2025 AKFCF Annual Convention
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FEATURES
16 2025 Spring Fly-In
By JoAnna Mueller
On Apr. 1-2, 2025, the Government Affairs Committee traveled to Washington, D.C., for a Capitol Hill fly-in.
20 2025 Convention Highlights
By Kelly Rodenberg
Despite a challenging year for franchisees and the brand, over 1,200 attendees gathered at the 2025 Annual Convention in Nashville to share their stories, to hear the KFC story, and to shape our future narrative.
34 AKFCF Awards
By Cory Sekine-Pettite
Each spring during the AKFCF Annual Convention, the Association takes great pleasure in recognizing and acknowledging the incredible work and dedicated service of members who go above and beyond.
38 AKFCF Shining Stars
By Cory Sekine-Pettite
The recipients of this year’s awards demonstrate selfless commitment to the AKFCF on a daily basis.
By Michelle Hunt
Someof you may know my story, but I thought it was appropriate to share how and why I became a member of the KFC family, as well as what led me to become the third editor of the AKFCF Quarterly and, more recently, the administrative manager of the AKFCF.
Of course, it all started before I was born, but my family bought its first KFC restaurant in 1968. My father began working for the company in 1974 and bought out his father’s interest in 2002. I was literally born into the KFC business, like so many of my KFC friends, whom I would see each year at the Conventions. I officially joined the company in 1996, just prior to my college graduation and marriage in 1997. My husband joined the company in 2002. By 2018, I became my father’s business partner. At one time, we topped out at 19 restaurants, but we’ve since cut back to 12 restaurants within Yum! Brands and an additional sandwich restaurant.
My story with the AKFCF goes much deeper. In fact, the AKFCF president when the Association took over hosting the annual KFC conventions was a man I affectionately refer to as “Uncle Bill,” more commonly known as Bill Allen. But before Uncle Bill became president of the AKFCF, my grandfather, Robert Schlutz, held the position during the 1984-85 term. My father, Kevin Schlutz, followed as the AKFCF president in the 1997-98 term. Back then, there were seven fall regional meetings that the AKFCF president attended. It just so happened that my wedding fell in the middle of those meetings. He flew in on Friday for the rehearsal, stayed for the festivities, and flew back out to the next meeting as soon as my mother would let him. They remain the only father and son to serve as presidents of our Association. My father still serves as the AKFCF secretary and Greater Midwest secretary, becoming quite the historian and everyone’s favorite minutes taker.
Not long after my father’s term as president, in the fall of 2000, AKFCF Quarterly editor Jeanine Bagshaw asked me to be her assistant editor. I held that position until the end of 2005 and took over as editor in 2006. In 2009, I gathered my assistant editors to conduct a strategic plan where we updated the mission, purpose, brainstormed future content, and outlined the future direction of the Quarterly , including the eNewsletter. In 2017, I issued an RFP for a new publisher and selected New South Publishing in Atlanta, with whom we’re still working today. I have always helped behind the scenes at meetings (both regional and national levels), so when the administrative manager position became available with the AKFCF in 2021, I jumped at the chance. I’m thankful for the opportunity to give back even more to our Association and to the members who have been like family to me my entire life.
And just for laughs, I’ve added this very grumpy picture of me and my brother with the Colonel.
Official Publication of the Association of Kentucky Fried Chicken Franchisees
AKFCF QUARTERLY MISSION STATEMENT
The AKFCF Quarterly is the voice of today’s franchisee family and supports the mission of the Association of Kentucky Fried Chicken Franchisees, Inc.
AKFCF EDITORIAL TEAM
AKFCF President Leslie Sharp
Editor Michelle Hunt
AKFCF Administrative Michelle Hunt
Manager
Communications Chair Kevin Schlutz
Executive Director Kelly Rodenberg
Past President Justin Stewart
The AKFCF Quarterly (ISSN 1071-9873) is published by the Association of Kentucky Fried Chicken Franchisees for its members and their friends. AKFCF is the independent Association of Kentucky Fried Chicken Franchisees.
FRANCHISEE EDITORS:
Michelle Hunt 14812 N Avenue, Columbus Junction, IA 52738
Phone: (319) 728-3282
Fax: (319) 728-2940
michelle.hunt@akfcf.com
Zaira Guevara (International Liaison) 7750 NW 46TH Street PTY 1495 Doral, FL 33166 Phone: (305) 384-4242 (U.S.) (011) 506 2208-7828 (Direct) zguevara@caribla.com
Copyright ©2025 AKFCF, Inc. All rights reserved. Articles may be quoted with credit to the source. Information in the AKFCF Quarterly (ISSN 1071-9873) represents the views of the authors and unless noted otherwise does not necessarily reflect the policies or position of AKFCF, Inc. Acceptance of paid advertising does not imply endorsement by the Association, or approval of the advertiser or its product or service by KFC Corporation.
AKFCF ADVERTISING AND EDITORIAL SUPPORT OFFICE
Send all advertising and editorial submissions for AKFCF Quarterly to:
NEW SOUTH PUBLISHING, INC.
9040 Roswell Road, Suite 210, Atlanta, GA 30350 Phone: 770.650.1102
President Emeritus Larry Lebovitz
President/Publisher John Hanna
Managing Director Robyn Sobelson
Publishing Editor Cory Sekine-Pettite
Art Director Tracy Stalling
Advertising & Megan Willis
Production Manager
Circulation Manager Amy Fine
Accounting Marilyn Walker
By Leslie Sharp
IT’S MY HONOR TO SERVE ANOTHER YEAR
Thank you for entrusting me with the opportunity to be AKFCF President again! The AKFCF Board voted in Nashville to keep the officers in place for the 2025-26 term and it’s my honor to serve another year as your AKFCF President.
Speaking of Nashville, if you weren’t able to join us, you truly missed out on a special experience! We gathered together to “share our stories,” and I was inspired and renewed after our time together.
Thank you to those of you who opened up and shared your stories with me. Thank you to those of you who stopped me and said that your teams were writing down their stories. I’ve heard from so many of you, and I cherished each memory and every moment.
It’s easy to be motivated coming out of our Convention, but how will we keep the pen moving on the page? Or how will we keep the song playing? Kelly Swanson said at Convention that before you write your story you should know why you are telling it. I shared with you my reasons ‘why,’ and I asked you to take a moment to think about yours.
“I played the piano at the Grand Ole Opry and shared the KFC story, OUR story, from that historic stage!”
The stakes are high, and when I think about the future, I think about what my actions will mean. And so, I ask you: What is it worth to you? What’s worth all the energy and effort? What’s worth KFC turning around to you? What are your reasons why?
Sharing at the Convention was only the beginning. 2025 has to be the year of honesty, accountability, collaboration, effort and I’ll add one more — vision. We cannot only ride the legacy of our past,
we MUST be in the driver’s seat this year. Let’s continue the work with a renewed focus, proactively taking this energy back to every single cook, cashier, RGM, team member, and executive who is a part of this Brand. Remember, every story matters.
I’d like to share with you some personal thoughts I took away from our time in Nashville, in hopes that it will give you a little insight on my goals for this upcoming year. Not to bury the lead, but in case you missed it, I played the piano at the Grand Ole Opry and shared the KFC story, OUR story, from that historic stage! Talk about a dream come true! Through that experience, we were able to create something that I will treasure forever.
Equally as great for me was the overwhelming response and impact that your stories had on me. I asked you to open up that vein in Nashville, and you did. The stories you shared with me and the energy that I felt from each of you was both unexpected and beyond my imagination. Through your comments and stories, I saw your dreams that have been realized thanks to this Brand, and in particular, thanks to the people who make up this great Brand. It cannot be overstated that our system has a wealth of knowledge! But this past year has taught me that it takes vision to realize our dreams, and that vision doesn’t always come from within us. So often, our dreams come true because of what others see in us.
I want to leave you with a quote … and no, it’s not a Real Housewife quote (IFKYK)! A couple of years ago, just as I was beginning this journey of running the Chairs of the AKFCF, I was visiting Disney World with my family and a sign on the wall of an under-construction site grabbed my attention. The sign read: “Dream Builders: Whatever we accomplish belongs to our entire group, a tribute to our combined effort. –Walt Disney”
These words inspired me, but I didn’t understand why at the time. I quickly snapped a picture and filed it away for a different time … a time where it would make more sense. I feel like now is that time.
As a Brand, we are “under construction,” uncertain, yet preparing for our future, and wondering where do we go from here? Coming out of Convention, I’m certain that the ability to dream and create a vision for our future is within our reach! Our future can be bright, and it will be because of you, the people who make up this great Brand! I know that as we build out of this, our accomplishments and victories will be a tribute to the combined effort of our entire group. Like I said at the Opry, I’m so proud of the people in this Association. We have it within us! n
BISCUIT
NOW MADE WITH SOFT WHEAT FOR A MORE TENDER TEXTURE
Across foodservice, biscuits are growing on menu.¹
When it comes to biscuits, consumers value texture, flavor, and appearance, in that order²
1. Technomic, On Menu Information for Biscuit, Pulled January 2025; 2. General Mills Internal, Competitive Guide, March 2023;
LET’S DIG DEEP WITH GOOD OLD-FASHIONED GRIT, GET OUR SWAGGER BACK, AND WIN!
By Jim McKenzie, NCAC Vice Chair
Itwas wonderful to see so many of you at the AKFCF Convention in Nashville. Leslie Sharp and the entire AKFCF team did a great job. Hearing the many personal stories from across the KFC Family served as a reminder of our history, resilience, grit, and determination. It was important to hear from and recognize franchisee leaders across the KFC Family who continue to lead with integrity and an unwavering commitment to getting this great brand back to the iconic status we know we’re worthy of!
At Convention, I shared our state of the business and our realities, and I am reiter-
ating that detail here because it is important for all of us to be on the same page as we all want the same thing — a thriving, relevant brand with profitable top-line sales! We have weathered storms together and we must weather this current storm with a renewed commitment to do whatever it takes. We are counting on KFCC for partnership and focus on what is most important right now. We must all act with a sense of urgency, agility, and quickness to keep this great brand alive.
No matter how much we need to attract and retain new customers, we can’t walk away from the core customer that knows
and loves KFC. Our focus needs to be on balancing “run the business” with “change the business.” We must be committed to core and new. We must also innovate but not innovate with gimmicks. We must have innovation that is “on brand” and meaningful to our customers, our business, and our future customers.
We have spent a lot of time with Catherine Tan-Gillespie since she started with the KFC U.S. team back in August as Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Development Officer. Now, in her elevated role as President and NCAC Chair, she has shown her continued commitment to leaning into partnership with the NCAC and the entire franchise family. We’re counting on Catherine and her team to, as they’ve outlined, “give bland the bird” and deliver a sustainable turnaround for the brand. Part of KFCC’s plan includes the common “Ps” including Product, Promotion, Price, Place, etc. We can’t do all of the “Ps” at once, but we must do the most important ones first and build momentum, see results and continue to win our way back to growth, profitable sales and transactions. We need to get our swagger back!
