BALTIMORE, Oct. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Richard Huffman, President and CEO of Celebree School, has been elected to the Board of Directors of the International Franchise Association (IFA), the largest organization representing franchising worldwide. Huffman will formally take his seat at the 2027 IFA Annual Convention in February and serve a three-year term. He joins a select group of franchise leaders who set the direction of the association that advocates for more than 832,000 franchise businesses across the United States.

"Richie brings invaluable experience to the IFA Board of Directors with a firsthand understanding of how franchising helps build thriving brands and supports local business ownership and jobs across the country and around the world," said Matt Haller, IFA President and CEO. "I am grateful for his commitment to IFA's mission to strengthen the franchise model at a time when the organization continues to grow and evolve."

Huffman founded Celebree School in 1994 with the guidance of his mother, an experienced early childhood educator, and spent the next 25 years building a network of company-owned schools before launching the Celebree franchise opportunity in 2019. Since then, the brand has grown rapidly. In 2024, Huffman formed Huffman Family Brands, a multi-brand parent company that unites Celebree School and its affiliated concepts under one platform. Celebree serves children from six weeks through school age with infant and toddler care, preschool, before- and after-school programs and summer camp across more than 60 locations.

That operating track record is a key reason entrepreneurs are choosing Celebree. According to Celebree School's Franchise Disclosure Document, company-operated schools open and operating throughout 2025 reported an average unit volume of $2.26 million.*

"Richie is dedicated to the betterment of the franchise business model, and his experience will provide a unique perspective to the IFA Board of Directors after years of pivotal growth for the association," said Sam Ballas, Chair of the IFA Board of Directors and CEO and Co-Founder of East Coast Wings + Grill and Sammy's Sliders. "His leadership will help IFA continue its work to advance the franchise model and expand business ownership opportunities worldwide."

Huffman's board service keeps Celebree directly connected to the national policy, legal, and industry discussions that affect franchise owners, giving the brand an informed view of the issues shaping franchising today and in the years ahead.

"Franchising gave me the chance to share something I've spent my life building with entrepreneurs who want to make a real difference in their communities, and I don't take that responsibility lightly," said Huffman. "Serving on the IFA Board is an opportunity to give back to the industry that made Celebree's growth possible and to help shape the policies that protect every franchise owner's ability to succeed. Our franchisees are small business owners first, and I'll be bringing their perspective, and the perspective of early education, to every conversation at the table."

The 2027 IFA Board of Directors brings together leaders from a wide range of businesses and professional backgrounds, reflecting the diversity of franchising and IFA's membership. According to IFA data, more than 832,000 franchise businesses in the U.S. employ nearly 9 million people and generate more than $900 billion in economic output. Franchising spans more than 300 industries and reaches nearly every community across the country.

The 2027 IFA Board of Directors brings together leaders from more than 300 industries that franchising spans, reflecting the breadth of a sector that, according to IFA data, employs nearly 9 million people in the U.S. and generates more than $900 billion in economic output.

Entrepreneurs interested in joining the Celebree School franchise system can learn more at franchise.celebree.com.

About Celebree School

Founded in 1994, Celebree School is a leader in early childhood education, offering infant and toddler care, preschool, and summer camp programs. With a mission to Grow People Big and Small™, Celebree School believes success in early childhood development is equal parts curriculum and connection. Each school employs a customized program that addresses the physical, social, emotional, and academic needs of children and follows applicable state guidelines. In 2019, Celebree School launched its franchise offering. In 2024, Celebree School's founder, Richard Huffman, launched a new parent company called Huffman Family Brands, merging Celebree affiliated concepts under one multi-brand company structure. Learn more about how we grow confident children who are prepared for school and life at Celebree.com. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

*Based on annual financial performance results for the 26 Company-Operated Schools across Maryland and Delaware that were considered "mature" and that were operated by our affiliates that were open and operating throughout 2025. A mature school is defined as a School that has been open for at least 24 months. This information is presented in Item 19 of our April 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document along with additional financial performance data related to the performance of our outlets. If you purchase a franchise, your results may differ from the represented performance. We can't guarantee the success of any franchise and you must accept the risk of not doing as well.

About the International Franchise Association

Celebrating over 60 years of excellence, education, and advocacy, the International Franchise Association (IFA) is the world's oldest and largest organization representing franchising worldwide. IFA works through its government relations and public policy, media relations, and educational programs to protect, enhance and promote franchising and the more than 832,000 franchise establishments that support nearly 8.8 million direct jobs, $907.3 billion of economic output for the U.S. economy, and almost 3 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). IFA members include franchise companies in over 300 different business format categories, individual franchisees, and companies that support the industry in marketing, law, technology, and business development.

SOURCE Celebree School

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