The Subway chain, which has about 19,000 franchisees worldwide, has named seven outstanding franchisees as recipients of its 2013 Franchisee of the Year awards and three highly respected members of its development community as recipients of its Development Agent of the Year awards during the company's recent convention in Nashville, Tennessee.
Subway Franchisee of the Year awards are presented to the overall winners of the chain's multi-unit and single unit owner categories from the brand’s North American, and international emerging markets and developed markets.
All Subway restaurants are individually owned and operated by independent franchisees-entrepreneurs who pride themselves on being active members of the communities where they live and work.
With backgrounds as diverse as a television and film producer, real estate developer, and a banking trainee, the winners, like their fellow franchisees and development agents, all have their own unique stories, with varying education, business, and life experiences. Yet they share a basic entrepreneurial spirit and a desire to compete in the quick serve restaurant industry.
Subway Franchisee of the Year awards are presented to the overall winners of the chain's multi-unit and single unit owner categories from the brand’s North American, and international emerging markets and developed markets.
Competing among 52 finalists from 22 regions around the globe, the Franchisees of the Year are honored for accomplishments such as adding new stores, building sales, and increasing profitability, while also achieving excellent store evaluations.
The franchisee recipients who rose to the top include: Abdullatif Khalid Almana from Doha, Qatar; Ricardo Simões, Manoela Leal Pereira and Frederico Pereira from Salvador, Brazil; David Askarinam from Beverly Hills, California; and Hania & Amir Yazdi from Santa Monica, California.
"The franchisee is the heart and soul of the Subway family. Our success depends upon their excellence in operating their restaurant and motivating their team to provide the best tasting sandwiches to their customers. We take great pride in the hard work and effort made by the thousands of franchisees throughout the world and in the millions of customers that they serve," says Don Fertman, chief development officer for the Subway restaurant chain.
Often from the ranks of franchisees themselves, and chiefly responsible for building and managing a geographical territory, Subway development agents, or DAs, provide their local franchisees with the necessary support and expertise to run a successful business.
Selected from among many outstanding candidates from the chain's North American and international developed and emerging markets from around the globe, Development Agents of the Year are honored for their accomplishments in developing the Subway brand within their territory, increasing sales and profitability, and the level of service and support provided to their local franchisees.
The recipients of the 2013 Subway Development Agent of the Year awards are Carlos Delgado and Rafael Urdaneta representing Colombia; Lyle Swanson and Jose Vazquez-Puerto Rico; and for the third time, Kris Perrier-Saskatchewan, Canada.
"The Development Agents play an essential role in moving the Subway business forward. They continue to set records in franchise sales, leases signed, and restaurants opened as we expand globally. Focused on three main areas of business: building profits through operational excellence, building sales through effective marketing, and building restaurants through smart development, they work tirelessly to help our franchisees grow their businesses," Fertman says.