Over the last year-plus, we have welcomed and onboarded new leaders to the KFCC leadership team in addition to Catherine: COO, Thuthuka Nxumalo; CPO, Heather McCoy; CLO, Sarah Crow; and Scott Mezvinksy as KFC Global CEO. We’re anxiously awaiting the naming of a new CMO and CDO, and will welcome and onboard them, too. We need them to hit the ground running.
Your NCAC has spent time with Scott and Catherine, framing the harsh realities of our business and the most important and pressing priorities — addressing cash
flow and related CapEx requests and requirements, financial and human resources at KFCC, and ensuring there is a strong team in place to do the turnaround work, and much-needed advertising support from Yum!
The onboarding hasn’t only been at KFCC leadership level; we have been onboarding new marketing agency partners including advertising, social media, and digital agencies, all who need to be focused on driving sales overnight. The focus of our brand over time, while important and necessary for our long-term survival, must fall second in line to the essential focus on sales overnight.
While the onboarding of leaders and agency partners takes time, it’s critical as we must work together and provide them with history, experience, and knowledge of KFC U.S. It’s going to require process, teamwork,
No matter how much we need to attract and retain new customers, we can’t walk away from the core customer that knows and loves KFC. Our focus needs to be on balancing “run the business” with “change the business.”
trust, and discipline to get the work done. KFC can be and IS cool. We are an American icon and need to start acting like one again. We must remind people of that and give them a reason to come, a reason to come back, and a reason for KFC to be top of mind. We must re-establish a connection with younger customers. And we have to innovate through the lens of customers’ reactions being, “I have to go to KFC to try that!” We can win with great-tasting food, flavorful sauces, variety, and hospitality. We’ve done it before, and we must do it again.
At Convention, I made timely references to March Madness and while those games have since come and gone, all games required teams to dig deep, deal with adversity, and win games together! Let’s do this together! The survival of our brand relies on all of us. n
CONNECTS YOUR TEAM FROM
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• Broadcasts & Announcements
Company-wide or targeted messages with reactions, replies, and engagement tracking.
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Role-based, location-specific spaces for ongoing team conversations.
• Direct Messages
One-to-one or group chats with proper scope—no more personal messaging apps.
GROUNDBREAKING FEATURES
• Realtime translation to overcome language barriers
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• One secure platform instead of scattered tools
• Reduced communication gaps across your team
AFTER FRANCHISE FALLOUT, KFC AND PIZZA HUT PREP FOR TURKEY COMEBACK
Yum! Brands is preparing to reestablish its presence in Türkiye (Turkey), four months after terminating franchise agreements with local operator Is Gida, according to industry sources.
The American corporation, which owns KFC and Pizza Hut brands, has partnered with Value Solution Partners to manage real estate operations as it shifts strategy from franchising to direct market operation in Türkiye.
“Rather than partnering with a new franchisee, Yum! appears to be taking direct control of its Turkish operations,” said a retail industry analyst who requested anonymity because discussions are ongoing.
The January termination of Is Gida’s franchise rights led to the closure of 537 restaurants across the country, affecting approximately 7,000 employees and creating significant revenue losses for shopping mall operators.
Challenging path to market reentry
Yum! Brands terminated its agreement with Is Gida in January 2025, citing the Turkish company’s failure to maintain brand standards. Following the termination, Is Gida filed for bankruptcy protection, and all KFC and Pizza Hut locations throughout Türkiye suspended operations.
When announcing the termination earlier this year, Chris Turner, chief financial
and franchising officer of Yum! Brands, stated the company had “engaged with Is Gida over several months to provide assistance and resolve key issues, but Is Gida was ultimately unable to maintain compliance with our standards.”
Mall operators demand debt settlement and higher rents
Sources familiar with the matter indicate Value Solution Partners has begun negotiations with shopping mall investors to reactivate closed locations, though progress has been slower than anticipated. Mall operators, who have reportedly lost approximately 80 million Turkish lira monthly (about $2 million) in rental income since the closures, are approaching the negotiations cautiously. Many are demanding settlement of outstanding debts and increased rental rates before signing new agreements.
“Most investors want the existing debts paid first and are requesting higher rents,” said a source close to the negotiations, noting that Is Gida had reportedly failed to pay rent for 3-4 months before the closures.
KFC and Pizza Hut had maintained a presence in approximately 90 percent of Turkish shopping malls prior to the closures, with average rents around 150,000 Turkish lira (about $4,000) per location.
Source: turkiyetoday.com
Condolences:
James Arthur Collins, died peacefully surrounded by his family, on Mar. 2, 2025, in his longtime Brentwood, California home. Collins began his work life as a civil engineer before opening his first restaurant in 1952. He met the Colonel in 1960 and began offering the Colonel’s fried chicken in his hamburger restaurants. But it wasn’t long before Collins started opening KFCs throughout Southern California. By the 1990s, his company operated 170 KFCs in the United States, as well as 100 in Australia. In addition to his wife, Carol, he is survived by four children, seven grandchildren, and five great grandchildren.
KFC’S
PHILIPPINES OUTLETS OFFER ‘SALTED CARAMEL CHICKEN’
Peoplelike hot honey, right? That combo of sweet and savory has become huge in food in recent years. So why not hot ... salted caramel?
One international chain is putting this thinking to the test, with KFC’s Philippines outlets currently offering what it describes on Instagram as “Salted Caramel Chicken.” (The Instagram caption reads: “Salted caramel on KFC Hot & Spicy Chicken? Crazyyyy…BUT CRAZY GOOOOD!”)
For now, we’ll all have to take their word for it, as this item is available (at least for now?) in the Philippines, not in the United States.
You can also get the salted caramel fried chicken as a sandwich as well.
Source: ScreenCrush
OKLAHOMA STUDENT USES KFC BUCKET TO TAKE CHICK HOME, SCHOOL STARTS NEW TRADITION
First and second graders at Hartshorne Elementary School (Hartshorne, Oklahoma) just wrapped up a unique enrichment project — hatching chicks in the classroom. But it wasn’t just the life science lesson that stole the show.
On Thursday, May 1, the school hosted its annual “Take Home Your Chick” Day. One student, Lakelyn Morrow, arrived with a bucket that had everyone talking.
A Lesson in Life Science
Over the past several weeks, Hartshorne Elementary has been incorporating handson enrichment projects into its curriculum. For the younger students, that meant incubators and fertilized eggs in the classroom.
Teachers say the students learned about the entire chicken life cycle — from embryo
to hatchling — while also taking on the responsibility of caring for newborn chicks.
The Chicken Bucket Surprise
But the biggest moment came when Morrow showed up with her chick transportation device: a red-and-white KFC bucket.
“It’s the perfect box. It has a lid, and four small half-circle holes when placed on the bucket,” said her teacher. The moment sparked laughter across the classroom, with staff and students alike enjoying the irony.
A Running Joke Turns Tradition
Throughout the project, students often chatted about their favorite places to eat chicken. Teachers say Kentucky Fried Chicken was the unanimous winner.
The moment was captured on video and shared by school staff.
A Heartwarming End to a Learning Experience
The project was more than just fun — it gave students a hands-on introduction to biology and responsibility. But thanks to Morrow’s KFC bucket, it also delivered a moment of humor and heart.
Hartshorne Elementary hopes to keep the KFC bucket tradition going for future “Take Home Your Chick” Days.
Source: news9.com
KFC MENU ITEMS FOUND AROUND THE WORLD
Lots of Aussie families reach for a bucket of KFC for a weekend treat. And while we know Kentucky Fried Chicken is an American classic, it’s available all over the world — and some countries have very different items to snap up on the menu.
From beloved baked beans in the UK to The Philippines’ Double Down Dog, here are some of the weird and wonderful KFC foods available across the globe.
United Kingdom and Ireland
It seems like such a simple side dish, but baked beans are not universally offered at KFCs. The UK and Ireland offer this little pot of joy as an accompaniment, described as “regular baked beans with a dash of Kentucky BBQ Sauce.”
It’s certainly a fan-favorite, with many using it to dip their tenders in or to add a bit of moisture to an otherwise dry meal.
The Philippines
You probably wouldn’t expect to walk into a KFC and grab a bowl of spaghetti, but you can do just that in the Philippines. They offer a mammoth spaghetti super platter, a pasta dish topped with sweet meaty spaghetti sauce and sprinkled with grated cheese.
You can even grab it with a chicken leg on the side. There’s also the famous ‘Chizza’; a fusion of chicken and pizza where a fried chicken fillet serves as the crust topped with pizza ingredients.
Chizza first debuted on KFC menus in The Philippines in 2015, and since then it’s made its way around the world to Korea, Taiwan, India, Thailand, Germany, Spain and Mexico, among other countries. It was
made available in the USA for the first time in 2024, much to the delight of fans.
Perhaps the most striking item on the menu in The Philippines?
The Double Down Dog. Picture a frankfurter filled with cheese, with a fillet of fried chicken functioning as a hot dog bun. It was available for a limited time, but there is a Facebook group urging the company to ‘Bring the Double Down Dog to Australia.’ Will that happen? Who knows.
China
KFC in China has a much larger and more complex menu than in Australia or the US. On the menu is a chicken and seaweed rice bowl, peach tea, congee (or rice porridge) and breakfast sushirittos, which are a blend of sushi and burritos.
They also serve what they call a dragon twister, a Peking Duck-style chicken wrapped in a thin pancake with cucumbers, spring onions, and sweet bean sauce. You can also order soup, curries with rice, and a shrimp burger, which included whole prawns packed into a breaded patty.
Japan
KFC is an institution in Japan, and the company has successfully marketed itself to become the destination on Christmas Day. The fast-food chain offers limited-time new menu items just about every month.
These foods and drinks often follow
themes for major local events and celebrations, like cherry-blossom season or the autumn harvest moon. The side dishes are unique; you can choose biscuits or a choco pie, a crispy crusted dessert filled with a gooey chocolate center.
Thailand
Ever fancied a green curry rice bowl from KFC? Fried chicken pieces over jasmine rice and smothered in curry sauce. There’s also a limited edition Shrimp Doughnut on offer, which features minced shrimp stuffed in breaded mozzarella cheese — battered and deep fried, of course.
Source: kitchen.nine.com.au
Condolences:
James J. Liguori, 76 of Hermitage, Pennsylvania, passed away peacefully surrounded by family and friends on Nov. 7, 2024, in UPMC Shadyside Hospital, Pittsburgh, following a courageous seven-month battle with cancer. Liguori was CEO of Morgan Foods, Inc. for more than 22 years. Jim also served the Great Lakes region and was a member of the NCAC for several years before retiring in 2022. He is survived by wife, Christine; two sons, Darryl and Kyle (Jennifer); a daughter, Jennifer Kollar (Jeffrey); four grandchildren; 10 international grandsons; three great-grandsons; a Goddaughter; and several nieces and nephews.
