AAFD To Honor Sen Catherine Cortez Masto, FTC Commissioner Rohit Chopra and CA Department of Financial Protection & Innovation for Service to the Franchising Community
Recipients to be Honored at Total Quality Franchising Awards Ceremony on June 24th
PALM DESERT, Calif., June 23, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- American Association of Franchisees and Dealers (AAFD), a national trade association advocating for franchisees and independent dealers, today announced the recipients of the AAFD Total Quality Franchising (TQF) Chairman's Awards for Distinguished Service to the Franchising Community. Honorees include United States Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Federal Trade Commission Commissioner Rohit Chopra, and the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI). The tributes will be presented at the AAFD's TQF Awards ceremony on June 24th during the AAFD's annual Franchisee Leadership Summit.
Senator Cortez Masto is the leading advocate for franchisee causes in Congress. She has been instrumental in demanding oversight to protect franchisees, including introducing legislation to provide greater oversight and transparency from the Small Business Administration (SBA). She is drafing legislation to further protect franchise investors. Her recent blockbuster report, Strategies to Improve the Franchise Model: Preventing Unfair and Deceptive Franchise Practices, is serving as a catalyst in bringing awareness to the need for franchisee protections.
"The AAFD is honored to recognize the Senator for her extraordinary effort to expose ongoing abuses in the franchising community and her continuing work to strengthen protections for investors and prospective franchisees through enhanced disclosure," said Robert Purvin, AAFD chief executive officer and chairman.
Federal Trade Commission Commissioner Rohit Chopra is the first commissioner in decades to draw attention to the franchise industry. His work has alerted federal agencies like the FTC to do their job to protect prospective and current franchisees, including protections past the current Franchise Rule.
"The franchise industry is proud to have a partner in Commissioner Rohit Chopra. Under his leadership, he raised awareness of abuses in the franchising community and works to strengthen protections for investors and prospective franchisees through enhanced disclosure and oversight. The AAFD is proud to present the TQF Chairman's Award to Commissioner Chopra," said Purvin.
Early this year, the DFPI ordered Burgerim to pay millions of dollars in damages, fines and restitution to more than a thousand injured franchisees for presale disclosure violations. This unprecedented ruling set the groundwork for further franchisee protections from state agencies.
"This award is in recognition of the groundbreaking investigation and action taken by the DFPI to address fraudulent conduct by Burgerim Franchising that has harmed hundreds of franchise investors, as well as the DFPI's continuing work to strengthen protections for investors and prospective franchisees through material disclosure," Purvin said.
"It's been an extraordinary year and having three Chairman's Award recipients highlights how extraordinary it has been," commented Keith Miller, AAFD director of public affairs and engagement. "We look forward to continuing our efforts, working with the award recipients to realize substantive change in the franchise industry."
The AAFD Franchisee Leadership Summit will be held virtually on June 23rd-26th and will offer franchisees industry-related seminars, keynote sessions, network opportunities, and a fun and exciting franchising awards gala.
About American Association of Franchisees and Dealers
AAFD is the oldest, largest, and most respected direct member franchisee trade association in the United States. Since 1992, the nonprofit organization has formed and supported exclusive trademark specific chapters for franchisees of hundreds of franchise systems and seeks to foster its vision of Total Quality Franchising—a collaborative franchise culture that respects the legitimate business interests of franchisors and franchisees. For more information, visit https://www.aafd.org
Media Contact
Lucila Garcia, AAFD, +1 323-646-2150, [email protected]
SOURCE AAFD
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