CHARLOTTE, N.C. – MAACO founder Anthony "Tony" Martino has been posthumously inducted into the International Franchise Association (IFA) Hall of Fame for his extensive contributions in promoting and advancing the franchise industry. Martino is among a class of five industry leaders who have been selected to the 2014 IFA Hall of Fame.
Established in 1979, the Hall of Fame Award is the oldest and most prestigious award conferred by the IFA, the world’s largest organization representing franchising worldwide. Past recipients include: Robert M. Rosenberg, CEO of Dunkin’ Donuts; Frederick "Fred" DeLuca, co-founder of Subway; and Kemmons Wilson, the founder of the Holiday Inn hotel chain.
"It’s a proud moment for all of us who worked with Tony," said David Lapps, past president of MAACO and longtime employee and friend of Tony Martino. "We knew his genius in building dominant national brands and developing strong franchisee following. It’s a great honor to his memory that his talents are recognized by the franchise community."
Martino began his career in 1959 with a simple shop specializing in automatic transmission repair. As founder of AAMCO Transmissions, he significantly grew the business throughout the 1960s before selling it and turning his automotive knowledge and business insights to MAACO. When he opened a pilot MAACO Auto Painting & Bodyworks center in 1972, he positioned the brand between low-cost auto painters of lesser quality and expensive dealership work. The rest is history, as the company rapidly grew into the MAACO we know today, one that repairs accident damage, dents and faded paint for close to 500,000 drivers annually.
"Following in the footsteps of a visionary leader like Tony Martino is both humbling and a challenge," said Jose Costa, president, MAACO. "We are continuing to build the MAACO brand into the one we know Tony would want it to be for today’s customers."
A past recipient of the IFA’s Entrepreneur of the Year award, Martino’s business interests extended beyond automobiles. He founded the prominent Goddard School for Early Childhood Development in 1988, and established it as a leader in quality childcare before selling it in 2002. Martino passed away in January 2008.
In February, Marino will be honored along with the late Conrad Hilton, founder of Hilton Hotels, the late J. Willard Marriott, founder of Marriott International; James Maynard, founder of Golden Corral Corp.; and Thomas Monaghan, founder of Domino’s Pizza. The induction ceremony, which will be held during the IFA Annual Convention in New Orleans, celebrates the accomplishments of these pioneers who introduced many innovations and successful systems to their respective markets along with some of the most pervasive and well-known global brands. Each of these franchise icons have contributed significantly to the growth and sustainability of franchising in the U.S. and around the world.