Know Your Acronyms
In our business, there is a great deal of terminology and jargon. As more processes and systems are added, the acronyms continue to pile up. Thus, AKFCF Quarterly decided it is time for us all to brush up on the many acronyms you will hear in your daily lives and read about in this magazine. Be sure to pass this along to your employees, or post a copy in your offices.
76(5P) 1976(5P) KFC Franchise Agreement
AKFCF Association of Kentucky Fried Chicken Franchisees
ARL Above Restaurant Leader
ASAP American Showman Asset Program
AUM Assistant Unit Manager
BOGO Buy One Get One
BOH Back-of-house
BSC Balanced Scorecard
COB Chicken on the Bone
COGS Cost of Goods Sold
DMA Designated Marketing Area
FA (Or F/A) Franchise Agreement
FIT Food Innovation Team
FSC Food Safety Consultation
GAC Government Affairs Committee
IAYF International Association of Yum Franchisees (formerly known as the IAKFCF, International Association of KFC Franchisees)
KFCC Kentucky Fried Chicken Corporation
NAC National Advertising Cooperative (merged with NFAC to become NCAC)
NCAC National Council and Advertising Cooperative
NFAC National Franchisee Advisory Council (merged with NAC to become NCAC)
NMS ational Marketing Subcommittee
NPC National Purchasing Cooperative (i.e., KFC NPC)
OEC Operations Excellence Committee
PAC Political Action Committee
POP Point of Purchase
POS Point of Sale
QSR Quick Serve Restaurant
REC Restaurant Economics Committee
RGM Restaurant General Manager
RMI Restaurant Margin Improvement
ROCC Restaurant Operations Compliance Check
ROI
Return on Investment
RSC Restaurant Support Center
RSCS Restaurant Supply Chain Solutions (formerly UFPC)
SBRA Supplier Business Relationship Agreement
TOL Territory Operations Leader
TRP Targeted Rating Point
VOC Voice of the Customer (formerly CBCC)
YUM Yum! Brands
YRI Yum! Restaurants International
2025 Spring Fly-In
By JoAnna Mueller
“Each time we speak to a Member of Congress or their staff, we make sure that they have our issue sheet. It lists the most prevalent matters to our franchisees. During this fly-in, taxes were the largest topic.”
On Apr. 1-2, 2025, the Government Affairs Committee traveled to Washington, D.C., for a Capitol Hill fly-in. At the end of the two days, they had met with dozens of Members of Congress, their staff, and other key advocacy groups in the restaurant and franchisee space.
We chose to schedule the Spring Fly-In early this year. With new leadership in 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and an aggressive legislative agenda, joining the conversation is key. Congress is looking to renew the expiring 2017 tax cuts. However, they have smaller majorities in both chambers than they did in 2017. So, they know they can’t pass everything. It is our job to advocate to them so that they will include the most important tax provisions to us.
Each time we speak to a Member of Congress or their staff, we make sure that they have our issue sheet. It lists the most prevalent matters to our franchisees. During this fly-in, taxes were the largest topic. We advocated for the renewal of the following:
• 199A: 20% Qualified Business Income Deduction (QBI) for small business owners.
• Section 179: Allow full write-off of the purchase price of an asset immediately rather than after depreciation. For franchisees, this includes kitchen equipment, dining room furniture, certain vehicles, computers, and off-the-shelf software that are typically considered deductible expenses.
• Bonus depreciation: Restore 100% expensing to create accelerated depreciation and a lower tax burden on certain equipment and property.
• Section 163(j): Reinstate EBITDA deductibility of interest on expenses (currently 30% EBIT).
• Estate tax: Repeal the estate tax permanently.
This aligns with what the other advocacy groups we met with are also pushing for. We met with the National Association of Convenience Stores, the National Retail Federation, the Chamber of Commerce, the International Franchise Association, and the National Restaurant Association. We had good discussions with them all.
In our congressional meetings, we also covered other key topics. We spoke about the detriments of swipe fees. We encouraged innovation. We lobbied for the passage of the GENIUS Act to give stablecoins a regulatory framework. We’d like to see stablecoin as a future payment method. We opposed Joint Employer. We also made sure to speak about state legislation that we don’t want to see federalized.
Members of Congress want to hear from constituents speaking on their experiences and offering their expertise. Just as in previous years, time and time again, we have seen Members of Congress light up when they speak to franchisees. Franchisees told their stories. They explained the consequences of legislative decisions. We divided into three groups so that everyone could be heard and we could cover more ground. We met with more than 40 offices, covering most states and met with both sides of the aisle.
Our goal is to hold a second fly-in in the fall. That speaks to the intensity of the legislative schedule. There will be a new host of issues to advocate on and updates to the ones we already have been speaking to Members of Congress about. It also will allow us to build deeper relationships with these offices. We want to encourage open dialogue.
In order to accomplish that successfully, donations to the PAC are incredibly impactful. We use them to make sure our fly-ins are a success. During times of change and fast-paced policy change, the importance is doubled. We want to support the Members of Congress who have been helpful to us and who understand the needs of franchisees. Anything and everything you can do to aid our effort is very appreciated. n
Stay Involved, Donate to the AKFCF PAC
Contributing to the AKFCF Political Action Committee (PAC) is the best way to support the election and re-election committees of pro-business Members of Congress who share the same concerns as franchisees. The money raised in the PAC goes directly to the campaign of those running for Congress, or incumbent members seeking re-election. You may make your 2025 AKFCF PAC donation online by visiting our portal on the AKFCF website in the Government Affairs tab.
If you would like information on monthly donations, we will be launching that feature soon! For more information, please contact your regional GAC representative or Amber Peoples of Polaris Consulting, LLC (apeoples@polariswdc.com).
2025 AKFCF ANNUAL CONVENTION
More than 1,200 attendees gathered in Nashville to share their stories.
BY KELLY RODENBERG
In the spring 2024 issue of The Quarterly, Leslie Sharp’s presidential column highlighted the significance of storytelling. She emphasized that sharing our stories builds trust, which fosters growth. Even after 50 years, our Association continues to grow with immense potential. Storytelling, a powerful tool for sharing knowledge and connecting with people, played a special role in Leslie’s upbringing and now in her leadership at AKFCF.
Despite a challenging year for franchisees and the brand, over 1,200 attendees gathered at the
2025 Annual Convention in Nashville to share their stories, to hear the KFC story, and to shape our future narrative.
We exchanged stories through presentations, music, food, award recognition, coffee chats, networking events, the trade show, and casual encounters in the halls. Thank you for sharing your stories with us; we all left Nashville enriched and eager to write our next chapters.
Let’s delve into some highlights from the 2025 Convention.
The Grand Ole Opry
Since 1974, the Grand Ole Opry has welcomed country music’s most celebrated artists and devoted fans to a venue and an experience like no other. On the opening day of Convention, the lights dimmed, the iconic red velvet curtain lifted, and the KFC family experienced a general session like no other. AKFCF President Leslie Sharp shared her stories, her message, her heart — from the coveted circle on the Opry stage. It was an honor and quite fitting that the KFC Story… OUR STORY…would now be part of this historic venue.
LESLIE’S STORY IN HER OWN WORDS
Let me take you back to April 2004. It was the Southeast Spring meeting at the Waverly Hotel in Atlanta. Barging into the hotel was this 29-year-old young mother … ready to attack all the sessions!
I had pretty much spent all my life in and around my dad’s business. My dad had started in KFC 10 years before I was born...
...And I spent five years working in the KFC restaurants part-time throughout school. He taught me the business. I wanted to learn, and I had a lot to learn. But I also felt like I had already spent most of my life sitting at the feet of these KFC titans — some of them in the audience — and learning from them.
Heck, I even got to learn from the people who were taught by the Colonel himself! The Real OGs. That feeling of sitting at the feet and learning has never left me. I feel it every day in this business from all of you! This is an amazing Association. The knowledge and wisdom that we pass from generation to generation is special and it’s deep-rooted.
I had attended a lot of meetings up to that point, but this one was a little different for me. The meeting was abuzz with talk about the “Green Menu” and its so-called Superstar item — Oven-Roasted Strips. Anyone remember those? That’s ok, if you don’t, I’ll remind you.
I remember them very well because Oven-Roasted Strips were supposedly made for people like me! Women! Women who wanted to eat at KFC. Women who wanted to eat healthy and to watch their calories! And at that time, as a young woman, I was their target audience! Yet no one asked me what I thought about them.
And I’m not too sure they spoke to any of my peers at the time either! I recall standing at the cocktail party at the
Waverly, the night before the meeting, hearing the OGs and my fellow franchises go on and on about this product. They were talking about how it had performed so badly in the test markets, how Corporate was going to come in tomorrow and tell us that if this product fails to launch, it will be because of operations. There was worry and real concern that night in the room because the train had left the station.
For the previous six months, I had made it my mission to follow these oven-roasted strips around the country. I visited franchisee markets to try the product. I went to the corporate test markets to try the product. I even travelled across the country to a corporate training meeting in Las Vegas so that I could have these strips prepared properly just for me.
I had the same reaction every time I tried the product. I had done my homework. I had the receipts. And I was about to bring ‘em to class, so now It’s Wednesday morning at the Waverly.
Steve Provost, remember him? He had a long career at PepsiCo, and at the time, he was the Head Coach for KFC’s Southeast Region. Very talented guy and public speaker. And during that Wednesday meeting, he did not disappoint. Steve comes forward from the back of the room, talks while weaving through tables, and takes the stage, and he gives this impassioned and well-written speech about the Green New Menu and the Oven-Roasted Strips strategy.
Now, up until this time in my career, my dad had been the decision-maker. He wasn’t present at the Waverly meeting because he was sick, but he had seen this process play out many times before. However, I had not witnessed it for myself. And at the time, I wanted to understand…WHY? Why wasn’t anyone saying anything out loud? We just spent six months going through a failed test, and yet this product was launching. Why wasn’t anyone saying the quiet part out loud?
So, after his speech, Steve asked, “Are there any questions?” Seeing that no one raised their hand, I decided to raise mine. I remember the franchisee next to me nearly fell out of his seat. He whispered, “Leslie, what are you doing? Do you have a question?” I said no, I have a comment. Someone handed me a microphone, I stood and said, “Hi, I’m Leslie Sharp, two-store operator, franchisee
from Lexington, Kentucky. And I’m also your target audience for these Oven-Roasted Strips. I visited the franchisee markets. I went to the corporate markets. I tried the product and even had them specifically prepared for me at a meeting in Las Vegas. And if these Oven-Roasted Strips fail, it will not be because of operations. It’s because they leave this WEIRD, DISGUSTING FILM on the roof of your mouth! It’s inescapable! As a young woman, your target audience, I’m downright offended that you’re marketing such a disgusting product, one that didn’t even pass the test market, to people like me. And so, I ask you, is this the best that we can do?!” No one said a word. Complete silence.
