July 31, 2013—MAACO founder Anthony 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, who passed away in January 2008, 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.
"It's a proud moment for all of us who worked with Tony. 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," said David M. Lapps, past president of MAACO and long-time employee and friend of Martino.
Martino started his career in 1959 with a shop specializing in automatic transmission repair, AAMCO Transmisions. He helped grow AAMCO throughout the 1960s and then sold it before opening the first MAACO Auto Painting and Bodyworks center in 1972. He positioned the brand between low-cost auto painters of lesser quality and expensive dealership work and the company grew rapidly. Today, MAACO 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," says Jose Costa, president of MAACO. "We are continuing to build the MAACO brand into the one we know Tony would want it to be for today's customers."
Martino’s induction will be held during the IFA Annual Convention in New Orleans in February.
