Veterans Independence Day: New Tools & Solutions Launched in 12 U.S. Cities To Help Veterans Access Small Business Opportunities
June 19, 2012
MEDIA
ADVISORY
Contact:
Matt Haller (202) 662-0770
Washington -- As July 4th approaches, with
unemployment rates for some groups of veterans hovering over 18%, the International Franchise Association(IFA),Veterans of Foreign Wars(VFW)
and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Hiring
Our Heroes initiative will launch new tools and resources June 28, 2012 in
12 cities to help veterans access opportunities in small business ownership and
employment including a new free online Veterans
Franchise Toolkit and a new Mentor
Network to connect veterans to business leaders and jobs.
A national launch event including IFA, VFW and business leaders will
take place June 28, 2012 at 10:00 am at the National Press Club, 14th
& Penn. Ave. NW, in the Murrow Room. Contact Matt Haller at mhaller@franchise.org or
(202) 662-0770 to RSVP.
Speakers:
Steve Caldeira, President & CEO,
International Franchise Association
Kevin Schmiegel, Executive Director, Hiring
our Heroes, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Bob Wallace, Executive Director, The Veterans
of Foreign Wars
Jim Tatum, President, SIGN-A-RAMA
Rosemarie Hartnett, President and Co-Founder, Abrakadoodle,
Inc.
The Veterans
Franchise (VetFran) Toolkit is designed
to foster access to franchise employment and ownership opportunities for U.S.
veterans and military spouses. The franchise industry has committed to hiring
as team members and recruiting as franchise business owners 75,000 veterans and
military spouses, plus 5,000 wounded warriors. Over 6,200 veterans and spouses
have started careers in franchising since the campaign launched last year.
The VetFran Toolkit includes a Franchising
101 online course, a skills and attributes assessment, a finance assessment,
and partner links. U.S. military veterans and spouses will also be able to
access the VetFran Mentor Network and be connected to franchise business leaders
through the Toolkit. The franchise leaders comprising the Mentor Network will
share their knowledge of and experience in franchising with veterans in
addition to any other professional guidance they are comfortable giving.
The VetFran Mentor Network Advisory Board
will lead the volunteer network, including:
Gordon
Logan, Founder & CEO, Sport Clips, Inc. (Chairman) (USAF)
Melanie
Bergeron, Chair of the Board, Two Men & A Truck
Sean
Collins, Vice President, GI Jobs and MilitaryFranchising.com (USN)
Jerry
Darnell, Darnell & Associates (US Army)
Ted Daywalt,
President & CEO, VetJobs.com (USN)
Chuck
Southern, VA Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization
Greg Tanner,
National Director of Franchise Sales, Aaron’s (US Army)
Mary Kennedy
Thompson, President & CEO, Mr. Rooter (USMC)
Bob Wallace,
Executive Director, VFW Washington Office
Skills testing firm Caliper Corporation, and BoeFly,
the online finance marketplace, contributed services at no charge to power the
Toolkit.
With its training, structure, systems and
focus on operational excellence, franchising can provide an ideal career path
for returning veterans to become leaders in the civilian economy. According to
the U.S. Census, there are over 66,000 veteran-owned franchise businesses in
the U.S. IFA’s VetFran strategic initiative was launched in 1991 to help Gulf
War veterans transition.
“As we continue to work hard each and every day to extend
career opportunities to our nation’s veterans, we commend our members who are
participating in the VetFran Toolkit launch events and volunteering in the
VetFran Mentor Network – they are
setting the right example for our industry and our entire nation,” said Steve
Caldeira, CFE, IFA’s President & CEO. “As we celebrate Independence Day,
let us remember that our freedom comes at a price. Now we need to enable our
nation’s veterans to fulfill their dreams and find career opportunities here at
home.”
Launch events will also take place in Atlanta, Dallas,
Detroit, Denver, Houston, Miami/South Florida, Nashville, Norfolk, Austin, San
Diego, Tampa-St. Petersburg, and Minneapolis.
For more information, visit www.VetFran.com.
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