I wish that I could tell you word for word everything I said that day in my reply to Steve, but I’ll try to convey how I was feeling in that moment by summing it up with one of my favorite quotes, in the words of Salt Lake City Real Housewife Heather Gaye: I had…Receipts. Proof. Timeline. Screenshots.
Let me say quickly, I’m not always right! There have been many products, many promotions that I was SURE would fail, but they have been successful. None of us have a 1.000 batting average! We’re not always right, but in my mind, on that day, I had done my homework, and right or wrong, I wasn’t going to leave the meeting without letting them know. I understood the reasoning behind my conviction. And I stood up and used my voice.
Steve didn’t acknowledge my comment. He asked if there were any other questions in the room, but the only thing lingering in that room was silence. To the point where Cindy Wuster, who is the great granddaughter of the Colonel himself, grabbed a microphone and demanded, “Steve, are you even going to acknowledge or respond to that young woman who stood up in the back?” And his response was, “I’ll get back to you.”
The meeting broke, and immediately David Neal and a few more OGs in the room pulled me aside to speak to me. They even pulled me into this side room, where I felt a little like Joe Pesci in “Goodfellas.” Did I do something wrong? No. They wanted to thank me. They thanked me for speaking out and using my voice. At the time, I wasn’t the one who would
normally take the microphone, and they appreciated it because this Association, our Association, needs to look out for one another. They had some very kind words to say to me, and gave me support, and then offered me the State Director position for Kentucky, and I said “yes.”
Less than two weeks after the Waverly meeting, Oven-Roasted Strips were pulled off television, and pulled off the menu. And as you can imagine, we had to pivot. No one wished to be in that position, we all wished that we had been more open and honest with one another and ourselves during the test markets, and we wished that we had spoken up sooner.
To pivot, Steve gathered us together for an emergency conference call. And while we were on that call, he called me out by name, and he apologized. He apologized for not being a better advocate for the franchisees. But more importantly, he opened the conversation so that we could have an honest discussion about the problems we were facing at the time, and he vowed to have a more transparent process going forward.
I believed him, and I gained a tremendous amount of respect for Steve. He became the type of leader I wanted to follow — someone who listens, takes accountability and responsibility. We were making progress and gaining trust. But just a few short months later, Steve would move on from KFC to A&W and he went on to have a great career at Brinker and Maggiano’s.
I recently reached out to Steve to let him know that I was sharing this story, because I wanted to ask him if there was anything that he wanted to add, and if so, I’d love to share his perspective with you. He wrote back a great note. Turns out he DOES remember OvenRoasted Strips very well! And in turn, he shared a funny story with me. He said, that while visiting a franchisee’s test market restaurant in Ohio, he had prepared the Oven-Roasted Strips PERFECTLY — taking Operations out of the equation. And the RGM took him aside, put his hand on his shoulder and said, “Steve, I like you, I like you a lot but next time I hope they give you a product that actually tastes good!”
I want to send a big thank you to Steve for sharing that with me. He also shared with me what made KFC so special to him that was the multigenerational commitment to the Brand by so many passionate families and the way that we supported one another made leaders like him feel like they were a part of something more meaningful than a bottom line.
After reading that, I thought “wow.” What a special way to describe this Association. This Brand. And this group of people here today, who are all dedicated to one thing: Making KFC the best that it can possibly be.
We have vendor partners and suppliers who give us innovation and inspiration to help run our businesses better. Thank you for your support and valuable input in operating our restaurants. This story is not written without you all as key characters.
To are partners at KFCC and Yum!: To you I would say embrace the process and lean into the 50-plus years of talent and experience in this Association. You are part of something more meaningful than the bottom line…and some of my greatest allies in this business have been from KFCC, beginning years ago with a woman named Karen Miner, who taught me so much about this business. We may have a lot of acronyms and little politics to keep up with at times, but we’re in this together, and we all want the same goals.
And to the franchisees, my AKFCF family! Whether you’re one of the infamous OGs, a newbie, or somewhere in between, to you I would say thank you for your commitment to this Association and this Brand. Thank you for hanging in there and having each other’s backs. This brand does not persevere without the franchisees. And no one is stronger than we are together.
So, Share Your Story — hopefully by now you see what that means to me. It’s an open invitation to share your stories of the past and of the present, remembering that our stories can help remind us of our mistakes and missteps, in hopes we will avoid repeating them, but they can also remind us of our success in hopes that we will repeat it and do even better next time. However, I don’t want us to get hung up on embracing the legacy of this great Brand at the expense of crafting the next chapters. We’re here to turn the page and ask ourselves tough questions about where we are today,
and what’s the story of our future? I don’t have the answers to that question — no one has asked me yet!
Thankfully, I’m not the only one in this Association who is here to answer these questions. You are here for a reason, and whether you have questions or just a comment, now is not the time to sit on the sidelines. I truly believe that every story matters, so please, stand up, take the microphone, and share. It only opens the vein for all of us.
There is one last anecdote that I’m going to leave you with, from that now-memorable meeting we had at the Waverly, 20 years ago. After it was over,
after I had spoken up, after the OGs had spoken to me, there was only one person who I wanted to share my story with — my dad.
I rushed up to my hotel room to call him. And of course he LOVED the story. I could hear his pride through the phone, he even made me tell it again, the story was that good. At the end of my story, he only had one thing to say.
“Do they know you’re Larry Sharp’s daughter? Make sure they know you’re Larry Sharp’s daughter.” My dad passed away unexpectedly from health complications just a few months after that Waverly meeting. And shortly after
Leslie’s dad, Larry Sharp
I attended my first Southeast Summer Board meeting as the state director from Kentucky.
I was exactly where my dad wanted me to be. I was exactly where I wanted to be. My story was just getting started. My dad was my first ally. Without him, in so many ways, my story isn’t written.
And that is her story...
The spotlight then hit the Opry’s grand piano, and Leslie honored her dad by playing one of his favorite songs, “Born Free.”
As we now like to say, Leslie Sharp opened the show for musical guests Phil Vassar and Ashely McBryde at the Grand Ole Opry!
Leslie playing at the Grand Ole Opry
KFC Kitchen Clash Challenge
The “KFC Kitchen Clash” wasn’t just any cook-off. It was an exhilarating culinary showdown where participants raced against the clock to create extraordinary dishes from selected ingredients. Imagine the thrill of racing against time, the crowd cheering, as they whipped up a signature bowl that would crown them the culinary king or queen of the “KFC Kitchen Clash.” Their mission was to create something extraordinary from the unknown, transforming the unassuming into the unforgettable in just 30 minutes.
The following teams donned their aprons, grabbed their tongs, and joined the ranks of the brave, the bold, and the battered — where the only thing hotter than the fryer was the competition:
• The Whisk Takers – Shane Lovato and Morgan Zant
• The Deep-Fried Duo – Noah Hommerding and Paul Rockwell
• Da Do Ron Rons – Ron Gardner and Ron Patterson
• The Lieutenant’s Colonels - Ben Benson and James Hester
Under the watchful eye of none other than James Beard Award-winning Celebrity Chef Edward Lee, this cooking challenge was their chance to prove that they could turn up the heat alongside their peers. Chef Lee and judges Ana Maria Basurto, global KFC FIT Director, and Brian Gentile, Senior Vice President – KBP Brands, judged the teams’
dishes on visual presentation, creativity, and overall taste.
This playful and lighthearted showdown was overseen by the talented emcee Keith Cole, who added a pinch of fun to the kitchen with his quick wit, invasive questions, and sarcastic humor. It was a fun event to laugh, let loose, and wonder who would walk away with bragging rights that would last a lifetime.
The winning dish was a chicken, bacon, mac-and-cheese bowl with hidden veggies, crafted by the Lieutenant’s Colonels! It featured bow tie pasta with three cheese sauce, pan-seared chicken, and cubed bacon with sautéed matchstick carrots, Napa cabbage, and yellow peppers.
Closing Keynote Speaker Kelly Swanson
Opening Keynote Speaker Vera Jones
Vera Jones is an inspiring Life & Leadership Coach, Motivational Speaker, and Author who shared her story of how to love and lead with empathy. Vera unveiled the six research-backed workplace motivators essential for fostering self-awareness, driving engagement, and mastering communication.
S-Motivator Cheat Sheet – Leadership “6-S”
• Significance – Help others see how they matter. Speak of big picture and purpose, and specify use of creativity/ skills to help, serve, or make a difference. “I GOT IT!”
• Security – Provide stability, finances, benefits, resources, and time. Show faith over fear. Speak of and plan for the future. Raises, promotions, bonuses, and comforts matter.
Kelly Swanson, an award-winning storyteller and motivational speaker, known for her humor and heart, empowered us through strategic storytelling. With 18 years of experience, she’s helped many, including some of our own franchisees, crafting compelling narratives. She shared her insights on how storytelling drives persuasion.
Persuasion is about connection and connection is always about the faces around that table. She took the audience on a journey through some of the faces that sit (or once sat) around this table — and talked about the power of the story and how we can use it to have more influence on our work.
• Solutions – Demonstrate knowledge. Encourage innovation. Don’t Shrink from problems. If you don’t have the answers, seek input, and involve your team!
• Structure – Clarity and Consistency of Vision; Mission; Plans; Rules; Discipline; Organization, Processes and Logistics; Follow up and Follow through!
• Sincerity – Empathize. Listen actively. Speak truthfully. Be true to your people, values, and vision. A caring example speaks loudest. Prioritize trust, loyalty, and integrity.
• Selflessness – “If you think it’s all about you, soon you’ll be right, because you is all you will have. Connect, communicate, and collaborate. Make teamwork a reality.
KFC Foundation Event
Thanks to all of you, the KFC Foundation raised $165,000+ during Convention. Thank you to the 500 who attended the event, bid on silent auction items, and brought the fun to Pins Mechanical. Every dollar raised advances our mission of supporting, empowering, and serving joy to KFC restaurant employees and our communities. Together we are the secret recipe for Good!
SAVE THE DATE
2026 Annual AKFCF Convention
Feb. 16 – 20, 2026
Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center
National Harbor, MD
Congratulations to the Award Winners!
AKFCF, KFCC and NCAC presented their most prestigious awards for 2025 at the annual AKFCF Convention in Nashville. These awards recognize the remarkable individuals who have made invaluable contributions to our Association and Brand. We celebrated the best of the best, highlighting the dedication, innovation, and unwavering commitment that have propelled our franchise to new heights. Please reach out and congratulate the individuals for their outstanding accomplishments.
