Irish Franchise Association
The Irish Franchise Association promotes the development of franchising in Ireland through exhibitions, seminars, newsletters, awards and networking. This website is intended to disseminate information about the franchise sector which will be of use to potential franchisees wishing to start their own franchised business, and potential franchisors looking to expand their existing business through business format franchising. Your comments and observations are welcome. Please email them to this address. |
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| Chairman, David Killeen is managing partner of Killeen & Associates, franchise consultants. He holds a B.Comm from UCD, Diploma in Strategic Planning through the IMI and is a graduate member of the IITD. As General Manager, Retail Brands Division of Vantage Wholesale, David was instrumental in launching the Costcutter retail brand in Ireland. Subsequently as franchise Development manger with Statoil he developed the first business format franchise in the convenience store sector under the Fareplay retail brand. While at Statoil David was mentored and coached through best practice franchise principles by international franchise experts from America and shares that expertise, knowledge and his own practical experience through his franchise consultancy practice. |  |
| Executive Director, Tom Shanahan is a Director and Co - owner of Kendlebell in Ireland. He has a BBS from Trinity, is a member of the Marketing Institute of Ireland and is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland. Tom qualified as a chartered accountant in KPMG. Before setting up Kendlebell in Ireland, he held senior general management positions within large companies in Ireland. He was Chief Executive of Eirpage, Director of European Wireless Operations for Motorola and Managing Director of Software Paths and Zomax in Ireland. |  |
| Andy Hennessy and his business partner Gerry Riordan were granted the rights as National Master Franchisor for Fastway Couriers in Ireland at the end of 2000. Fastway Couriers have a full compliment of 9 Regional Franchisees and an ever increasing number of Courier Franchisees which in 2008 is in excess of 120, operating throughout the 32 counties of Ireland. Andy Hennessy comes from a sales and marketing background having spent most of his working life in both of these areas in many different industries. Andy, Gerry and the Franchise Support Office team operate from their head office in Swords, Co. Dublin. |  |
| Michael Kearney founded Snap Printing in Ireland in 1984 and they are now Ireland's leading Print and Design Group with sales exceeding €25m per year and 24 Centres throughout Ireland. Along with his business partner Ed Murphy he bought the Master Franchise for Home Instead Senior Care in 2005 and they have opened 12 franchised offices since then making Home Instead Ireland's leading home care company. Michael is vice Chairman of Unicef Ireland. Other interests include golf and rugby. |
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| John Green is master franchisor, Ireland, for Chem-Dry carpet & upholstery cleaning franchise. Together with his brother Pat, he acquired the licence in 1989 and currently has 47 franchisees operating across the country. John is chairman of the Irish Franchise Association and a member of the Marketing Institute of Ireland. He was voted ‘Franchise Person of the Year’ in 2005 for his work in promoting franchising in Ireland. | .jpg) |
| Colette Pennick is business development director of the streat franchising Ltd, one of Ireland’s newest, most exciting and fast growing café franchises. She began her career in fashion retail and rapidly became group buyer before co-founding one of Northern Ireland’s leading software businesses, growing it into one of Europe’s ‘Fast 500’ and Ireland’s ‘Fast 50’ companies. Colette is also a business adviser to a variety of start-up company owners. |  |
| Tony FitzPatrick is the managing partner with Franchise Your Business.ie, who provide a complete consultancy service for both start up and established franchisors. The firm has offices in Dublin and London. With many years' experience in growing businesses through franchising, and having operated a Master Franchise himself, Tony can take a client through the entire process. He advises on everything from franchise agreements to fees and royalties, operations manuals, lead generation, PR and more. He also serves on the Association's Membership Committee. He speaks at seminars and writes articles on the industry for newspapers and magazines. |  |
| Bill Holohan is the Senior Partner of Holohan Solicitors, Notary Public & Trademark Agents, who have offices in both Cork & Dublin. He has been involved in the Irish Franchise Association, both as d irector and l egal a dvisor, for over 25 years, advising both franchisors and franchisees, and was the “Franchise Person of the Year” in 2007, (becoming the only industry service provider ever to be so honoured or recognised). As well as being a solicitor, Bill is also a Notary Public, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, an Accredited Mediator, a Fellow of the Centre for International Legal Studies and a Trademark Agent, and still finds time to be a director of 16 companies, so when it comes to advising on business as well as legal issues, he “has been there, done that and seen it all. See www.holohanlaw.com |  |
| Alan Sheehan is a director and co-owner of the Kids Party Club, Ireland’s leading and fast growing Children’s Entertainment Company, supplying children’s party entertainment and educational puppet shows to national schools. Founded in 2006 by Mike Kearney and James Sexton, the Kids Party Club is fully Irish owned, based in Shannon and began franchising in early 2007. Since then they have become the No.1 national provider of children’s party entertainment that is supplied locally by a network of franchised operators. Originally from Cork, Alan now lives in Dublin and having studied engineering he spent 20 years in the drinks industry mostly with Diageo (formally Guinness) in Ireland and Africa in senior sales and business development roles. After meeting James and Mike at the Irish Franchise Exhibition in 2006, he instantly saw the huge potential both in Ireland and overseas for their unique concept and business format and joined them in early 2007! The Kids Party Club were short listed for the ‘Best Emerging Franchise of the Year Award 2008’ and have been a member of the Association since 2007. |  |