Signs Express sales director Tony Marsh has recently received the honour of being voted in as a board director of the British Franchise Association (BFA) and sits on the quality and standards committee.

With the four new board directors announced in December, Tony was initially approached by BFA head of operations Pip Wilkins in November, who encouraged him to put himself forward. With 12 years at Signs Express under his belt, Tony has vast experience in the franchising field and is well known and respected within the industry.

Surprised and honoured to be asked, Tony commented: “Being approached about the position and then being voted in really focussed my thoughts on the franchise industry as a whole, and what I could achieve as part of the board. As someone with a vested interest in franchising, I’m excited to sit on the board and am looking forward to playing a part in the changes we hope to see in the industry.”

A positive move for the Signs Express network, Tony will be kept abreast of any changes and developments within the industry putting the company at the forefront of its field. Tony’s appointment will also add to the company’s already strong reputation, with him now being instrumental in moving franchising forward as a whole.

Historically, the BFA was always seen as a trade association for franchisors, however with more franchisees joining, it is moving towards a much more wholly encompassing representative body which will hopefully create more sway for them when it comes to influencing the government on franchising issues.

An influential member of the Norwich community as well as the franchise community, Tony is also a member of the Norwich Centenary Rotary club. The club is the youngest of Norwich’s seven Rotary clubs and was formed in 2005, the centenary of the world’s first Rotary club which was founded in Chicago, USA. With an ethos based around having fun whilst raising money for local charities, the club have donated to a vast range of causes including the Bryan Gunn Leukaemia Appeal, the Nancy Oldfield Trust, MacMillan Nurses, EACH, Nelson’s Journey and Admiral Nurses.

Founded in, 1977 by major franchise companies in the UK, the BFA was formed to act in the interests of the industry as a whole in assessing and accrediting franchising companies as those which meet its criteria for the structure of the franchise business, the terms of the contract between franchisor and franchisee, the testing of the system and its success as a franchise. At just £10 per month for franchisees, BFA membership has many benefits including legal and HR advice, as well as discounted Learn Direct courses and a large range of other discounted services and products.

Signs Express recently celebrated its 25th anniversary and so this appointment comes at a fantastic time for Tony who became a director and shareholder of the business in 2007.