AKFCF Awards:
President’s Award – Keith Cole
Lifetime Achievement Award – Alice Schleicher
Colonel’s Legacy Award – Michael Hubbard
John R. Neal Award – Todd Stewart
Outstanding Partner Award – RTI –Chad Morrison and Pam Shanley
GAC Freedom Award – Steve Orton
KFCC Awards:
Digital Breakthrough Award – Bryan Robinson
Operational Excellence Award – Justin and Todd Stewart
P.E.T.E. Award – Jamie Jackson
Franchisee of the Year – Chris Basinger
NCAC Hard Way Awards:
Joan Bowling
Michael Fulenwider
Amber Larimore
Our Story
During the Convention we learned the importance of turning the page. You can’t keep writing the same chapter. There is power in the story we tell ourselves and the ones we tell others. KFC doesn’t just serve chicken. We serve stories. And the greatest story you will ever tell…is the one you haven’t told yet. The next page is blank. You hold the pen. What will we write? What will be our next story?
Whether you were looking to learn, network, or simply soak up the Music City vibe, this Convention was the perfect place to “Share Your Story” and celebrate the KFC brand and family.
Phil Vassar Ashely McBryde
AKFCF Trade Show
KFC franchisees experienced the ultimate vendor extravaganza — the AKFCF Trade Show! Attendees had the chance to connect with over 150 incredible vendors, all under one roof.
On opening night, franchisees strolled through the bustling aisles, dressed as their favorite country music icons, and immersed themselves in a world of KFC-themed excitement. For two hours, they had the opportunity to visit with vendors, exchanging ideas, sharing insights, and forging valuable connections that will take their business to new heights.
But the fun didn’t stop there! On the second day, attendees proudly wore their KFC colors and joined us for the KFChic reception, where they mingled for another two hours with vendors to swap stories, and even picked up a few secret Colonel Sanders-approved tips.
And as if that weren’t enough, the final day had them conducting business over a delicious lunch. This was their chance to truly dive into the heart of the KFC vendor community and come away feeling inspired, energized, and ready to take their restaurants to new heights.
Thank you to all our vendors, partners, and sponsors of the 2025 Convention. Your loyalty and partnership have been instrumental in the success of the AKFCF Convention, serving as the very foundation upon which this event stands. Without your steadfast commitment, this gathering of the KFC Family would not be possible. We express our sincere appreciation for your continued contributions and look forward to strengthening these vital relationships in the years to come. On the next page are this year’s sponsors. n
A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO ALL OUR SPONSORS!
Accuserv Lighting and Equipment, LLC
AmerCareRoyal
Atlas Sign & Awning
Barco Uniforms
Brother International Corp.
Budderfly
Bunge North America
Café Valley Capitol Light
Cummings Resources
Deloitte
Essintial Enterprise Solutions
General Mills
Genpak
Gycor International
Harris Tea Foodservice
J.R. Simplot Company
Lamb Weston
Mar Jac Poultry
McCormick
Parapet Studios LLC
Performance FoodService
Solink
2025 AKFCF CONVENTION EXHIBITORS
3M
Accuserv Lighting and Equipment, LLC
ADP
AllianceHCM
AllPoints
AmerCareRoyal
Anchor Packaging
Appell Striping & Seal
Coating
Armor Security
Aspire Bakeries
Atlas Sign & Awning
ATT
Auspex Capital, LLC
Awningtec USA Inc
AyrKing
Bank of America
Barco
Barnett & Associates
Basic American Foods
Brakebush Brothers, Inc
Brother International
Budderfly
Bunge North America
C H Guenther & Son
Cadence Bank
Cafe Valley
Capitol Light
Caribla Association
Case Farms
City National Bank
Claxton Poultry
CloudKitchens
CMI
Comcast Business
Conagra Brands
CRAIG SPECIALTY
ADVERTISING
Cummings Resources LLC
Custom Seating
DailyPay
Dell Technologies
Deloitte
Dreampack Packaging
DTiQ
Duro-Last
E.S.S., Inc.
Ecolab
Envysion
Essintial Enterprise Solutions
Essity Professional Hygiene
Ethical Products, Inc.
Everbrite LLC
Everidge - ICS/Thermalrite
Facility Concepts Inc.
Farm Frites International
Flowers Bakery
Foster Poultry Farms
Franke Foodservice Systems
Freezing Point LLC
General Mills
Genpak
George’s, Inc.
TESSERE
Testo North America
Upside
WestRock
WGU
Global Payments
Gold Creek Foods
Golden State Foods
Graphic Packaging
International
Gycor International
Harri
Harris Tea Foodservice
HARVEST
Henny Penny Corporation
HME
Huhtamaki Inc.
Huntington National Bank
HYVE Brand Concierge
Idaho Pacific Holdings
Image National
InfoSync Services
Inprocess Inc.
InterMetro
Intrepid Direct Insurance
J. R. Simplot Company
Jefferson Architecture
Keurig Dr Pepper
KFCC
KFC Foundation
Kian
KineticoPRO
Kitchen Brains
Lamb Weston
Lincoln Waste Solutions
Loomis
MAGNESOL® - The Dallas
Group
Manitowoc Ice
Mar Jac Poultry
McCain Calatin
McCormick
McLane
Middleby
Mulligan Funding, LLC
NCCO
NDA Inc.
Norlake
OiL Chef
On Display
One More Time
Orkin
Otter
P&G Professional
Panifresh
PAR Technology
Paradox
Parapet Studios
Pavion
Paycor
PepsiCo
PepsiCo International
Performance Food Service
Pilgrim’s
Pratt Visual Solutions
RF Technologies
Rain
Restaurant Technologies
Restaurant365
RoofingSource
RRD
RSCS
Sharp Electronics
Silikal America
Solink
SRS Real Estate
Summit Innovations, Corp
Sysco International Food
Group
Tab Commerce
Tapcheck
Tavo Packaging, Inc.
TESSERE
Testo North America
The Bama Companies, Inc.
The Coca-Cola Company
The Kraft Heinz Co.
Touch Dynamic
Trane
TredSafe
Tyson Foods, Inc.
Uber Eats
Unified Brands
Upside
Welbilt
Wells Fargo
WestRock
WGU
Winston Industries
Wireless Telematics LLC
Zink Foodservice Group
We honor AKFCF family members for their unwavering support.
Sharing Stories Of Volunteerism, Dedication, And Success
By Cory Sekine-Pettite
Each spring during the AKFCF Annual Convention, the Association takes great pleasure in recognizing and acknowledging the incredible work and dedicated service of members who go above and beyond, not only in their community service as KFC franchisees but in their volunteer work with AKFCF
as well. The hours that they put in with regional and national committees benefits all of us, so our annual awards program is one way of showing our appreciation. Continue reading to learn a little more about each winner and what their award means to them.
AKFCF Award Winners
AKFCF President’s Award Keith Cole
AKFCF John R. Neal Award
Todd Stewart Colonel’s Legacy Award
Mike Hubbard
AKFCF Lifetime Achievement Award Alice Schleicher
AKFCF Outstanding Partner Award
Chad Morrison and Pam Shanley, RTI
AKFCF President’s Award –Keith Cole
The President’s Award honors members of the AKFCF who have made substantial contributions to the development of the Association and the KFC brand. Individuals adhere to high standards of professionalism, decency, and collegiality. It is awarded to franchisees who have consistently worked to support the AKFCF’s mission statement and have performed “over and above” what has been required. This award is presented each year at the president’s discretion and is approved by the executive committee.
This year’s honor goes to AKFCF Past President (2023-24), Keith Cole. Among the AKFCF family, Cole is known for his wit and wisdom. He started cooking for KFC franchisee Jim Cocolin in the early 1980s. He worked his way up from cook to assistant manager and then into multi-unit supervision by 1989. Of course, it wasn’t long after that, he soon began operating his own restaurants of which he now owns seven.
Cole has served the franchise family in numerous roles, including past president of the Northeast Franchisee Association, chair of the Finance Committee, and as a member of the Partnership Survey Committee. He also worked his way through the ranks of the AKFCF Executive Committee before accepting the role as President in 2023. He is a recipient of the President’s Award from the Northeast Franchisee Association, and a past winner of the Shining Star Award.
“I would describe [Keith] as hardworking, dedicated, doesn’t seek credit, is supportive and always uses humor to ease the situation,” said AKFCF President Leslie Sharp. “He always does what you ask him to do, and he always steps up to help when asked, even if he doesn’t think that he can help. If asked, he will absolutely do
his best. …He’s the type of guy that doesn’t need a lot of words. Just a look or a hug will comfort you and make you feel like he has your back.”
AKFCF John R. Neal Award –Todd Stewart
This award recognizes substantial contributions made to the AKFCF through service to the NCAC. It is the strong relationship between these two franchisee-centric organizations that have made the AKFCF franchisees the important voice in the franchise system that they are today. No other national franchise organization reveres its franchisees or values their opinion as much as KFCC — in significant part because of the work and partnership done, in good times and in bad, by the AKFCF and the NCAC, working together.
This year’s honor belongs to Todd Stewart of The Stewart Restaurant Group. His story is a testament to dedication, family values, and an unwavering commitment to the KFC brand.
Stewart’s journey began as the eldest of seven children, growing up in an environment where the aroma of fried chicken was ever-present. At just 10 years old, his entrepreneurial spirit emerged as he took on the role of a paperboy, driven by a desire to contribute to his family’s finances. This early initiative laid the foundation for a life characterized by hard work and education.
His professional relationship with KFC started at the age of 14, earning $3.25 an hour, and it was also at KFC, amidst the bustling kitchen and golden fried chicken, where he met his future wife, who was then his manager — a partnership that has flourished both personally and professionally.
Thirty years ago, Stewart embarked on a significant venture by opening his first KFC restaurant in Coos Bay, Oregon. This endeav-
Some people are born into a legacy, and some people build one of their own.”
or marked the beginning of the Stewart Restaurant Group (SRG), a family-owned business that has grown under Todd’s strategic guidance. His leadership is characterized by a personal touch, making everyone feel valued and at ease. His strategic acumen and ability to motivate have been instrumental in SRG’s success, all while maintaining a warm and inclusive company culture.
Stewart’s impact extends beyond his immediate family and business. His genuine care for others has left a lasting impression on all who have had the pleasure of working with him. His strategic vision continues to steer SRG toward success, ensuring that the essence of KFC remains a central part of his life and legacy.
Colonel’s Legacy Award –Mike Hubbard
The Colonel’s Legacy Award is awarded to second-, third-, or even fourth-generation franchisees who have made a significant impact within their region or nationally. This honor recognizes individuals for their noteworthy contributions, innovative thinking, and volunteerism. The award is presented each year at the president’s discretion and is approved by the Executive Committee. This year’s honor goes to Mike Hubbard.
