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16 Franchise Law. [1] (2013)

handle is hein.aba/frnchl0016 and id is 1 raw text is: American  Bar  Association

Lo/1m   n FJ L/ hi
F For umr o n F ran ch is in g

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR
By Joseph J. Fittante
Forum Chair

A s an organization, we have undertaken
various worthy initiatives over the years.
However, there has arguably been no more impor-
tant initiative undertaken by the Forum than to
increase the number of diverse members in the
Forum and to encourage their participation in the
various Forum activities. This initiative began in
approximately 2004, spurred in part by the ABA's
Goal IX Report on racial and ethnic diversity, and
in part by Phyllis Alden Truby, the then Governing
Committee Liaison to the Women's Caucus. It was
at this time that Forum leadership tasked Phyllis
with the job of reaching out to diverse members of
the Forum to identify these individuals and encour-
age their involvement in the Forum. With the
support of the Forum's Governing Committee, Phyl-
lis went about planting the seeds that would lead
to the current Diversity Caucus. To that end, Phyllis
spearheaded a diversity outreach effort at the 2005
Forum to identify individuals interested in serving
on a diversity committee. At that time, the Forum
Governing Committee also began an initiative to
assist diverse members with identifying leadership
opportunities in the Forum. These efforts contin-
ued during the 2006 Forum where a program was
held on fostering diversity in franchise systems, and
further outreach was conducted to those Forum
members who self-identified as diverse.
In 2007, recognizing that enhanced diversity
would require more of a full-time effort, Forum
leadership tasked one of its members in leader-
ship with the full-time job of spearheading Forum
diversity efforts. Over the years, this individual
has become known as the Forum's Diversity Offi-
cer. At that same time, a committee was formally
borne in an effort to assist the Diversity Officer in
implementing activities to promote and encourage

diversity in the Forum. The Forum has been lucky
to have had dedicated individuals fill the position
of Diversity Officer, including Kathy Kotel and the
current Diversity Officer, Leslie Curran. Under
Kathy's leadership, the ever-popular diversity lunch
was created. Under Leslie's leadership, in October
2010, the Forum's Governing Committee approved
the formation of the Diversity Caucus-institution-
alizing the diversity committee by recognizing it as
a formal caucus. This Caucus currently includes a
steering committee of six diverse individuals who
assist the Diversity Officer. The Diversity Caucus
now also co-hosts the community service event
held each year at the Forum.
Continued on page 13

Joseph J. Fittante

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For an electronic version of this issue and past issues go to
www.americanbar.org/publications/franchise-lawyer-home.html

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