From the Chairman

Together We’ve Built a Strong Organization

This is my final message in The SCORE magazine as chairman of Franchise Business Services (FBS). After joining what was then the Buffalo Wings National Franchisee Association (BWNFA) Board of Directors in 2011, I became chairman of the board in 2014 and have served in that role since with Mark Jones as my wingman.

At our Summit in May, Jim Bitzonis, a Buffalo Wild Wings® franchisee from New York, an outstanding operator and a very good friend, will take the gavel, and Roz Mallet will assume the role of vice chairman. I look forward to remaining on the board of directors and supporting Bitz and Roz in their new roles. I have no doubt that they and our board, which also includes Jenny Beaudoin, Brian Carmody, Steve Grube, Bobby Pancake and Larry Podlogar, will continue to lift FBS to new heights.

Our association has seen remarkable change over the last eight years. In some ways, those years have flown by, while in others, they have been a very long haul. What is certain is that I have been blessed to work with a remarkable group of people for all that time – leaders who are responsible for helping our organization grow, mature and mark some important achievements for our Buffalo Wild Wings businesses.

One of the most important developments was the repurposing of the association, a process we started in 2014. The BWNFA was a fragmented group in need of new direction. After a detailed strategic planning session, we changed our name to FBS, and we aligned our board of directors with the Franchise Advisory Committee (FAC) to ensure that we had talent on both as well as on the FAC subcommittees. That allowed us to build a new relationship with brand leadership, and today, we know that Buffalo Wild Wings views us as an important partner in the success of BWW® and that our views and opinions are heard, valued and trusted.

The respect and cooperation between our organization and the leadership at Inspire Brands is the result of hard work, honest conversations and relationship building on both sides. I offer my thanks to President Lyle Tick, Chief Operating Officer John Bowie and all leaders who guide the brand for joining us to create this symbiotic relationship.

FBS has boosted its advocacy efforts not only with the BWW, but also with state and federal governments. We created an Advocacy Committee that has educated franchisees and elected officials on the impact of legislation on our system and our businesses. In fact, Buffalo Wild Wings, FAC and FBS representatives met in Washington, D.C., many times with elected officials to express our views on issues affecting the franchisee community and brand.

During the coronavirus pandemic, FBS led the important initiative to hire Trinity Capital to conduct a financial analysis of the BWW system and measure the impact of the pandemic on our businesses. This important work now serves as a template that Buffalo Wild Wings uses to better understand the financial condition of the system.

We’ve faced many challenges in the last eight years. To each one of you, I offer my thanks and appreciation for your support and hard work as we overcame them. No one gets into a franchise business because it is easy, and each of you who dedicates your time and talent play a vital role in our overall success as a system. It has been my honor to serve and represent your interests, and I wish you nothing but the best moving forward. You and the organization are in great hands with Jim.

I look forward to seeing you and your families on May 9-11, at the Summit, at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort in Bonita Springs, Florida. This year’s Summit is a departure from our traditional Las Vegas event. The FBS board sought to offer a more relaxed, leisurely atmosphere to provide an opportunity for you to bring your families as we unwind from the struggles of the past two years. We hope you and your family are planning to attend!

We’re planning a great program with many opportunities to network with one another and our valued vendor partners, an island excursion and some other fun beach and sun activities in addition to getting great information from brand and franchisee leaders and other speakers about ways to overcome operational challenges and build better businesses.

If you haven’t made plans yet, be sure to check out the Summit website at https://cvent.me/P0oaMG!