Franchise Industry Strategic Alliances

A premier Perimeter hotel in Atlanta, GA offers convenient accommodations to guests attending the Global Imports Cycling Challenge May 6, 2012.
ATLANTA, GA, April 24, 2012 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The Holiday Inn Express & Suites Atlanta N-Perimeter Mall Hotel in Sandy Springs, GA offers nearby lodging to guests attending and participating in the Global Imports Cycling Challenge. Part of the USA Southeast Crit Series' Speed Week, the race will take place May 6, 2012. The course goes through Sandy Springs, running on Sandy Springs Circle, Sandy Springs Place, Hilderbrand Drive, and Blue Stone Road. Different categories of racers feature juniors, women, men, and masters. The fast paced races consist of multiple short laps run through the city streets...

The new Comfort Inn & Conference Center Northeast, in Atlanta, GA, offers convenient accommodations to players and fans attending upcoming Atlanta Silverbacks' soccer games at Atlanta Silverbacks Park.
ATLANTA, GA, April 24, 2012 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The newly renovated Comfort Inn & Conference Center Northeast, a leading north Atlanta hotel, offers convenient accommodations to Atlanta Silverbacks soccer games. Upcoming 2012 home pro men's games, which are played at Atlanta Silverbacks Park, include:

Silverbacks verse Minnesota Stars FC, April 28
Silverbacks verse FC Edmonton, May 12
Silverbacks verse Tampa Bay Rowdies, May 19
Silverbacks verse Carolina Rail Hawks, June 16
Silverbacks verse Puerto Rico Islanders, June 23

The Atlanta Silverbacks are a second tier member of the North American Soccer League (NASL)...

Participating IHG hotels in the United States and Canada will assist communities in reducing waste and stopping the spread of preventable diseases.
ATLANTA, Ga. and ORLANDO, Fla. – IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON: IHG, NYSE: IHG (ADRs)], one of the world’s largest hotel groups, announced today a partnership with Clean the World to recycle partially-used soaps and bottled amenities from hotel guest rooms and distribute them in communities with limited access to hygiene products.
Clean the World Foundation Inc. is a 501 (c) (3) charitable organization that is committed to stopping the spread of preventable diseases by collecting, recycling and distributing hotel guest room amenities to children and families in the United States, Canada and more than 45 countries worldwide...

2012 Fundraiser Names The Mission Continues and USA Cares as National Beneficiaries; Aims to Surpass $1 Million Mark for Second Year
CARPINTERIA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CKE Restaurants, Inc., parent company to Carl’s Jr.® and Hardee’s® restaurant chains, launches the Stars for Heroes™ fundraising campaign this week at participating restaurant locations. Following a successful inaugural program, the 2012 campaign hopes to again harness the national reach of both brands and the generosity of its customers, franchisees and company employees to rally behind the nation’s military families and veterans. Funds raised during this year’s campaign will assist those groups through national charity partnerships with The Mission Continues and USA Cares, as well as through regional charities with existing ties to individual Carl’s Jr...

New Capabilities Come on the Heels of a J.D. Power and Associates Study Highlighting Online Scheduling as One of Three Ways Car Care Companies Can Maintain High Customer Satisfaction Levels
SEATTLE, WA--(Marketwire - Apr 23, 2012) - Meineke Car Care Centers, Inc. today announced it has chosen Full Slate as its exclusive partner for online appointment scheduling, enabling customers to book service appointments online for the first time in the company's 40-year history.
After a successful pilot program in which 25 Meineke centers "test-drove" Full Slate for three months, Meineke is making the appointment scheduling software available to every center across the country.
Rather than calling in to schedule an oil change, tune-up or other service, customers can now simply go to Meineke...

The entrepreneurs behind Talbott Teas from Chicago have big news to share about a deal with Jamba Juice after their TV appearance, on "Shark Tank."
Apr 23, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) --Jamba Juice Company (NASDAQ: JMBA):
When: Friday, April 27, 2012
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. CT
Where: ABC-TV, check local listings for show times in your area
What: Shark Tank "Sharks", Kevin O'Leary and Daymond John, join the entrepreneurs from Talbott Teas and Jamba CEO James D. White, to share the story behind how they brokered one of the most successful deals on the show's history and made the founders of Talbott Teas rich.
Contact:Media/PR CredentialsJamba Juice/Talbott Teas Janice Duis jduis@jambajuice.com PR Hotline: 510-596-0100 X7
Sharks, Daymond John and Kevin O'Leary as well as Jamba CEO James D...

