Ben Litalien  
President, Director and CEO, Social Franchise Ventures, LLC

Benjamin C. Litalien has invested over 20 years in the franchise community, with a broad range of key management and franchise-building experience. His specific strengths are in strategic planning, organizational development, concept management, and franchise system growth. He has developed and implemented strategic plans for a diverse group of companies including a major oil company, quick serve concepts including a sandwich and catering franchise and a national franchisor of food court cafes. Under his direction and management, he forged significant expansion in the United States and abroad, as well as increasing brand awareness and improving profitability.

Currently, Ben is President, Director and CEO of Social Franchise Ventures, LLC. a Washington, D.C. based consulting firm that exclusively represents nonprofit organizations seeking to enter the franchise community. This new venture represents groundbreaking efforts to bring the power of franchising to the nonprofit sector, resulting in the creation of 'community wealth' to fund social good works. He is also on staff at Georgetown University's School of Continuing Education as the Academic Advisor for Entrepreneurship and Franchise programs, and teaches the Franchise Management and Franchise Leadership Certificate programs.

Most recently, Ben spent four years with the ExxonMobil Fuels Marketing Company as the U.S. Franchise Development Manager based in Fairfax, Virginia. He oversaw the Company's On the Run convenience store franchise for Exxon and Mobil branded distributors in the U.S., generating more than 40 Regional Franchise Developers and securing a 900+ store development schedule. On the Run was named Convenience Store of the Year for 2003 by Convenience Store Decision magazine, in no small part because of Ben's efforts to expand the franchise program.

Ben is a Certified Franchise Executive and a recognized speaker for the International Franchise Association on "Turnaround Strategies" and "Franchise Development." He also has served on the IFA Education Committee and as vice chairman of the IFA Franchise Business Network, and is currently serving on the IFA Franchise Relations Committee and on the advisory board of the newly formed Diversity Institute. He has been referenced as a franchising expert in feature articles of Chain Leader, Entrepreneur, Supermarket News, Successful Franchising, Convenience Store Decision and Restaurant Hospitality magazines. He has also authored articles that appeared in industry periodicals such as Successful Franchising and Franchising World.

He holds a Bachelor degree in Business Administration from Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas and an Executive MBA degree from the University of Houston in Houston, Texas, where he served as President of the Alumni Association in 2000. He received his Certified Franchise Executive designation from the IFA in 2004.

He has been married to Raeann for 22 years and they have three children. Laura is 20, Rebecca is 17 and Jonathan is 15 years old. They reside in Stafford, Virginia, a suburb of Washington, D.C.

Articles by Ben Litalien: (1)