IFA Announces Recipients of Major Awards

The International Franchise Association (IFA) announced the recipients of the 2024 IFA Major Awards, the most prestigious awards in franchising. These five individuals will be honored at the 65th IFA Annual Convention in Las Vegas, Feb. 10-13.

"The IFA Major Awards are the highest honors in franchising, given each year to individuals who stand out above and beyond in the franchise sector," said Matt Haller, IFA president and CEO. "Their leadership, both in business and in service to others, has made a profound impact on the future of franchising and all the good it will continue to do for generations to come."

The recipients of the 2024 IFA Major Award include:

Hall of Fame Award: Patrick Doyle, Executive Chair, Restaurant Brands International

The Hall of Fame Award is the oldest and most prestigious recognition conferred by IFA, recognizing a franchisor or franchisee who has contributed significantly to the advancement of the franchise business model and to the benefit of the IFA mission. The honoree has been a lifelong leader and is often viewed as a legend in franchising.

Doyle has been executive chair of the board of Restaurant Brands International (RBI) since late 2022. He spent nearly a decade as CEO of Domino's Pizza, following leadership roles overseeing domestic and international operations for over 14 years. Previously, he served as an executive partner at Carlyle Group, focusing on the consumer sector, and as chairman of the board at Best Buy Co., where he was a director for almost 10 years. Doyle holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a BA from the University of Michigan.

Entrepreneur of the Year Award: Richard Weissman, Co-Founder, CEO, and Chairman, The Learning Experience

The Entrepreneur of the Year Award honors a founder or franchising executive who has successfully built or grown a business in the franchise sector—exemplifying the entrepreneurial spirit that franchising represents. The honoree is a franchisor, franchisee, or supplier who is currently managing and building a successful business and demonstrates a willingness to undertake the risk associated with developing and growing a new franchise business. Their contributions have not only grown a successful business but also helped shape the future of franchising, inspiring other entrepreneurs in their endeavors.

Weissman got his start in business as a teenager, mopping floors and locking doors at his parents' childcare center. After he and his father acquired an international childcare franchise, they later retired from that venture, eventually launching The Learning Experience in 2002 and began franchising the brand the following year. The Learning Experience is known for high-quality childcare and its proprietary curriculum that delivers best-in-class early education while helping children develop intellectually, socially, and cognitively. Today, the franchise has more than 400 locations operating in 33 states.

Bonny LeVine Award: Dawn Kane, Co-Founder & CEO, Hot Dish Advertising

The Bonny LeVine Award recognizes the importance of mentorship in the franchising sector and was designed to recognize women leaders who have placed an intentional focus on growing and mentoring future leaders. The honoree is a franchisor, franchisee, or supplier and a proven role model who gives back to the franchising community, builds pathways to opportunity for others, and effectively uses IFA and independent platforms and programs to connect and inspire others.

Kane is the co-founder and CEO of Hot Dish Advertising, a full-service strategic marketing and advertising agency serving the franchise community. She and her team have helped more than 500 franchise brands drive their growth goals over more than two decades and are consistently rated as a Top Franchise Supplier in Marketing by Entrepreneur Magazine. She is a longtime supporter of the Women's Franchise Network in the Twin Cities and currently serves as its co-chair. Kane is an active member of IFA and a past chair of the Supplier Forum Advisory Board, and she has served on a number of IFA committees throughout her time in the association.

Ronald E. Harrison Award: Javier Solis, CFE, Co-Founder, Toro Taxes Franchise

The Ronald E. Harrison Award recognizes an organization or individual with a demonstrated, tangible commitment to increasing diversity in franchising. The honoree is a franchisor, franchisee, or supplier with active programs to educate, engage, or recruit members of traditionally underserved communities into the franchising community. Their work has served the betterment of the franchise business model and will continue to impact future generations.

After moving to the United States from Ecuador when he was 22, Solis Recognized the lack of a tax preparation brand for Latino taxpayers. He created the first Latino tax preparation franchise in the nation in 2007. In 2019, he joined two business partners to create Toro Taxes Franchise, the largest Latino franchise in any industry. Since the creation of Toro Taxes Franchise, the tax preparation business has grown to more than 250 offices in 23 states with 300 in development. Outside of his business, he is an active business motivator/coach who spends time educating Hispanic entrepreneurs on how to scale their businesses and is involved in a number of local organizations, including the Maryland Hispanic Business Conference, the Maryland Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals. Solis is passionate about the IFA Foundation and its mission to spread the message of franchising to diverse audiences. He serves as the chair of the Hispanic Latino Franchise Leadership Council (HLFLC), the group he co-founded with his fellow Hispanic franchisors in 2021. He's also a member of the foundation's Diversity Institute Board.

William Rosenberg Foundation Leadership Award: Dan Monaghan, Founder, Clear Summit Group

Named in honor of the man whose vision and leadership led to the founding of the International Franchise Association and its foundation, this award is presented each year to an individual who has made an impact on franchise education, outreach, and helping share the franchising story. This award is intended to identify and recognize publicly those individuals who have contributed the most to making franchising the acknowledged leader in distribution methods.

Monaghan got his start in franchising at age 19 as a franchisee for Dickie Dee, sparking a series of entrepreneurial ventures from there. He went on to found WSI in 1995, which evolved into the world's largest digital marketing franchise organization. In 2006, Dan diversified his portfolio by establishing Clear Summit Group (CSG), a business accelerator and investment company that partners with high-growth, early-stage franchise and technology companies. Today, CSG has more than 1,000 franchise locations across the globe. Dan has prioritized giving back to franchising through his involvement with IFA and the IFA Foundation, overseeing the growth of a number of IFA Foundation programs and helping establish the Franchise Ascension Initiative and IFA's Open for Opportunity campaign to spread the stories of franchising.

These recipients join the ranks of decades of the greatest leaders in franchising. The full list of past recipients of the IFA Major Awards is available here.