Massage Envy locations in the Greater Washington, D.C. & Baltimore Area look forward to raising awareness and funds for the Arthritis Foundation with Walk on the Mall in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C. (PRWEB) April 22, 2012 - On May 19th Massage Envy locations in the Greater Washington, D.C. & Baltimore Area will take part in the 2012 Arthritis Walk on the Mall. Massage Envy locations in the Greater Washington, D.C. & Baltimore Area hope to draw more attention to the fight against Arthritis as well as helping the Arthritis Foundation reach their fundraising goal of $131,000.
Massage Envys in the Greater Washington, D.C. & Baltimore Area hope to raise their goal of $7,000 for the 2012 Arthritis Walk on the Mall...

WASHINGTON, April 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Rebuilding Together is celebrating National Rebuilding Month, a nationwide call to rebuild safe and healthy homes for families and homeowners in-need throughout the month of April. In support of the effort, Choice Hotels and Rebuilding Together Washington DC hosted a Room to Rebuild project with Washington Redskin NFL player, London Fletcher.
Today, Rebuilding Together and Choice Hotels provided critical renovations to the Samaritan Ministry of Greater Washington, a community center offering services to local homeless and others in need. Samaritan Ministry annually serves 350 clients, and provides them with housing, employment assistance, and a variety of social and professional services. Washington Redskin player London Fletcher was onsite alongside Choice Hotels' volunteers, as they repaired the community center, in order to make it a safer facility with increased capability to serve people in-need...

April 20, 2012 // Franchising.com // The Weichert Family of Companies recently announced its ongoing support for Morris Habitat for Humanity. Through its most recent sponsorship, the company will fund two housing units on Lake Lenore Road in Denville. Construction will begin late this year with completion expected in late 2014. In addition, Weichert will sponsor two homes that will be built in La Ceiba, Honduras, by Morris Habitat’s overseas partner.
“Habitat for Humanity is an outstanding organization that shares our vision of helping families achieve the dream of homeownership and all the personal, social and emotional benefits that accompany it,” said Jacelyn Botti, head of residential sales for Weichert, Realtors...

April 19, 2012 // Franchising.com // Manasquan, NJ - Jersey Mike’s Subs aficionados throughout the country made a substantial difference in children’s lives this March during the popular sub chain’s second annual “Month of Giving” by helping to raise nearly $858,000 for 74 different charities nationwide. The recipients ranged from children’s hospital foundations to youth and family services organizations.
Throughout the month of March, customers contributed to local charities at area Jersey Mike’s locations. The campaign culminated on March 28 with “Make a Difference Day.” On that day, depending on their market, customers had different participation choices: either receiving a free sub for a minimum $2 contribution or 50 percent of all proceeds of the day were contributed to the charity...

MINNEAPOLIS, April 2, 2012—Great Clips, the world’s largest hair salon brand, is once again teaming up with EA SPORTS™ (NASDAQ: ERTS) and the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft to bring you the Ultimate Gaming Makeover Sweepstakes this spring.
Starting on March 27 and running through the end of April, customers can text SPORTS to 47328 (US) or 77777 (Canada) or go to www.greatclips.com for a chance to win the EA SPORTS “Ultimate Gaming Makeover”. Prizes include a 52-inch HDTV, Xbox 360 with Kinect™ for Xbox 360, XZipit gaming recliners, suites of EA SPORTS games and more! Great Clips will feature EA SPORTS and Xbox 360 in more than 3,000 salon locations across the United States and Canada via in-salon signage, social media and traditional media...

Battery Giant is helping to give back to the local community with the sponsorship of Beaumont’s Children’s Hospital’s 2012 E-Clutter for Kids Recycle-A-Thon.
Rochester Hills, MI (PRWEB) April 19, 2012 - The Battery Giant location in Rochester Hills has always been a drop off point for local battery recycling. On Saturday April 21 and Sunday April 22nd, Battery Giant will expand its efforts to collect E-waste and donate the proceeds to raise scholarship funds for Beaumont Children’s Center for the treatment of Speech and Language Disorders.
The scholarship program aids children between the ages of 12 months to 14 years who have speech and language impairments due to such conditions as a cleft palate, autism, downs syndrome, or a traumatic brain injury...

Filta has made a donation to the IDEAS Student Group at UCF in honor of Earth Day 2012. Filta hopes that its donation promotes sustainability and environmental awareness across the UCF campus.
Orlando, FL (PRWEB) April 19, 2012 - Filta, the world’s largest cooking oil micro-filtration and fryer management service headquartered in Orlando, Fl, has made a donation on behalf of its management and Franchise Owners to the IDEAS Student Organization at the University of Central Florida (UCF) for its Earth Day Celebration. Earth Day is a time when the world celebrates the world and all that it has to offer. It is a time when people remember the Earth and are reminded to care for the planet that we love. Eco friendly companies such as Filta see Earth Day as an opportunity to spread the message of sustainability and to support environmental groups that seek to educate the public on the benefits of being green...

