Kansas City, Mo., Sept. 13-Massage Heights Franchising announced today that its franchisee, Tom Dusterhoft, is the recipient of the International Franchise Association's (IFA) prestigious Franchisee of the Year award, an annual recognition for a select group of franchisees who have demonstrated excellence within the franchising community.
"IFA is proud to recognize Tom with the Franchisee of the Year award," said IFA President & CEO, Robert Cresanti, CFE. "The franchising community is a critical component of the U.S. economy in large part due to the dedication of exemplary individuals like him who have helped grow the industry and continue to give back to their communities, including a strong commitment to help others in need."
Massage Heights, which provides professional therapeutic massage and facial services, is honoring Dusterhoft for his efforts to elevate the business and contribute to the success of others, as well as for his dedication to the well-being of the people in his community.
To help share the stories of franchise owners across the country, IFA kicked off its @OurFranchise tour, sharing the experiences of local franchise business owners and how their employees are supporting their communities, creating jobs and business ownership opportunities. Each year, millions of Americans start businesses, find jobs and gain skills through franchising. This year's franchisee of the year winners, through the @OurFranchise campaign, will help policymakers and the public understand the franchise business model and the dedication from local business owners to give back to their communities. To date, the @OurFranchise campaign launched in Colorado, Illinois and Virginia.
Massage Heights in Kansas City is one of 14,791 franchise businesses in Missouri. Franchise businesses provided 178,300 jobs in Missouri, 10.1 percent of the private sector non-farm jobs, one of the highest in the country.
Dusterhoft will be recognized next week at IFA's Franchise Action Network Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. which brings together more than 300 franchise business leaders to raise awareness with policymakers and other D.C. influencers about the industry's continued success and economic contributions.