International franchising exec keynotes Franchise Asia Philippines conference

MANILA, Philippines — International Franchise Association (IAF) chairperson Catherine Monson will deliver the keynote address at this year’s International Franchise Conference with the theme “Franchising on FIRe: Achieving Excellence in Franchising.”

The two-day international conference, set on March 25 and 26, is one of the four major components of the weeklong 2020 Franchise Asia Philippines (FAPHL). The other three are the three-day International Franchise Expo (March 27 to 29), Educational Seminars (March 27 to 29), and a two-day Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) Program (March 23 to 24).

 “Ms. Monson is a highly regarded icon of the franchising world, so we are sure that the wisdom she will share with us will provide inspiration to the franchise industry as we tackle the challenges and opportunities presented by the Fourth Industrial Revolution, or what we now refer to as FIRe,” Philippine Franchise Association (PFA) president Sherill Ramos Quintana, who’s also the founder of Oryspa Solutions Inc., said.

Monson’s impressive work in the franchise industry is reflected in the numerous awards she has garnered in her illustrious international career.

She received the International Franchise Association (IFA) Bonny LeVine Award in recognition of her contributions to the growth of the franchising industry.   In 2010, the Dallas Business Journal named her one of the top Women Industry Leader in the Dallas Metroplex.  In 2012, she appeared on the Emmy Award-winning series Undercover Boss to learn new ways to advance the FASTSIGNS® brand.  In 2013, she was named an “Innovator and Influencer” by Sign and Digital Graphics Magazine. In 2015, she received the IFA’s first Franchise Action Network “FAN of the Year” award for her advocacy work on behalf of the franchising community. 

In 2016, she was selected as a Soderstrom Society Inductee for her contributions to the printing and graphic communications industry and was also honored with the 2016 Leadership Award from the Women That Soar organization. Under Monson’s leadership, FASTSIGNS International, Inc. received the 2016 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award, the highest recognition presented by the Department of Defense to employers for their exemplary support of National Guard and Reserve members.