Nationwide Simulcast Event Sponsored by Express Employment Professionals
OKLAHOMA CITY, April 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Pro Football Hall of Famers Troy Aikman and Emmitt Smith; leadership consultant and New York Times best-selling author Patrick Lencioni, and sociologist and author Bertice Berry, Ph.D., will take center stage at 2012 Refresh Leadership Simulcast from Tyler, Texas on Wednesday, May 16, to inspire and motivate business leaders nationwide.
Refresh Leadership Simulcast is sponsored by Express Employment Professionals, one of the nation's largest privately-held staffing companies.
"The measure of success for all great leaders is their ability to inspire those they lead. It's a tremendous responsibility and one that should never be taken lightly," said Robert A...

15-Year-Old Surfing Sensation and 17-Year-Old Longboard Skater Join Pro Surfer Erica Hosseini to Form the New FFS LifeStyle Team
April 19, 2012 // Franchising.com // ATLANTA – Home to the hottest brands and latest styles of flip flops and sandals, Flip Flop Shops will ride into spring with the creation of a new FFS LifeStyle Team. Up-and-coming surfer Jazmine Dean (Size 8) and street shredder Aidan Lynds (Size 10) will join professional surfer Erica Hosseini (Size 10) to form the FFS LifeStyle Team. As members, Jazmine, Aidan, and Erica will represent the Flip Flop Shops brand through appearances, social media activity, and visual representation.
“We’re thrilled to have these insanely talented individuals representing the Flip Flop Shops brand as members of our FFS LifeStyle Team,” said Brian Curin, the President (Size 10) of Flip Flop Shops...

100 VAE (Validation of Learning from Experience) certifications for better recognition of the hotel industry professions


3,500 traineeships a year to assist the professional insertion of young people


Training courses about the hotel industry’s new professions for 30 teachers every year


April 18, 2012 // Franchising.com // Today, Denis Hennequin, Chairman and CEO of Accor, and Luc Chatel, France’s Minister of National Education, Youth and Voluntary Organizations, will sign a major five-year partnership which aims to increase the employability of Accor’s employees, enhance the appeal of hotel and restaurant professions for young people and boost the efficacy of professional training through better interaction between schools and companies...

Customers can own specially designed tools that are made in America – if they take advantage of offers that only last for a few weeks.
Parkersburg, W. Va. (PRWEB) April 18, 2012 - Woodworkers who relish owning new tools and celebrate American craftsmanship will appreciate the One-Time Tool Program offered by Woodcraft in partnership with Woodpeckers.
“The One-Time Tool Program gives woodworkers the opportunity to purchase unique, high quality tools made in the United States that are only available for a limited time and then retired,” Woodcraft product development manager George Snyder said. “Rich Hummel at Woodpeckers designs each One-Time Tool, makes one or two samples, and then sends photos and information to Woodcraft so we can let our customers know what is currently available through our retail stores and on the Internet...

Funds to Help Children and Their Families to Attend “We are not Alone” Convention
April 18, 2012 // Franchising.com // Laurens, South Carolina – If it wasn’t for the Foundation for Children with Microcephaly (FCM), AIM Mail Center owners Stacey and Pam Albers would not have much needed support and resources for their family. Their son, Justin, has been diagnosed with Microcephaly (small head/brain), a neurological disorder that causes the circumference of the head to grow smaller than it should. The FCM supports children and families with children who are diagnosed with Microcephaly.
“The Foundation for Children with Microcephaly has been such a great resource for our family,” said Pam. “We are excited to have the opportunity to raise awareness in our community about Microcephaly and give back to such a wonderful organization...

First Nutritional Supplements Developed by Actor / Producer Mark Wahlberg to be Launched in 2012
PITTSBURGH, April 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- GNC Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: GNC), the nation's largest specialty retailer of health and wellness products, is proud to announce a partnership with Academy Award-nominated actor/producer Mark Wahlberg to develop, market and sell MARKED, a new nutritional supplement line designed to meet the demanding lifestyles of active, results-driven fitness consumers who want to get the most out of their workout and improve overall health.
"I'm excited to join forces with GNC, a brand I trust for quality and integrity, to develop the MARKED products," said Mark Wahlberg. "I attribute much of my own success to my dedication to living healthy and fit, so it is important for me to create products that will help motivate others to pursue their own personal wellness goals...

The balloon crew will present an interactive educational program developed and sponsored by the RE/MAX Northern Illinois real estate network.
Chicago, IL, April 18, 2012 --(PR.com)-- CHICAGO, April 16, 2012 -- The RE/MAX Hot Air Balloon will visit Gary Elementary School, 130 E. Forest Ave., West Chicago, Ill., on April 27 when the balloon crew will present an interactive educational program developed and sponsored by the RE/MAX Northern Illinois real estate network.
In the audience will be the 650 students at Gary Elementary, who will learn about various aspects of ballooning, including its history and the scientific principles involved. They also will see a demonstration on how the balloon functions.
The program will be presented at 9 a...