ATLANTA (RestaurantNews.com) Lawrence J. “Doc” Cohen, multi-unit owner of multiple Global Franchise Group brands including Great American Cookies® and Pretzelmaker®, has become the first franchisee ever to be inducted into the International Franchise Association (IFA) Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame designation is the oldest and most prestigious award conferred by the IFA and recognizes significant contributions to the advancement of franchising and to the IFA and the franchising community. Cohen received the award during a special ceremony held at the 2011 IFA Convention earlier this month in Las Vegas.
The IFA, the oldest and largest organization representing franchising worldwide, acknowledges only a select few with induction into the Hall of Fame. Past inductees include Ray Kroc (McDonald’s® Corp.); Frank Carney (Pizza Hut®); Dave Thomas (Wendy’s®); Col. Harland Sanders (KFC® Corp.); and Frederick A. DeLuca (Subway® Restaurants).
“I am deeply honored to join the roster of franchising pioneers who are members of the IFA Hall of Fame,” said Cohen. “The IFA is the strongest advocate for the franchising industry and a valuable resource for all of its members and I am proud to be affiliated with such a vital and important organization.”
Cohen, founder and CEO of Houston-based Cookie Associates, worked in the retail pharmaceutical industry for fifteen years before opening his first Great American Cookies store in Lafayette, La. in the late 1970s. Over the course of the past three decades, this initial entry into franchising grew into a network of more than 35 Great American Cookies units in seven states. Today, Cookie Associates operates multiple franchise brands including Great American Cookies, Pretzelmaker, Coffee Beanery and TCBY.
“On behalf of the team at Global Franchise Group and our entire franchisee family, we would like to congratulate Doc on this tremendous accomplishment,” said Chris Dull, president and CEO of Global Franchise Group, LLC. “Doc’s dedication and contribution to franchising, as well as his commitment to the highest business standards, is unparalleled in the industry and this recognition is very well deserved.”
Advancing franchising through work with the IFA has long been a priority for Cohen. He has served in multiple IFA leadership positions including Treasurer and Chairman of the Board of Directors. He has also chaired the IFA’s Franchise Advisory Council, Convention Planning Committee and FranPAC, IFA’s political action committee. Additionally, he has served as trustee for the IFA Educational Foundation, Inc. and was the first franchisee ever to earn the designation of “Certified Franchise Executive” given by the Foundation. Cohen has spoken on behalf of the franchising industry in Washington, D.C. on several occasions, including representing the State of Texas at the Third White House Conference on Small Business in 1995 and testifying before the House of Representatives Small Business Committee in 2009.
In addition to the IFA Hall of Fame, Cohen is the recipient of numerous other milestone awards including three “Franny Awards” (honoring Franchisee of the Year) from Great American Cookies and the IFA, and has been named Franchisee of the Decade twice by Great American Cookies.
About Global Franchise Group, LLC
Global Franchise Group, LLC is a strategic brand management company with a focus on franchising. The company owns a portfolio of franchise brands that includes four quick service restaurant (QSR) franchise concepts: Great American Cookies®, MaggieMoo’s®, Marble Slab Creamery®, Pretzelmaker® as well as two retail franchise concepts: TAF® and Shoebox New York®. The brands are managed by GFG Management, LLC, a subsidiary of Global Franchise Group, LLC. Global Franchise Group, LLC is an affiliate of Levine Leichtman Capital Partners, an independent investment firm, with $5 billion of capital under management and substantial franchise management experience.