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WASHINGTON, Oct. 27, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Franchise Association -- the world's oldest and largest organization representing franchising globally – has announced its 2017 dates.  The IFA's 57^th Annual Convention will take place Jan. 29 – Feb. 1, 2017 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.  With emphasis on providing education to drive performance, growth and sustainability of franchise brands, #IFA2017 will offer world-class speakers, providing more than 50 educational sessions and programs across four days.

"This year, we've assembled an exciting program with top-flight speakers, high-quality content, interactive roundtables, intensive special sessions and bootcamp programs that address the most pressing issues and propel franchising forward," said IFA Chairman Aziz Hashim, managing partner of NRD Capital. "With a new U.S. President and rapidly shifting business conditions, I am confident that everyone who attends #IFA2017 will leave with valuable information to expand their knowledge and passion for franchising, whether they have been in the industry for many years or are new to franchising."

During #IFA2017, attendees will not only have access to franchise educational sessions, but also several main stage keynote speakers who will focus on the foundation-building aspects of any franchise business – people, profit and performance. Co-founders of Anytime Fitness, Dave Mortensen and Chuck Runyon, will share how they developed 3,500 franchised units and 36 company-owned locations in 50 states and 30 countries in 15 years. And, Marcus Buckingham, a respected New York Times best-selling author, will teach attendees how to harness excellence in their organization by empowering people to discover their personal strengths and find their edge at work.

In addition this year, #IFA 2017 is introducing a new program designed for emerging franchisors.  On Wednesday, Feb. 1, 1:30 to 4:30 p.m., the Emerging Franchisor Bootcamp will feature CEO mentors who have founded and built franchise companies. Complimentary to the first 150 franchisors with 100 units or less, the bootcamp will provide a "roadmap" and key learnings from Catherine Monson, CEO of FASTSIGNS International; Catherine Deano, owner of Painting with a Twist; Renee Maloney, co-founder and CEO, Painting with a Twist; and Tony Valle, CEO, College Pro Painters.   

"We're encouraging franchisors to invest in bringing more team members to the show this year as the program has something for every specialty within your franchise system," added Hashim. "Whether you are in marketing, operations and human resources, or in sales, training or legal, #IFA2017 will have peers and courses that share best practices that will appeal to you."

#IFA2017 also will feature more than 300 supplier partners, offering the latest tools and resources needed to develop a thriving franchise business.  Additionally, attendees can expect to find numerous networking opportunities, including "The Buzz" and "The Bash." The Buzz is held on Sunday, Jan. 29, 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. and kicks off the Convention with food, drinks and live music.  It follows the New Member & First-Time Attendee Reception at 5:30 p.m.  The Bash is on Tuesday, Jan. 31, 8 to 10:30 p.m. and is another opportunity to network with peers and colleagues at Mandalay Bay's nightclub, LIGHT.  There are other opportunities to network throughout #IFA2017, including the International Reception and the Business Roundtables. 

Registration for IFA 2017 is currently open.  Please visit http://www.franchise.org/ifa2017 for more information and to register for the convention.  To learn more, you also can follow us on Facebook.

About the International Franchise Association
Celebrating 56 years of excellence, education and advocacy, the International Franchise Association is the world's oldest and largest organization representing franchising worldwide. IFA works through its government relations and public policy, media relations and educational programs to protect, enhance and promote franchising and the more than 733,000 franchise establishments that support nearly 7.6 million direct jobs, $674.3 billion of economic output for the U.S. economy and 2.5 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). IFA members include franchise companies in over 300 different business format categories, individual franchisees and companies that support the industry in marketing, law, technology and business development.

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SOURCE International Franchise Association