“Some people are born into a legacy, and some people build one of their own. Michael Hubbard has done both,” said AKFCF President Leslie Sharp.
From a young age, he watched his father rise through the KFC business, from assistant manager trainee to VP of operations. Inspired by his dad’s journey, Hubbard earned a business degree from the College of Charleston in 1993 and quickly stepped into operations, overseeing KFCs across eastern South Carolina.
In 1995, his father took a bold leap — becoming a franchisee and opening the family’s first KFC in St. George, South Carolina. Hub-
bard was there, learning, growing, and helping drive its success. By 1999, the restaurant had won Best of the Best, and they expanded into Ridgeland, South Carolina. Hubbard took full reins of Ridgeland, leading it to thrive as his parents stepped back.
Beyond his own restaurants, he has helped shape this brand, serving as 1st Vice President of the South-Eastern Board and contributing to the Ops Sub Committee of the NCAC. His leadership has earned him accolades, including the Floppy Chicken Award, Power Player Franchisee, and Master Builder Award.
AKFCF Lifetime Achievement Award – Alice Schleicher
This award recognizes an individual who has given decades of outstanding service and voluntary leadership spanning a career in franchising. It is presented each year at the AKFCF president’s discretion and is approved by the Executive Committee. The award recognizes individual accomplishments and contributions to the Association community and is a call for continued service within the system. Award winners serve as role models and mentors for individuals who are interested in making a commitment to a career as a KFC franchisee. For 2025, this high honor goes to Alice Schleicher.
The Schleicher family started in the KFC business in 1977 in Sellersburg, Indiana. Rick Schleicher, son of Richard and Alice, worked at a KFCC restaurant, and when the company decided to sell it, Rick approached his parents about purchasing the restaurant.
Richard was working for the Army Corps of Engineers at the time, and the Schleicher family was living on a farm that has been in the family for over a century. The company accepted the offer from the Schleicher’s and their venture into the restaurant business began on July1.
Alice and family had met Colonel Sanders in 1978 when he stopped by to visit the Hamburg, Indiana restaurant on a Saturday morning. He wanted to see the products and taste the gravy. On that visit, the Colonel told Alice to focus on quality, service, and cleanliness from open to close every day. Alice said she never forgot her first meeting with the Colonel, and she and the family use his words as the foundation of their company.
A fun fact about Alice: At one point, she was the largest female KFC franchisee (in the early 2000’s) with over 60 locations. Today, she owns 12 restaurants in Indiana and Tennessee. She has served the regions and the AKFCF in multiple leadership positions, including as president of the AKFCF and as a member of the NCAC.
AKFCF Outstanding Partner Award –
Chad Morrison and Pam Shanley, RTI
The AKFCF Outstanding Partner Award recognizes people who are not KFC franchisees, but who have made substantial contributions to the success of our system. This award honors those who have provided us with best-in-class product, support or service, or who have made an exceptional impact across the system. Who better exemplifies this partnership than Chad Morrison and Pam Shanley?
Pam is the director of national accounts and Chad is the senior national account
executive (central) for KFC. Whether automating oil management or hood cleaning, RTI has helped franchisees improve operational efficiency and assisted with labor challenges while delivering better restaurant productivity and safety.
Restaurant Technologies is the leading provider of cooking-oil management to more than 45,000+ national quick-serve and full-service restaurant chains, independent operators, grocery delis, hotels, casinos, universities and hospitals. n
Grateful to the KFC Franchisees for their continued support and partnership.
AKFCF Shining Stars
Selfless commitment to the KFC Family
Selfless commitment to the KFC Family
By Cory Sekine-Pettite
Each year, the AKFCF acknowledges individuals whose volunteerism for our KFC franchisee family goes above and beyond. We honor these people with a Shining Star Award. There isn’t a definitive checklist of tasks or acts of kindness that Association leadership can turn to when seeking to recognize someone’s contributions to our family; we just know outstanding work when we see it.
The recipients of this year’s awards — many of whom are profiled on the following pages — demonstrate selfless commitment to the AKFCF on a daily basis. May you be inspired by their leadership, knowledge, and talents — and the many ways they support the franchisee community.
TONY CAMERON
Cameron’s history as franchisee dates back to 2000, but he has been a member of the KFC family since he was a 16-year-old, cleaning the parking lot of a walk-up KFC restaurant in Baltimore. He says of his days at that small KFC in 1978 that guests would eat in their cars, and most would throw the trash out of their car windows along with cigarette butts and ashes onto the parking lot. Cameron’s job was to patrol the parking lot making sure to pick up every chicken bone and cigarette butt.
“My journey from sweeping up trash to becoming a franchisee of one of the most iconic brands in the world is truly a dream come true,” he says. “As I had the opportunity to work my way up through the ranks, I knew KFC was the brand I wanted to stick with.”
Cameron became a franchisee about 25 years ago, when he and an existing fran-
chisee purchased a package of restaurants in inner-city Baltimore. Becoming a KFC franchisee has had an everlasting impact on his life, he said. For example, Cameron has volunteered a great deal in both his region and nationally to assist his KFC family. He served as President of the Maryland and Delaware Ad Co-ops, chaired the Northeast Distribution Committee, served two terms as RSCS Representative, was Vice President of the African American Franchise Association, worked as Northeast Representative of the Diversity Council, and served as the Northeast Region’s President, Treasurer, and now serves as Northeast Secretary.
Regarding his recognition as a Shining Star, Cameron said: “What a tremendous honor to be chosen as the AKFCF Shining Star recipient from the Northeast Association. All recognition is appreciated, but to be recognized by one’s peers holds a special place. … I am forever grateful for this honor and look forward to serving the members of the Northeast in far into the future.”
BRIAN GOLDSTEIN
Goldstein started his restaurant career at 16, working at his local Taco Bell. Little did he know then that would lead to a 32-year stint at Yum! (28 years at Taco Bell and four years as the Chief Operating Officer of KFCC). He loved his work with KFC so much that his next move was to become a franchisee in 2017, partnering with Michael Fulenwider as the president of Fulenwider Enterprises.
Goldstein has volunteered as the chair of the OSC (Ops Sub Committee, both as the COO and now as a franchisee). He also sits on the NCAC and was privileged to be
2024-2025
Shining Stars
Tony Cameron
Marlene Fleck
Brian Goldstein
Christopher King
Ron Patterson
Raziel Valiente
Tony Cameron
Brian Goldstein
elected by the Southeast Region to sit on the committee. (He sat on the NCAC on the company side as well.)
He said he found out about his Shining Star Award at the 2024 Southeast Regional meeting in Jacksonville. “Truly blessed to be recognized,” he said. “I love the brand and I feel special to be recognized by the franchisees, the AKFCF President Leslie Sharp, and the SE Association President Eric Felker, with the Shining Star Award. Everyone loves to be recognized. I tend to speak my mind and some people appreciate that.”
Among the additional honors already bestowed upon this relatively new franchisee includes the Hard Way Award in 2018, which Goldstein said he proudly hung in his office.
CHRISTOPHER KING
King is a third-generation franchisee representing the Greater Midwest Region. In fact, he is the 1st Vice President of the Greater Midwest Region and sits on the Franchisee Forum Steering Committee. He’s also a board member for the KFC National Purchasing Co-Op of RSCS.
King’s grandfather started selling the Colonel’s chicken out of a local restaurant he owned at the time, the Burger Inn. As KFC evolved, King’s grandfather began building stand-alone KFC restaurants, and even helped the Colonel develop the crispy chicken recipe at a later restaurant of his, King Crispy. “My father grew up helping in the kitchen at these restaurants from a young age and continued our family’s legacy, raising me in a similar fashion,” King said. “I grew up working in the restaurants and learning the business from the ground up and have very fond memories of attending AKFCF meetings and conventions with my family. I’m blessed to have grown up in this system and be a part of the large KFC family that is so supportive and encourag-
ing of young leaders. “I think something the Association does very well is focus on developing its next generation of leaders.”
King said he found out about his Shining Star Award about 20 seconds before AKFCF President Leslie Sharp presented it to him. “As she began announcing who the Shining Star winner was for our region, I realized I had not been a part of the discussion on who we were awarding it to. I was very surprised and appreciative of that from our region’s leadership.
“To me, being a Shining Star is about inspiring others to lead and demonstrating to others following a similar path I did, that there is opportunity for you,” King continued. “There are leaders in this system that want you at the table, they want to hear your thoughts. I think generally speaking, most awards are given to someone who is well-established, has accomplished a lot over their career, and is being recognized for it. The Shining Star Award is different because it’s a sign of encouragement, a sign that you are doing the right things, and a sign that the leadership in this system recognizes it. That’s a very powerful thing to someone like me who has a long way to go in my career, but that recognition shows me that I’m doing something right so far.”
This is the first award King has received from the AKFCF, but likely not his last.
RAZIEL VALIENTE
Valiente’s journey with KFC began in December 2011 when she joined franchisee Great American Chicken Corp. as CFO. About nine years later, she transitioned to president of RBD California, further deepening her involvement to the brand. From the beginning, Valiente has taken a keen interest in regional and national leadership, including volunteering as a member and eventual VP of the Southern California KFC Association (2013-2022), then as president
Christopher King
Raziel Valiente
(2017–2019, 2021–2022); AKFCF Executive Committee member (2021–2023); Board member, KFC National Purchasing Cooperative (2019–2023); as a member of the Contracts & Facilities Committee (2021–Present); and as a member of the Beverage Committee (2021–2023).
“It’s been a privilege to collaborate with fellow franchisees, share insights, and contribute to the growth of our organization at every level,” Valiente said. “I was honored to learn about receiving this award during the Southern California Summer Meeting held in Long Beach this past August (2024). It was a wonderful surprise to be recognized by my peers at such a special gathering.”
She’s actually a two-time Shining Star recipient, having won the award for the first time in 2020. She says the recognition is meaningful because it reflects the appreciation of her fellow franchisees for her contributions to the Association. “I am committed to supporting the Association in any way I can, particularly within the SoCal franchisee community,” Valiente said. “I strongly believe that our collective success is what matters most — after all, in the eyes of our customers, we represent KFC as one brand, regardless of individual ownership.
“Given our close proximity, the SoCal franchisees have the opportunity to collaborate frequently, sharing insights and best practices to help one another thrive,” she continued. “It’s a privilege to be part of such a supportive and driven community, and I’m grateful to contribute to our shared growth.”
In addition to her duo of Shining Star Awards, Valiente also has been honored with the P.E.T.E. Award (February 2023), which recognizes franchisees for extraordinary contributions for encouraging talent and excellence in others. This franchisee’s star is certain to continue to rise. n
Selfless commitment to the KFC Family
The Shining Star Award is different because it’s a sign of encouragement, a sign that you are doing the right things, and a sign that the leadership in this system recognizes it.
$2.5 MILLION IN KFC FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIPS –THANKS TO YOU!
