisan prognosticator. From Congress came Colorado Rep. Tom Tancredo toair his views of immigration reform and Congressional Black Caucus Chairman Rep.Melvin Watt of North Carolina urged attendees to seek stronger communicationsavenues with minorities to extend the opportunities of franchising.

For the first time since IFA has conducted Franchise Appreciation Day, amember of the president’s cabinet came to address the session, a signal of theassociation’s growing clout in Washington, D.C. U.S. Commerce Secretary CarlosGutierrez, whose remarks are excerpted on page 37, stressed the importance ofeconomic development and international trade. The secretary also spoke aboutseveral other pressing issues of interest, including immigration reform.

The secretary additionally noted the importance of a recent Memorandum ofUnderstanding between the Department of Commerce, its U.S. and ForeignCommercial Service, and the International Franchise Association to foster, promoteand facilitate the expansion of U.S. franchise systems into foreign markets. With itsnetwork of offices across the United States and in more than 80 countries, theCommerce Department’s U.S. Commercial Service utilizes its global presence andinternational marketing expertise to help U.S. companies sell their products and

Record Turnout for FranchiseAppreciation Day Deliversa Strong MessageSecretary of Commerce, SBA Administrator, Lawmakers address gathering.

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One in 7: Igniting the crowd for their day’swork on Capitol Hill, IFA Chairman Lawrence“Doc” Cohen stresses the importance ofinforming lawmakers that franchising pro-vides one-in-seven of all U.S. jobs.

Congressional Black Caucus: N.C. Rep.Mel Watt, chairman of the CongressionalBlack Caucus, addresses attendees.

Colo. Rep. Tom Tancredo states his viewson immigration reform.

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These entrepreneurs run more than 760,000 franchised establishments all across the country. Creating nearly 18 millionjobs generating an estimated $1.53 trillion in economic activity.

Like all small businesses, they struggle daily to provide affordable health insurance for their employees, themselves, and their families.

An unhealthy solution to high insurance premiums often resultsin no coverage at all. A whopping 60 percent of the more than 46million uninsured Americans are employed by small businesses.

With small business representing 99.7 percent of all employers inthe U.S., this small-business issue is a large-scale problem.

This week, you’ll see many of these franchise small-businessowners—members of the International Franchise Association—inthe halls of Congress.

They’re here to talk to you about small business health plans andmany other challenges facing their enterprises. They know youcan help.

You are in a powerful position to make a difference in the livelihoods of millions of Americans who play an integral role inthe sustained growth of the American economy.

Join them in celebrating Franchise Appreciation Day. Help them continue strengthening America’s

economy and creating jobs.

For more information, visit Franchise.org

Behind many well-known trademarks stand legions of small-business owners and operators—

hundreds of thousands of franchisees.

services worldwide.Another highlight of the event was an address by recently-appointed U.S.

Small Business Administrator Steven Preston, who, prior to joining the govern-ment, served in a leadership role with ServiceMaster.

Following a day filled with appointments, the attendees mingled withmembers of Congress and staff during a Congressional Reception in the CannonCaucus Room, sponsored by 7-Eleven, Exxon Mobil, PIP Printing, ServiceMasterClean, UPS, and Valpak. Later that evening, the association launched itssecond FranPAC Congressional Dinner at Equinox Restaurant where more than100 franchise leaders gathered and raised $21,000 for the political actioncommittee’s use in support of pro-franchising candidates for the U.S. House andSenate.

During the event, participants enjoyed legislative and political updatesfeaturing Capitol Hill guests Reps. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Thelma D.Drake of Virginia and Pat Tiberi of Ohio.

The dinner was sponsored by Marriott, Dunkin’ Brands and FranchisePayments Network.

Even before the event ended, IFA’s Government Relations Department wasalready putting together ideas and events for Franchise Appreciation Day 2007,scheduled for Sept. 10-11 at the JW Marriott hotel in downtown Washington,D.C. Details and updates are available at Franchise.org. �

Who’s up, down, in and out is politicalanalyst and writer Charlie Cook’s specialty.

N.J. Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen: St. JacquesFranchise Marketing’s Michael St. Jacques, Rep.Frelinghuysen and Philip St. Jacques.

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A User’s Guide to Capitol Hill: FranchiseAppreciation Day briefing panelists, from left,David French, IFA vice pres., governmentrelations; McDonald’s Dir. of GovernmentRelations Bo Bryant; Express Personnel’s VicePres. of Franchising Nikki Sells; and formerU.S. representative, attorney Michael A.Andrews offer tips on how to make franchis-ing’s case on Capitol Hill.

Franchise Appreciation Day ad in Capitol Hill newspaper, Roll Call.

Texas Rep. Chet Edwards: From left, Mr.Appliance Pres. Doug Rogers, Mr. ElectricMarketing Mgr. Terry Jones, Mr. ApplianceMarketing Mgr. Eric Abercrombie, E. H.Anderson Public Relations Pres. Liz Anderson,Rep. Edwards, Dwyer Group Dir. ofInternational Operations Donald Dwyer, Jr.,Pres. and CEO Dina Dwyer-Owens, VicePres. Ron Madera, COO Mark Bidwell, andMr. Electric Vice Pres. Jeff Meyers.

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White House Briefing:Members of the IFA Board of Directors andassociation staff pause to pose on their way to abriefing by White House officials.

N.C. Rep. Melvin Watt: Meineke RegionalVice Pres. of Operations Warren Bickers, Rep.Watt and Meineke franchisee Dennis Wickham.

Okla. Sen. Tom Coburn: Delegates fromExpress Personnel and Mr. Electric meet withSenator Coburn, right.