FaegreBD Franchise Summit Features Doc Cohen

For those of you in franchising who have never attended the FaegreBD Franchise Summit, you don’t want to miss this next opportunity. The Summit is an intimate gathering of franchisors, franchisees and sponsors, hosted by Brian Schnell and the team at FaegreBD in friendly Minneapolis on August 22-23. re:group has sponsored the event for several years. We’ve really found it to have the perfect combination of great panelists and speakers, relevant topics, and a relaxed environment for conversation and learning.

One of the keynote speakers this year is Doc Cohen. If you have been in franchising for a while, you already know Doc, as he’s has had a consistent presence at IFA since they first admitted franchisees in 1993. In addition to his many committee roles, he has served on the IFA Board of Directors and as Chairman of the Board. He was also the first franchisee inducted into the IFA Hall of Fame.

Jim Squire introduced me to Doc the first year he attended an IFA conference. Both of them were part of the Great American Cookie Co. franchise and both were involved in the IFA Education Foundation, as well as its fledgling ICFE (International Certified Franchise Executive) program. Since that time, the ICFE has had thousands of graduates, and franchisee participation in IFA has grown. I have had the privilege of being part of the ICFE governance and truly appreciate Jim and Doc’s contributions to IFA’s education initiatives.

Doc brings the perspective of the franchisee to the table. A consummate retailer and businessman, he owns multiple franchise concepts and has directly experienced how different systems relate to their franchisees. Engaging and witty, Doc is a great storyteller and likes to use parables to make his point. I am sure that we are in for a treat when he talks about the strengths and weaknesses of the franchisor-franchisee relationship. I don’t want to miss it and I would highly encourage you to attend.