O.C. couple wins national franchise award

September 19th, 2008, 5:00 am · 1 Comment · posted by Jan Norman, small-business columnist

Rand and Bonnie Rogenes, who have owned as many as six Big O Tires franchises over the past 21 years, have been honored as franchisees of the year at the International Franchise Association’s annual conference in Washington D.C.

The Yorba Linda residents own the Brea Big O Tire store and recently sold the Yorba Linda store.

“I’m focusing on locations where I can own the real estate like I do in Brea and Bermuda Dunes (near Palm Springs),” Rogenes said.

I caught up with him touring one of the Smithsonian buildings following the IFA’s conference. Not the best reception, but he was kind enough to call back.

Rand and Bonnie Rogenes (center) receive franchise award from Jim Neve (left) ADB Small Business Services, and John Francis (right) IFA and PostNet

“I was working for a major corporation and wanted to go into business for myself. The Big O store in Brea happened to be for sale so I bought it,” he said. Over the years he has helped train new franchisees and headed the committee that handles Big O advertising in Southern California.

The Rogeneses were among about four dozen honorees nationwide - six in California - out of more than 909,000 franchised businesses in the United States.

Franchising nationwide provides 11 million jobs and $2.3 trillion in revenues nationwide. In California franchised businesses account for 1.2 million jobs and $106 billion in sales, according to a PricewaterhouseCoopers economic impact study. Click here for more details.

“The IFA is proud to recognize the commendable efforts of these owner-operators with the Franchisee of the Year Award,” said IFA Chairman Steve Greenbaum. “The franchising community is fortunate fore the outstanding contributions of these exemplary individuals who have helped bolster the growth of the industry.”

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