About VetFran

As tens of thousands of service men and women return from deployment in Afghanistan and Southwest Asia, expanded opportunities are needed to ensure veterans and their families can transition into the civilian economy.

With its rapid training opportunities, scalability, and need for operational execution and excellence, franchising provides an ideal career path to enable returning veterans to become leaders of and productive participants in the U.S. economy.

IFA’s VetFran program helps returning service members access franchise opportunities through training, financial assistance, and industry support.   

VetFran was born out of the desire of the late Don Dwyer Sr. – founder of The Dwyer Group, to say “thank you” to our veterans returning from the first Gulf War.  After the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, IFA re-launched its campaign to assist U.S. veterans at that difficult time. Now, IFA’s VetFran program helps returning service members access franchise opportunities through training, financial assistance, and industry support.  VetFran’s ranks have grown to include more than 500 franchise systems that voluntarily offer financial incentives and mentoring to prospective veteran franchise small business owners. Thousands of veterans have become franchise owners through VetFran and other programs.  

For more information on IFA’s VetFran program and how you can be involved click here

VetFran Committee Members:

Committee Chair – Joe Lindenmayer, President/COO, TSS Photography, Inc

Committee Vice Chair- Jon Rucker, Military Program Manager, Snap-on-Tools Company, LLC

James Amos, Jr, CEO, Tasti D-Lite LLC
Richard Ashe, Owner & Certified Franchise Advisor, Veteran Franchise Centers of Houston, TX
Ron Berger, Chairman/CEO, Figaro’s Italian Pizza, Inc.
Sean Collins, Vice President, Victory Media, Inc.
Jerry Darnell, CEO, Jerry Darnell & Associates
Janice Dwyer, President – Franchise Business Insurance Division, Luce, Smith and Scott, Inc.
Lonnie Helgerson, CEO Veteran Franchise Centers
Jeff Jervik, President & CEO, Fitness Together Holdings, Inc.
Mark Johnson, EVP & CEO, Granite Transformations
Gordon Logan,  Founder & CEO Sport Clips, Inc.
Chris Loudermilk, Franchise Consultant The Dwyer Group
Bret Lowell, Partner, DLA Piper LLP (US)
Stuart Mathis,  President & CEO The Quizno’s Corporation
David Nilssen, Co-Founder & CEO, Guidant Financial Group, Inc.
Karen Powell, CEO & Founder, Decor&You®
Cordell Riley, President, Tortal
Alex Roberts, President, Mr. Handyman
Michael Seid, Managing Director MSA Worldwide
Bryan Smith, Senior VP, Franchise Development, Instant Imprints
J.C. Sneyd, VP & Director of Marketing & Sales, Grout Doctor Global Franchise Corp.
Chuck Southern, Center for Veterans Enterprise, Department of Veterans Affairs
Bill Spae, President & CEO, MOOYAH
Eric Stites, CEO, Franchise Business Review
Leonard Swartz, Senior Advisor, iFranchise Group
Greg Tanner, National Director Franchising, Aaron’s Sales & Leasing
James Tatem, President, Sign-A-Rama, Inc.
Mary Thompson, CFE, President, Mr. Rooter, The Dwyer Group
Christopher Warren, Director Franchise Network Relations, Valpak