By Liz Gulick, KFC Foundation Communication Manager
This spring, more than 430 KFC restaurant employees were awarded $2.5 million in scholarships from the KFC Foundation. Of those, 11 received a $20,000 scholarship, and hundreds of others received a $10,000, $5,000, or $2,500 award. Stop for a moment and let that soak in.
Your continued support and generosity — and your teams’ stellar fundraising efforts — fuel our mission and impact. You have opened doors for hundreds of KFC restaurant employees to pursue their educational dreams, with much less debt and financial burden. KFC is forever cemented in their story as a brand that supported them and made an incredible impact on their life.
Thank you for all you do to change lives, not just through our scholarship program, but through all our programs — hardship assistance, community grants, and so much more. Together, we are the Secret Recipe for Good.
Congrats to our $20,000 Scholarship Winners
1 Alma Adams | Lynchburg, VA | Tasty Chick’n
2 Chelsea Dowhy | Bethel Park, PA | Ampex Brands
3 Priscilla Echeverria | Los Angeles, CA | Kazi Foods
4 Kyleigh King | Arlington, WA | NRI
5 Linda Lazo | Houston, TX | KBP Foods
6 Lydia Love | San Antonio, TX | Desert De Oro Foods
7 Kayonn Mckoy-Clue Taylor | Bronx, NY | Kotes Management
8 Ameena Melgoza | El Centro, CA | Noble Pursuit
9 Jack Murphy | Cypress, TX | Mas Restaurant Group
10 Mariela Ortiz | Round Lake, IL | Chicken Champs
11 Benjamin Saelee | Stockton, CA | Harman Management
This is the legacy I want to leave behind — one of compassion, care, and service to others.”
Congrats to the Janet L. Kuhn Scholarship Winner
Each year, one scholarship recipient is selected for the prestigious Janet L. Kuhn Scholarship, which doubles their award amount. To be considered, applicants must complete an additional essay prompting what they want their legacy to be.
Our 2025 Janet L. Kuhn Scholarship winner is Maricruz Martinez in Edinburg, TX (KBP Foods), receiving a $10,000 Scholarship! Here’s an excerpt from Maricruz’s winning Janet L. Kuhn Scholarship essay:
“I want to be the person who is there when someone’s life is on the line, offering the care and expertise that can make the difference between life and death. I want to be the one who helps save lives, to give people the chance to go back to their families, to continue living the lives they deserve. This is the legacy I want to leave behind — one of compassion, care, and service to others.”
Spotlight Stories
Aisha Alexis, | $10,000 Scholarship Winner Bridgewater, MA | DE Foods
Aisha has a lifelong bond with the brand that runs deeper than most. Hailing the name of “KFC Baby,” Aisha’s story began before she was even born — her parents met through KFC and her mother was pregnant with her while working. Today, her mother serves as an area coach and Aisha is following in her footsteps working for the brand, bringing the story full circle. Aisha credits KFC for unifying her family of nine.
Aisha plans on attending the University of Massachusetts-Boston this fall to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a nurse.
Elizabeth Ortiz | $10,000 Scholarship Winner Oxnard, CA | RBD
Elizabeth has a powerful story of resilience. As a child, she often rode Bus 1A to indulge in a KFC bucket meal whenever her mother had money to spare. Today, that same bus route brings to her shifts at that exact KFC on Savier Road in Oxnard, California.
As a standout scholar and community advocate, Elizabeth is graduating in the top 10 of her class. One of her most notable achievements includes her work with the local non-profit, Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE), where she successfully contributed to the shutdown of Ormond Beach Power Plant due to its danger to the community.
Elizabeth plans to attend the University of California-Los Angeles this fall and major in Mechanical Engineering as a first-generation student.
Chelsea Dowhy | $20,000 Scholarship Winner Pittsburgh, PA | Ampex Brands
Chelsea Dowhy is a shift supervisor who has served at KFC for nearly four years. KFC is in her blood — Chelsea’s father has worked for KFC for more than 30 years! While navigating the challenges of living independently and self-funding her college education, Chelsea has continued to be a leader within her KFC restaurant.
Chelsea is currently a full-time student enrolled in a five-year accelerated master’s program in Speech Therapy at Duquesne University.
The KFC Foundation Scholarship program empowers KFC restaurant employees in the U.S. to pursue their educational dreams by providing up to $20,000 in scholarships to attend the accredited four-year or two-year college, trade/vocational school, or graduate school of their choice. Since its inception in 2012, the program has awarded over $21 million in scholarships to more than 7,500 KFC restaurant employees.
Thank you for making dreams come true! n
FAST FACTS
Winners span across 40 states and 84 franchisees
Nursing is the most popular major for our scholarship winners, followed by business and computer science
64% are first-generation college students
50% have been with KFC for more than 2 years
32% have received a KFC Foundation Scholarship in the past
32% are high school seniors going into their first year of college
24% are ESL students (English as a Second Language)
Scan to learn more about the scholarship program or go to kfcfoundation.org.
By Kevin Schlutz
GREATER MIDWEST UPDATE
The Greater Midwest region had 112 attendees at the Opryland Convention. It was wonderful seeing everyone! From what I could see, everyone had a very good time. Congratulations to our award winners from the Greater Midwest.
• Bryan Robinson won the Digital Breakthrough Award from KFCC
• Todd and Justin Stewart won the Product Excellence Award from KFCC
• Chris King was presented an AKFCF Shining Star Award at the Forum
Our regional breakout at the AKFCF Annual Convention contained a lot of great discussions on issues facing all of us. Most importantly, we had the right people from our region in the room to provide answers and important information for the members.
The Greater Midwest region will once again be having a summer Board and Membership meeting on June 26-27 at the Hyatt Place in downtown Indianapolis. The meeting will kick off at 9 a.m. on Thursday and end at approximately noon on Friday. All members are encouraged to attend. This is just two weeks after the June NCAC meeting and much more current information will be available. Some of the best discussion last year was during the best practice sharing. Please come and share those best practices that work for you with your fellow operators. There is also a Fever game across the street on Thursday evening, so book those room reservations early.
We also are planning a Greater Midwest Spring RGM meeting for 2026 at the Isle Casino and Event Center in Bettendorf, Iowa, right on the Illinois border overlooking the Mississippi River. Save the dates for Apr. 21-23, 2026. We have used this venue
several times in the past for its beautiful meeting space, casino, and low room rates. We will be working with the AKFCF Education Committee on workshops to make this a meaningful development opportunity, as well as fun and filled with recognition for our most important leaders. The Greater Midwest Board feels these meetings are core to our purpose; we can’t wait to start having them again. I have many fond memories and pictures of unique things that have been done to entertain those RGMs in the past. I’m sure our current Board will rise to the occasion. Who can forget scenes like those in the photos below?
This should give you some idea of the lengths the Board will go to to ensure the RGMs have a great time. Other things like Cashnado, and lots of raffle prizes and recognition are all part of the experience, along with workshops and presentations. Save the dates to join us there. n
Justin as Kid Rock
Noah as Richard Simmons
Spring 2016 Pirates
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA UPDATE
By Deborah Lundie
SoCal looks forward to a great year in 2025! Everyone was excited about the AKFCF Annual Convention in Nashville. Leslie Sharp and the AKFCF team did an amazing job bringing us information through workshops, KFCC talks, and franchisee issues discussed that everyone is facing these days.
Our SoCal region continues to discuss the government changes and impact to restaurant sales, employee wages that started in April 2024, and general issues faced in these economically challenging times. We stay optimistic and positive for a successful year!
As far as our regional meeting, we did something different last year by combining our usual Spring Managers Meeting and Fall Franchisee Regional Meeting. Our
Summer Regional Meeting 2024 had a day for franchisees to conduct business meetings as well as meet with vendors, and RGMs meeting with KFCC. We have a saying: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!” So, we are duplicating the meeting again in October 2025 for our KFC Franchisee And Managers Fall Regional Meeting 2025!
The beautiful Hyatt Regency Long Beach on the water with views of the Queen Mary will be our venue, and we are having AKFCF, KFCC, RSCS, and the KFC Foundation present to our franchisees and managers. We will have vendor exhibits as well. Many vendors from the AKFCF Convention in Nashville were interested in attending our event! We hope to see new faces, new vendors, and new products introduced to our restaurants. n
Leslie Sharp and the AKFCF team did an amazing job bringing us information through workshops, KFCC talks, and franchisee issues discussed that everyone is facing these days.
By Kevin Schlutz
FOSTERING THE CULTURE OF FAMILY
Themission of the AKFCF Communications committee is to provide multiple channels of relevant, two-way information sharing to unite and advance the interests of its members.
Communications are critical in a fastpaced and changing business environment. There are so many sources of information today that I can spend the entire morning just reading all the posts and almost everyone has their favorites where they receive and use information. Some of us remember the days of newspapers, magazines, 3 network TV channels, and hard-wired telephones. Today, those choices have exploded exponentially, and it would be hard to find any two people who get their news the same way because there are so many different choices available.
Your Communications Committee, made up of the regional secretaries and AKFCF staff, are always looking for new and more effective ways to communicate, and especially to get feedback from our members, while maintaining the standard channels that some still use.
This year, the Partnership Survey will be done directly following the Franchisee Forum in Tampa to get feedback directly from operators. Noah Hommerding and the Partnership Committee he chairs, work with KFCC to do this survey annually. They share the results with the AKFCF Board and KFCC’s Leadership Team to show areas of concern and to focus our response. Please take that opportunity to share your opinions in the survey. The message isn’t as powerful if we don’t have most of the franchisees participating.
The AKFCF Facebook private group has allowed us a quick and effective way to reach hundreds of our members and
ARLs with breaking news, interesting articles, and important updates. I check every morning for new articles to post that would be of interest to our membership. Having Jason Kunz at Speaking Socially as a partner maintaining that private group and also adding content has revitalized the page. We have more than 450 members. If you use Facebook, you should go to the AKFCF Facebook page and ask to join, but please answer all of the questions or it could be declined. Remember, it is only for franchisees and their ARLs.
Speaking Socially maintains our AKFCF website and has been a tremendous help in providing more current information to our members. Some of the regions are also using him to maintain their regional websites as part of the AKFCF site. Having one less place to go is a benefit for all of us, or you can link from there to the regional sites that aren’t included with the AKFCF site. Either way, it’s the one place you can start for anything to do with AKFCF.
Another thing that has contributed to the efficiency of our communications is having our General Counsel, Ron Gardner, also work as the General Counsel for the NCAC. Having this synergy has really helped with getting out items of importance quickly and in several different ways so that you can’t miss it. If Ron has a message for everyone, it will go on the Facebook page with a text notification, in an email from the AKFCF, in emails from your regional secretaries, and also in an email from the NCAC, all within 24 hours. I know sometimes you may think this is overkill, especially if you are on many of those channels, but in this crazy world we all live in, sometimes it takes that many for one to be seen. Speaking of Ron, I have to say that his Legal Report at Convention by itself makes the entire event worth attending. His insight and forethought into current and potential issues facing our franchisee family gives us some degree of
certainty that the current business climate does not. He is truly a member of the family.
