Kevin and Shannon Cargile, owners of the Aire Serv® of Omaha franchise,
were honored by the International Franchise Association (IFA) with its
annual Franchisee of the Year Award in Washington, D.C.
“The IFA is proud to recognize the outstanding efforts of Kevin
and Shannon Cargile with the Franchisee of the Year Award,” said
IFA Chairman Ken Walker, chairman & CEO of Driven Brands. “The
franchising community is an important component of the U.S. economy due
to the hard work of these exemplary individuals who have helped bolster
the growth of the industry.”
Franchise owner-operators representing 30 franchise systems were recognized
during the IFA’s 11th Annual Public Affairs Conference for their
outstanding performance and the contributions they have made to enhance
the growth and development of franchising. Doyle James, president of Aire
Serv Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc., accepted the All Star Award on
behalf of The Dwyer Group® for bringing the most attendees to the event.
The Dwyer Group’s nearly 50 participants at the two-day event, which
was supported by founding sponsor, ADP Small Business Services, featured
more than 500 franchise industry leaders. These leaders met with more
than 200 congressional offices about issues important to the future of
franchising, such as healthcare reform and access to credit.
“The conference was an eye-opening experience on how the government
directly effects businesses on the local level,” said Kevin Cargile.
“It gave me an opportunity to appreciate the need to be more knowledgeable
and outspoken about laws before they are passed, so we can be more proactive
on these issues.”
According to a study conducted for the IFA Educational Foundation by PricewaterhouseCoopers
on the economic impact of franchising, there are more than 900,000 franchised
businesses in operation across the country which is indirectly responsible
for providing 21 million jobs and generating $2.3 trillion in economic
output. In Florida, 61,649 establishments directly provide 728,200 jobs
and contribute $56 billion to the U.S. economy.
“The IFA conference came at a great time because of the pressures
on small businesses, which are caused by the potential of increased taxes,
costs of additional healthcare and legislations that could lead to additional
expenses,” said James. “By bringing our top franchise owners
to Capitol Hill, lawmakers were able to hear directly from small business
owners and hear their stories about what impact potential laws could have
on their business.”