---
title: "IFA's @OurFranchise Tour Stops in Virginia to Showcase Franchise Opportunities for Local Communities"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/c46ce176-bdb0-445d-bbb3-ca45e2dd9ee8
source: "1851 Franchise"
original_url: https://1851franchise.com/ifas-at-ourfranchise-tour-stops-in-virginia-to-showcase-franchise-opportunities-for-local-communities-5713
category: "Franchise Industry"
industry: "Franchise Industry"
topics: ["Emerging brands"]
published: 2016-09-02T21:16:00.000Z
modified: 2026-11-01T04:11:17.595Z
image: https://newimage.1851franchise.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality=85,format=webp,width=1280,height=720/story/featureImage/01fc1b3d73fa220aefaf301ada5499504116160902114926.jpeg
---

# IFA's @OurFranchise Tour Stops in Virginia to Showcase Franchise Opportunities for Local Communities

**TL;DR:** The International Franchise Association's @OurFranchise Tour stopped in Virginia to showcase franchise opportunities for local communities and support America's veterans. The tour included a Franchise Forum and a Franchise Crawl of local businesses, highlighting how franchising provides opportunities for veterans to become small business owners.

*originally published in 1851 Franchise on 2016-09-02. [Read the original](https://1851franchise.com/ifas-at-ourfranchise-tour-stops-in-virginia-to-showcase-franchise-opportunities-for-local-communities-5713).*

## Story

From August 29 to August 30, the International Franchise Association President and CEO Robert Cresanti, led a “Franchise Forum” in Norfolk and a “Franchise Crawl” of local businesses at Virginia Beach Town Center in Virginia. Both events, part of the International Franchise Association’s nationwide @OurFranchise Tour, highlighted how local franchise business owners and their employees are supporting America’s veterans by creating jobs and business ownership opportunities at their franchises.

While in Virginia, Cresanti spoke to government officials, media and dozens of local franchisors and franchisees. In doing so, his goal was simple—to highlight exactly how franchising provides an attractive opportunity for our service men and women who want to realize the American Dream of owning their own business.

Cresanti, along with Marc Steiner, owner of FranNet, co-hosted a “Franchise Forum” in Norfolk highlighting initiatives for veterans to become small business owners. Additional panel participants included John Hewitt, president, CEO and chairman of Liberty Tax Service; Chris Grandpre, chairman and CEO of Outdoor Living Brands; and, Tommy Crisler, franchise owner of Liberty Tax Service.

The second leg of the @OurFranchise tour in Virginia included a three-stop “franchise crawl” through the Virginia Beach Town Center. Cresanti visited Jimmy Johns, Cold Stone Creamery and Mosquito Squad to learn more about how these local businesses provide opportunities to members of their community.

## Entities

- 1851 Franchise (publication)
- Franchise Industry (sector)
- franchise opportunities (topic)
- International Franchise Association (company)
- FranNet (company)
- Jimmy John's (company)
- veterans support (topic)
- Cold Stone Creamery (company)
- Mosquito Squad (company)
- Outdoor Living Brands (company)
- Liberty Tax Services (company)
- franchise tour (topic)

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Originally reported by 1851 Franchise (https://1851franchise.com/ifas-at-ourfranchise-tour-stops-in-virginia-to-showcase-franchise-opportunities-for-local-communities-5713). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/c46ce176-bdb0-445d-bbb3-ca45e2dd9ee8).