Wild Bird Center Franchisee, William Fenimore, Named "Franchisee of The Year" by The International Franchise Association

By: Wild Bird Centers of America, Inc. | 3 Shares 140 Reads

William Fenimore, owner of the "Wild Bird Center of Layton, Utah", was selected as the International Franchise Association's (IFA) "Franchisee of the Year" and honored at a special IFA event held today in Washington, D.C. The award is presented to franchise owners singled out for exceptional performance.

Washington, DC (PRWEB) September 22, 2008 -- William Fenimore, owner of the "Wild Bird Center of Layton, Utah", was selected as the International Franchise Association's (IFA) "Franchisee of the Year" and honored at a special IFA event held today in Washington, D.C. The award is presented to franchise owners singled out for exceptional performance.

"Bill Fenimore was a natural to recommend for this outstanding industry title," said Henrik Lehman Weng, CEO, Wild Bird Centers of America. "Bill enthusiastically adopted our business development program to grow his business and is now one of the top three, high-growth stores in our franchise."

Fenimore, along with his partner and son, Billy Fenimore, updated and remodeled their store, hired new staff and turned the store into a model Wild Bird Center franchise. His business acumen drove an unprecedented press, radio and television effort and his passion for the natural world positioned him as a community and regional leader. This year, Mr. Fenimore won two prestigious national awards; the "Roger Tory Peterson Nature Education Achievement Award" from the Roger Tory Peterson Institute and the "Ludlow Griscom Award for Outstanding Contributions to Regional Ornithology" from the American Birding Association. Mr. Fenimore also became a nationally-recognized author in 2008 with publication of his "Backyard Bird Guides" series, providing a specific guide to backyard birds for each of the 50 states. He recently was appointed by the Governor of Utah to serve on the newly established Great Salt Lake Advisory Council.

"I am much honored to receive this recognition from the Wild Bird Centers of America and award from the IFA," said Fenimore, who attended the 9th Annual Franchise Appreciation Day Convention, held in Washington, DC. "I have an excellent staff and partner who are critical to the store's success and I appreciate all the support received from Wild Bird Centers of America."

Bill has owned and operated the Wild Bird Center of Layton, Utah (www.wildbird.com/stores/lay) since 2001. He serves on the Boards of numerous nature organizations in Utah and conducts seminars and workshops that educate the public about wild birds and their critical habitat needs. He also leads birding field trips for clients from around the globe.

Established in 1985, Wild Bird Centers of America, Inc. WBCA (www.wildbird.com) is a specialized retail store franchisor with more than 80 franchises in the U.S. and Canada. Each Wild Bird Center store is dedicated to helping customers develop a better backyard birding experience by providing the finest, field-tested products, old-fashioned customer service and expert advice. Wild Bird Center stores also serve as active community resources, providing demonstrations, educational workshops and children's programs for customers and local communities. For more information contact Barbara Beck, Director of Marketing/Communications, 301-229-9585, x202.

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