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Russell "Russ" Frith, CFE, will become the chairman of the International Franchise Association (IFA) next month at the group's annual convention Feb. 15-18 in San Antonio. Frith is president and CEO of Lawn Doctor, Inc. of Holmdel, N.J., an automated lawn care company with more than 400 units. He has served as the IFA board's first vice chairman, after serving as treasurer for the association for seven years. He has also been chairman of the IFA Convention Task Force, treasurer of IFA's Educational Foundation, first vice chairman of the Executive Committee and a member of the Finance Audit and Budget Committee, among other IFA posts.
Frith brings more than 30 years of franchising experience to the organization's top position. His interest in Lawn Doctor initially came while he was a customer. He joined Lawn Doctor in 1978 as franchise sales director, a position he held for two years until he was promoted to vice president of marketing. In 1982, Frith was promoted to executive vice president. After serving on Lawn Doctor's board of directors, he was appointed to his current position as president and CEO in 1983. Under his leadership, Lawn Doctor has grown tenfold. Today, the company has approximately 425 franchised units.
Franchising World recently asked Frith about his particular vision for the IFA in the coming year.
FW: In just a few days, you will accept the chairman's gavel to lead the world's oldest and largest association for the franchise sector, the International Franchise Association (IFA). What are the top three goals you hope to achieve?
Frith: First and foremost, I want to continue the focus of prior chairs in making IFA the one voice of franchising. Over the course of the last several years the evidence is overwhelming, franchisees and franchisors working together can enhance the mutual benefits of the franchise relationship.
Second, I want to challenge our membership to adequately fund FranPAC, (IFA's political action committee) so we can promote franchising and help educate our government officials on the win-win proposition called franchising and the enormous positive impact franchising has on our economy.
Third, I want to grow the number of franchisee members. We have a great story to tell and we have achieved several victories in preventing federal and state...