Dr. Condoleezza Rice Announced as Keynote Speaker for IFA’s 53rd Annual Convention

The International Franchise Association (IFA) announced today that Dr. Condoleezza Rice, former Secretary of State of the United States, will give the keynote speech at the 2013 Annual Convention to be held next year from February 17 to 20 in Las Vegas. Rice, currently the Denning Professor in Global Business and the Economy at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, the Thomas and Barbara Stephenson Senior Fellow on Public Policy at the Hoover Institution and a professor of Political Science at Stanford University, will add to the roster of noteworthy speakers who have set the tone for the IFA’s conventions in the past, including Former President Bill Clinton, General Colin Powell and Former President George W. Bush. “We are thrilled that Dr. Rice will headline our convention,” said Matt Haller, vice president of public affairs and chief of staff to the president and CEO of the IFA. “As many franchise businesses are looking at international opportunities for expansion, her take on the state of the global economy’s impact on businesses in both developing and developed countries, and how governments around the world are helping or hurting growth, will help our members better prepare for the ever-challenging global business environment.” The 2013 annual convention promises to gather the franchising industry’s movers and shakers, as well as the industry’s top speakers, to share successes, challenges and best practices. With multiple educational sessions, mini-super sessions, roundtable discussions and attendee summits, the convention is one of the most important in the franchising industry. For more information, visit the convention’s website at http://www.franchise.org/convention.aspx