Another big improvement that our committee can take no credit for is the KFCStrong Facebook private group, but it’s been a wonderful way for our store Teams to express their appreciation, tell everyone of their accomplishments, recognize top performers, ask questions or give best practices, and just feel the togetherness of being a part of this global KFC family. It is always inspiring for me every time I scan through all the posts. For some of us, the goal is to “like” and encourage as many as possible to give that positive feedback for their achievements. This was so vitally important during the pandemic and continues to be an ever-important way to foster the culture of family in our restaurants. Please encourage your RGMs to use that group.
Also, another important channel is all the communications coming from the KFC Foundation. Emma, Debbie, Liz, and others have certainly taken their activities to a higher level, and we work with them as
appropriate to communicate their activities. All the good they are doing with the Round-up money and other fundraising for programs to benefit our teams and our communities is wonderful!
Each year after our AKFCF Convention, a survey is sent out asking all attendees to give their opinions. The results are used by the Incoming President and Convention Committee to make changes to the next year’s agenda. As more information comes out about our next Convention in Washington, D.C., you will see that changes are made based on those survey results. Please always take advantage of the survey to share your opinions, good or bad.
The last piece of advice I would give is to use your regional secretaries as a resource. They, or your other regional officers, can answer questions or get you to the right person to answer your questions. That’s what we’re here for.
Here is a list of current forms of communication that are available to you:
• The AKFCF Quarterly magazine and the e-Newsletter.
• AKFCF and regional websites.
• Email distribution, both from the AKFCF and regional secretaries.
• Social media – AKFCF Facebook page and text alerts.
• Conference calls, Zoom calls, virtual meetings, and webinars.
• The AKFCF app and links to ask questions of your leadership.
• Surveys, in-person meetings, Convention, workshops, and mailings.
As you can see, there are a lot of different communications channels working together to keep us all informed. Thanks for continuing to read and act from the communications channels of our great KFC Family. Please send any suggestions to kevin@centraliowakfc.com. n
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING OUR STORIES TO LIFE
By Kelly Rodenberg
Oh, The Stories You Will Tell!
You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself. Any direction you choose.
You’re on your own. And And you know what you know. And you are the GIRL, who Will decide where you go.
You’ll get mixed up, Of course, as you already know. You’ll get mixed up with many Strange birds as you go.
So be sure when you step. Step with care and great Tact, and remember Convention is A great balancing act!
And will you succeed? Yes! You will indeed! (98 and ¾ percent guaranteed)
—Dr. Seuss
AsI was reading the Dr. Seuss story “Oh, The Places You Will Go” to my granddaughter, Riley, I sat and thought for a minute how this story is still relevant to my life at this very moment. I changed a few words on the left to bring it into my moment. The theme for this year’s Convention was “Share Your Story.” I heard so many stories along the way during the planning process, on-site in Nashville and after I got home. They were emotional, they were funny, they were serious, they were personal, but all were heartfelt. If you ask, people will share their truth and often, their truth is your truth.
At a tasting in Vegas for the 2024 Annual Convention, there was a group of us around a table with way too much food, and it never stopped. Each time, I thought this had to be the last plate, another would be brought out. But more important that night than the food were the stories that were shared around that table. They went on for hours, but it felt like only minutes had passed. And that is when I knew Leslie was an expert storyteller. And so, our plan for 2025 began.
It’s always a delicate balancing act of how we bring stories and messages to life at the AKFCF Convention. We get pulled in many directions, are steered down many paths, given many choices, and hear many opinions. It is not easy. This year was a tough road. With the decline in franchisees, weak sales, vendor budgets being cut, and increased prices for all goods, we had heavy shoes and needed to step with great tact and care. In the end, I hope you were satisfied and happy with where we went.
Each of the speakers we chose had enthusiastic stories to share. We even learned the story of Chef Edward Lee buying fog tanks from Leslie’s husband Paul! Vera Jones was a strong speaker with a varied background of accolades. But her son’s story tugged at our heartstrings. Kelly Swanson took four members of our KFC family and weaved their stories into her own. Thank you, Shawn Brady, Debbie Ashmore, Tina O’Neal, and Robert Rodriguez and Sylvia Havel, for sharing your stories with us.
Backstage at the Opry, Phil Vassar was telling Ashley McBryde and I the story about the heart attack he had in 2023. And since that time, he has only done about one hundred shows. After performing for us, he told her he wanted to get back to doing more private shows. This is what he loved doing. The next day, I saw he posted on Instagram this exact sentiment.
And yes, there are many strange and loveable birds along the way. Some are out front, some are behind the scenes, some you know and others you will never meet. But they all played valuable roles in bringing our Convention story to life.
Thank you to all who played a part in bringing our stories to life in Nashville. So, did we succeed? Yes, we did indeed! n
Phil Vassar
Chef Edward Lee
The Hard Way
It is comparatively easy to prosper by trickery, the violation of confidence, oppression of the weak … sharp practices, cutting corners — all of those methods that we are so prone to palliate and do as “business shrewdness.”
It is difficult to prosper by the keeping of promises, the deliverance of value in goods, in services and in deeds — and in the meeting of so-called “shrewdness” with sound merit and good ethics.
The easy way is efficacious and speedy — the hard way arduous and long. But, as the clock ticks, the easy way becomes harder and the hard way becomes easier.
And as the calendar records the years, it becomes increasingly evident that the easy way rests haphazardly upon shifting sands, whereas the hard way builds solidly a foundation of confidence that cannot be swept away.
®
Thus We Builded
*Dictionary: Present participle and verbal noun. To fashion or frame according to a systematic plan or by a definite process, to create, to BUILD reputation.
Reprinted by permission of Colonel Sanders, November 1964. Copyrighted by Harland
Sanders, 1973.
TESTING OUR CULTURE
By Ronald K. Gardner, Esq.
Over the past decade, the KFC community has worked extremely hard to create a culture of collaboration; one that walked away from the prior relationship that was fraught with consistent dissension and turmoil. Throughout this time, we have built stronger relationships between franchisees and franchisor, we have made decisions that benefit all parties, and we have made sacrifices for — and in favor of — each other when the situation demanded it.
As recently as two-and-a-half years ago, I wrote in this column about the significant
work that had been done to create this culture and to convert it into what I called “institutionalized collaboration.” That institutionalization was meant to capture this culture of working side by side through issues, irrespective of who was on the other side of the table. In essence, we all agreed that this collaborative approach was just the way we were going to do business because it made so much more sense than the way it had been done before. I believed that as we crafted this culture. I believe it today. I expect I will believe it for the rest of my life.
Whether in the KFC system or otherwise, franchisees and franchisors must cooperate and keep the other’s success in mind when making individual decisions.
In the last four months, since I last wrote to you, there has been more change on the other side of the table than one could reasonably imagine. The fallout resulting from KFCC’s announcement that it is moving to Dallas has been enormously consequential to our relationship. The people with whom we have built strong relationships, and the institutional knowledge that they have about the way things are done in our system and why, are being lost en masse. And, while we could have an interesting debate on how and what Yum! should have done here, the reasons are immaterial. The fact that we are losing our partners will be of the most long-term consequence.
We have lost yet another KFCC president — the fourth since I began working on this business in the beginning of 2013. As you might recall, I wrote glowingly about Catherine Tan-Gillespie in my last article, and my belief and faith in her leadership continues. But, for the moment, she doesn’t have many people to lead. I fear that those left behind to carry the load of those who are departing may swamp the ship. I really hope that that does not happen, but burnout is real. And while Catherine’s elevation is a welcome development across many sectors of the business, it also means that we are currently without a full-time chief marketing officer. I understand KFCC is working rapidly to fill that void, but it is, today, nonetheless, a void.
Perhaps the most devastating consequence, for me, is the complete turnover of the KFCC legal department. Six months ago, I worked daily with Chief Legal Officer, Kate Ward, her Chief Lieutenant, Sarah Hill, and their amazing younger lawyers,
Rachel Washburn and Sarah Pennington-Richards. Today, the first three are gone and the fourth has chosen not to move to Dallas, and, therefore, will not be with us much longer.
WHETHER IN THE KFC SYSTEM OR OTHERWISE, FRANCHISEES AND FRANCHISORS MUST COOPERATE AND KEEP THE OTHER’S SUCCESS IN MIND WHEN MAKING INDIVIDUAL DECISIONS.
I cannot stress enough how our culture of collaboration made a difference in my work with Kate, Sarah, and Rachel, in particular. There was no problem too large for us to solve, no issue that we couldn’t sit down and discuss our mutual and differing needs and work to find a solution. Indeed, there were many times in the last several years that I am convinced if Kate had not been in the chair that she was, we would have had a rapid return to what many people refer to as “the bad old days.” (As a personal aside, Kate has become a tremendous friend, who I will miss working with every day for the rest of my career.)
To KFCC’s great credit, they have backfilled Kate’s position with Sarah Crow. I have to say, if I have any great optimism about the future, it is because of what I have seen from both Catherine (who I previously wrote about) and what I have seen from Sarah. Sarah is a practical, no-nonsense problem solver (just as her predecessor, Kate Ward, and Kate’s predecessor, Melanie Bootes were). I am eager to build a strong and enduring working relationship and friendship with Sarah.
This brings me to the point of this column. With so much change on the other side, and with so many new faces yet to arrive, the reminder that we have a culture of institutionalized collaboration is more important now than ever. With the business struggling, tempers easily flare,
and people can quickly become pessimistic — that is just the way some humans are built. And to be sure, as a trial lawyer, I know there are certain times when you must get a third party involved to resolve issues, including judges, juries, and arbitrators in the worst-case scenario; but that should be the last resort, not the first.
With that in mind, I want to say to the new faces on the other side of the table that I am committed to our culture of institutionalized collaboration. I ask them to join me in that commitment. And while I have no expectation that they are anything but as driven as your franchisee leadership is to make the relationship work for the benefit of everyone and I see no reason to expect that we would not double down together on this institutionalized collaboration, I want them to see from me in a very public way how committed we are to that concept.
So, here’s to the future! Here’s to working together to turn this brand around, to solve the many challenges we face, and to do so in a constructive and collaborative way that recognizes the value of everyone’s voices and everyone’s opinions.
P.S. It was great to see everyone at Convention! And both the risotto and the tuna were delicious! IYKYK n
This column is for the general information of members of the AKFCF and should not be relied upon as legal advice. Please see your own attorney or professional advisor for questions concerning your franchise agreement. Ronald K. Gardner is General Counsel of both the AKFCF and the NCAC.
