H.R. No. 1804
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, In a fitting tribute to an outstanding career,
Lawrence J. Cohen is the first franchisee to be inducted into the
International Franchise Association Hall of Fame, receiving the
honor at the IFA Convention in February 2011; and
WHEREAS, Before entering the franchise field, "Doc" Cohen
worked in the retail pharmaceutical industry for 15 years; he
opened a Great American Cookies store in Lafayette, Louisiana, in
the late 1970s, and that initial business grew into a network of
more than 35 Great American Cookies units in seven states; Cookie
Associates, the Houston-based company founded and run by Mr. Cohen,
now operates multiple franchise brands, including Pretzelmaker,
Coffee Beanery, and TCBY, in addition to Great American Cookies;
and
WHEREAS, A strong advocate for the franchising business
model, Mr. Cohen has served in multiple leadership positions with
IFA, holding the office of treasurer and chairing the board of
directors, the franchise advisory council, and the convention
planning committee; moreover, he has served as a trustee for the IFA
Educational Foundation and was the first franchisee ever to earn
the designation of "Certified Franchise Executive" from the
foundation; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Cohen has spoken in behalf of the industry in
Washington, D.C., on several occasions, including representing
Texas at the third White House Conference on Small Business in 1995
and testifying before the House of Representatives Small Business
Committee in 2009; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Cohen is the recipient of numerous accolades,
including multiple Franchisee of the Year awards, and he has twice
been named Franchisee of the Decade by Great American Cookies; and
WHEREAS, Entry into the IFA Hall of Fame represents yet
another milestone in his career; Mr. Cohen is joining such
illustrious past inductees as Ray Kroc of McDonald's, Frank Carney
of Pizza Hut, Dave Thomas of Wendy's, and Harland Sanders of
Kentucky Fried Chicken, and this achievement reflects his immense
stature in the industry and the deep respect he has earned from his
peers; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas
Legislature hereby congratulate Lawrence J. "Doc" Cohen on his
induction into the International Franchise Association Hall of Fame
and extend to him sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be
it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Mr. Cohen as an expression of high regard by the Texas
House of Representatives.
Riddle
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 1804 was adopted by the House on May
19, 2011, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House