The AAFD Announces Co-Chairs of Its 2019 Franchisee Leadership Summit

Stephen Rymal and Bryan Dillion will preside over the AAFD’s franchisee summit and annual conference in Mesa, Arizona  

SAN DIEGO, APRIL 2019 – The American Association of Franchisee and Dealers (AAFD) announced that franchise owner, Stephen Rymal and franchise attorney Bryan Dillion will serve as co-chairs of the AAFD’s 2019 Franchisee Leadership Summit and Annual Conference, taking place from September 15 – 18 at the Sheraton Mesa Hotel in Mesa, Arizona. 

The conference co-chairs will be responsible for developing the content of the meeting, recruiting top seminar speakers, and supporting the conference’s theme of “Protecting Your Franchise Equity.”  

Stephen Rymal is a franchisee of the Griswold Home Care (GHC) system and has owned his franchise since 1997. Stephen is a founding member and past president of the Griswold Home Care Franchisee Association (GHCFA) and was elected by his peers to assist in renegotiating the GHC franchise agreement. That agreement received a score of 97% conformity with the AAFD’s Fair Franchising Standards. 

Bryan Dillion is a partner with Lagarias, Napell & Dillon, LLP and specializes in representing franchisees and franchisee associations. Bryan is certified as a Specialist in Franchise and Distribution Law by The State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization and currently serves as a commissioner and chair of the State Bar’s Franchise and Distribution Law Advisory Commission (FDLAC). Bryan has represented some of the largest franchisee associations in the country and has been repeatedly named to the Franchise Time’s list of “Legal Eagles.”  

Both Stephen and Bryan have served as presenters at past AAFD Franchisee Leadership Summits and have plans to continue the AAFD’s efforts to empower our members through education and mutual collaboration.  In a joint statement released to the AAFD Franchisee Voice, Dillon and Rymal said, “Understanding that ‘knowledge is power,’ and essential to protecting a franchisee’s equity, we will continue to build on the AAFD’s efforts to promote a fairer and more balanced franchise community at the 2019 Franchisee Leadership Summit.”  

“We are so fortunate to have two luminaries presiding over our leadership summit and annual meeting,” said Robert Purvin, Chairman of the AAFD. “As a past franchisee association president and preeminent franchise attorney, respectively, Stephen and Bryan will provide an unmatched depth and breadth of experience that will ensure this conference is highly valuable for all of our attendees.”  

Each year, the AAFD’s Franchisee Leadership Summit and Annual Conference brings together franchisee association leaders as well as top attorneys, suppliers, and other leaders within the franchising industry for three and a half days of education, discussion, networking, and celebration. The annual meeting includes keynote speeches, educational seminars, networking opportunities, a supplier tradeshow, and the Total Quality Franchising Awards.